European Spring Explorer – From Lisbon To Hamburg

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies in the western Iberian Peninsula aside the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal

Located in the scenic estuary of the Douro River with swathes of vineyards clinging to the hills, Oporto - aka Porto - is Portugal's second largest metropolis, and one of Europe's most charismatic cities. The city is home to monuments by leading world architects from the past and the present, and some fantastic baroque carvings. Then there’s the world-famous sweet wine, and Ribeira - Its historical centre - that was awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO. Read more about Oporto, Portugal

El Ferrol is a city and a naval station located on the Atlantic coast of NW Spain. Perhaps best known for its spectacular Easter week celebrations, with the town’s maritime and military tradition reflected in a procession through the streets, and with statues of the saints being carried to the rhythm of drums and musical bands. Those interested in archaeology will be fascinated by the nearby existence of prehistoric human settlements, an abundance of burial chambers, megalithic monuments, and Petroglyphs. Read more about El Ferrol, Spain

Tresco Island lies 45 km to the WSW of Land’s End, Cornwall, England. It is privately owned, one of five inhabited Isles of Scilly, and is a growing tourist attraction – with its narrow roads, farms, cattle, tilled land, hedgerows and cottages – drawing artists and garden-lovers. The latter visit the world famous Abbey Gardens. Read more about Tresco Island, Great Britain

The isle of Guernsey, the second largest of the Channel Islands, lying just 12km off the coast of France, offers the visitor a mild climate, breathtaking scenery and a peaceful, unspoiled ambience. Between the wide, sandy beaches to the north and the rocky cliffs to the south are wooded valleys, marshland, and winding country lanes. Guernsey soaks up nearly 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, making it one of the sunniest places in the British Isles. Read more about Guernsey, Great Britain

Alderney is the most northerly and third largest island of the Channel Islands in the English Channel. It is the closest of the Channel Islands to France as well as being the closest to England. The island has a population of only 2,400 people and the main town, St. Read more about Alderney, Great Britain

Dover, the world’s busiest ferry port, is located in the county of Kent, England, at the extreme SE corner of Britain. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, 35 km away across the Straits of Dover. Possibly best known for its lyrically famous ‘White Cliffs’, archaeological finds have revealed that the area has always been a focus for peoples entering and leaving Britain, and this continues to this day. Read more about Dover, Great Britain

Harlingen is a city in the northern Netherlands in the province of Friesland at the Wadden Sea. The Wadden Sea is bounded against the Atlantic by the 460km length of the Wadden Archipelago, and continental Europe. The sea forms a shallow body of water with tidal flats and wetlands. Read more about Harlingen, Netherlands

Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the SE corner of the North Sea. Helgoland's rust-coloured sandstone cliffs jut dramatically out of the North Sea some 70 kilometres from the mainland. Lange Anna, a single finger-like rock formation, covered by breeding sea birds in the spring, should not be missed. Read more about Heligoland, Germany

Hamburg is a major transport hub in Northern Germany and is one of the most affluent cities in Europe. Located on the river Elbe, some 110 km from its mouth in the North Sea, the port can take the world’s largest cruise ships. The birthplace of Johannes Brahms, who spent his early formative years in the city, it is renowned for its numerous musicals, operas and orchestral presentations. Read more about Hamburg, Germany