Iconic Western Europe

Greenwich Pier on the River Thames in the London borough of Greenwich, UK, is upstream from the London Barrage, and downstream from the heart of London. The name says you are within walking distance of the historic Royal Observatory, Greenwich (now a museum), marking zero degrees longitude, where you can be photographed with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere and one foot in the Western hemisphere. View historic astronomic and navigational tools vital to Britain’s ships since 1675, railways since 1847, and the Prime Meridian since 1884. Read more about Greenwich, Great Britain

Greenwich Pier on the River Thames in the London borough of Greenwich, UK, is upstream from the London Barrage, and downstream from the heart of London. The name says you are within walking distance of the historic Royal Observatory, Greenwich (now a museum), marking zero degrees longitude, where you can be photographed with one foot in the Eastern hemisphere and one foot in the Western hemisphere. View historic astronomic and navigational tools vital to Britain’s ships since 1675, railways since 1847, and the Prime Meridian since 1884. Read more about Greenwich, Great Britain

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

Paris, situated on the river Seine in northern France, is the capital and largest city of the country. It is also the most visited city in the world, and the region is home to 3,800 historical monuments and four UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Interestingly, the earliest archaeological signs of permanent settlements in the Paris area date from around 4200 BC. Read more about Paris, France

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Seville is the artistic, cultural, and financial capital of southern Spain, and represents all that is Andalucian - flamenco, the horses, toros and more. It is a child of the Arab occupation and domain from which it acquired its flourishing architecture and personality. However it was reconquered by the Catholic kings, so it is not surprising that the city's cathedral, built from 1401–1519 and lavishly decorated with a lot of gold evident, sits on the former site of the city's mosque. Read more about Seville, Spain

More than any other city, the likeable, lively and cosmopolitan city of Tangier has become Morocco’s face to the world. With a long history dating back to the Phoenicians, and a rich culture - an interesting mix of African and European influences - to explore, Tangier is a fascinating port of call. Of historical interest is the Medina, the old walled city that is home to alleyways filled with tea houses and shops selling trinkets. Read more about Tangier, Morocco

Malaga is a lively, prosperous city on Spain's fabled Costa del Sol aside the Mediterranean Sea, just 100 km east of the Strait of Gibraltar. The city’s warm winter temperatures (average daytime of 17 C) make it an ideal place to visit any time of year. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabian and Christian eras convert the historic centre into an ‘Open Museum’ displaying its rich history of more than 3,000 years. Read more about Malaga, Spain

Cartagena is a Mediterranean city and naval station located in the Region of Murcia, SE Spain. The rich Carthaginian heritage extends as far as the Sea Wall, built by Charles III in the 18th century, and which defines the old quarter. Overlooking the Mediterranean there are two elements that are clearly connected with the sea: the prototype of the submarine by the inventor Isaac Peral; and the National Museum of Maritime Archaeology. Read more about Cartagena, Spain

Palma de Mallorca is the major city and port on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is situated on the south coast of the island on the Bay of Palma, and almost half of the total population of Majorca live there. Visitors are spellbound by its blue waters, white beaches, lush foliage (almost 40 percent of the island is protected countryside), and 300 days of sunshine each year. Read more about Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Barcelona, located in Catalonia Spain, is Europe's largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast, and one of the world’s major global cities. Today, Barcelona balances itself on the cutting edge of architecture, intellectual life, and style. Indeed Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, the first time that the winner has been a city, and not an individual architect. Read more about Barcelona, Spain