Mediterranean cruise from Lisbon, Portugal to Barcelona, Spain

Sevilla is the vibrant capital of Andalusia, set on the Guadalquivir River and long known as the historic gateway between Spain and the New World. Once a major city of Muslim Al-Andalus and later the hub for Spanish exploration to the Americas, it grew rich on trade, leaving you a skyline of church towers, palace domes, and tiled courtyards to wander through.

You’ll find three UNESCO World Heritage Sites packed into the compact old town: the **Alcázar**, a former Moorish fortress turned royal palace and one of the oldest still in use in Europe; the vast Gothic **Cathedral**, considered the largest of its kind and home to Christopher Columbus’s tomb; and the **Archivo de Indias**, which holds centuries of documents from Spain’s colonial empire. Nearby, the sweeping Plaza de España and shady Parque de María Luisa recall the city’s 1929 Ibero-American Exposition and make great places to stroll.

Sevilla is also about atmosphere: more than 25,000 bitter orange trees perfume the streets in spring, earning it the nickname “City of Orange Trees,” and their fruit ends up in the famous Seville orange marmalade. The city often claims to be the birthplace of **tapas**, and hopping between bars for small plates is part of everyday life. Flamenco has deep roots here too, especially in the Triana district, where music, song, and dance still spill from intimate venues late into the night.

Motril is the largest town on Spain’s Costa Tropical, in Granada province, and it sits a little inland from the sea, with a busy port just beyond the Guadalfeo delta. It is known for its relaxed coastal atmosphere, sunny climate, and the mix of beach life, agriculture, and fishing that has shaped the town for centuries.

For travelers, Motril offers an easy base for exploring both the Mediterranean coast and the foothills of the Sierra de Lújar. The area is especially famous for tropical fruit such as mangoes, avocados, and cherimoyas, which grow here thanks to the mild subtropical weather. Its long history also shows in reminders of the old sugar industry and in historic buildings linked to Motril’s Moorish and Christian past.

Today, visitors come for the beaches, the port, local seafood, and a town center that feels more lived-in than resort-like. Motril also works well as a stop if you want a less crowded slice of southern Spain with good access to nearby villages, mountain scenery, and the wider Granada coast.

Ibiza is the third-largest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, set in the western Mediterranean about 150 kilometres off the coast of Valencia. It’s compact but varied, with orange-tinged soil, pine-covered hills and a rugged coastline broken by small coves, or calas, and sandy beaches that have long drawn visitors.

The island’s story stretches back to the Phoenicians, who founded a settlement here in the 7th century BC and used Ibiza as a strategic trading post. Over the centuries it passed through Carthaginian, Roman, Arab and Aragonese hands, leaving a layered legacy in place names, fortifications and local culture.

You’ll notice this history most vividly in Ibiza Town (Eivissa), where the fortified old quarter and harbour are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site recognised for both cultural heritage and surrounding marine ecosystems. Beyond the capital, Santa Eulària des Riu and Sant Antoni de Portmany are the other main hubs, each with their own atmosphere and access to the sea.

Ibiza is famous worldwide for its nightlife and summer electronic music scene, but it’s equally defined by its quieter side: pine forests, traditional farms, centuries-old salt pans and viewpoints like Sa Talaiassa, the island’s highest peak. Together with nearby Formentera, it forms the "Pityuses" or Pine Islands, offering a mix of party energy and Mediterranean calm in a surprisingly small area.