Lisbon, Seville, Tangier, Civitavecchia (Rome)

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.

Tangier is part of the Kingdom of Morocco, Africa's whitewashed gateway to Europe and the Mediterranean, a rich blend of cultures, exotic souks, colourful riads, the Kasbah, lively markets.. Wide palm-lined boulevards and humming souks are Tangier's distinctively Moroccan characteristics, but Spanish, French and Berber influences are found everywhere: watch the arched wooden doors, the hefty silver ornamentations, the tighly-woven carpets that tell tribal legends.You can take a tour at the caves of Hercules and the colourful souks of the Old Medina, the Kasbah and the majestic mountains of the Rif.

Our gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome's seaport since the 13th century, boasting a long and venerable history. Its location near the modern city, made it a perfect vacation resort for emperor Trajan, who built a pleasure villa. while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications. Yet the Eternal City, the ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2.000 years, is our main reason to be here. YYou can visit the ruins of the Forum and the Colosseum, throw a coin in Fontana di Trevi to make sure you return to Rome one day, take a photo in front of the Vatican, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome's Bohemian Quarter and enjoy a delicious gelato, in the glamorous area.