142 Telephone 01473 742424 or contact your travel agentMALAGA ? MUMBAI The narrow, mostly pedestrianised, streets have a charming mixture of family- owned shops, cafés and bars, along with chic boutiques and craft shops. The Xoriguer Gin Distillery gives the chance to see the famous Menorcan gin being made: there's a shop where over a dozen different products are sold. Malaga, Spain Malaga is a city for walking. Just about everything of interest is in the Centro Antiguo, which has been lived in by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Arabs - not to mention its favourite son, Pablo Picasso, born here in 1881. Opened in 2003, the Museo Picasso is in a restored 16th- century palace to which several modernist buildings have been added. The paintings, drawings and sculptures here were almost all given to his family by the artist. Outside, the narrow streets of the old town are linked by tiny squares. There are lots of cafés selling the local wines and beer, as well as churros - Spanish doughnuts - which must be dunked in hot chocolate or café au lait! The 16th century cathedral was built on the site of a great mosque and despite damage in the Spanish Civil War, it remains an impressive building, with lavishly ornamented choir stalls. North of town are La Concepcion Historical Botanical Gardens, one of the best in Spain. Established in the 1850s, they hold a huge collection of plants from all over the world. Manaus, Brazil An astonishing rubber boom at the end of the 19th century made Manaus one of the richest - and fastest growing - cities in the world. The boom only lasted about 20 years, and when new plantations in Malaya began to grow rubber faster and cheaper, the wealth disappeared. Left behind were some breathtaking buildings, built by local magnates to celebrate their ( short- lived) success. One of the most amazing is the gold- domed Teatro Amazonas, a copy of the Opéra de Paris: everything used in building it was imported from Europe - ironware, fittings, lamps, mirrors and building stone. Only the wood for the floors came from Brazil. By the same token, the Mercado Municipal, which still operates as a market, is a faithful copy of Les Halles - which has long since been demolished. The Rio Negro Palace, once the state governor's mansion, now houses several small museums. The main building is stunning, with ornate wood, elaborate cast iron and marble floors. Many of the rooms still have original furniture, while others display modern art and sculpture. Manila, Philippines A conurbation of a dozen cities, Manila sits on Luzon island, offering excellent views of Manila Bay. Roxas Boulevard, which follows the line of Bay, has lots of cafés and bars from which to watch the city's famous sunsets: also worth seeing is the Coconut Palace - built largely from coconut by- products - where Imelda Marcos used to entertain her friends. The Philippines was once a Spanish colony and one of Manila's most interesting areas is the Intramuros walled city, dating from around 1570. Fort Santiago was built to deter pirates - the cannons are aimed out to sea - and there is also a Shrine of Freedom here to those who died fighting both the Spanish and the Japanese. Manila Cathedral is also in the Intramuros: the latest building was finished half a century ago and has outstanding religious art from Europe and Asia. Other Manila attractions include the official Presidential residence, the Malacañang Palace, the National Museum and Chinatown. Rizal Park - named after national hero Jose Rizal - is a peaceful inner- city haven, while for shopaholics, The Ayala Center is a leafy boulevard of boutiques, jewellery shops and malls. Manta, Ecuador One of the most important ports in Ecuador, Manta is both a commercial and tourist centre. The main industry is tuna canning and processing, but it is also a centre for exporting coffee and cocoa beans. The region has been inhabited for almost 6,000 years: there is archaeological evidence of seven different cultures from pre- Columbian times, and the Central Bank Museum has superb displays of artefacts from this era. There are also exhibitions of long huts similar to those of the Pacific region and of balsa- wood boats like those used in the Kon- Tiki expedition There are lovely beaches in Manta, some lined with restaurants and bars serving local specialities and seafood. And there are plenty of activities including surfing, scuba diving, sailing and fishing. Milford Haven, Wales At the mouth of the River Cleddau, the protected harbour of Milford Haven has welcomed seafarers since Viking times: the name is said to be derived from Norse. In the 18th century it was the home of Nantucket whaling fleets, and later the centre of the Welsh fishing industry. The Milford Haven Museum traces this fascinating history with drawings, maps, photographs and artefacts. A few miles up the estuary is the mighty Pembroke Castle, a medieval fortress that's largely intact. It was the birthplace of Henry Tudor - father of Henry VIII - and has an excellent exhibition centre. Also within reach, and well worth visiting, are Carew Castle and Haverfordwest Castle. Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands The Cape Verdes were a Portuguese colony and there are many traces of this colonial heritage in the towns and villages. Mindelo, on São Vicente island, is fringed by arid mountains and a deep- water port that has long been a stopping- off point for transatlantic ships. The former Capitania - where the harbour captain operated - is a replica of Lisbon's Tower of Belém that has now been restored as a museum. The Municipal Market is interesting ( especially the huge fish market) while the well- preserved Governor's Palace and City Hall are both attractive examples of Portuguese- style buildings. There are some fine wide esplanades around the harbour and a stroll through the town is a great way to find interesting little cafés and tiny shops. Molde, Romsdalfjord, Norway Depending on your preference, Molde is the town of roses or jazz. Sitting alongside the Romsdalfjord, the town benefits from rich, fertile soil and a mild climate and the town's gardens - both public and private - are full of flowers, especially roses. In the market square is a statue of the Little Rose Seller. Every July, Molde hosts a famous jazz festival, which takes over the whole town, with many of the concerts being held in the Romsdal Museum. This is one of the biggest folk museums in Norway, with over fifty historic buildings including farmhouses, smokehouses and a small chapel. On Town Street are local town houses from the pre- war period. The Fisheries Museum is also in the open air, with old houses, fishermen's shacks, a school - and even a cod- liver oil factory. Montego Bay, Jamaica A busy, vivacious town, Montego Bay is perhaps the most exciting place in this vibrant country. The main street, Gloucester Ave, runs parallel with the beach and has most of the shops, bars, hotels and restaurants. It is lively, but the cafés are great for relaxing and watching the world. Further into the town, pedestrianised Sam Sharpe Square is named after a local hero, a slave who led a rebellion in the early 1830s and was hanged as a result. On the south side of the square is the Montego Bay Civic Centre, rebuilt on the site of an historic 1803 courthouse which was destroyed by fire in 1968. It houses the Museum of St. James, tracing the history of the area through to the present day, an art gallery and a theatre. Montevideo, Uruguay Stretching languidly along the Rio de la Plata, Montevideo is noisy and exciting, with a vibrant cultural life. The Ciudad Vieja - the old city - has ancient buildings that have been refurbished and now house cafés, galleries and chic shops. There's also the 26- storey Palacio Salvo, once the tallest building in South America and the 19th century Teatro Solis. The oldest building in the city is the Iglesia Matriz, where many of its earliest residents were baptised. The National Historical Museum has two separate branches in the old city. Down by the harbour, the port market building, with its wonderful wrought- iron structure, has also been similarly restored and it has a real buzz. There are street entertainers, artists, craft shops and restaurants, as well as a museum about Carnival - the country's annual excuse for a week- long party. Motril, Spain Motril is in the foothills of the Sierra Lujar mountains, at the centre of one of Spain's most productive agricultural areas, where every kind of fruit grows in abundance. There are two sandy beaches and several sheltered coves, making this a popular spot for divers. There are plenty of interesting buildings in the town, including churches and civil buildings, such as the Town Hall which dates back to 1631: it's worth looking into the entrance hall to see the magnificent coffered ceiling. Also worth a look is Casa de las Palmas, a 16th century mill which is now the Museum of Sugar. Growing sugar cane was once the major local industry, but 2006 saw the last crop grown in Europe. The Sanctuary Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza is a baroque shrine, built on the site of a Moorish palace that belonged to the mother of Abu abd- Allah Muhammad XII, the last Arab ruler of Granada. The shrine is on a small hill that overlooks the charming Park of the People of the Americas. Muara ( for Bandar Seri Begawan), Brunei Known by most locals as " BSB", Bandar Seri Begawan is the capital of the oil- rich Sultanate of Brunei. There are some stunning buildings here, reflecting the wealth of the country. Omar Saifuddin Mosque is astonishing, especially at night when the illuminated golden dome reflects in the water in front. The Royal Regalia Building, a museum of the sultan's treasures, is packed with golden and bejewelled objects of every kind. Even more gold is on show in the Royal Ceremonial Hall, used for traditional royal ceremonies. There are several interesting museums and galleries, of which the biggest is the Brunei Museum, about 5km out of town on the archaeological site at Kota Batu. It has separate galleries on Islamic history, natural history, local customs, ceramics and the oil industry. Next to the Royal Regalia Building is the Brunei History Centre, which is in the process of researching the history of Brunei. Mumbai, India Portuguese raiders called it Bom Baia - " Good Bay" - which was corrupted by the British to Bombay, a name which many local people still use, although it was changed to Mumbai in 1996. Whatever it's called, this city is exciting, noisy, friendly and endlessly interesting. First sight of the city for some visitors is the Gateway of India, a 26m arc through which steamship passengers disembarked in colonial times. Another grandiose building from that era is Crawford Market, finished in 1869 and surmounted by a Victorian clock tower. It has friezes on the outside walls and stone fountains inside designed by Rudyard Kipling's father, Lockyard. The Prince of Wales Museum has stunning collections of historic art and sculpture from throughout India, housed in a beautiful historic building. Mumbai's cosmopolitan character is evident in its wealth of religious buildings. The Haji Ali

