Lively bazaars and charming islands of the Atlantic

Malaga

Tangier, a Moroccan port on the Strait of Gibraltar, has been a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe since Phoenician times. Its whitewashed hillside medina is home to the Dar el Makhzen, a palace of the sultans thats now a museum of Moroccan artifacts. The American Legation Museum, also in the medina, documents early diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Morocco in an 1821 Moorish-style former consulate.

Casablanca is a port city and commercial hub in western Morocco, fronting the Atlantic Ocean. The city’s French colonial legacy is seen in its downtown Mauresque architecture, a blend of Moorish style and European art deco. Standing partly over the water, the enormous Hassan II Mosque, completed in 1993, has a 210m minaret topped with lasers directed toward Mecca.

Arrecife is a port city on the east coast of Lanzarote, one of Spain’s Canary Islands. In the old quarter, the 17th-century San Ginés Church has a bell tower and a Mudéjar-style ceiling. The Agustín De La Hoz mansion now houses a cultural center. Playa del Reducto beach has golden sand and calm waters. The International Museum of Contemporary Art displays abstract works in San José Castle, an 18th-century fortress.

Santa Cruz de La Palma is the capital city of the island of La Palma, in Spain’s Canary Islands. It’s known for its centuries-old architecture, cobbled streets and busy port. A former convent hosts the Museum of the Island of La Palma, with an art collection and exhibits on natural history and ethnography. The Naval Museum is in a replica of Christopher Columbus’s 15th-century Santa Maria sailing ship.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a port city on the island of Tenerife, in Spain’s Canary Islands. Well-preserved buildings in its old town include the colonial Church of the Immaculate Conception. The 1700s Palacio de Carta has baroque and neoclassical features. In the Old Civil Hospital, the Museum of Nature and Man has interactive displays on the islands. The city’s squares include the central Plaza de España.

Funchal is the capital city of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago. It’s backed by hills, and known for its harbor, gardens and Madeira wine cellars. The centuries-old Funchal Cathedral, which mixes Gothic and Romanesque styles, is notable for its carved wooden ceiling. Fronting the harbor is the São Tiago Fortress, built in the 1600s. It now houses the Contemporary Art Museum, with a large collection of Portuguese works.

Funchal is the capital city of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago. It’s backed by hills, and known for its harbor, gardens and Madeira wine cellars. The centuries-old Funchal Cathedral, which mixes Gothic and Romanesque styles, is notable for its carved wooden ceiling. Fronting the harbor is the São Tiago Fortress, built in the 1600s. It now houses the Contemporary Art Museum, with a large collection of Portuguese works.

La capitale du Portugal, Lisbonne est une ville ouverte sur la mer et soigneusement planifiée avec l’élégance caractéristique du XVIIIème siècle. On dit que le légendaire Ulysse est à l’origine de sa fondation, mais la théorie d’une colonie phénicienne est probablement plus réaliste. En portugais Lisboa, la ville fut habitée par les Romains, les Wisigoths et, à partir du VIIIème siècle, par les Maures. Une large partie du XVIème siècle fut pour le Portugal une période de grande prospérité et d’expansion vers l’étranger. Une tragédie frappa la ville le jour de la Toussaint en 1755 avec un tremblement de terre dévastateur qui fit environ 40.000 victimes. La destruction de Lisbonne a choqué le continent. En conséquence, la Baixa (Ville Basse) est réapparue en une seule phase de construction, réalisée en moins d’une décennie par le ministre royal, le Marques de Pombal. Son plan soigneusement organisé composé d’une grille néo-classique parfaite est encore évident et reste le cœur de la ville. On retrouve encore des vestiges du pré-séisme de Lisbonne, dans la banlieue de Belém, qui survécut à la destruction, et dans l’ancien quartier maure de l’Alfama s’étendant en dessous du château de São Jorge.