16 August - At sea

17 August

Spain: Puerto Banús

The marina at Puerto Banús is a prime destination for the glitterati on the Costa del Sol, a place where oligarchs’ private yachts float alongside upmarket restaurants and designer boutiques. If this doesn’t sound like your scene then try heading inland to lovely Ronda, or check out the beaches around Marbella.

18 August

Portugal: Portimão

Portimão is a bustling fishing port and gateway to the Algarve, with a pleasant riverside promenade where the smell of sizzling sardines fills the air. The most popular attraction is Praia da Rocha just to the south, one of the Algarve’s loveliest beaches.

19 August to 20 August

Portugal: Lisbon

Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon’s colourful cityscape includes Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums. But for many the best times will be had wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets, with their great local food, wine and music.

21 August - At sea

22 August

France: Saint-Jean-de-Luz

The pretty town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz is one of the highlights of the French Basque Country, on a crescent-shaped bay between Biarritz and the Spanish border. The streets of the old town are filled with charming timbered houses, and there are some great restaurants where you can sample Basque cuisine.

23 August

France: Bordeaux (Le Verdon)

24 August - At sea

25 August

France: Honfleur

Situated on the southern bank of the Seine estuary, Honfleur was once one of France’s most important ports. It was also a favourite location of Monet and the Impressionists, and art lovers may well recognise the elegant Renaissance architecture of the old harbour, the Vieux Bassin.

26 August

Belgium: Antwerp

Antwerp is a city bound up with the arts, once home to the likes of Rubens and Van Dyck, and more recently carving out a reputation as the fashion capital of Belgium. It’s also a magnet for shopaholics, with designer boutiques and jewellers galore.

27 August - At sea

28 August

Arriving in Hamburg

Known locally as ‘the gateway to the world’, the port of Hamburg has a rich maritime history. Of course the city has its seedy side, as characterised by the old red light district around the Reeperbahn, but it’s also a vibrant, progressive city with some excellent museums, galleries and theatres.