Wine Country To Fjords

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies in the western Iberian Peninsula aside the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal

Located in the scenic estuary of the Douro River with swathes of vineyards clinging to the hills, Oporto - aka Porto - is Portugal's second largest metropolis, and one of Europe's most charismatic cities. The city is home to monuments by leading world architects from the past and the present, and some fantastic baroque carvings. Then there’s the world-famous sweet wine, and Ribeira - Its historical centre - that was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. Read more about Oporto, Portugal

Located in the NW corner of Spain, La Coruna is part of the Spanish autonomous community of Galicia. It’s a region of vast green landscapes with a rich Celtic and Roman heritage that keeps, to this day, a mystic and magic allure. Once protected by walls on three sides and by the sea on the other, the lively streets of the early medieval town with good examples of preserved Romanesque architecture, make for a fascinating visit. Read more about La Coruna, Spain

Bilbao, situated on the estuary of Bilboa in the north-central part of Spain, is a bustling city that epitomises the merger of the modern and the historical, as modern architects erect new buildings next to 19th-century structures. Thanks to its history and location, Bilbao is a magnificent ‘cocktail’ where architecture, tradition, character, and history, are blended to offer the visitor endless leisure and culture opportunities. With the railway connecting Bilbao and the coastal neighbourhood of Las Arenas, the city became a popular beach destination, but it was the inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao - a true masterpiece - in 1997 that gave the tourism industry its real impetus. Read more about Bilbao, Spain

Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in SW France. It is the world’s major wine industry capital, while the historic part of the city is on the UNESCO Heritage List due to its elegant18th century architecture. It has become a sought-after destination for both tourists and cinema production crews. Read more about Bordeaux, France

St Malo (aka Saint-Malo, Sant-Maloù, Saent-Malô) on the English Channel in Brittany in the NW of France, is an amazing, historic, ancient walled city. With its tall granite mansion blocks lining the attractive lanes and squares, its numerous ramparts that offer amazing views, and its cobbled streets brimming with restaurants, bars and shops, it is considered to be the most attractive channel port in France. The Citadel, aka the Old Town, was originally built on a rocky island at the mouth of the Rance estuary, a strategic position for defence, but today the modern harbour connects the citadel to the mainland. Read more about St Malo, France

Southampton, UK, is a city and major port situated on the south coast of England, and is widely recognised as the capital of the country’s cruise industry. Each year more and more cruise liners take advantage of its superb cruise terminals. It is, of course, a gateway to Europe’s largest city, the enormous cosmopolitan city of London, with all the cultural and gastronomic attractions you'd expect from a world capital. Read more about Southampton, Great Britain

Le Havre is a city in the NW of France, situated on the right bank of the mouth of the Seine River and 170 km from Paris. Best known for being the ferry terminal for the English Channel crossings, it should not be quickly dismissed. This city was devastated during WWII, but was rebuilt in modernist style and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005. Read more about Le Havre, France

The port city of Zeebrugge is a harbour town at the western end of the Belgian coast and a subdivision of the city of Bruges - one of the best preserved cities in Europe - for which it is the modern port. The new port has reinvigorated the city as an art and tourist centre for northern Europe. Upon visiting Bruges you will immediately notice that this city has always carefully cherished its architectural and artistic treasures from the past, but what makes Bruges so unique though is the way it deals with this past today. Read more about Zeebrugge, Belgium

IJmuiden, Netherlands, is located at the mouth of the North Sea Canal leading to Amsterdam, lying approximately 17 km north of Haarlem. It is known as North Holland’s gate to the North Sea due to the canal that connects the North Sea with the IJ Bay in Amsterdam. The places to be seen include the Zee-en Haven Museum in the city, the Hoogovens Museum, and the system of sluice gates at the mouth of the canal. Read more about IJmuiden, Netherlands

Scotland's showcase capital of Edinburgh has a magnificent geographical location, perched on a series of extinct volcanos and rocky crags above the flatlands. The setting is wonderfully striking, as the modern city is often said to be built on seven hills. Both a historic and modern city, this metropolis is home to the largest arts festival in the world. Read more about Edinburgh, Great Britain

Aberdeen is situated on the banks of the rivers Dee and Don on the mid-eastern coast of Scotland, and is its third largest city. It is home to many diverse attractions and has long been famous for its parks, gardens and floral displays, hence its name “Flower of Scotland.” Imagine seeing two million roses, eleven million daffodils and three million crocuses! It is also known as “the Granite City” or “the Silver City” on account of the grey, sometimes sparkling stone used in the older buildings. Read more about Aberdeen, Great Britain

Invergordon is a deepwater port near the entrance of Cromarty Firth, "the seaway to the Scottish Highlands." Inverness, where shopping is great and visitors can see tartans being made, is the capital of the Highlands, and is a half an hour drive from Invergordon. Loch Ness, home of the elusive monster, is just a few kilometres beyond. The town of Invergordon itself is small and modern, and now specialises in the construction of large offshore wind turbines. Read more about Invergordon, Great Britain

Lerwick is the capital and main port of the Shetland Islands, Scotland, located more than 160 km off the north coast of mainland Great Britain. Open to shipping in all weathers, it operates around-the-clock. Lerwick has strong ties with Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway, and this is reflected in the street names of the port. Read more about Lerwick, Great Britain

The Norwegian Art Nouveau town of Ålesund could be taken right out of a fairy tale. If you look up as you explore the town, you will discover an abundance of imaginative ornamentation on the fronts of the buildings. Walk up the 418 steps to the top of Mount Aksla and you will be rewarded by unforgettable panoramic views. Read more about Alesund, Norway

Stavanger, a city on the SW coast of Norway, grew to become among the most influential Norwegian cities in the late 1900s when oil was discovered in the North Sea. Today a vibrant city, but still with its small town appeal, the picturesque harbour with the quiet streets of the old town climbing up from the water’s edge, is the centre from which the city radiates across a network of islands interlaced with graceful bridges. The area is very popular for hiking, so if time permits visit the Pulpit Rock - a massive rock that overhangs the fjord at a height of 604 metres. Read more about Stavanger, Norway

Arendal is a small coastal town in southern Norway, situated on the north shore of Skagerrak (Skagen Channel), the entrance linking the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Across the channel to the east is Sweden, and to the south is the Jutland peninsula of Denmark. Ships approach Arendal through a 5 km sound guided by the landmark twin lighthouses Lille Torungen and Store Torungen. Read more about Arendal, Norway

Oslo, the capital and most populous city in Norway, lies between the Oslo Fjord and the green hills of Oslomarka. The combination of city life and easy access to outdoor activities makes Oslo a unique destination. Oslo is built in a horseshoe shape on the shores of the Oslofjord and limited in most directions by hills and forests. Read more about Oslo, Norway