Cruises from Barcelona make for some of the most unforgettable vacations you can imagine. Barcelona looks like a city that should be known for its architecture… and, naturally, it is. From monuments in Romanesque and Renaissance styles to Gothic spires and contemporary curves, there’s little surprise Barcelona was the creative playground of acclaimed architect Antoni Gaudí. But that’s just one reason why cruises out of Barcelona are so seductive. Barcelona’s a feast for the eyes and the palate, alike, and be sure not to miss the chance to try tapas as and visit spots like the La Rambla, Port Vell and especially Gaudí’s Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Fun beach bars overlooking the Mediterranean, sleek Spanish designer stores, and Gaudí’s surreal buildings make Barcelona, Spain a whimsical and unique place to visit. For a Mediterranean cruise, Spain is a great place to start — sample the good stuff on one of Carnival’s cruises from Barcelona.

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.

Cádiz dates back to 1100 B.C., making it actually one of the oldest cities not just in the region of Andalusia, not just in Spain, but in all of Europe! The city’s strategic location at the mouth of the Mediterranean may explain its architectural landscape — which features over 100 watchtowers — and a clue to why it’s home to Spain’s navy. Further inland in the region is the city of Seville, which boasts a past not quite as long, but definitely rich with history! Highlights in Seville include the 1,100-year-old royal palace of Alcazar replete with gardens and fountains, an opulent 15th-century cathedral — actually, Europe’s third largest — and even the hillside village Arcos de la Frontera, whose city center was officially declared a national artistic-historic monument.

The Azores are breathtaking, and Ponta Delgada is the capital of breathtaking. These are facts. Experience the natural wonders of a remote Atlantic Ocean outpost on a Carnival cruise to Azores. São Miguel Island is your port for Azores cruises, where you can walk the rim of an extinct volcano crater, dine on cuisine cooked in volcanic water, and marvel at buildings decked in volcanic rock. The natural spectacle continues in the waters surrounding Azores, Portugal, home to breaching whales, jumping dolphins, swimming sea turtles.

New Orleans is a city that knows how to have fun. Whether you take time to savor authentic Creole cuisine, browse through quaint antique shops in the French Quarter, or take a tour through historic mansions that date back over a century, youre sure to find dozens of other things to delight you in this happy, high-spirited city that pulses with the beat of Dixieland jazz. And dont forget to take a ride on one of the citys picturesque trolley cars.