Barcelona is a charming, cosmopolitan port on the shores of the Mediterranean sea. This prosperous and bilingual (Spanish and Catalan) metropolis measures up to a city such as Madrid: its museums, theaters, art galleries and nightlife area of an impressive high standard. Besides that, this art and design centre has a lot of interesting sights to offer to its visitors. The best place to watch people go by, to stroll or simply relax, is 'Las Ramblas', a pedestrian street with dozens of outdoor cafes. Here, you’ll find flower-stands, book kiosks and small market stalls where they sell birds and small animals. You’ll also find an endlessly fascinating flowing receptacle of pageant-jugglers, singers, dancers, puppeteers, sidewalk artists, living statues and assorted oddballs on parade. Nearby is 'Plaça Real', with plenty of bars and restaurants, and 'Palau Guell', built by the Catalan architectural genius Antoni Gaudí in his undulating art-nouveau style. After having seen these sights, stroll the narrow winding streets of the 'Barri Gotic', the medieval Gothic quarter full of interesting tapas bars and cafes. Check out Picasso’s old hangout, 'Els Quatre Gats', which has been renovated without losing its bohemian charm. Or head for the old Barceloneta section on the waterfront. This working-class area, which was always slightly rundown and scruffy-looking, is now packed with paella restaurants. The new beach area, which runs from Barceloneta to the Olympic village, is much cleaner than the old beach area. Although some people believe that it has been cleaned up considerably, it might be a wise idea to stay out of the water. Fortunately, the beach itself is already a feast for the eyes (and ears), with its huge and roaring waves.

Dover is one of the most-visited towns in England but most of the 13 million people who travel to Dover each year are bound for one of the many ferries, catamarans or hydrofoils that cross the English Channel (more properly called the Dover Straits) to North-West France. A small number of travellers actually stop in the town and enjoy the 'Dover hospitality' that is on offer. There is information on these pages for people travelling into Dover by road/rail/cycle and for those wanting to take a ferry to France, including Port & Ferry News. Drivers will see very little of Dover itself as they enter on either the A20 from the South or the A2 from the North-West. In both cases, the roads arrive at the Harbour, where they join. The whole of Dover's town stretches inland from the Harbour and continues along three valleys into the Kent countryside. Dover is at one end of the North Downs and has several ranges of hills, two of which have fortresses dating from the medieval and Roman eras, as well as more modern (19th Century) times. Behind the town centre are the modern-day barracks, Dover's past and current commitments to the country have always included more than can be seen under the famous White Cliffs. Modern-day Dover has a mixed economy but is still very-heavily dependant on the ferry industry. Other major employers include: the Ministry of Defence (at Connaught Barracks), numerous freight companies, vehicle sellers & repairers! The history of Dover is best covered in the many books and videos on the subject (available, of course, at the town's Museum!).

Today Piraeus is the home base of Greek shipping, the largest commercial fleet in the world, apace bound to the sea like few others. The harbours of Zea and Mikrolimano as well as Phaliro play host to countless yachts and sailing craft throughout the year. Piraeus was known in medieval times as Porto Leone, a name due to the enormous stone lion, which guarded the port's entrance. Today, the life of Piraeus is centred on its three ports: the main, central one and those of Zea and Mikrolimano. You can walk around the central harbour, shared by cargo and passenger ships alike, and watch the constant comings and goings of goods and people from around the world. Having completed your tour of the central harbour of Piraeus you will then head south traversing the peninsula and arrive at Peiraiki, one of the most picturesque neighbour hoods in the city. Here one finds the harbour of Zea, one of the largest marinas in the Mediterranean. If the night finds you in the area, you can try one of the many bars found nearby. You can continue your tour along the waterfront heading towards Kastella but a small deviation toward the city centre will be useful for then you can visit the verdant square of the municipal Theatre with cafeterias and shops of all kinds surrounding it. The magnificent building housing the Municipal Theatre as well as the Town Hall and the Library complete the picture presented by the main square in the city. Piraeus's little natural harbours are among its busiest and most touristy areas: Mikrolimano, Passalimani, Zea, Freatida and Hatzikiriakio. Countless seaside tavernas provide delicious seafood washed down with the uniquely Greek drink, ouzo. The fresh smell of the sea and the sounds made by the assortment of caiques, yachts and sailing ships, which are moored next to the tables, complete the enjoyment of the food Beyond the port, the most impressive spots are the hills of Profitis Ilias and Kastela with their neoclassical mansions and modern buildings which look as they are hanging over the sea.

'Beauty on Water' or 'Venice of the North' - these phrases sum up the Baltic allure of a city built on 14 islands in an archipelago of some 24,000. Founded by Birger Jarl in 1252, Stockholm owes its existence to water, developing as a transit point for goods moving between the Baltic Sea and Lake Mälaren. A strategic and trade centre, the fortified town grew during the Middle Ages when it acquired much of its picturesque architecture. However, it only became the national capital in 1634, during the Thirty Years War, when Sweden was an imperial power. The Vasa monarchs left Stockholm with a Baroque magnificence that would grace a far grander setting than today's peaceful capital of a small Nordic nation: splendid palaces, gold and ironwork, dignified ceremonial and rich royal collections. Baroque monumental stucco blends beautifully with the colourful plastered walls of the medieval Old Town. The clear northern light falling across these surfaces, especially during the endless northern summer evenings, intensifies the freshness and cleanliness of even the most venerable districts. Modern Stockholm is a bustling business hub for the entire Baltic region yet anglers can still catch salmon in the centre of the city. Sweden was the envy of less dynamic economies during the 1960s and 1970s, with Stockholm a trading and commercial centre to be reckoned with, as anyone who has ever used an Ericsson mobile phone or an Ikea chair can testify. Swedish design genius, aesthetic and technical know-how, has ensured that many professionals in the creative and IT fields look to Stockholm for inspiration and partnership. Prosperous, efficient and well-scrubbed, Stockholm balances its economic vigour with a remarkably unspoilt natural charm. With 30% of the city area made up of waterways and another 30% parks and green spaces, it has perhaps the freshest air and widest lungs of any European capital. But it has nightlife and a restaurant culture that belie any impression of a quiet garden city; Stockholm has almost as many restaurants per capita as Paris and a night in the hotspots of Stureplan should be enough to satisfy even the most demanding clubber. Sweden is the world's third most successful exporter of pop music behind the United States and Britain, a process that began with Abba's global success in the 1970s. A good night out here can soon blow away any clichés about Nordic gloom. And Stockholm's 150 or so museums and galleries means there's plenty to do on rainy days. Light on water and pure air may be the strongest impression a visitor carries away from Stockholm, especially in the summer, but they might equally be thinking of a particularly rowdy night in the Pelikan Bar on Södermalm, or hot jazz in the Lydmar Hotel. The entire world may descend on Stockholm each December for the Nobel Prize ceremonies, but they arrive in the winter cold and darkness; the smiles of a summer night are far more inviting for the traveller.

Warnemunde is Rostock's most beautiful seaside resort. With its unspoilt coastline with its broad, white sandy beach, Warnemünde is also one of the most important German ferry and cruise ship ports on the Baltic coast.