Spain, Portugal & Morocco

Liverpool is one of Britain's most iconic and interesting cities, and famously home to the Cavern Club and The Beatles.

Liverpool - a former European Capital of Culture - is globally-renowned for its music, arts, culture and diverse architecture, and attracts visitors from around the globe.

A busy port city, Liverpool is also known for its historic waterfront district and Albert Dock, where some of the city's best known galleries and museums can be found. The Tate Gallery, International Slavery Museum and 'The Beatles Story' exhibition are easily found on foot, and sit alongside the largest collection of Grade One listed buildings in the UK, including the iconic Liver Building and a number of structures associated with the ill-fated RMS Titanic.

British overseas territory, Gibraltar, on Spain's south coast is dominated by a 426m-high limestone ridge: The Rock. The Rock of Gibraltar is a sentinel that guards the Straits, and the overtly-British town nestled between the European and African continents. Its atmosphere is all the more familiar due to its helmeted policemen, red pillar boxes, fish and chip shops, traditional pubs and Marks & Spencer shops.[ReadMoreMob]

Layers of fortifications on The Rock include the remains of a 14th-century Moorish Castle and the 18th century Great Siege Tunnels. The Europa Point Lighthouse and St. Michael’s limestone cave light show are both well worth seeking out.

Resolutely British for nearly 300 years, Gibraltar’s unique history is of interest but it's the camera-loving Barbary Apes that tend to steal the show.

Casablanca is a large, cosmopolitan city, but the former French colonial post still offers those who visit the medina and Old City a taste of the past. The biggest city in Morocco – with chic bars and a wide choice of stylish restaurants – Casablanca often has a southern European feel. The Old Medina is small, but the crowded streets and tiny, overcrowded shops are an explorer’s paradise. The attractive art-deco Ville Nouvelle is a legacy from the city’s French past, and the enchanting Rialto Cinema is also worth discovering. 

Casablanca’s Jewish Museum, the only one of its kind in the Islamic world, offers excellent exhibits of Morocco’s ancient synagogues, cemeteries and other Jewish landmarks.[ReadMoreMob] However, it’s the breath-taking Hassan II Mosque that dominates the city. Built on a rocky outcrop, it can accommodate over 25,000 worshippers inside – and another 80,000 in the courtyard. The 210m minaret is the tallest in the world: from the top a laser beam points the way to Mecca at night. Guided tours can be made of the vast and impressive interior.

Cadiz, one of Europe's most ancient cities, hugs Andalusia’s sunlit Atlantic coast and is characterised by palm trees, lookout towers and weathered old buildings. Now into its fourth millennium, Cádiz's fascinating Old Town district features huge stone walls from the 1500s and is home to a wealth of historic highlights, including the beautifully crafted 18th century Cádiz Cathedral. 

Boasting over 100 watchtowers, including the iconic Torre Tavira, traditionally used for spotting ships; traditional tapas bars serving delicious traditional cuisine and local seafood; and fascinating maritime history;[ReadMoreMob] Cádiz offers a plethora of authentic sights and experiences. The winding streets assume the feel of a carnival, packed-out with friendly locals and humming to the sounds of upbeat alegrías (flamenco songs). 

Cádiz is also the gateway to the stunning city of Seville, with its maze of courtyards, atmosphere old quarters and ornate churches and cathedrals.

Stretched across its seven trademark hills overlooking the River Tagus estuary, Portugal’s hilly, coastal capital city of Lisbon, is a cinematic collection of cobbled alleyways, pastel-coloured buildings, ancient ruins and white-domed cathedrals. The city was decimated by an earthquake in 1755, and modern Lisbon has been shaped by that eventful day. The Pombaline architecture that now defines the city represents some of the first seismically-protected buildings in Europe.

The city’s bridges include the Ponte 25 de Abril – similar to the Golden Gate in San Francisco – and the Ponte Vasco da Gama, which includes over 11km of viaducts.[ReadMoreMob] Lisbon’s many fascinating museums, include the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Coach Museum and the Carmo Archaeological [ReadMoreDesk]Museum. 

Lisbon is also a shopper’s paradise, with the Centro Commercial Colombo – the biggest shopping mall on the Iberian peninsula – and the elegant Avenidas Novas, full of upmarket shops. Alternatively, there bargains to be had in the local flea market, Campo de Santa Clara. Don't miss the chance to sample iconic egg tarts at Pasteis de Belém too.

A short journey from Leixões takes you into the heart of Oporto, with its fortress-like Cathedral and the Baroque Church of Clérigos. Head to the historic Ribeira District, where the narrow, cobbled lanes wind their way down to the Douro River. Don’t forget to visit one of the many wine cellars for a taste of the tipple named after the city, Port. On the ground floor of the Museu Romantico is the Port Wine Institute, where port is served with great ceremony. 

Oporto sits deep in the gorge of the River Douro and on the riverside – dominated by the two-level Luis I bridge – it’s possible to look up at the narrow old town streets climbing out of the valley.[ReadMoreMob] Pastel-fronted houses with red-tiled roofs line the streets, mixed with neo-classical buildings and wonderful baroque churches. Dominating the centre of the city is the fortress-like Cathedral, which is worth visiting for the views alone.

Liverpool is one of Britain's most iconic and interesting cities, and famously home to the Cavern Club and The Beatles.

Liverpool - a former European Capital of Culture - is globally-renowned for its music, arts, culture and diverse architecture, and attracts visitors from around the globe.

A busy port city, Liverpool is also known for its historic waterfront district and Albert Dock, where some of the city's best known galleries and museums can be found. The Tate Gallery, International Slavery Museum and 'The Beatles Story' exhibition are easily found on foot, and sit alongside the largest collection of Grade One listed buildings in the UK, including the iconic Liver Building and a number of structures associated with the ill-fated RMS Titanic.