Itinerary & Ports

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Portugal's capital is a stirring artwork of a city. Known for the seven hills it spreads across, and its stirring fado music, Lisbon is a pastel-colored blend of houses and beautiful tile artworks - and this creative city strikes a perfect harmony between natural and manmade beauty. Stroll along Alfama's steep, cobbled streets as you expl

Portugal's capital is a stirring artwork of a city. Known for the seven hills it spreads across, and its stirring fado music, Lisbon is a pastel-colored blend of houses and beautiful tile artworks - and this creative city strikes a perfect harmony between natural and manmade beauty. Stroll along Alfama's steep, cobbled streets as you explore one of the city's oldest neighborhoods - where each house and door could be its own photograph. Look for the decorative tiles, with the distinctive blues and whites of Azulejo ceramics

Oporto is a charming taste of the real Portugal. Wander the uneven paths of the country’s second-largest city, which are soaked with history, tradition and eye-catching details. Start in the gorgeous, historic Ribeira neighbourhood at the River Douro, and walk up through tiny alleys and narrow streets lined with restaurants and cafes. Cat

Oporto is a charming taste of the real Portugal. Wander the uneven paths of the country’s second-largest city, which are soaked with history, tradition and eye-catching details. Start in the gorgeous, historic Ribeira neighbourhood at the River Douro, and walk up through tiny alleys and narrow streets lined with restaurants and cafes. Catch your breath with a coffee, and be sure to try the famous pastel de nata pastry as a sweet accompaniment. Enjoy views of the colourful city from the skeletal Ponte de Dom Luis I bridge. Its design might ring a bell - the structure was created by a student of Gustav Eiffel, and has a similar aesthetic to his famous tower creation. Porto Cathedral sits on a rise of steps, towering above the city and offering spectacular views down. The cloisters are a highlight - with beautiful mosaics of the renowned blue and white tiles gleaming. graceful spanning a wandering municipal park, and the spectacularly futuristic Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (City of Arts and Sciences), most of it designed by Valencia-born architect Santiago Calatrava, has at last created an exciting architectural link between this river town and the Mediterranean.

Whether it's the flow of its boundary-pushing architecture, delights of its finger food tapas, or sweeps of gorgeous shoreline nearby, Bilbao is a city that places a premium on aesthetics. The relentless drive to all things beautiful may be a reaction to the city's industrial past, but it has led this Basque city to emerge as a new beacon

Whether it's the flow of its boundary-pushing architecture, delights of its finger food tapas, or sweeps of gorgeous shoreline nearby, Bilbao is a city that places a premium on aesthetics. The relentless drive to all things beautiful may be a reaction to the city's industrial past, but it has led this Basque city to emerge as a new beacon of artistry. American architect Frank Gehry's masterpiece of flowing metal is the shining standout here, a perfect harmony of smooth titanium and glass, and a thrilling piece in itself. Inside the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, world-class exhibitions are exhibited in the bright, expansive interior - which practically begs you to explore more. The city has a gorgeous historical presence too. Casco Viejo - the medieval area - is its historic core, and home to the original seven streets and cathedral, dating back to the 14th century. Tall banks of colored buildings rise on either side as you walk, dwarfed by a tide of pretty facades, overflowing flower boxes, and intricate rail balconies. Plaza Nueva is Bilbao's neoclassical square, with a procession of arches all around you. Morning flea markets regularly overtake it, offering opportunities to pick through piles of coins, dusty books, and rusted antiques on the hunt for bargains, in this most elegant setting. 

The name alone conjures images of sun-ripened grapes, splashes of refined flavor, and the joy of clinking glasses. Bordeaux is synonymous with quality and prestige, and the promise of endless opportunities to sample the city's famous, full-bodied red wines makes a visit to this elegant French port city one to truly savor. Sprinkled with s

The name alone conjures images of sun-ripened grapes, splashes of refined flavor, and the joy of clinking glasses. Bordeaux is synonymous with quality and prestige, and the promise of endless opportunities to sample the city's famous, full-bodied red wines makes a visit to this elegant French port city one to truly savor. Sprinkled with scenic, turret-adorned mansion castles, which stand above soil softened by the Atlantic and the winding flow of the Garonne River, the vineyards of Bordeaux consistently produce revered wines, enjoyed right across the globe. Explore France's largest wine region, walking through vineyards where dusty clumps of grapes hang, before descending into cellars to see the painstaking processes that make this region a global wine center. The acclaimed, sensory experience of Cité du Vin wine museum lets you put your own nose to the test, learning more about the craft involved in producing world-class vintages. Bordeaux itself is an intoxicating blend of old and new - a fact perfectly illustrated by the Water Mirror. This living art installation has reinvigorated one of the city's most important historical sites, and it feels as though you're walking on water, as you step through the cooling mist of Place De La Bourse. The moisture generates a glorious, mirrored composition of the 300-year-old elegant palatial architecture in front of you. Water also flows freely from the magnificent Monument aux Girondins statue, where horses rear up to extol the values of the Girondin revolutionaries. Marche des Quais - the city's lively fish market - is the spot to try this wine capital's freshest lemon-drizzled oysters and juicy prawns.

