Standing at the western edge of the continent, the Atlantic coasts of Europe have served throughout history as the access points to the riches of the Old World and the gateway to New Worlds. Washing the shores of Portugal, Spain, France, and Belgium, these very coasts have witnessed Viking invasions, intrepid explorers in search of routes to Asia and the Americas, and the turning point in the fortunes of World War II. Shaped by the elements and the customs of the diverse cultures that call this region home, the European Coast offers a fascinating microcosm of the continent; one that’s rich in history, art, dramatic landscapes, first-rate cuisine, and charming cities.
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Arrecife
Lanzarote is perhaps the most unique among the Canary Islands, astounding visitors with its amazing landscapes. Due to a massive volcanic eruption in 1730 that lasted for six years, one third of the island was covered by a sea of lava. In 1824, a new volcano thrust out of the earth's crust and once again molten lava poured over a good part of Lanzarote, leaving a lunar landscape of more than a hundred craters, lava fields, and layers of cinders and pebbles. Dromedaries found here add to this bizarre scenery. Arrecife, the capital of Lanzarote, is situated on the island's eastern coast. Blackened lava and yellow sands provide a dramatic backdrop. Home to the archipelago's largest fishing fleet, the harbor is packed with boats. While Arrecife itself has little to offer beyond a modern art museum, it provides an excellent starting point for exploration into the fascinating interior. Especially a trip to the Fire Mountains should not be missed.
Banjul
Banjul is the capital of The Gambia. It is located on St Mary's Island (or Banjul Island) where the Gambia River enters the Atlantic Ocean.
Belle lle
Aptly named Belle-Ile-en-Mer is the largest of France’s Atlantic islands, located just off the Brittany coast. It’s a popular summer holiday spot, with rolling countryside and broad beaches, miles of hiking trails along the shoreline cliffs and even romantic castle ruins above the protected harbor of Le Palais.
Bordeaux
Sixty-one miles up the Garonne River, lies the port of Bordeaux, the capital of France´s wine country. The Romans were the first to introduce grapes into the region, and by the 14th century Bordeaux was producing over one million cases a year. Journey through the hilly countryside to the picturesque village of St Emillion and taste the wines that have made this region famous.
Brest
Set in a magnificent natural harbor known as the Rade de Brest, Brest is sheltered from ocean storms by the Crozon peninsula to its south. Brest has always played an important role in war, and in trade whenever peace allowed. Today it is the base of the French Atlantic fleet.
Cadiz
Cadiz is the western worlds oldest inhabited city with shores bathed by both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Tiny villages are scattered at random along golden beaches and up twisting mountain roads leading to romantic Seville. Visit Sanlucar de Barrameda where Magellan began his voyage around the world and Jerez de la Frontera, home of the worlds finest sherry.
Casablanca
Catch the flavor of Casablanca in the open spice markets and herb alist shops on the Quarter Balilida in New Medina. A delightful blending of French and Moroccan cultures is found in street bazaars where artisans and enchanters barter their crafts a mere stone´s throw from the hushed secret gardens of the Royal Palace.
Cherbourg
Cherbourg is gateway to one of the most photographed sights in France - lofty Mont St Michel. Begun by Bishop Aubert of Avranches in 708, the slender steeple piercing the firmament is a powerful statement of Norman/Romanesque religious fervor. Around it, the immense Monasstery and Cloisters buttress the the in massive walls of stone reaching all the way down to the sea.
Cotonou
Cotonou is the economic capital of Benin, as well as its largest city. In addition to being Benin's largest city, it houses many of its government and diplomatic services, and thus it is Benin's de facto capital, even though the official capital is Porto-Novo. The city is best known as a major port, thanks to the Autonomous Port of Cotonou, it is also home to an airport and a railway to Parakou. Features of Cotonou include Cotonou Friendship Stadium, Cotonou Cathedral, Cotonou Central Mosque and the 20-hectare Dantokpa Market, which includes a fetish market and has a commercial throughput of over a million CFA Francs every day. The National University of Benin is located in Cotonou. Another familiar feature of the city are the motorcycle-taxis known as Zemidjans.
