Lisbon, Porto, La Coruna, Bilbao, Le Verdon-sur-Mer, La rochelle, Ijmuiden, Bruges (Brussels - Zeebrugge), Le Havre-Paris

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, on the southwest of the country, has been the main gateway for the rest of the planet for more than 19 centuries. Ships captained by Portuguese explorers like Bartolomeu Dias, Vasco da Gama and Ferdinand Magellan, skittered across the globe, hauling treasure home and making Lisbon a global capital. Draped across seven hills, Lisbon was once the center of a vast maritime empire that stretched from the west coast of Africa to the Spice Islands of the East Indies, until 1755, when a violent earthquake destroyed two-thirds of the city, leaving intact only the Alfama, the old Moorish quarter. Today, Lisbon is a stately city of Neoclassical buildings and wide plazas. Eternally linked to the sea, Lisbon's magnificent harbor is spanned by the longest suspension bridge in Europe. Among the city's landmarks are the iconic Castelo de São Jorge, the World Heritage Sites of Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery, both built in Lisbon's native Manueline architectural style.

La Coruna is ta capital of the province of la Coruna in Galicia, in the northwest of the Iberian peninsula. During your visit, you can see the 2nd century lighthouse named Tower of Hercules, which is the oldest and most famous image of la Coruna city, the old town and quay side glass city districts, the tomb of Sir John Moore and enjoy an aperitif at the seaside cafés. La Coruna is the gateway for a tour to Santiago de Compostela, one of Christianity's holiest sites.

Spain’s tenth largest city, is a magnificent “cocktail” of architecture, tradition, sea and mountain, character and history. Most known for the Guggenheim Museum, a true landmark both for Bilbao and for this part of Spain, it has also a multitude of highlights: start from Getxo, the town, part of greater Bilbao, which features mansions and magnificent houses built in different European styles in the period between the late 19th and early 20th century. At the end of the promenade along the sea you will find Algorta, an old fishing port with restaurants and taverns. Close to Getxo’s port areaYou will find the Viscaya Bridge, the world’s oldest transporter bridge. Continue to  the historic center of the city either as the “casco,” meaning “the old quarter,” a pedestrian-friendly area featuring a variety of shops, restaurants and bars, visit La Ribera, one of Europe’s largest indoor markets, enter Santiago Cathedral and check out the Zubizuro Bridge, also known as the Campo Volantin Bridge, which connects the two banks of the Nervion River close to the city center. If you have time, visit the Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao with works by artists such as El Greco, Goya, Gauguin, Velazquez and Picasso and take the funicular from Plaza Funicular to the gardens of Artxandra, from where you will have a splendid panoramic view.

Verdon-sur-Mer is a commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle Aquitaine in southwestern France.

La Rochelle is a charming French seaside village and is considered one of the best-preserved port towns in France. La Rochelle is situated off the Atlantic Coast in France’s Bay of Biscay, on the west coast of France between the cities of Nantes to the north and Bordeaux to the south. Dating back to the 10th century, La Rochelle has many interesting heritage sites, restaurants, and activities within the town to keep visitors busy. Set off for a day of adventure in the old fortified port of La Rochelle and enjoy walking around and exploring the city’s landmarks of the old harbor and city center.

IJmuiden is known for its South beach, south of the harbour pier, which is divided into zones for sunbathing, swimming and activities. Two light houses welcome the visitors.  The locks are one of the attractions you have to visit while at Ijmuiden, as well as Fort Eiland – an UNESCO world heritage site - and the beautiful National Park South Kennemerland. 

Zeebrugge is Belgium's main gateway to Europe on the coast of the North Sea- 10 miles north of Brugge and 60 miles from Brussels- and has evolved into one of the fastest growing ports in the range of ports between Le Havre and Hamburg, which together handle more than a billion tonnes of cargo a year. From here, you can visit Bruges, the idyllic Unesco World Heritage city, founded in the 9th century by the Vikings. It has been beautifully preserved and charms its visitors by its medieval character.

The sky is dominated by the tower of Our Lady's Church (O.L.V-Kerk) that hosts the famous Madonna by Michelangelo. During your visit at the charming town, don't miss St. Salvator's Cathedral, with the eye-catching wall tapestries which were woven in the Brussels weaving manufactory Van der Borcht in 1730, the market place (Grote Markt) with the the Belfort or belfry tower - Visitors can climb the 350 steps to the top for a beautiful panoramic view of the city- the Cloth Hall - where the Flemish cloth which was manufactured in different other cities was sold to the rest of the world - and the neo-gothic style Provincial court. In the center of the Market stands the statueof Jan Breydel and Pieter de Coninck and several medieval-looking houses. The second largest square is the Burg Square with the gothic Town Hall (1376) and the Chapel of the Holy Blood. Chocolate lovers should visit the Chocolate Museum and Diamond Lovers, the Diamond Museum. 

Le Havre, on the Normandy coast, is our gateway for touring the D-Day beaches or for traveling inland, visiting the City of Light - Paris. It was founded in 1517 as a port to serve Paris and still remains its main gateway.

During your visit to the glamorous metropolis, you will see Notre Dame Cathedral, shrouded in gothic splendour and folklore, the sensational Louvre with priceless artworks, the Champs Élysées and the Arc de Triomphe. Last but not least, is the undisputed Parisian icon, the Eiffel Tower, which will leave its own vivid impression to your trip, offering the most magnificent panoramic view to the city.