Rotterdam,Zeebrugge,Le Havre,Southampton,Lisbon,Cadiz,Barcelona

Rotterdam - located at the Rhine-Meuse-Scheldt delta on the North Sea - is the largest port in Europe, and a perfect starting point for excursions to the cities of Holland. Few cities rebounded as quickly as Rotterdam following the Nazi invasion, which levelled the medieval heart of town, burning most of it to the ground. Today some of Europe's most bold contemporary architecture, such as the unique Cube Houses, can be found amid classic 18th and 19th C buildings in this, the greatest comeback city in the world. Read more about Rotterdam, Netherlands

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

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

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

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

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