Europe from London, England

Be captivated by cliff-top walks and 2,000 years of history on cruises from Dover, England. Set against the backdrop of the White Cliffs and peering across to France on the other side of the English Channel, Dover’s setting is a sight to behold. This bustling English port is steeped in history and coastal beauty. Explore the secret tunnels beneath medieval Dover Castle and easily make your way to iconic London landmarks like Buckingham Palace and the House of Parliament.

Sail to good‑living, art‑loving Normandy on Carnival cruises to Le Havre, France. Sitting pretty on France’s north coast, overlooking the English Channel, Le Havre has risen from the rubble of World War II to become one of France’s most dynamic port towns. Modernist architecture, Monet artworks, delicious seafood, wild cliff‑backed beaches‑you’ll find the lot on your Le Havre cruise.

Bilbao, an industrial port city in northern Spain, is surrounded by green mountains. It’s the de facto capital of Basque Country, with a skyscraper-filled downtown. It’s famed for the Frank Gehry–designed Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, which sparked revitalization when it opened in 1997. The museum houses prominent modern and contemporary works, but it’s the curvy, titanium-clad building that receives the most attention.

Anything dubbed the Tower of Hercules commands a bit of attention, and so does La Coruña, Spain, the site on which this iconic 180-foot-tall lighthouse stands. Located in Galicia, La Coruña is considered the third holiest site in all Christendom, attracting pilgrims in droves as they make their way to Santiago de Compostela, where St. James the Apostle is believed to have been buried. Rich in tradition and rich in celebration, Galicia is also said to be home to more than 750 beaches and host to 4,000 parties annually. If you are here to set off on a quiet retreat into the mystical, or rejoice until the nines with vino and tapas by the ocean breeze, you’re certainly in for something unforgettable at La Coruña, Spain.

Porto is Portugal’s second city, and it’s as colorful as it is memorable. Detail is key here, a place where the front doors are decorated with such a stunning variety of azulejo tiles that only by getting up close can you fully appreciate their intricacy. Explore on foot to unveil all the stunning scenery of Porto… like the Ribeira quarter, whose cobblestone-street scenery definitely falls a bit more on the “deliciously old-school” side. Be sure not to miss the city’s port wine cellars — as you may have guessed, the city’s most famous export took its name from the place itself.

Discover Portugal’s bright, fun-loving capital city on your cruise to Lisbon. Straddling seven hills, hugging the banks of the River Tagus — and crowned by the storybook castle of São Jorge — Lisbon, Portugal is a visually stunning place to visit, and arriving by sea is doing it right! The nation’s hundreds of years of nautical heritage is concentrated in Lisbon, and the riverside Belém district is where Portuguese navigators like Magellan and Vasco da Gama would begin their journeys. Today, cruise ship passengers make landfall not far from that spot. By the way, the city has modern claims to fame, too! With its rumbling yellow trams and stately plazas, irresistible patisseries and bluesy fado music, expect exotic sights and sounds — and more — on your cruise to Lisbon.

Cruise to Málaga and enjoy one of Spain’s oldest cities. First founded by the Phoenicians, the city of Málaga had hosted a number of civilizations over its 3,000 years. The end result is a city that’s a cornucopia of Roman and Moorish influences, among others. Travel to Málaga and enjoy the city’s many museums, especially Museo Picasso Málaga… after all, this is the city where the artist himself was born. Take a side-trip to nearby Granada, where visitors can explore the Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s at once an imposing fortress, impressive palace and a small town.

Livorno is the coastal gateway to beautiful Tuscany, where you’ll find both fan-favorite Pisa and Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance. Florence houses some of the world’s greatest works of art, from masters like Leonardo da Vinci and Boticelli, plus Michelangelo’s David and the Duomo, whose terrace offers breathtaking views of the city’s red-tiled roofs and narrow medieval lanes. Then there’s Pisa, Florence’s rival for political power and a brash, commercial seafaring town that once rivaled the great maritime powers Venice and Genoa. Of course you’ll visit the Leaning Tower, but don’t stop there. Palazzo Agostini houses 12th century remains of Pisa’s city walls, and Piazza dei Cavalieri was consistently the center of Pisan history.

Not just one of Italy’s oldest cities, but among the world’s oldest, Naples and its surrounding area has over thousands of years contributed innovations to not only the culinary and visual arts, but the development of everything from language to music. Today, you’ll feel the friendly spirit of this sunny metropolis as you sample its historic sights, fabulous shopping galleria and irresistible cuisine. But don’t limit yourself to the city itself — Mount Vesuvius, the spectacular Amalfi Coast, and the romantic isle of Capri’s famous Blue Grotto are all just a short distance away. The well-known, buried city of Pompeii is an archeological wonder, and not far from Naples.

In ancient times it was said that all roads lead to Rome… but in your case, the seaport of Civitavecchia is your road to Rome. Get there and you’ll find out what made the place so popular. The Vatican’s Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo, the Colosseum with its lurid history, and the Trevi Fountain — where a tossed coin promises your return — are not to be missed on any visit to the so-called “Eternal City,” one of the cradles of civilization. Take a walking tour of Rome’s many historical landmarks and enjoy the lively sidewalk cafés, ending the day alla romana strolling through the atmospheric Centro Storico.