Dakar
Dakar, capital of the Republic of Senegal, is a vibrant city of broad, tree-lined avenues, colorful open-air markets, inviting cafes and just a splash of French elan. Striking contemporary architecture is set off by historical colonial buildings, while a myriad of galleries, boutiques and street vendors offer everything from fine paintings, sculptures and crafts to colorful clothing and imported goods. Golf, tennis, fishing and water sports are available at a number of fine resorts and on some of the many superb beaches. Thanks to its usually excellent weather and proximity, Senegal is the most popular nation in West Africa with visitors from Europe seeking sunny beaches and relaxation.
Douala
Douala, or Duala, situated on the Wouri River, is the largest city of Cameroon. It is sometimes dubbed "Armpit of Africa" and we have to admit it is a sweaty place. It lacks major sites, but the Akwa district is lively enough and has quite some good African restaurants.
Fort William, Scotland
Fort William is the largest town in the highlands of Scotland and second largest settlement behind the city of Inverness. Fort William is a major tourist center with Glen Coe just to the south, and Glenfinnan to the west, on the Road to the Isles. It is an important center for hillwalking and climbing due to its proximity to Ben Nevis and many other Munro mountains, marketing itself as the "Outdoor Capital of the UK". It is also well known for its nearby famous Downhill Mountain Bike Track and its connection to the West Highland Way from Glasgow and the Great Glen Way; a walk/cycle way from Inverness to Fort William through the Great Glen.
Funchal, Madeira
The steep green mountains behind Funchal form the perfect backdrop for the enchanting capital of Madeira. The volcanic soil and the mild climate are credited for the abundance of lush and multicolored vegetation, giving Madeira the name "Island of Eternal Spring". Funchal, the island's capital, boasts an array of hotels, restaurants and shops, plus on its outskirts a Botanical Garden with an impressive collection of some 2,000 plants from around the world. Don't miss visiting one of the wine lodges to sample Madeira's most famous product.
Kirkwall, Orkney Islands
Just 10 miles off the coast of Northern Scotland is Kirkwall, capital of the Orkney Islands, an area rich in wildlife and archaeological sites. The Neolithic village of Skara Brae was discovered after a storm in 1850, and the site reveals that Orkneys were inhabited as early as 5,000 years ago.
La Coruna
This charming Spanish city is poised on a peninsula that juts into the blue-green sea and is ringed by sandy beaches. Travel to the nearby pilgrimage site of Santiago de Campostela, a town that;s been described as "poetry in stone," with buildings dating back to the Middle Ages.
La Rochelle
La Rochelle was once known as the French Geneva and today the comparisons are still being made. Thanks to its famous city lights, La Rochelle has been called the "City of Light," much like Paris itself. But to anyone visiting this bustling seaport, La Rochelle has its distinct charm.
Lanzarote
With its landscapes filled with beaches and more than 300 volcanoes, plus perfect weather all year round, you'll quickly see why Lanzarote is an award-winning tourist destination. The island's dedication to the environment and tourism has even resulted in recognition from the World Tourism Organization as a universal model of sustainable development. In addition, the island has gone to considerable lengths to preserve its own history, culture and heritage.
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the third largest island in the Canary Archipelago after Tenerife and Fuerteventura. Almost circular in shape, Gran Canaria is often referred to as a "miniature continent" due to its great variety of scenery. Generally divided into two distinct climatic areas - the arid south and the more humid north - the island features diverse natural attractions, including desert-like landscapes, golden dunes, lush vegetation, soaring mountains and awe-inspiring cliffs. Las Palmas, with a population of about 350,000, is the largest city in the archipelago, situated on the northeast tip of the island. As befits a modern, active city, Las Palmas boasts a number of museums, lovely parks, beaches, and a lively nightlife, providing perfect diversions for the many visitors who flock here. Las Palmas also serves as the starting point to the spectacular interior as well as to the southern part of the island, where bustling resorts line popular beaches, and the famous sand dunes are found at Maspalomas.
Le Verdon
At the mouth of the Gironde Estuary, the port of Le Verdon, through pastoral settings of charming chateaux, fertile vineyards and the Medoc region's low rising hills, is your gateway to the bustling city of Bordeaux and its fine winemaking industry.
Leixoes
The seaport of the city of Oporto, Leixoes provides easy access into the city, which is famous for its port wine. Other attractions in Oporto include Torre dos Clrigos, a baroque tower; the two-storied Dom Luis bridge across the Douro River; the Crystal Palace; and the Serralves Museum of Contemporary Art.
