KIEL is a city in northern Germany, capital of the Schleswig-Holstein Bundesland. Located at the Baltic Sea, the city was the countries long time main naval base until the installations were dismantled after the Second World War. Kiel is famous for sailing events. Every year the “Kieler Woche” is held (the first time in 1882), a series of sailing regattas with a cultural framework. In 1936 and 1972, when the Olympic Games were held in Berlin and Munich, respectively, the Olympic yachting competitions were held in Kiel.

COPENHAGEN is Scandinavia’s most vibrant and affordable capital, and one of Europe’s most user-friendly cities. Small and welcoming, it’s a place where people rather than cars set the pace, as evidenced by the multitude of pavement cafés and the number of thoroughfares that have been given over to pedestrians and bicycles. Amenable and relaxed, it also offers a range of entertainment which belies its relatively modest size. Cultural attractions, including major national museums, a selection of magical art galleries, a healthy assortment of performing arts events and one of Europe’s most interesting film scenes

AMSTERDAM is one of the world’s best hangouts, a canny blend of old and new. The city seems to thrive on its funky mix and despite hordes of tourists, still manages to feel quintessentially Dutch. The old crooked houses, the cobbled streets, the tree-lined canals and generous parks all contribute to the atmosphere.

Cherbourg Originally a little fishing village. Cherbourg developed into the historic port designed by Vauban. This was also a strategic naval port during the Napoleonic wars, there is a marina with over 1000 moorings. Cap de la Hague is to the West and the Pointe de Barfleur to the East. It belongs to Normandy, a region that has provided inspiration for countless artists and writers, is the land of apple orchards and rolling farmland dotted with villages of half-timbered houses. Boasting a wealth of abbeys and chateaux, as well as a superb coastline, it offers something for everyone.

Malaga of course the great beaches of nearby Costa del Sol are what have made Malaga one of the most visited regions of Spain. But this town has more to offer than just seaside and sunshine! It was founded already by Phoenicians, and was of great importance in the Moorish epoch. Highly interesting historical remains are left in the town as well as in the entire province. Add to that beautiful landscapes and picturesque villages, Malaga is not to be missed

Valencia and Castellón make up the three provinces of the Valencian Community, which covers 23,500 km² and is situated on the eastern coast of the peninsula. The coast is 485 km long and borders with Cataluña in the north and Murcia in the south. Alicante with its beautiful boulevard and pleasant shopping street is one of the most well known towns on the Costa Blanca. The coast of Alicante and the Costa Blanca owe its name to the beaches stretching for several kilometres and attract many sun worshippers and pleasure seekers.

One of the busiest cruise ports in the Mediterranean, the seaside city of Barcelona is known for its iconic architecture, colourful culture, and world-class drinking and dining.

Explore Antoni Gaudí’s surreal Sagrada Família, the famous boulevard of the Ramblas, the medieval Barri Gótic, and the Museu Picasso. But there’s even more to discover in this sprawling Spanish city, an MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination: from hidden tapas bars and fabulous food markets to Europe’s biggest football stadium.

MARSEILLE The second city of France and the capital of the Provence-Costa Azzurra region. Marseille lies on the southeastern coast of France. The strong mistral wind blows away all traces of pollution and thus provides a clarity of air so pure that many famous artists have been attracted to the city: Cézanne; Braque; Derain; Dufy and Marquet. Although Marseille is the economic and industrial capital of France, it manages to remain true to its own traditions and culture, reflected in the Marsillian way of life and its numerous museums, theatres and opera houses.

Genoa is marvellously eclectic, vibrant and full of rough-edged style; it’s a great cruise excursion.

Indeed “La Superba” (The Superb), as it was known at the height of its authority as a Mediterranean superpower, boasts more zest and intrigue than all the surrounding coastal resorts put together.
During a holiday to Genoa you can explore its old town: a dense and fascinating warren of medieval alleyways home to large palazzi built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by Genoa’s wealthy mercantile families and now transformed into museums and art galleries. You should seek out the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, the Palazzo Ducale, and the Renaissance palaces of Via Garibaldi which contain the cream of Genoa’s art collections, as well as furniture and decor from the grandest days of the city’s past, when its ships sailed to all corners of the Mediterranean Sea.

The Acquario di Genova is the city’s pride and joy, parked like a giant ocean liner on the waterfront, with seventy tanks housing sea creatures from all the world’s major habitats, including the world’s biggest reconstruction of a Caribbean coral reef. It’s a great aquarium by any standards, the second largest in Europe by capacity, and boasts a fashionably ecology-conscious slant and excellent background information in Italian and English.
Just 35 km south of Genoa, there’s no denying the appeal of Portofino, tucked into a protected inlet surrounded by lush cypress- and olive-clad slopes. It’s an A-list resort that has been attracting high-flying bankers, celebs and their hangers-on for years, as evidenced by the flotillas of giant yachts usually anchored just outside. It’s a tiny place that is attractive yet somehow off-putting at the same time, with a quota of fancy shops, bars and restaurants for a place twice its size.