www. fredolsencruises. com 143 MURMANSK ? OLDEN XXX mosque is actually offshore: it can only be visited during low tide, because the walkway from the shore is submerged at high tide. On the shore is the Hindu Mahalaxmi Temple, with three solid gold sculptures of the Hindu goddesses Mahalaksmi, Mahasaraswati and Mahakali. Mount Mary Church is the oldest church in Mumbai: founded by the Portuguese in 1640, it was rebuilt in 1760. For a peaceful break from the bustle of the city, Kamala Nehru Park is a charming oasis, offering panoramic views out to the ocean. Murmansk, Russia Murmansk didn't exist until 1916, when it was founded - as Romanov- on- Murman - as a base for Russia's Arctic fleet. The name was changed after the Russian Revolution, and it subsequently developed into a major naval and industrial centre with half a million inhabitants at its peak. It is well within the Arctic Circle, so it enjoys weeks of 24- hour daylight during summer months. On the other hand, although the air temperature can be - 16 ° C in winter, the Gulf Stream means the harbour doesn't freeze, and clouds of mist hang over the water as a result. The Murmansk Shipping Company specialises in icebreakers, and the company's museum has fascinating exhibits about Arctic exploration, including soil taken from the seabed directly under the North Pole. Just to the north of the city is the 30m tall Alyosha Statue of a soldier: visitors can sometimes find themselves mixing with wedding parties, who traditionally visit the statue to toast the happy couple. Mykonos, Greece In the middle of the deep blue Aegean Sea, Mykonos is one of the smallest of the Cyclades islands, but surely the most beautiful. The landscape is wild, the beaches are golden and the welcome in the bars and cafés is warm and friendly. For many visitors, the beach and the bars are enough, but there is also a lot to see here. The Archaeological Museum was built in 1902, initially to display finds that were discovered on Rhenia in 1898, but it now has a vast number of artefacts - mainly pottery - from the late Hellenic period. The Aegean Maritime Museum is devoted to restoring historical objects: in its garden is the Armenistis lighthouse from 1890 and reproductions of ancient marble memorials for sailors who were lost at sea. The museum has restored the 1940 sailing ship Evangelistria and the cable- laying vessel Thalis o Milesios ( built in 1909) which are now in the Hellenic Navy's Museum at the Paleo Phaliro marina. Nanortalik, Greenland The most southerly town in Greenland, Nanortalik sits on a small island at the end of a delightful fjord, surrounded by glorious snow- covered mountains. For the lucky few, on dark nights and at the right time of year, Aurora Borealis provides nature's own spectacular, with a curtain of white, yellow and green flashes that light up the sky. There is evidence of local Inuits living here over a thousand years ago, but the present settlement was founded in the late 18th century as a trading and whaling post. There is a well preserved historic quarter where there are cafés and a couple of restaurants, and an unusual wooden church that is well worth seeing. Naples, Italy Naples was founded about 3,000 years ago. At one point known as Palepolis - the old city - it became Neapolis, the new city, in 475BC. The location is stunning - overlooking the Bay of Naples and overlooked itself by Vesuvius. Throughout the city there are wonderful buildings and museums. The Museo Nazionale di Capodimonte is set in glorious parkland and was created by the Bourbon Carlo III for his mother's art collection. The National Archeological Museum is also not to be missed. In addition to objects from the Bourbon era - and discoveries from Pompeii and Herculaneum - its floors have mosaics which were recovered from ancient Roman villas. Naples is a vibrant city and its bars and cafés seem to be full of noise and laughter throughout the day; just the places to enjoy pizza, invented in the city. For a peaceful interlude, visit the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta, with a lavishly decorated interior and a roof supported by 110 granite columns. There are several chapels within the cathedral, of which one of the most beautiful is the Cappella Capece Minutolo. Narsarsuaq, Greenland Narsarsuaq - the name means " The Great Plain" - was originally settled by the Vikings. Legend has it that Erik the Red established the first settlements in Greenland: his son, Leif Eriksson later discovered North America 500 years before Columbus. There's an impressive statue of Leif Eriksson across the bay from Narsarsuaq, next to recent excavations of ancient Norse houses. Much of the town surrounds the airport, which grew out of a US air force base - Bluie West 1 - built during the early 1940s. Just outside the town is Signal Hill, from the top of which are panoramic views of the fjord on which icebergs can occasionally be seen floating past. Inland is the stunning Narsarsuaq Glacier which grows out of the icesheet of Greenland's interior Narvik, Vestfjord, Norway Although Narvik is over 400km north of the Arctic Circle, the harbour is ice- free and in use all year as a centre for exporting iron ore. Although the area has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the town was not established until 1903 when the Ofoten railway was completed. The line is a tourist attraction in itself, running 