Embark Marco Polo

Visit Holland's historic capital, with its 60 miles of tree-lined canals 17th and 18th century townhouses

Portugal's capital Lisbon is a large city with many reminders of its colourful history. Alfama and Barrio Alto are its charming historic districts full of narrow cobbled streets, Moorish buildings and wrought-iron balconies trailing with pretty flowers.

The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is dominated by Mount Teide in the central mountain range and several spectacular valleys covered with lush landscape, banana plantations and pinewoods.

Cape Verde is an archipelago made up of ten islands and eight islets. It is a remote, mountainous and unspoilt location 400 miles off the west coast of Senegal.

Belém is located about 60 miles upriver from the Atlantic Ocean on the Pará River, part of the greater Amazon River system. Founded in 1616 by the Portuguese, there remain many reminders of how, in the 19th century, thousands of tons of rubber were loaded here for transit. Belém is the cultural centre of northern Brazil.

Macapa is situated on the Amazon Delta and is one of only five cities in the world lying directly on the equator. Between 1764 and 1782 the Portuguese built their largest fort in Brazil here from bricks brought from Portugal as ballast. The city's oldest building is the Sao Jose Cathedral which dates from 1761.

Almeirim is in the region known as Jari

Alter do Chão is a fishing village of stilted houses on a blue lagoon where you can swim in the clear river waters. Explore the jungle, visit an Indian art museum and perhaps try a glass of local quarana made from caffeine rich seeds.

Discover the Amazon.

Founded by the Portuguese in 1669, Manaus is located 1,000 miles from the sea on the Negro River near its confluence with the Amazon River. It became one of the world's wealthiest cities at the height of the rubber boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries and some of its former glory lingers in some of the grand buildings dotted about the city.

This tiny remote village is inhabited by descendants of the Portuguese settlers who inter-married with the native Indians. Barter with the villagers for local handicrafts.

Santarém is located at the joining of the Tapajos and Amazon rivers. Formally a village of the indigenous Tapajos Indians, it was later colonised by the Portugese and today is the second largest town in the state of Pará.

Île du Diable (Devil's Island) is the smallest of the the three Îles du Salut located just off the coast of French Guiana. It was a notorious French penal colony from 1884-1946 made famous by Papillon, the memoir by Henri Charrière and subsequent film.

Known as 'Robinson Crusoe' island, beautiful Tobago is a tranquil destination with calm waters, fine beaches and amazing wildlife. You can sample Caribbean cooking at its best in Tobago. Scarborough is dominated by Fort King George, an 18th century fortification named for King George III.

Puerto Ordaz is located 170 miles inland from the sea at the junction of the Orinoco River with the Rio Caroni and close to the spectacular Llovizna Falls. This port serves as a gateway to exotic National Parks with their incredible wildlife and waterfalls.

The Archipelago of the Azores consists of nine volcanic islands situated in the middle of the North Atlantic, some 932 miles from the European coast and 2423 miles from North America. The largest is Sao Miguel, with its principal port city of Ponta Delgada.

Disembark Marco Polo after your fanastic discovery cruise.