xx - xx132 Telephone 01473 742424 or contact your travel agentCultures of the AdriaticAlmeria, SpainAlmeria is steeped in history. Once the major port of the Islamic Cordoba Caliphate, it is dominated by the ancient Arab fortress of Alcazaba. From here there are wonderful views over the port and the heart of the city, and especially the oddly-fortified cathedral. The corner towers once housed cannons which were used to protect the cathedral's priceless possessions from raids by the pirates who roamed the Mediterranean in the Middle Ages. The city has several museums on subjects ranging from the pre-history of Andalucia to modern art. In the 1960s the deserts surrounding the city were used to film westerns, notably those by the Italian director Sergio Leone. These days the Tabernas Natural Area and its old film sets, complete with saloons and ranches, are a tourist attraction.Alta, Altafjord, NorwayAlthough most of the buildings in Alta are quite new - it was rebuilt after the Second World War - the area has been inhabited by the indigenous Sami people since prehistoric times. At Hjemmeluft, just outside the town, is the largest collection of rock carvings in Scandinavia, dating from 2,000 to 5,000 years ago. They are part of the Alta Museum and show scenes of hunting, with one large carving showing a boat carrying 32 hunters.The Altafjord, and the Altaelva river that runs through the town, are said to have the best salmon fishing in the world. It's still possible to see the fish leaping up the river, despite the construction - in the face of protests - of the 100m Altadammen in the 1970s. Amsterdam, NetherlandsAmsterdam grew up following the construction of a dam across the River Amstel. In the 17th century wealthy local merchants built elegant homes alongside the city's many canals. Several of these houses have since been converted to apartments and hotels, with antiquarian bookshops, bars, chic boutiques and cafés at street level. There are almost 40 museums in Amsterdam and the Museum Quarter has three of the most famous: the Rijksmuseum, with important paintings by Rembrandt, Vermeer and Frans Hals; the Van Gogh Museum, with over 200 paintings and 500 drawings; and the Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art, with work by major European artists from Manet to Picasso. The Anne Frankhuis is where Anne Frank and her family hid from the German occupiers during the Second World War: it offers a haunting and memorable experience. Antwerp, BelgiumAntwerp is the world's leading centre for cut diamonds, but there is more to this vibrant city than precious gems. The Royal Museum of Fine Arts is dedicated, in part at least, to Peter Paul Rubens, who lived and worked here. The museum houses his finest works, along with those of other Flemish masters. There are more than 20 other museums in the city, as well as fine buildings from throughout its historic past, excellent shops and delightful parks and gardens. The Cathedral of Our Lady, the biggest church in Benelux, was started in 1352 on the site of a 10th century chapel, but like many medieval religious buildings, took several centuries to complete. The 123m high tower can be seen from everywhere in the city - and from miles outside. The interior has four altarpieces by Rubens, as well as a marble Madonna and Child by an anonymous sculptor.Aqaba, JordanFor more than 5,000 years the Red Sea port of Aqaba has had an important strategic and trading role. The Crusaders built a fortress here, which was rebuilt by the Mamlukes in the 16th century, and it remains one of the town's most important landmarks. Next door to the castle is the Aqaba Archaeological Museum. Among its Rashidun, Umayyad, Abbasid and Fatimid XXXartefacts are findings from the ancient city of Aila, which was discovered in the 1990s. Aila was made into a major port by the Romans and later became an important Islamic centre. Within the ruins are the remains of the oldest Christian Church yet found - a mud-brick structure dating from around 300AD. Aqaba's sandy beach has become the main attraction for those wishing to snorkel the clear blue waters, or simply relax under a palm tree. Århus, DenmarkSitting on Jutland's eastern coast amid beaches and woodland, Århus is Denmark's second-largest city, and is packed with places of interest for the visitor. Den Gamle By (The Old Town) is a wonderful open-air museum with about 80 buildings from all over Denmark, dating from the 17th- and 18th-centuries, while a trip to the Arhus Kunstmuseum is also recommended. The unique Århus Radhus (town hall) was controversial when finished by Arne Jacobsen in 1942, but some of the best views in the city are found at the top of its 60m clock-tower. The Forhistorisk Museum Moesgard houses a unique collection of prehistoric artefacts, including the town's most famous inhabitant - 2,000-year-old Graubelle Man, found preserved in a nearby bog in 1952. It's also well worth exploring the narrow streets of the town, enjoying a drink at one of the many bars and cafés, and finding interesting shops selling hand-made local products. Arica, ChileA major port - it handles most of Bolivia's exports, as well as those of northern Chile - and an increasingly popular tourist centre, Arica is dominated by El Morro. This is a massive reddish hill which is visible from everywhere in the town. While the walk to the top is strenuous the views are worth it, especially at night. There's an interesting Morro