Libreville
Libreville, capital of Gabon, is a port on the Gabon River estuary, near the Gulf of Guinea. Primarily an administrative center, it is also a trade center for a lumbering region. The city was founded in 1843 as a French trading station. Freed slaves were sent there, and in 1848 it was named Libreville. It was the chief port of French Equatorial Africa before the development (1934–46) of Pointe-Noire, in the Congo.
Lome
Lome is the capital of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lome is the country's administrative and industrial centre and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels. It also has an oil refinery. The city was founded in the eighteenth century by the Ewe people. In 1882, the village, known then as Bey Beach, became a major trading centre with the arrival of Chico and Octaviano Olympio as agents for the British trading firm A. and F. Swanzy.
Lorient
Lorient, Brittany's fourth largest city, lies on an immense natural harbour protected from the ocean by the Île de Groix and strategically located at the junction of the rivers Scorff, Ter and Blavet. A functional, rather depressing port today, it was once a key base for French colonialism, and was founded in the mid-seventeenth century for trading operations by the Compagnie des Indes, an equivalent of the Dutch and English East India Companies.
Luderitz
The hazy Atlantic-coast town of Luderitz has immense appeal for its barren beauty and solitude. Many charming and fine buildings reveal its colonial history as the first German settlement in South West Africa.
Nantes
Grand chateaux and glorious vineyards make the Loire Valley ripe for discovery. Famous vintages such as Muscadet, Chinon and Vouvray age in ancient cellars. Follow the chateau trail to Chenonceaux or Azay-le-Rideau with their fair tale turrets over-looking the undulating river and verdant country. Scenic hills and dales give way to magnificent food and wine. It all adds up to a bourgeois paradise.
Oporto (Porto)
In the historic center of charming Oporto lies the Stock Exchange and the Grand Cathedral, adorned with magnificent statues and intricate grillwork. History buffs will want to venture on an excursion to nearby Guimaraes, the cradle of the nation of Portugal.
Ostende
Ostend, also known as 'Oostende', is a major commercial and fishing port, connected by canals with Bruges and Ghent. Ostend is also an industrial and rail center, as well as a seaside resort. It has a ferry terminal that connects the city with England. Not much larger than the state of Maryland, Belgium is one of the most densely populated nations in Europe. Surrounded by France, Germany, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Belgium lies at the crossroads of the continent. Within the country's boundaries are the relics of a colorful past and a promising future. Excellent ports and few natural defenses have long made Belgium a natural battleground. During both World Wars the country was the scene of fierce battles, but its recovery was swift and prosperous.
Peel, Isle of Man
Peel, Isle of Man is a self-governing Crown dependency, located in the Irish Sea at the geographical center of the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann.
Porto Santo
Only 16 square miles, this pleasant island offers beaches of fine golden sand, sweet, juicy fruits which thrive here, and even a healing spring of water that flows into the sea. Christopher Columbus lived here and married the daughter of the governor. Perhaps it was the view west that started him thinking about the Indies.
Propriano
The sweet scents of lavender, honeysuckle and mint fill the air on the island of French Corsica, with its jagged mountain ranges and sparkling beaches. You can journey back in time in one of Corsica´s many tiny, medieval villages to uncover the treasures of this birthplace of Napoleon.
Rabat
Pirate stronghold, breakaway republic, Imperial City and today's capital, Rabat has worn many cloaks during its 700 year history. Poised above the Atlantic rollers is the Oudaia Kasbah, Rabat's evocative citadel, like a spider at the heart of a 5 Km web of ramparts. There are excellent beaches both to the north and south of Rabat and the Royal Dar Es Salam golf club.
Safi
Safi is mainly modern, as it's housing a fishing port and a diversified industry. If you enter the city along the most common route, you'll see the industry before you see the city. Don't let this make you turn around. The city it self is charming, with an old city very much alive. Here you might be tempted to buy pottery, seeing all shapes and patterns in a lot of shops, but then you are in one of the best places in Morocco. There are plenty of opportunities to walk around and look at people working on their pottery. When you have been in places like Moulay Idriss you will have seen the beautiful covering on the roofs, made out of green tiles. Safi is the place where these are produced.
San Sebastian, La Gomera
It was from the tiny harbor on this remote island that Columbus departed in 1492. Take a scenic drive along mountain roads decked with laurel trees en route to the National Park of Garajonay. This unique forest relic is home for rare birds and subtropical plants.
