Rotterdam to Barcelona Cruise on Nieuw Statendam from Rotterdam

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.

South Queensferry (Edinburgh)

Town located 16 kms from the center of the city of Edimburgh "Capital of the Culture". Outstands the Stirling Castle, an important military fortress and the royal palace. Also outstands the episcopal church od Saint Mary, the eldest building in the town, and the Black Castle, a house built in the principal street on 1626.

Lerwick (Shetland Islands)

Lerwick is the capital of the principal island of Mainland, and is the most northern village of Britania. The atractions of the village include the old port, the city chamber, flower parks, in the outskirts the Pictish Broch in Clickimin, a prehistoric site that has a fortress of the Bronze Age.

Kirkwall (Orkney islands)

Kirkwall is the largest town and capital of the Orkney Islands archipelago, 10 miles off the north coast of Scotland. Founded around 1035, the City and Royal Burgh of Kirkwall is the capital and administrative centre of Orkney. The name comes from the Old Norse, which means church-bay and refers to a church older than the present day Cathedral. Some of the places you can visit are the Bishop's Palace & Earl's Palace, Highland Park Distillery, the Orkney Museum and St. Magnus Cathedral.

Stornoway (Outer Hebrides)

Originally a Viking settlement, Stornoway is now the main town on the island of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, situated around a bustling harbour and offering a range of local specialist shops selling local handcrafted goods (jewellery and the famous Harris Tweed). The traditionns are still there and the beautiful Isle of Lewis is considered the heartland of the Gaelic culture. It is also home to some of the most important prehistoric sites in Scotland including the Neolithic Callanish Stones and Pictish Carloway Broch. 

Belfast

Belfast Harbour (also the Port of Belfast) is a major maritime gateway in Northern Ireland, It is increasingly popular with cruise liners. Belfast is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland and the second largest city on the island of Ireland after Dublin. Situated at the mouth of the River Lagan on Belfast Lough, Belfast is surrounded by low hills. After years of violence, its center has been polished up making it great to walk through the pedestrian streets, shop in its arcades and spend some time in its pubs or dine in its excellent restaurants. Belfast city centre is focused on Donegall Square and Belfast City Hall in its centre. The City Hall is the grand centerpiece of the city and the orientation point for your exploration of Belfast. Running north from the centre of Donegall Square is Donegall Place, a broad and bustling shopping street, which will lead you towards the Cathedral Quarter and the Arts School. Bedford Street, becomes Dublin Road, which, leads south to the University Quarter, area where you´ll find the Botanic Gardens, art galleries and museums. Belfast is home to a wide range of parks and open spaces, making it one of the greenest cities in Ireland. The Golden Mile is the area around Great Victoria Street beyond Bradbury Place and it is considered the city´s best address for restaurants and pubs. The famous I.R.A. and Protestant murals are just to the west of the city center and it´s perfectly safe to go there and take photos.

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city in the county of Merseyside, on the side of the estuary of the river Mersey. The popularity of The Beatles and of Liverpool Football Club have made Liverpool a touristic destination. Liverpool Cruise Terminal is located at Pier Head in the heart of the waterfront; it is clearly identifiable once you reach the Liver Buildings. Port address: Liverpool Cruise Terminal. Pier Head. Princes Parade. Liverpool. L3 1DL

Greenock (Glasgow)

Greenock is a scottish city located in the west of the country, on the mouth to the south of estuary of the river Clyde. Along with Gourock and the Port of Glasgow, they form an urban core of about 75.000 inhabitants. Greenock is located about 20 km from Glasgow, comunicated along the european Route E05 that ends in Algeciras, Spain. it is also connectes to the capital by train, and it is an important passenger and comercial port.

Douglas (Isle of Man)

Douglas (Doolish in Manx) is the capital of the Isle of Man (Ellan Vannin in Manx) its largest town, and the main tourist and commercial centre. Places of Interest: Tower of Refuge, Horse drawn trams, Manx Museum

Cork (Ireland)

Cork is the second most important city in ireland. In this location you will feel a pleasant physically and spiritually, especially if you visit the inn at the top of a high hill more than 200 years old.The city is famous for holding the International Film Festival. The lakes in the area are one of the most important tourism attractions.

