Holland, Spain, Portugal, France All Inc. Cruise on MSC Poesia from Warnemunde

Warnemunde

Warnemunde is a an important seaside resort and the northernmost district of Rostock in Mecklenburg Vorpommern, located on the Baltic Sea at the estuary of the river Warnow. Places of Interest: The Lighthouse was built in 1897, and still currently in use and has approximately 121 ft high, allowing visitors to enjoy an impressive view over the Baltic Sea. The Teapot with its Hyparschale curved roof, is an interesting example of the East German architecture and houses various restaurants and a sea voyage exhibition. The Old Channel, the vicinity to the canal with its various restaurants, pubs and traditional fishing boats, regional specialties are offered in a fish market. Warnemundes sandy beaches stretch out over a length of 1.9 miles and are the broadest on the German Baltic Sea coast.

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is located about a half-hour away from The Hague and an hour from Amsterdam, and has the largest port in Europe, with the rivers Meuse and Rhine providing excellent access to Basel, Switzerland and into France. This city is known for its Erasmus University and the cutting-edge architecture as the large congress and concert building called De Doelen, many well known museums. Rotterdam has its own orchestra, the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra with its world famous musical director Valery Gergiev, plus many theatres that includes the new Luxor theatre and movie theatres. Rotterdam has also a lively cultural life (the Ahoy complex located in the south of the city hosts pop concerts and all sorts of music, poetry and cinema festivals, exhibitions, tennis tournaments and other activities). Northwest of Rotterdam you will find the major zoo called Diegaarde Blijdorp complete with a walkthrough sea aquarium called Oceanjum.

La Rochelle (France)

Considered to be one of the most beautiful coastal towns in France, La Rochelle is located in the Charente-Maritime province. This picturesque city is centered around the Vieux Port or Old Harbour, the Three Towers of St. Nicolas, de la Chaine and de la Lanterne still stand guard the harbour entrance and form part of the well preserved medievil architecture offering visitors a glimpse into the citys rich history. Visitors can also take Boat trips to Île d Aix and Fort Boyard, visit the magnificent Port des Minimes or relax on the Beautiful beaches at Ile de Re.

Bilbao (Spain)

Bilbao is a municipality and city in Spain, the capital of the province of Biscay in the autonomous community of the Basque Country. Bilbao is situated in the north-central part of Spain, some 8.7 mi south of the Bay of Biscay, where the estuary of Bilbao is formed. Its main urban core is surrounded by two small mountain ranges with an average elevation of 1,300 ft. The touristic impulse would come with the inauguration of the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao in 1997, being the top destination of this autonomous community. Bilbao is also an attractive destination for business tourism, mainly thanks to new venues such as the Euskalduna Conference Centre and Concert Hall, or the nearby Bilbao Exhibition Centre, in Barakaldo.

Porto (Portugal)

Porto is the second most important city in Portugal, after Lisbon. Porto is an old city that has many historical heritage sites, although during the last decades is has been modernized. It has the longest underground line in Portugal, that covers not only the centre of the city, but also the metropolitan outskirts such as Senhora da Hora or maja. The old town is included in the UNESCO world heritage site. Some of it's most important monuments are: Mercado do Bolhao, teh Cathedral, the Clerigos Church and Tower, the Crystal Palace, the town hall and the bridges over the Duero river. it is also known for the grandeur, innovation and beauty of it's bridges, dated in diferent seasons and of different architectural styles.

Valencia (Spain)

Valencia is the capital of the province with the same name, situated on the eastern coast of the Spanish territory, which is accessible by air, land (rail and highway) and sea. The Maritime Station is one of the most modern facilities in Spain. The modern style pier where the Cruises depart from or the “Golondrinas” boats that can take you for a nice ride along the dock. Nearby, you will find the Royal Atarazanas, a historic monument in the Maritime Museum.

Marseille (France)

Marseille is the second largest city in France, after Paris and is the third largest urban area and metropolitan area after Lyon. Marseille is the capital of the Provence Alpes Côte dAzur region, as well as the capital of the Bouches du Rhône department. The Quai des Belges at the end of the harbour is the site of the daily fish market. The Old Port or Vieux Port is the main harbour and marina of the city. It is guarded by two massive forts (Fort St Nicolas and Fort Saint Jean) and is one the main places to eat in the city. Things to see and do include the Old Port area, Abbey of Saint Victor, The Centre Bourse, and the adjacent Rue St Ferreol district, for the main shopping area, museums, and historical buildings. Marseille is always a popular cruise port because of its sheer beauty – it’s one of those cruise destinations that you’ll never forget.

Genoa (Italy)

Genoa is the capital of Liguria and the sixth largest city in Italy. Genoa is one of Europe's largest cities on the Mediterranean Sea and the largest seaport in Italy. Nicknamed the Superb One due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks. Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city's rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture, and history allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and it's waiting for you to discover everything it has to offer. This is a hugely popular embarkation and disembarkation port for many Western Mediterranean sailings, but other distant lands also await.