142 Telephone 01473 742424 or contact your travel agentlisbon - moldeOne of the finest museums in France is the Musée des Beaux-Arts, which has works by artists from the 15th to 20th centuries. Bordeaux is, of course, a centre of the French wine trade and the Vinorama wine museum tells the story of wine and the wine trade. The Maison du Vin offers advice about local wines, including tastings. Beautiful 17-arch Pont de Pierre crosses the Garonne: standing in the middle gives a splendid view of the city and its river.Lisbon, PortugalSpread out over seven hills on the north of the River Tagus, Lisbon is a delightful mix of palaces, churches, art nouveau cafés, gardens, ancient castles and splendid bridges. These 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. Lisbon has many fascinating museums, including the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the National Coach Museum and the Carmo Archaeological Museum. It's 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, search for bargains alongside the locals in the flea market at Campo de Santa Clara.Liverpool, EnglandThe world-class buildings that dominate the Pier Head reflect Liverpool's heritage as a major trading centre: the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building have contributed to the waterfront's status as a World Heritage Site. A former City of Culture, Liverpool has more museums than any city outside London: National Museums Liverpool is a group of seven museums and galleries with exhibitions as diverse as space travel, ethnology, dinosaurs and modern art. The centrepiece is the World Museum Liverpool, dating back to 1851. On the waterfront, attractions on the refurbished Albert Dock include Tate Liverpool, the Beatles Story, Merseyside Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum. The city has two stunning cathedrals. The Anglican Cathedral is the largest in Britain and the fifth largest in the world. Started in 1904, it was designed by 21-year-old Giles Gilbert Scott, who was also responsible for red telephone boxes and Battersea Power Station. The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King was originally started in 1933 to a design by Sir Edwin Lutyens. Unfortunately this proved too expensive to build, so in the 1960s Sir Frederick Gibberd developed a less expensive, but still futuristic, design that was finished in 1967.Longyearbyen, SvalbardLongyearbyen is situated deep in the Norwegian Arctic on Spitsbergen, the largest of the Svalbard islands. It was only established as a permanent settlement in 1906, initially to exploit the local coal reserves - the town is named after an American mining specialist, John M. Longyear. Set at the end of the Advent Fjord and framed by flat-topped, snow-covered mountains, the town is home to 1,600 inhabitants, as well as several reindeer that can often be seen wandering through the streets. Only one of the mines is still working, but it's possible to visit Mine 3, which was turned into a living museum when it closed in 1996: the guides are all former miners who know at first hand about life underground. The Svalbard museum also provides an excellent insight into the life of miners, as well as the other local industry, whaling. And be sure to see the 24-hour sundial - a reminder that during summer months, the sun does not set for weeks on end.Lüderitz, NamibiaFounded in 1883, Lüderitz enjoyed a sudden burst of short-lived prosperity after 1909 when diamonds were found in nearby Kolmanskop. However, when more accessible diamonds were found elsewhere, Kolmanskop became a ghost town - and modern tourist attraction - and Lüderitz went back to being a trading town and port. In fact, it has hardly changed since the early 20th century, and much of its appeal lies in the many historic buildings such as the Deutsche Afrika bank building, the Railway Station, the Old Post Office and the massive Görke Haus. The Lüderitz Museum tells the story of the boom and bust years, but also explains about the local area, particularly the marine environment.Mahon, MenorcaThe British moved the capital of Menorca to Mahon in 1721 because of its large natural harbour and the port area remains a focal point of the town, with restaurants, bars and cafés that are relaxed during the day and lively at night. The oldest structure is the San Roque archway, which is all that remains of the walls that once surrounded the town. Just down the road from here is the Town Hall, built in 1631 and with a fine clock presented by the British Governor, Richard Kane. Adjacent to the Town Hall is the Esglesia de Santa María la Major, founded in 1287: it has a magnificent four-keyboard organ, with over 3,000 pipes. 