Best known as the birthplace of paella, Valencia has steadily moved onto the radar of savvy travelers. It‘s a vibrant, friendly, mildly chaotic place with two outstanding fine-arts museums, an accessible old quarter, Europe‘s newest cultural and scientific complex – and one of Spain‘s most exciting nightlife scenes. Whole sections of the old city, for example the Carmen Quarter, have been extensively renovated. One of the best spots for exploring Valencia‘s history is at the museum L‘Almoina, which opened three years ago in the Carmen on the site where Valencia was founded by the Romans in 138 B.C. Here, you can walk over glass floors, looking down at a stunning assemblage of ruins excavated in the area. The exhibition includes Roman baths, tombs and a medieval Moorish ward for plague victims.

Share your meal with an incredible view as you journey toward the Old World aboard our youngest fleet of ships. Once you land, view priceless works of art as you crane your neck toward the heavens in the Sistine Chapel. Sip from a demitasse cup of espresso in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower. And see why Rome wasn‘t built in a day and marvel how it‘s preserved over two and a half thousand years later. Master your poker face and brush up on your blackjack in our onboard casino. Then take on the highest rollers in the city of Monte Carlo. Or take a wine tasting course presented by our professional Sommeliers so when you‘re tapas hopping in Spain, you‘ll order the perfect pairing.

Málaga is the gateway to the Andalusian countryside and the Costa del Sol, some of the region’s most impressive beaches. It also is home to a number of magnificent palaces, including the Moorish Alcabaza and Gibralfaro.

A Cadiz port of call is often a highlight for travelers on Mediterranean cruises sailing along the southern coast of Spain. From Cadiz, cruisers can easily make their way to Seville, the 4th largest city in Spain and capital of Spain’s Andalusia region. Seville has a metropolitan population of about 1.5 million people and inhabitants of the city are often called Sevillanos or Hispalenses after the Roman name of the city, Hispalis. A major geographic aspect that defines Seville is its location on the plain of the Guadalquivir River. Seville’s beautifully designed Old Town contains three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, making it a favorite for cruisers visiting Seville from the port of Cadiz, Spain. The UNESCO sites include the Alcázar palace complex, the Seville Cathedral, and the General Archive of the Indies. Its architecture marvels expand to baroque churches, Mudéjar palaces, gothic cathedrals, aristocratic mansions, and medieval buildings. The array of design makes it an enchanting city to walk around, giving travelers the perfect opportunity to explore its past as a Moorish capital and New World trade city.

Tangier, a Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar, has been a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times. Its whitewashed hillside medina is home to the Dar el Makhzen, a palace of the sultans that‘s now a museum of Moroccan artifacts. The American Legation Museum, also in the medina, documents early diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Morocco in an 1821 Moorish-style former consulate.

Porto, Portugal‘s second largest city after Lisbon, is one of Europe‘s oldest cities and was registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996. Of course, Porto‘s name itself hints at perhaps Portugal‘s most famous export—port—for it is here that the fortified wine was first produced. The city is reminiscent of times gone by and you wouldn’t be far wrong to liken it to an ideal Shakespearean backdrop. Here, the skyline is composed of sky-high bell towers, opulent baroque churches and majestic beaux art buildings, which combine to create a romantic air that’s only heightened by the glorious shafts of sunlight that illuminate the city.

See why this city stands out above all others as you stroll along elaborate mosaic sidewalks and pass by the Monument to the Discoveries. A quick trolley ride transports you to the cobblestone district of Baixa. Or be lured away and pampered in the resort cities of Cascais and Estoril.