Dover

Today Dover is a major port town facing into the English Channel and the second busiest cruise port in the UK. What makes Dover so special is its impressive location with miles of beautiful, un-spoilt coastline and its internationally famous White Cliffs dominated by Dover Castle, known throughout the world. Dover is the town in Kent which is geographically closest to the continent and, as the world´s busiest ferry port, many justifiably describe as ´the gateway to England´. The cliffs are popular with tourists and offer the opportunity for wonderful walks and superb views out towards the English Channel. Or you may simply choose to simply gaze at them from the beach.

Amsterdam

Cycling is a quintessentially Dutch means of getting around the “Postcard City”. You can catch all the sights on a bike by booking a guided tour. Lose yourself in a maze of canals that encircle the city. Visit the flea markets to discover the multi-ethnic spirit of Amsterdam. Some of Amsterdams main attractions, includes its historic canals, the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, Stedelijk Museum, Hermitage Amsterdam, Anne Frank House, Amsterdam Museum, its red-light district, and its many cannabis coffee shops.

Isle of Portland

Swim under the great natural arch of Durdle Door, which juts out imposingly towards the sea and is approximately 140 million years old. Breathe in the salty sea air, of Weymouth beach, savour a delicious dish of fish and French fries, and snap photos of the coastline as you stroll along the boardwalk that runs along the curve of this beach. At Corfe Castle admire reenactments of battles taking place among medieval ruins and learn about the role this fort played in the English Civil War.

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.

La Coruna (Spain)

A Coruña; known as Corunna in English is a city and municipality of Galicia. It is the second-largest city in the autonomous community. The city is the provincial capital of the province of the same name A Coruña is a busy port located on a promontory in the entrance of an estuary in a large gulf on the Atlantic Ocean. The city is the site of the Roman Tower of Hercules, a lighthouse which has been in continuous operation since possibly the 2nd century AD. It has been declared by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. It is surrounded by a large public park with a golf course and a former Muslim cemetery. The city is also well known for its characteristic

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.

Lisbon

The city of Lisbon is rich in architecture; Romanesque, Gothic, Manueline, Baroque, Modern and Postmodern constructions can be found all over Lisbon. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares, particularly in the upper districts. There are several substantial museums one can visit in the city. In addition, the mosaic Portuguese Pavement was born in Lisbon, in the mid-1800s. The art has since spread to the rest of the Portuguese Speaking world. The city remains one of the most expansive examples of the technique, nearly all walkways and even many streets being created and maintained in this style.

Malaga (Spain)

Malaga is the capital of the Costa del Sol, or Empire of the Light, as Ortega y Gasset described it in a poem. You’ll find the Picasso Museum, which is devoted to the most influential artist of the twentieth century. He was born in the city in 1881. You’ll be amazed to visit this cosmopolitan city as tourist, visiting the monuments of the Alcazaba and Giralfaro or ancient Roman theatre. Not to mention the beautiful and unfinished Cathedral of the Incarnation, erected on the site which was the largest mosque in Malaga. This has long been a popular port for cruise passengers because there is no shortage of things to explore, enjoy and sample. The city itself is easily navigated on foot and that’s probably the best way to see it. For sun lovers, there are no less than 16 beaches for you to choose from.

Alicante (Spain)

Alicante is a city and port in Spain on the Costa Blanca, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John (Fogueres de Sant Joan), takes place during the summer solstice. This is followed a week later by seven nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between companies on the urban beach Playa del Postiguet. Another well-known festival is Moros i Cristians in Altozano or San Blas district. Overall, the city boasts a year-round nightlife for the enjoyment of tourists, fun-loving residents, and a large student population of the University of Alicante. The nightlife social scene tends to shift to nearby Playa de San Juan (St. John's Beach) during the summer months. Every summer in Alicante, a two-month-long programme of music, theatre and dance is staged in the Paseo del Puerto.

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.

Barcelona

The port of Barcelona was born about the same time as the city was. It is one of themost important ports in the Mediterranean, cruise ships leave the city to call on some of themost desirable cities in the Western Mediterranean. The port has modern facilities and allthe services needed to accommodate the many passengers who have Barcelona as anembarkation and a disembarkation port. Barcelona is one of the most cosmopolitan andmulticultural capitals of Europe. Among many attractions that include the Sagrada Familia,Montjuic, Gaudi's Güell Park and the famous Ramblas. It’s a hub of activity and the city isalways bustling.