Museum, which explains how Chile took the hill, its fort and Arica from Peru in the 1880 War of the Pacific.The small Archaeological Museum is well worth seeing for its remarkable displays on the Chinchorro people, who lived in the area from around 6000BC. They mummified their dead - long before the Egyptians did so - and the museum has mummies discovered at the foot of El Morro in the early 1980s. On Plaza Colón is San Marcos Cathedral. This small neo-Gothic church is made of iron: it was prefabricated in France by Gustave Eiffel (of the Tower) in 1876 and carried by sea to Arica.Arrecife, LanzaroteArrecife is a bustling port, with the biggest fishing fleet in the Canaries. Back in the 16th and 17th centuries the city was regularly attacked by pirates: to defend against these raiders, the court of Spain built two splendid castles overlooking the harbour. Castillo San Gabriel is the older of the two, built in 1590. It now houses the island's Ethnographic Museum, which tells the fascinating story of the original inhabitants of the island, the Gaunche.The Castillo San Jose was built to provide employment and alleviate poverty on the island following volcanic eruptions in the 1730s: as a result it became known as the Fortress of Hunger. Today it is home to the Museum of International and Contemporary Art, with a small but impressive collection of modern paintings and sculpture. Appropriately, given the name, it also has an excellent restaurant in the basement where diners enjoy panoramic views over the harbour area. Auckland, New ZealandAuckland is the "City of Sails", built on 50 islands, but small enough to explore on foot. This is just as well, because there is much to see in this friendly and cosmopolitan city. A good place to start is the Auckland Museum, which has excellent displays of Maori artefacts and culture, including a 20-minute cultural performance three times a day. Kelly Tarlton's Underworld & Antarctic Encounter is a unique aquarium in which it is possible to walk underwater in a clear plastic tunnel through shoals of fish swimming in reclaimed storm tanks. The National Maritime Museum explores a thousand years of New Zealand's seafaring history, while for a different perspective the Stardome Observatory is a planetarium that looks at the starlit southern skies. And it's possible to get closer with the Sky Tower - at 328 metres, the tallest structure in the country. There's a revolving restaurant and, at 192 metres, a 1,200mm platform that the more adventurous can walk round - wearing a harness and safety line - for stunning views over the city.Bangor, Northern IrelandBangor has been inhabited since pre-Celtic times, and it's one of only four places in Ireland to feature on the "Mappa Mundi" - the world map dating from 1300 which is now in Hereford Cathedral. The town has long been a popular holiday resort and there are many imposing Victorian and Edwardian buildings which were built by affluent residents who benefited from visitors coming from all over Ireland.The name of Bangor was spread throughout western Europe by the monks from Bangor Abbey. Founded by Saint Comgall in 558AD, the Abbey has been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the years: the oldest remaining part is St Malachy's Wall, adjacent to the old Gate Lodge. Malachy dominated church life in Ireland during the 12th century and he introduced the Augustinian Order to Bangor, as well as the use of stone for church building. The North Down Heritage Centre in nearby Castle Park has fascinating information about the Abbey and its history.Barcelona, SpainThe Catalan capital has some of the most diverse architecture of any city in Europe. Barcelona's buildings have Roman, Frankish and Castilian influences and every style from gothic and Renaissance to the sometimes disturbing confections of the city's favourite son, Antoni Gaudi. His most famous building is the unfinished Sagrada Família church, a strange, almost melting building that was started in 1884, but is likely to take many more years to complete. More traditional is Barcelona Cathedral, dating from the 13th century, which dominates the tightly packed medieval streets of the Old Quarter. Previously there was a Roman temple and a mosque on this site. For many visitors, La Rambla, a pedestrianised avenue heading down to the port, is the essence of Barcelona. There's everything here from flower stalls to street performers, art galleries to grand buildings: watch for the Academy of Science, with its 150-year-old clock in the form of a giant watch and the Palacio de Moya with its lavish wall-paintings. There are enough museums to occupy the visitor for a week or more. Among the best are the Fundació Joan Miró, which has wonderful views of the city from the roof terrace; the Contemporary Arts Museum; and the Picasso Museum, with superb works from the early 20th century.Basseterre, St KittsEstablished by France during the early 17th century, Basseterre became part of the British Empire following the Napoleonic War, while keeping its French name. Today, it retains much of its Georgian architecture, including the domed Treasury Building on the waterfront, through which every commodity (especially sugar) used to leave St. Kitts. In the middle of town is the Circus, a roundabout built in the 19th century. In the centre is the green and bronze Berkeley Memorial Clock, a cast-iron tower with four clock faces. St. George's Anglican Church was originally built by the French - who Almeria - Basseterre

