Blessed with a dramatic setting on the steep banks of the river Douro, Portugal’s second city is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, and is best known as the home of the country’s most famous export, port wine.

Vigo is the biggest city in Galicia, Spain’s verdant northwest corner. The city itself is a busy fishing port with limited tourist appeal, but it’s a great base for striking out into the countryside, visiting the lovely Cíes Islands just offshore or joining the pilgrims in Santiago de Compostela, 60 miles to the north.

It’s not so long ago that Bilbao was a grim and unappealing place, scarred by heavy industry, but the Basque Country’s biggest city has reinvented itself as a cultural hub since the opening of the shimmering Guggenheim Museum in 1997.

Bordeaux sits at the centre of the world's most famous wine region, and is home to a beguiling blend of beautiful buildings, sophisticated gastronomy and high culture. It's a marvellous place to spend some time, whether it's a day sampling wines, an evening at the opera or a night on the tiles.

Douarnenez is synonymous with all things maritime, a bustling Breton port with four different harbours. In its 19th-century heyday Douarnenez grew prosperous from sardine fishing, and its modern attractions include an excellent maritime museum, with boats and tall ships from around the world.

An important naval base and major commercial port, Cherbourg is the gateway to the many attractions of Normandy, including the Bayeux Tapestry and the beaches where the D-Day landings took place. Cherbourg’s excellent Cité de la Mer maritime museum is also well worth a visit.