42km through magnificent scenery to the Swedish border. For visitors who don't have time, a cable car ride from the centre of town to the view-point on the Narvikfjellet mountain gives fabulous views over the Ofotfjord and surrounding area. Close to the town centre is the Ofoten Museum, with displays of local history including 5,000- year- old rock carvings. The Nordland Red Cross War Memorial Museum commemorates the occupation of Narvik in the Second World War, which involved land, sea and air battles. Narvik Church is an interesting example of Scandinavian architecture, with a painted altar piece by Eilif Pettersen. Nassau, Bahamas Nassau is on New Providence, one of 700 islands that make up the Bahamas. There's something for everyone, from the stunning Cable Beach - with almost five kilometres of golden sand - to wonderful views over the whole island from Fort Fincastle. This is reached by the Queen's Staircase, hacked out of rock by slaves in the late 18th century. There are many interesting museums, including Pompey Museum, with a collection of Bahamian artefacts, documents and drawings and the Junkanoo museum, celebrating the islands' African and Creole heritage. The town was once the haunt of Caribbean pirates and the small Pirate Museum has displays about Blackbeard, Anne Bonney and their fellow wreckers and rum- runners. Souvenir hunters will enjoy the gaudy Straw Market: feel free to haggle with vendors of straw hats and baskets, jewellery and colourful t- shirts. Paradise Island - linked to Nassau by two bridges - has a championship golf course and the world's largest open- air aquarium. New Orleans, Louisiana, USA Despite being devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans remains one of the top tourist destinations, with a heady mix of fabulous food, great music, hot weather and fascinating buildings. Fortunately neither the French Quarter nor the Garden District were badly affected by Katrina. The French Quarter is the oldest part of the city, with traditional restaurants, clubs, museums, antique shops and music bars. The Garden District was settled in the 1850s by successful merchants who built lavish mansions in an astonishing variety of styles, including Greek, French Empire, Italianate and Queen Anne. There are several excellent museums in the town and the Aquarium of the Americas is recognised as world- class. The streetcars operating up St Charles Avenue are the oldest ones still operating in the USA. Noumea, New Caledonia An easy- going city spread out over a large peninsula, Noumea is surrounded by pretty bays and lagoons, and offers something to please every visitor. There are some excellent museums, including the City Museum, the National Museum of New Caledonia - which has a fine collection of Melanesian and Kanak artefacts - the Geological Museum and the Maritime History Museum. The latter celebrates three millennia of seafaring, and includes displays of finds from ships wrecked on the coral reefs. Also of interest is the National Aquarium, with stunning displays of tropical fish, as well as live coral. Nuku Hiva, Marquesas Islands The largest of the Marquesas Islands, Nuku Hiva is dominated by a couple of dormant volcanoes which have eroded to leave a 1,200m peak, surrounded by lush, green fertile valleys. The hidden Taipivai valley is where Herman Melville, author of Moby Dick, set his other great novel, Typee. The island is resolutely unspoilt: in its farms, pastureland and fishing villages, life carries on pretty much as it has for generations. The islanders are very welcoming of visitors, although there's little concession to the tourist trade apart from a couple of souvenir shops. Ny Ålesund, Norway They say that there is no permanent settlement in the world further north than Ny Ålesund. It is on the Brøgger peninsula, which juts out into the Arctic Ocean from the northwest coast of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. Almost everyone in the tiny population living in this challenging but beautiful environment is a scientist working in one or other of the research stations that are the reason for its existence. These facilities include the Arctic Marine Laboratory, the northernmost in the world, and the Natural Environment Research Council's Arctic Research Station. The latter is part of the British Antarctic Survey, and operates within an international network that includes stations owned by Norway, Germany, Japan, Italy, France and the UK. Ocho Rios, Jamaica A former fishing village, Ocho Rios sits around a small bay. There are now several shopping malls, selling everything from handicrafts to duty- free goods. There are also lots of restaurants and cafés. Ocho Rios means " Eight Rivers" in Spanish, but is thought to be a corruption of Las Chorreras - the waterfalls, a highlight of the immediate locality. Dunn's River Falls is spectacular - great to swim under and wonderful to climb - while the Eden Falls are also well worth seeing. For a nice walk away from the sea, the Fern Gully is a deep valley which twists and turns its way inland, up towards the mountainous centre of the island. There are lots of tropical ferns here; in parts the valley is so deep that sunlight hardly reaches the ground and the temperature is noticeably cooler. Olden, Nordfjord, Norway At its eastern end, the magnificent Nordfjord divides into three arms beneath the glaciers of the Jotunheimen mountains, and Olden sits at the beginning of the southernmost of these arms. Olden is utterly delightful, a charming village set in green