Spain, Portugal, France, United Kingdom, Germany

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

Cadiz is a city and port in SW Spain. It is the capital of Cadiz Province, an autonomous community of Andalusia. Due to its small size one is never more than a few blocks from the sea, and this engenders a safe, relaxed, and easy-going atmosphere. Read more about Cadiz, Spain

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

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

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

Kiel is the capital of the northern German state of Schleswig-Holstein, and situated at the SW of the Baltic Sea. It is the home to Germany’s Baltic fleet, an important ship-building centre, entry point to the Kiel Canal, and cruise terminal for the Baltic Sea. The city was rebuilt after WWII in modern architectural styles, hence few historic edifices remain – see Keiler Castle near the cruise terminal. Read more about Kiel, Germany