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, SpainMalaga 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. Malé, MaldivesCapital of the Maldives, Malé occupies an entire island less than two km long and just one km wide, though it is one of the most densely packed places on earth. And there is a lot to see here. The Presidential Palace elegantly combines traditional architecture with modern stylishness, while the ancient Friday Mosque, built with carved coral blocks, is a superb example of traditional Maldive craftsmanship. The old Sultan's Palace is now the National Museum and the grounds a peaceful park. The Museum has very interesting displays dating from the pre-Islamic era right up to modern times.The daily Fish Market is great fun. Maldivians are big fish-eaters and when the boats arrive in the afternoon, shoppers descend to choose their evening meal. Nearby is the so-called Local Market, selling fruit and vegetables from all over the islands. To relax there are teashops, cafés and restaurants to suit every taste.Manaus, Amazon, BrazilAn 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, PhilippinesA 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, EcuadorOne 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 expeditionThere are lovely beaches in Manta, some lined with restaurants and bars serving local specialities and seafood. And there are plenty of activities including surfing, sailing and fishing.Mindelo, Cape Verde IslandsThe 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, NorwayDepending 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

www.fredolsencruises.com 143Montego Bay - new orleansXXXand 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, JamaicaA 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, UruguayStretching 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. Montréal, CanadaThe historic district of Vieux-Montréal - Old Montréal - is beautifully preserved, but no museum-piece. Many of the restored buildings have been taken over for use as galleries, boutique hotels, cafés, shops and restaurants - and the Plâteau Mont-Royal in the middle of the city is full of life 24 hours a day. A walking tour presents a feast for the eyes, from the stunning Basilique Notre-Dame to the fine art-deco Edifice Aldred, from Château Ramezay - home of French governors in the early 18th century - to the Banque de Montréal building, dating from 1847. A more sedate way to explore is in a horse-drawn caliche. The city has over 30 museums, ranging from Musée Stewart - a former British garrison - to the Musée Juste Pour Rire where Montréal's world-famous comedy festival is held. Mossel Bay, South Africa The beautiful Mossel Bay was originally claimed, in 1488, by the Spanish explorer Bartholomew Dias. There's a full-size reproduction of his ship in the local Maritime Museum. However, it was a Dutch navigator who named it Mossel Bay after the plentiful supply of mussels found here. With a rich history, it's hardly surprising that there are several important museums here. Apart from the Maritime Museum, there are others devoted to the wild flowers of the area, to seashells and to local cultural history. The town itself has lots of interest, including the 800-year-old milkwood tree outside the Post Office: following a tradition established in 1500, letters are posted here in a seaman's boot! More active visitors have a choice of water-sports or to relax - there are over 24km of white-sand beaches. Motril, SpainMotril 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. Mumbai, IndiaPortuguese 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 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. Muscat, OmanThe capital of Oman is actually three towns which have merged over time. The walled city - Muscat - is where the royal palaces and two 16th century Portuguese forts can be seen. There are old houses jammed into narrow streets and three original gates set in the walls. Matrah town has the ancient souq - selling handicrafts, food and jewellery - and the fish market. The third town, Ruwi, is the commercial centre of the city. The Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world, is open to non-Muslim visitors every day except Friday. Although the beautiful Royal Palace is not open to visitors, it can be viewed and photographed from the outside. There are over a dozen interesting museums including the National Museum, which explains how the Sultanate developed, the Children's Museum, the French Museum and the Sultan's Armed Forces Museum. Nanortalik, GreenlandThe 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. Nantes, FranceOver the years Nantes has been the capital of the Duchy of Brittany, the most important port in France, a centre of shipbuilding and, more recently, a focus for high-tech industry. There's lots to see and do here. Most visitors start with a walk round old Nantes, starting from the magnificent Cathedral of St Pierre: the interior is over 100m long and its plain white walls and pillars provide a contrast with the lavish stained glass windows and ornate tombs. At the other end of the old town is the imposing Château of the Dukes of Brittany, where the Edict of Nantes was signed: there's an excellent museum on the history of Nantes, including scale models of the city at different times in the past. Also worth visiting is the Musée Jules Verne on the banks of the Loire, dedicated to the writer who was born here in 1828. Naples, ItalyNaples 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, GreenlandNarsarsuaq - 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. Inland is the stunning Narsarsuaq Glacier.New Orleans, Louisiana, USADespite 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