xx - xxwww.fredolsencruises.com 133called it Notre Dame - but it was destroyed several times before being rebuilt in its present form in 1869. Independence Square was created in the late 18th century: it was where council meetings - and slave auctions - were held. It was named in 1983 to mark the creation of the independent Federation of St. Kitts and NevisBelfast, Northern IrelandIn recent years Belfast has moved away from the troubles of the past and become a modern, vibrant and stylish city. On and around Great Victoria Street there are some excellent restaurants and a wide choice of pubs, while close to Queen's University are the fascinating Botanical Gardens, which have been established for more than 180 years. The unique Palm House was one of the world's first cast-iron glass-houses and it houses a wide range of tropical plants, ranging from bananas to rubber. Alongside the Gardens is the Ulster Museum, housed in a beautiful Renaissance-style building, which tells Ireland's 9,000-year history through art, ceramics, costume, and archaeology, including prehistoric artefacts from local sites. On the northern edge of the city is the impressive hulk of Belfast Castle, standing 120m above the sea. Built in the mid-Victorian era, it offers wonderful views over the city and out towards the Irish Sea.Belize City, BelizeSurrounded on three sides by water, Belize City is a tightly-packed jumble of narrow streets and canals. The area was originally settled by the Mayan people and in the 1600s it was a famous pirate base, before the British arrived and built up Belize City as a centre for the logging industry. Timber was floated downstream to the city where it was sawn and loaded on to ships. Old Belize is a living museum which recreates the history of the country, with exhibits ranging from a Mayan cave to a logging camp. There's a beach as well, with a café and a restaurant. The Museum of Belize is in the former prison and has a fine collection of archeological finds, as well as historical documents, photographs, currency and postage stamps. There's even a former prison cell.Bergen, NorwayBergen was one of the great Hanseatic ports, and this maritime heritage is recalled by the 900-year-old Bryggen Wharf, with its splendid museum. The Bryggen is a delight to explore: its narrow streets climb away from the waterfront, lined by interesting shops, colourful half-timbered houses and cobbled stairways, with alleyways and tiny open spaces that beg to be explored. In summer months every spare corner seems to be filled with pots and containers overflowing with colourful flowers that fill the air with perfume. Bergen is framed by seven magnificent hills, the highest of which can be reached by a funicular railway. From the top there are spectacular views down to the harbourside, where cafés, bars and restaurants welcome visitors from around the world. Bergen was the home of Norway's most famous composer, Edvard Grieg, and the Troldhaugen is a museum devoted to his life and work, including an exhibition centre, shop and café. Bitung, Sulawesi, IndonesiaA tourist gateway to eastern Indonesia, Bitung has a 3,000-hectare nature reserve on its northern outskirts, spreading over on to Lembeh Island. The Tangkoko Batuangus reserve is home to an astonishing variety of plants, trees and local wildlife. Spread out over a lush landscape of green hills and fertile valleys, the reserve has families of Spectral Tarsier - one of the smallest primates - as well as black apes, birds, snakes, wild pigs and marsupials such as cuscus. Local transport is available from the port area to the reserve.Boca do Valeria, Amazon, BrazilBoca da Valeria is one of thousands of tiny settlements in the Amazon basin: fewer than a hundred people live here in wooden stilt-houses, with a dirt path in front and the river behind. The community makes its living from the river and each house has a boat slung at the back. There's a single-room school, a small church and a communal manioc farm, all of which can be visited. On the waterfront, thatched-roof stalls sell hand-made crafts made by local people and those from neighbouring villages.Bodø, NorwayJust inside the Arctic Circle, Bodø is blessed with beautiful natural scenery, including the Børvasstindene mountains across the fjord to the south, and the Lofoten and Landegode islands to the north. The Lofotens are home to sea eagles, and there are more of these huge birds in Bodø than in any other part of the world: every day, you can see them soaring high over the town and, as the mood takes them, perched on buildings. The town was badly damaged in the Second World War, but was rebuilt afterwards: the last building to be completed was the town hall, opened in 1959. The nearby Cathedral is a fine modern building with wonderful stained-glass windows and a separate belfry, while for a contrast, see Bodin church, a typical medieval building dating from the 13th century. Well worth a visit is the Norwegian Aviation Museum, with an extensive collection of aircraft used by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, as well as British and German warplanes that have been recovered locally and restored.Bora Bora, French PolynesiaAn authentic tropical paradise, Bora Bora has beautiful sandy beaches fringed by gently swaying palms. A clear blue lagoon surrounds the island, enclosed by a reef of coral motus - islets - while the extinct volcanoes of Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia tower over the whole island. It's easy to see why this is the destination of choice for honeymoon couples from all over the world.The marine life in the lagoon, including turtles, sharks, rays and tropical fish, adds an extra dimension to snorkelling or scuba-diving. Bremerhaven, GermanyEstablished as the port for the city of Bremen, 60km away on the River Weser, Bremerhaven was once Germany's biggest port, and much of its history is based around its maritime past. The National German Maritime Museum is in the middle of the old harbour, with a unique collection of more than 500 model ships, including magnificent sailing ships, whalers and the oldest wooden merchant ship in the world. On the opposite side of the harbour is the submarine Wilhelm Bauer, dating from 1943. More than seven million people emigrated from Germany for the New World, leaving on ships from the port of Bremerhaven. The German Emigration Centre in the town is a cutting-edge museum that celebrates this mass movement through video and audio installations.Brest, FranceThere's been a port here since medieval times and it is still an important naval base. Sadly very few buildings remain from before the Second World War, apart from the 15th-century Château de Brest, and the Tour Tanguy, a medieval tower that probably dates from the 14th-century Breton War of Succession. The Château has the Musée de la Marine de Brest, celebrating Brest's maritime tradition, while the Tour Tanguy has the Museum of Old Brest. One of the best-known sights is the Pont de Recouvrance, a huge vertical-lift bridge, which elevates the 88m roadway on 70m-pylons to allow ships to pass up the River Penfeld. The newest attraction is the unique Océanopolis marine centre, which has three aquariums replicating polar, tropical and temperate oceans. There are over a thousand different types of fish, as well as 120 species of marine mammal, from dolphins to walrus.Bridgetown, BarbadosThe capital of Barbados, Bridgetown was originally known as Indian Bridge after the bridge built over the river - the Careenage - by indigenous Indians. Chamberlain Bridge was built in 1872, after which the name of the town was changed. This was a swing bridge, changed to a lift bridge in 2006.The main thoroughfare is Broad Street, lined with banks and some duty free shops. Rather more interesting are Swan Street and Tudor Street which have smaller shops, as well as some interesting pavement stalls. At the top of Broad Street are the old Parliament Buildings: the Barbados Parliament goes back to 1639 and is one of the oldest in the British Commonwealth. The west wing of the building houses the National Heroes Gallery and Museum of Parliament. Opposite is what used to be Trafalgar Square (now National Heroes Square) with its statue of Lord Nelson - erected before the one in London. Brisbane, AustraliaGreen and leafy Brisbane is a nature-lover's paradise. Roma Street Parkland, right in the heart of the city, is the world's biggest subtropical garden, with wonderful collections of Australian plants and shrubs and glorious peaceful walks. At the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, visitors can cuddle a koala or hand-feed a kangaroo, while enjoying an enormous variety of wildlife, from lizards to the Tasmanian Devil. The Sanctuary is on the Brisbane River - alongside the river there are lovely parks and riverside walks. There are also interesting cafés, seafood restaurants and trendy shops selling antiques, crafts and textiles.When the stunning St. John's Anglican Cathedral was finished a couple of years ago, it became the last neo-Gothic cathedral to be completed anywhere in the world. It took over a hundred years, as stonemasons used traditional building techniques to finish the work. Brisbane City Hall was once the tallest building in town and still offers excellent views from the top of the 90m-high clock tower.Buenos Aires, ArgentinaStretched out along the Rio de la Plata, Buenos Aires is the first sight of Argentina for many people - and what a sight it is. Enticing and exciting, the city has a complex cultural heritage drawn from half a dozen European countries, with architecture and an urban landscape to match. There is no main focal point, although for local people the heart of the country itself is the Pirámide de Mayo in the Plaza de Mayo. Built to celebrate the revolution of 1810 which gave Argentina independence, the original pyramid is hidden inside the current brick structure. Leading away from the Plaza is the Avenida de Mayo, a magnificent 19th century boulevard lined with wonderful buildings, many of which are now shops, galleries and museums. Along the avenue and in many of its side-streets are coffee houses, jazz clubs, tango bars and restaurants to suit every taste. Cadiz, SpainStanding on a peninsula, Cadiz is almost entirely surrounded by water, with a history dominated by the sea: as a Phoenician trading post, a Roman port and the launchpad for Spain's exploration of the New World in the 15th and 16th centuries. The old town is Moorish in style, with cobbled streets and small squares lined with whitewashed houses. Over all looms the golden-tiled dome of the Cathedral Nueva. Built with riches from South America, the Cathedral has breathtaking treasures, some in a museum inside the building, including the Custodia del Millón, a Eucharist set supposedly made with a million precious stones. Belfast - Cadiz