Wines & Whimsy

The great waterfront city of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island on the southern coast of England. It is the UK's only island city. Fast becoming Britain’s favourite waterfront destination, it has an irresistible mix of history and heritage, shopping, lively arts as well as great restaurants and bars. A significant naval port for centuries, Portsmouth is home to the world's oldest dry dock still in use. Read more about Portsmouth, Great Britain

The isle of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands, lying just 12km off the coast of France, offers the visitor a mild climate, breathtaking scenery and a peaceful, unspoiled ambience. Between the wide, sandy beaches to the north and the rocky cliffs to the south are wooded valleys, marshland, and winding country lanes. Guernsey soaks up nearly 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest places in the British Isles. Discover the island by bus, coach, mini bus, or taxi. Read more about Guernsey, Great Britain

Surrounded by the sea, Lorient offers a wide range of fresh sea food, especially mussels and oysters. One of the biggest attractions at Lorient is the German submarine base that remains here from WWII. The base was first extended by the French Navy and used for nuclear submarines. Later it became a tourist attraction, and you can now visit it as a museum that is home to a real French Navy submarine. Read more about Lorient, France

Nantes is the capital of the NW French region of Pays de la Loire. That said, Nantes has strong historical connections with the adjoining region of Brittany, and is the historical capital of the region (though not its official capital since the days of Napoleon). Nantes was once an important port located 50 km up the Loire River. It grew rich on the triangular trade with Africa and the West Indies. Read more about Nantes, 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. This delightful city is the starting point for tours to famous French chateaux and vineyards that are renowned for their wines. 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. This delightful city is the starting point for tours to famous French chateaux and vineyards that are renowned for their wines. 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. This delightful city is the starting point for tours to famous French chateaux and vineyards that are renowned for their wines. Read more about Bordeaux, France

San Sebastian is a city and municipality located in the north of Spain, on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and 20 km south of the French border. The first sight of the shimmering scallop-shaped bay, with its crescents of golden sand and turquoise waves, is most impressive. As it is also in the autonomous community of the Basque Country, the local cuisine is unrivalled. San Sebastian boasts one of the best in-city beaches in Europe, which draws surfers and sunbathers in abundance, and is located next to major historical buildings and churches. Read more about San Sebastian, Spain

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

Saint Jean de Luz, one of France’s most charming and picturesque beach towns, is a fishing port on the Basque coast of France, on the northern side of the Nivelle River, near the Spanish border. It is now a famous resort, known for its Basque architecture, long sandy beach, its cuisine – be sure to taste the handmade espadrilles on Gambetta St. - as well as a great pedestrian shopping area and delightful town squares. Explore the wonderful hidden corners of the town where winding lanes take you to whitewashed houses and tiny shops. Read more about St Jean de Luz, France

Situated on the Atlantic coast of Spain, Gijon began as a fishing village almost 3,000 years ago, and today is an important port that is an attractive combination of seafaring flavour, heritage buildings, and modern urban development. The city’s major tourist attraction is the historic fishing village of Cimadevilla, located on a peninsula that divides the port in half. Most of its streets are made of cobblestones and are barely two cars wide, reminding visitors of its historic past, as do many of the buildings that have withstood the forces of the Atlantic. Be sure to take a themed walk to visit all of its historic sites. Read more about Gijon, Spain

Villagarcia (or Vilagarcía de Arousa) is a seaport situated on the Ría (bay) of Arousa in Galicia, Spain. It is situated 45 km south of Santiago de Compostela in the NW of the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal lies 55 km to the south. Fishing and boatbuilding are the chief local industries, and exports include lumber and sardines. Read more about Villagarcia, 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. Understandably, it is considered the economic and cultural heart of the entire region. Read more about Oporto, Portugal

Portimao is a city located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve in southern coastal area of Portugal. It is a popular holiday resort, undoubtedly due to the fact that it enjoys around 300 days of sunshine each year. Portimao is also known for its sporting events. In the summer, a beach soccer tournament called 'Little World Cup' is held, and the Lisbon to Dakar Rally passes through. Read more about Portimao, 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. The Lisbon Coast hosts some fine sandy beaches at Cascais and Estoril and fishing villages like Sesimbra. 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. The Lisbon Coast hosts some fine sandy beaches at Cascais and Estoril and fishing villages like Sesimbra. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal

Funchal is the capital of Portugal’s Autonomous Region of Madeira an archipelago 880 SW of Portugal and 600 km NW of Morocco, in the north Atlantic. Funchal’s harbour offers plazas lined with shops, colourful houses spilling down hillsides, due to its almost amphitheatre-like formation, and a profusion of flowers. For a fine view of the magnificent bay, take the unique downhill basket sledge ride. Visitors will find cuisine that celebrates the freshest ingredients, and a population that is joyous and gracious. Read more about Funchal, Portugal

Santa Cruz de la Palma (commonly known as Santa Cruz) is the capital the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa and the Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. Not surprisingly, the city has a real cosmopolitan mix due to immigrants from Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. Santa Cruz is the second largest city of the European Union outside of Europe, and is also the capital of the island of Tenerife. Read more about Santa Cruz de La Palma, Spain

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (commonly known as Santa Cruz) is the capital the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. Not surprisingly, the city has a real cosmopolitan mix due to immigrants from Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. Santa Cruz is the second largest city of the European Union outside of Europe, and is also the capital of the island of Tenerife. Read more about Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Lanzarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, lies about 125 km off the African coast. Due to its mild, dry climate it is regarded as a perfect year-round destination. Lack of erosion means that the volcanic landscape appears much as it did just after past eruptions. Amongst the many stunning volcanic features of Lanzarote is the longest Volcanic Tunnel in the world, the Atlantida Tunnel, which is over 7 km in length. Read more about Lanzarote, Spain

Agadir is a city in southern Morocco, surrounded by the Sahara Desert, natural parks and beaches. It is not typical of traditional Morocco as it has large buildings, wide roads, European-style cafés and modern hotels, because it was rebuilt after a major earthquake in 1960. The delightful beaches are extremely popular, while many visitors enjoy the local cuisine at restaurants that offer authentic Morrocan and French Moroccan fusion dishes. Also very popular is the well known large market that offers local fresh food and some great souvenirs. Read more about Agadir, Morocco

Africa’s second largest city and Morocco’s largest city and chief port, Casablanca (Portuguese for ‘white house’), is located on the Atlantic Ocean in the west of the country. The city has passed through Arab, Portuguese, Dutch and French control, and the famous 1942 film Casablanca reflects its colonial status in the 1940s. Today it is the largest city of the Maghreb (Barbary Coast), land of the Berbers and Moors. It is a major port (one of the largest artificial ports in the world), financial centre, and now tourist destination. Read more about Casablanca, Morocco

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. It is amongst the largest of all medieval and Gothic cathedrals in terms of both area and volume and is the city’s main attraction. Read more about Seville, 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. The ‘Gothic Quarter’ is the centre of the old city of Barcelona, where many of the buildings date as far back as the Roman settlement. Read more about Barcelona, Spain