Santa Cruz de la Palma
Santa Cruz de la Palma (Spanish for Holy Cross of La Palma) is a city and a municipality in the eastern part of the island of La Palma in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife of the Canary Islands. It is situated on the east coast. Santa Cruz de la Palma is the second largest city (after Los Llanos de Aridane) and is the capital of the island. It is located along an old lava flow coming out from the Caldereta (small caldera), a volcano located just south of the city.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife, commonly abbreviated as Santa Cruz ,is a city and capital (jointly with Las Palmas) of the Canary Islands, the capital of Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and of the island of Tenerife. It is the second largest city in the Canary Islands and the main city on the island of Tenerife, with nearly half the island population living in or around it. Santa Cruz is located in northeast quadrant of Tenerife, about 210 kilometres (130 mi) off the northwestern coast of Africa within the Atlantic Ocean. The distance to the nearest point of mainland Spain is about 1,300 kilometres (810 mi). The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa and Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. The city is the focus for domestic and inter-island communications in the Canary Islands.
Santander
Blessed with beautiful beaches and an atmosphere that is more traditionally Spanish than the Basque country next door, Santander is a lovely setting. Along the beach known as El Sardinero, mansions face the long stretch of shoreline and excitement awaits in the Belle Epoque-stype Grand Casino.
St. Helier
The French wrote the book on la vie en rose and gave the world Champagne and camembert, de Beauvoir and Debussy, the Tour de France and the Tour Eiffel. So if they have a finely tuned sense of national pride, who are we to point fingers? Although the ubiquity of Levis and Le Big Mac flusters the country's cultural purists, anything from a year in Provence to a weekend in Paris will explain why half the world grows dreamy over stalking the streets of Cyrano or picnicking Manet-style sur l'herbe. France has been synonymous with Romance for longer than your grandmother cares to remember, so whether you visit Paris or the Pyrenees, the Cte d'Azur or the auberge de jeunesse, be sure to keep your fantasies in check, your expectations in line and your joie in your vivre.
St. Jean De Lux
Green mountains tumbling down to a blue sea, colorful Basque dancers in swirling skirts, a fleet of rainbow-hued fishing boats bobbing in the harbor and an inviting stretch of white sand make St Jean de Luz a visual delight.
St. Malo
Of all the approaches to Brittany, none is said to be more spectacular than arriving at St. Malo from the sea. The French call this area the "Cote d´Emeraude," as the cliffs are covered in a blanket of heather and bracken. About an hour from the port is the Gothic masterpiece of Mt St. Michel, considered by many to be Normandy´s most impressive monument. The structure was built over the course of 500 years atop a 260-foot rock.
St. Nazaire
The town has a major harbor, on the right bank of the Loire River estuary, near the Atlantic Ocean. The town is at the south of the second-largest swamp in France, called "la Briere". Given its location, Saint-Nazaire has a long tradition of fishing and shipbuilding.
Tenerife, Canary Islands
Tenerife, the largest of the seven islands that make up the Canary Island archipelago, lies between the 28th and the 29th parallel north and 16 and 17 degrees west. Slightly to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, situated in the center of the chain, between Gran Canaria, La Gomera and La Palma. The island is just over 300 km from the African coast, and about 1,300 km from the Spanish Mainland. It has an area of 2,034 km 2 and a strangely triangular shape, with the gigantic Pico del Teide rising up in the center to 3,718 metres, making it the highest point in all of Spain.
Torquay
Torquay has numerous tourist attractions, including Kents Cavern, Britain's most important Stone Age site, which was home to early man for some 700,000 years.Living Coasts, another popular attraction, is built on Beacon Quay, which has existed since 1680. In 1857 the Bath's Saloons complex was built on the promontory overlooking Beacon Cove.
Vigo
There is literally a wealth of history at Vigos doorstep -- it is said that Spanish treasures ships lie buried in the bottom of the harbor. Vigo is also gateway for a pilgrimage through history to the Shrine of Santiago de Compostela.
Vlissingen
Vlissingen or Flushing in English, is a municipality and a city in the southwestern Netherlands on the former island of Walcheren. It is located between th Scheldt river and the North Sea, which made Vlissingen an important harbor for centuries. Vlissingen is mainly noted for the wharves on the Scheldt where most of the ships of the Royal Netherlands Navy are built.
