12-night European Cruise

Portugal’s capital is an 18th-century city - elegant, open to the sea and carefully planned. Most places of interest are within easy walking distance. Rossio Square, the heart of Lisbon since medieval times, is an ideal place to start exploring. Many rebuilt houses with original façades provide stores and restaurants with modern interiors. High above Baixa is Bairro Alto - with its teeming nightlife. There are many monuments and museums, such as San Jeronimos Monastery, Royal Coach Museum and Gulbenkian Museum. Two well-known landmarks are the Monument to the Discoveries and the Tower of Belem. A statue of Christ looms above Europe’s longest suspension bridge. Madragoa, Bica and Bairro Alto, Lisbon’s older sections, offer a variety of sights: the Church of Sao Roque, with its beautiful tiles; St. George Castle, which offers a splendid view from its location above the Alfama quarter; the botanical gardens, featuring an unusual, cold greenhouse; and the cathedral, stunning with its Moorish design. Renowned Gulbenkian Museum is the cultural center of Portugal.

The seaport of the city of Oporto (Porto), Leixoes provides easy access into the city, which is famous for its port wine. Other attractions in Oporto include Torre dos Clérigos, a baroque tower; the two-storied Dom Luis bridge across the Douro River; the Crystal Palace; and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art.

Vigo is Galicia's most populated city, with the most important port. The historic quarter is very charming and well preserved.

Aptly named Belle-Ile-en-Mer is the largest of France's Atlantic islands, located just off the Brittany coast. It is a popular summer holiday spot, with rolling countryside and broad beaches, miles of hiking trails along the shoreline cliffs and even romantic castle ruins above the protected harbor of Le Palais.

In the 19th century, Parisian artists sought refuge from the growing emphasis on Impressionist realism (painting only what you saw), and it was in Pont-Aven that many of these painters - most notably, Paul Gauguin - found what they were looking for. Serene green landscapes with quaint old homes, cobblestone streets and the Aven river, all stir up artistic energy in any visitor. The Aven River snakes through town peacefully, with old mills serving as relics of a time when Pont Aven was a thriving mill town. One of these mills, the Moulin du Grand Pouguin, has been restored and renovated into a restaurant and museum you can visit, looking over the river while enjoying a crepe or other French delicacy. Experience the idyllic setting of Pont-Aven and Brittany by strolling through town or the ethereal ruins of 15th century Château de Rustéphan in the neighboring town of Nazon. To learn more about the region's influence on art, visit the Pont-Aven Museum of Fine Art to see works by Gauguin, Bernard, and art ranging from the 1860s to Breton painting of the 20th century. Further afield, explore Brittany's numerous gardens, Celtic ruins, picturesque coastline and eccentric museums.

Roscoff is a quaint fishing town with a major port serving ferries that go to Cork and Plymouth. Spend an afternoon across the bay at Ille de Batz or stroll the harbor, watching the seaweed harvesters pull in their nets.

St.Helier is a parish and the capital of Jersey, Channel Islands. It is a very urban destination, with many accommodations, restaurants and shopping opportunities. There are plenty social events planned year-round with many of these involving sailing/yacht rallies.

Saint Malo is a prime tourist destination in Brittany. Visitors flock to Saint Malo to experience the unique "intra-muros" (meaning within the walls) streets of the old citadel. Visit Saint Vincent Cathedral, noted for its medieval and modern stained glass windows. The museum in Château de Saint Malo has exhibits illustrating the city's prosperous time during its heydays of piracy, colonialism and slave trading. The ramparts afford great views over the roof tops and harbor. Saint Malo also serves as a gateway for excursions to legendary Mont Saint Michel - with the Abbey of Mont Saint Michel and its ensemble of buildings soaring high above the sea. As amazing as the abbey itself are extraordinary tide variations that leave the mount to look out on stretches of bare sand at low tide, while the same expanse of land is submerged during high tide. South of Saint Malo is the medieval town of Dinan. Once totally surrounded by ramparts, 14 towers and a good part of the walls are still standing, encircling beautiful 15th-century timbered houses.

Le Havre is the gateway for optional tours to Paris, the "City of Light." See the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral and the Champs Elysees. In Le Havre itself, visitors can explore at leisure and learn something of the French "art de vivre." Visit fish and vegetable markets, public parks, modern architecture, a long seaside promenade and a vast beach.

London is undoubtedly one of the world's finest cities. In addition to numerous monuments from its more glorious past, London is equally well-known for its pageantry and tradition. London has something for everyone - wide boulevards buzzing with excitement far into the night, quiet squares and explorable alleyways. Visit this famous city's parks, museums, galleries, monuments, abbeys and churches, skyscrapers and ruins, Georgian squares. Take in such events as the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower, or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, or even one of the many theatrical productions. Some of the most exclusive shops are found along Oxford, Bond and Regent Streets. An old favorite and one of the world's premier institutions is Harrods - offering everything from Chanel suits and sliced salmon to caviar and even pets.

London is undoubtedly one of the world's finest cities. In addition to numerous monuments from its more glorious past, London is equally well-known for its pageantry and tradition. London has something for everyone - wide boulevards buzzing with excitement far into the night, quiet squares and explorable alleyways. Visit this famous city's parks, museums, galleries, monuments, abbeys and churches, skyscrapers and ruins, Georgian squares. Take in such events as the Ceremony of the Keys at the Tower, or the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, or even one of the many theatrical productions. Some of the most exclusive shops are found along Oxford, Bond and Regent Streets. An old favorite and one of the world's premier institutions is Harrods - offering everything from Chanel suits and sliced salmon to caviar and even pets.