Southampton, Leixoes, Lisbon, Alicante, Valencia, Barcelona

Southampton is the largest city of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Southampton is a major port.  It was the point of departure for the RMS Titanic in 1912.

Leixões is a cruise terminal in Portugal, located near the city of Porto which is known mostly for its port wine trade. Porto is one of Europe's oldest cities, dating back to the 4th century, when it served as an important commercial port where the Atlantic Ocean and Douro River meet.

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.

Alicante is one of the most popular and famous destinations on Costa Blanca, the 200 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline which attracts thousants of sun and fun lovers. Stroll among the palms, shops and cafés of the beachfront Explanada de España, explore the high-baroque Cathedral de San Nicolas de Bari, the Basilica of Santa María, the Baroque Casa de La Asegurada (1685), Gravina Palace (1748–1808), nowadays hosting Gravina Museum of Fine Arts, or the Castillo of Santa Barbara, a 16th-century castle with splendid views of Costa Blanca.

Since its founding as a Roman colony in 138 B.C., the Visigoths, the Moors, the Catalan and Aragonese and the modern tomato-throwers have thrived on the shores of the Mediterranean at the Gulf of Valencia. Valencia is a mix of the old and the new. The historic past is depicted in the stone geometry of the Valencia Cathedral,  the mediaeval gates of the Serrano and Quart towers, or the Tribunal de las Aguas (Water Court) and one of the most iconic examples of Gothic architecture in Europe, the Lonja de la Seda, declared an Intangible Cultural Heritage site by UNESCO. The new facet is embodied in the arching white steel of the futuristic City of Arts and Sciences, designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava.

Barcelona is one of the world's greatest treasures, a global capital of commerce, fashion, culture and sunshine. Cruise visitors should start with a walk down Las Ramblas, the glorious tree-shaded thoroughfare at the heart of the city, enjoy a dive in the wonderful beaches nearby, but, most of all, see what visionary architect Antoni Gaudi wrought. Seven of his creations have been honored as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including La Sagrada Familia, the Park Guell and Casa Mila. Time provided, you can also visit the former Olympic Ring on the hill of Montjuic, home to world-class parks, fountains and museums. Barcelona, which nurtured such artistic giants as Picasso, Dali, Miro and Casals, is definitely a traveler's paradise.