Perhaps no single edifice has had more impact on a city than the Guggenheim Museum of Bilbao. Designed by renowned architect Franck Gehry and opened in 1997, the massive, billowing, titanium-clad structure reflects the city’s revitalized relationship with the river that runs through it, and the modern collection within the museum is as impressive as the exterior. Other worthwhile museums include the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Euskal Museoa, devoted to Basque culture.
This seaside resort in French Basque Country lies only 15 miles from the Spanish border. Long popular with surfers, Biarritz now offers stylish boutiques and sophisticated restaurants to complement its beach bars. Perhaps French fashion designer Coco Chanel foresaw the future when she opened her first shop here in 1915. Visit the city’s most famous landmark, Hotel du Palais, built by Napoleon III as a summer home for his bride, Empress Eugenie. Just 20 minutes from Biarritz, the resort town of St. Jean de Luz features beautiful 17th-century architecture, including the Church of St.
Located in southwestern France, Bordeaux is a handsome 18th-century city with stately buildings, broad avenues and historic public squares. Highlights include the majestic gate known as Porte de Bourgogne, the stained glass windows of Bordeaux Cathedral, the 12th-century Romanesque basilica and the impressive Hôtel de Ville, or City Hall. But no visit to Bordeaux is complete without an acknowledgment of what makes this region of France known worldwide – wine! Wine lovers everywhere will recognize appellations such as Pauillac, St. Emilion, Margaux and Sauternes.
Scotland’s capital is a city of handsome Georgian buildings, many architectural highlights and two UNESCO World Heritage sites. The first is Edinburgh Castle and the medieval Royal Mile, Scotland’s most visited site. Edinburgh’s Old Town and New Town are also part of this designation. Perched on an extinct volcano, Edinburgh Castle affords unrivaled views of the city, and its Esplanade is where the spectacle of the Royal Military Tattoo takes place every August as part of the Edinburgh Festival.
London is one of the great cities of the world, and its attractions are well known: the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s Cathedral. If you’re a first time visitor to London, you’ll want to see them all. If time permits, try to fit in a visit to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, the shopping districts of Regent Street and Knightsbridge, and the energy of Covent Garden and the Portobello Road market.
Situated where the Seine estuary meets the English Channel, Honfleur has been an important port of trade and defense for centuries. Tall, narrow buildings line cobblestone streets in the Vieux Bassin, the historic harbor, and attract Parisians on summer weekends. Look up for the 15th-century wooden spire of the Église Saint-Étienne, the oldest church in town and now a maritime museum. Contrast it with the Église Sainte-Catherine, built entirely of wood by the town’s shipbuilders. Honfleur has a long tradition of inspiring artists in the impressionist school.
The friendly village of Invergordon is your gateway to the Scottish Highlands. Visit Cawdor Castle, built in the 14th century and considered one of the most stately homes in the Highlands. The founding family, the Thanes of Cawdor, live there to this day. Next up is Dunrobin Castle, the ancestral home of the Clan Sutherland and one of the oldest inhabited houses in Scotland, featuring stunning formal gardens that run down to the sea.
Kirkwall is the largest settlement and capital of Orkney, an archipelago in the north of Scotland with history tracing back to Norse times in the 11th century. With history such as this, ancient archaeological sites are the highlight of a visit. The most important monuments can be found at the Heart of Neolithic Orkney, designated a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Ring of Brodgar is one of the finest known truly circular Neolithic stone rings. Other sites that are fascinating to tour are Maeshowe, the Standing Stones of Stenness and the ancient Neolithic village of Skara Brae.
Portugal’s capital on the Atlantic Ocean is comprised of several key districts built on seven hills. A good place to begin is the historic Alfama district, a maze of medieval streets and alleyways leading to a hilltop on which you will find the Castelo de São Jorge. One of Lisbon’s most popular attractions, the castle provides sweeping views over the city. Descend to the riverfront Baixa district to enjoy its shopping, restaurants and neoclassical architecture.
Belle Ile means “beautiful isle,” and indeed it is. Located off the coast of the Brittany region of France, the island boasts 60 gorgeous beaches and a rugged coastline. Worth a visit is Citadelle Vauban, a star-shaped fortress in the town of Le Palais that was built by the famous military engineer in the 18th century. Further afield on the island’s northern tip, the fort at Pointe des Poulains houses a museum dedicated to 19th-century actress Sarah Bernhardt, who made it her home in 1894.