• A true maritime city, Cherbourg has tales to last a lifetime. Whether it was the Titanic sailing into port before departing on its ill-fated Atlantic crossing, the German occupation that took over the city during World War II, or the important role it played as a naval port during the Napoleonic wars, Cherbourg has seen it all. Watching o

• A true maritime city, Cherbourg has tales to last a lifetime. Whether it was the Titanic sailing into port before departing on its ill-fated Atlantic crossing, the German occupation that took over the city during World War II, or the important role it played as a naval port during the Napoleonic wars, Cherbourg has seen it all. Watching out over the English Channel, the grand, walled harbor now welcomes visitors from across the world to bear witness to its extraordinary tales of seafaring history. Cité de la Mer is a vast celebration of all things maritime, housed right in the city’s storied port. Squeeze yourself through the claustrophobic, metallic interior of a decommissioned nuclear submarine, shuddering as you imagine life in the murky depths of the ocean. The museum offers a full and detailed account of every aspect of the maritime experience – and you can see colorful fish and sharks cruising through the vast aquarium, before learning more about the Titanic’s famous call - all before even stepping foot into the city proper. The tricolors of the French flag flutter high over the city at Fort du Roule. Climb the short sharp hill to enjoy views back down over the city’s expanse, as it rolls down to the ocean below. Inside, a compact museum tells the tale of life under the Nazi regime and how liberation was achieved - following D-Day’s unparalleled land invasion across the region’s beaches. Of course, you’re also well placed to explore more of Normandy’s decisive landing spots and battlefields, where you’ll see the windswept, haunting beauty of these coastlines first-hand, where so much was sacrificed by so many.

Ship sails flutter in the breeze, at the natural port of Saint-Malo - a historic and resilient walled city, which watches out over golden sands and island fortresses. Strung tenuously to the mainland, Saint-Malo was the historic home of a rowdy mix of skilled sailors and new world explorers - as well as the plunderers who earned the place

Ship sails flutter in the breeze, at the natural port of Saint-Malo - a historic and resilient walled city, which watches out over golden sands and island fortresses. Strung tenuously to the mainland, Saint-Malo was the historic home of a rowdy mix of skilled sailors and new world explorers - as well as the plunderers who earned the place its 'Pirate City' title. Some of history's great voyages have launched from here - including Jacques Cartier's, which led to the settlement of New France and modern-day Quebec. Founded by a Welsh monk, who made his way here in the 6th century, Saint-Malo's castle is forged from sheer granite, and its steep defensive ramparts arise defiantly. The atmospheric walled town turns its back to the mainland and gazes out longingly into the sea. Explore streets that breathe with maritime tales and medieval charm - restored from the intense damage sustained during the Second World War. Cathédrale de Saint-Malo rises above the tight paths, offering views of the peppered islands and fortifications. Boatloads of fresh oysters and scallops are heaved ashore - savor them or grab savory crepes galettes, stuffed with cheese and ham. Wash Saint Malo's foods down with a Brittany cider, which challenges wine as the indulgence of choice in these parts.

Prepare yourself for a taste of living life a la Francaise in Rouen. Gothic architecture and history at every turn? Wide, leafy squares and timbered Norman houses? Enough French food that will keep your stomach full and tastebuds happy for hours? Yes, Rouen is all that and more. Set on the banks of the Seine and less than two hours from P

Prepare yourself for a taste of living life a la Francaise in Rouen. Gothic architecture and history at every turn? Wide, leafy squares and timbered Norman houses? Enough French food that will keep your stomach full and tastebuds happy for hours? Yes, Rouen is all that and more. Set on the banks of the Seine and less than two hours from Paris, Rouen is about as French as you can get. The city's roots go back to the 10th century when Vikings and Romans laid claim to the city. If you think that the cathedral looks familiar that is probably because Rouen's most famous resident Claude Monet painted the city in his many canvases. But well before the impressionist painter immortalized Rouen with his beautiful brushwork, the city was host to many other famous faces. William the Conqueror, Richard the Lionheart, Joan of Arc - take your pick. While the others may have left their hearts metaphorically, Joan actually did leave hers on a funeral pyre in 1431. A museum of the Roman Catholic Saint opened in 2015. Touring the city by foot is by far the best way to discover the riches of Rouen.

Effortlessly cool and down to earth, Copenhagen is a contemporary, clean, and classy highlight of Scandinavia. A city built to be livable, Copenhagen has refused to compromise, resulting in a forward-thinking metropolis that's green and clean. Swim in the waters of Havnebadet Islands during summer, or shelter from winter's bite by snuggli

Effortlessly cool and down to earth, Copenhagen is a contemporary, clean, and classy highlight of Scandinavia. A city built to be livable, Copenhagen has refused to compromise, resulting in a forward-thinking metropolis that's green and clean. Swim in the waters of Havnebadet Islands during summer, or shelter from winter's bite by snuggling in beside a roaring open fire during winter. You can even hop on a train to Sweden, traversing the famous span of a Nordic Noir star - the Øresund Bridge. It takes just a touch over half an hour to step off the train in Malmö. There's only one way to truly explore Copenhagen and that's on two wheels. Easy bike hire schemes will get you moving across this flat city, designed with bikes at the forefront of the mind.

Head out to the Little Mermaid statue, inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale - the strikingly restrained statue is the perfect landmark for Copenhagen; unshowy, self-assured, and utterly irresistible. The Danish concept of hygge is very much alive here, and you'll feel that warm cozy feeling as you visit cafes illuminated by the warm glow of hanging filament bulbs, and stuffed to the brim with thick, dusty books. Home to mega-brewer Carlsberg, Copenhagen is also a city for hop enthusiasts, and there is a thriving craft brewing scene to sample. Danish smørrebrød sandwiches are a must-try, or for something a little more substantial, settle in for a culinary voyage and try a taster menu - the city's restaurants are littered with Michelin stars.