Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, France, Spa

The city of Stockholm in Sweden spreads across 14 islands as it faces proudly out to the Baltic Sea. Its history stretches over seven centuries, and it is Sweden's centre of art and culture. It is also famous for being the home of the Nobel Prizes. Read more about Stockholm, Sweden

Copenhagen, situated on two islands, is the capital and largest city in Denmark. It is perhaps best known for being the final resting place of the famous author Hans Christian Andersen, and also being one of the world’s most environmentally friendly cities. It has a very high quality of life. Read more about Copenhagen, Denmark

Sweden’s only baroque city and a UNESCO World Heritage Town, Karlskrona, an outstanding example of a late-17th-century European planned naval city, is an historical navy base at the SE tip of Sweden. The original plan and many of the buildings have survived intact, along with installations that illustrate its subsequent development up to the present day. The city of Karlskrona is spread over 30 islands, Trosso being the main one. Read more about Karlskrona, Sweden

Passengers on ships visiting Berlin typically dock at the north eastern port of Warnemunde and go directly to the capital of Germany that is just a three hour train or coach ride away. Berlin, completely devastated in WW11, has amazingly seen the reconstruction of its sixteenth-century core that exists in the Nikolaiviertel, while nearby stand many rebuilt 19th C buildings from the time of the Second Reich. Little from the Third Reich has been rebuilt, except for the 1936 Olympic Stadium. Read more about Berlin (Warnemunde), Germany

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

The 1000-yearr-old French resort city with its eye on the future, La Rochelle has preserved its exceptional natural and architectural assets. Lying on an inlet of the Bay of Biscay, its sandy beaches, lush landscape, and sunny climate attract millions of visitors annually. Nestling at the heart of the Atlantic sea-front, the city has been able to turn its picturesque Vieux Port (Old Harbour) into a fantastic economic, tourism and cultural asset. Read more about La Rochelle, 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

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

Gibraltar shares a northern border with Spain, but is a UK Overseas Territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. It has an area of 6 sq.km. and a 1.2 km border with Spain. Read more about Gibraltar, Spain

Valencia city, the administrative capital of the Valencian community and the centre of the region of L’Horta, is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The Old City of Valencia, with its monuments, museums, and gardens, is a major tourist attraction. Here one finds the Gothic building of La Lonja that has been declared by UNESCO as a universal heritage monument. Read more about Valencia, Spain

Genoa is an important seaport in northern Italy. It is also known as 'the Superb One' due to its illustrious past. Today it rises from the sea, with two massive towers providing striking landmarks. Read more about Genoa, Italy