Natural Wonders & Wildlife of the Azores

Facilities in Liverpool are constantly being improved to make boarding, stopping off or leaving your cruise ship easy, enjoyable and stress-free.

Pretty Praia da Vitoria, the former capital of the Azores, is a town steeped in history. Originally heavily fortified, Praia has a fascinating historic quarter, and a stunning natural harbour that’s overlooked by the impressive 16th century Fort of Santa Catarina.

Translated as the Beach of the Victory, Praia da Vitoria is a popular destination thanks to a bustling, modern harbour, vibrant town centre and gorgeous sandy beaches.The pick of which is the uncrowded Praia Grande, which is a safe, dark sand beach with barely any waves.[ReadMoreMob]

Praia’s centre has a pleasant pedestrian zone with many attractive shops and some notable historic buildings that deserve a glance. The most notable monuments include the imposing bell towers of 15th century Igreja Matriz de Santa Cruz and the stunning Town Hall in the main square.

Since their discovery in the early 15th century, the Portuguese Azores have played an important part in oceanic navigation. They were a logistical point for the discovery of new worlds; a port of call for ships engaged in trade between Europe, America and India; and a place to lay anchor for the galleons bringing the wealth of the Americas back to the old world.

The picturesque whitewashed capital of this mountainous Portuguese island, 350 miles off the coast of Africa, has a timeless charm, delightfully enhanced by a benign climate that fills this ‘floating garden’ with the year round colours and perfumes of subtropical flowers and fruit. Much painted by Sir Winston Churchill, Madeira has been offering the British visitor a warm welcome for three centuries, its famous wine the perfect aid to total relaxation!

One of Western Europe’s most ancient cities, founded 3,000 years ago by Phoenician merchants, Cadiz hugs Andalucia’s sunlit Atlantic coast. It’s a historic and intriguing seaport-from which Spain’s galleons once sailed in quest of New World treasure – characterised by palm trees, look out towers and weathered old buildings. From here you can visit Jerez de la Frontera, centre of Spain’s sherry production, and put to the test the creations of its many bodegas!

It was from historic Lisbon, built on seven low hills beside the wide Tagus estuary, that some of Europe’s greatest explorers set sail in pursuit of the riches that built Portugal’s former global empire in the New World, Africa and the Indies. Memories of that glorious past linger amid the grand avenues and elegant squares of the attractive capital’s 18th century lower town – a vivid contrast with the colourful honeycomb of cobbled streets in the old Moorish Alfama quarter and the bohemian mood of the hilly Bairro Alto.

The Port of Leixões (Portuguese: Porto de Leixões, pronounced ) is one of Portugal’s major seaports, located 4 km north of the mouth of the Douro River, in Matosinhos municipality, near the city of Porto.

Facilities in Liverpool are constantly being improved to make boarding, stopping off or leaving your cruise ship easy, enjoyable and stress-free.