Bordeaux, in southwestern France, is an elegant 18th-century city of stately buildings, broad avenues and historic squares. Highlights include Porte de Bourgogne, Bordeaux Cathedral's stained glass, the 12th-century Romanesque basilica, and Hôtel de Ville. But a visit isn't complete without wine: this region is known worldwide for appellations like Pauillac, St. Emilion, Margaux and Sauternes. Tour a wine chateau to see grapes grown, aged in oak barrels and processed.

Bordeaux, in southwestern France, is an elegant 18th-century city of stately buildings, broad avenues and historic squares. Highlights include Porte de Bourgogne, Bordeaux Cathedral's stained glass, the 12th-century Romanesque basilica, and Hôtel de Ville. But a visit isn't complete without wine: this region is known worldwide for appellations like Pauillac, St. Emilion, Margaux and Sauternes. Tour a wine chateau to see grapes grown, aged in oak barrels and processed.

Bilbao's most transformative landmark is the Guggenheim Museum, Frank Gehry's titanium-clad 1997 masterpiece, which helped redefine the city's riverfront. Its modern collection is also notable. Other good museums include the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Euskal Museoa, dedicated to Basque culture. For a contrast, explore Casco Viejo's medieval streets, shops, markets, churches like the 14th-century Catedral de Santiago, and stop for pintxos with txakoli wine.

There are cities where you eat well, and then there's San Sebastián. With more Michelin-starred restaurants per square meter than almost anywhere else in the world, this jewel of Spain's Basque Country is its undisputed culinary heartland. Pintxo bars crowd the Old Town, their counters overflowing with anchovies, peppers, and jamón, while elegant dining rooms reinterpret centuries of gastronomic tradition with modern flair. Stroll the Belle Époque promenade along La Concha Bay, its sandy arc lapped by the Bay of Biscay, then ride the century-old funicular 320 meters up Monte Igueldo, where views take in the city's rooftops and the Atlantic horizon.

In the early 20th century, King Alfonso XIII built his summer palace in Santander, and the royal spirit still lingers in pastel villas, sweeping promenades, and the golden crescent of El Sardinero Beach. In 1941 a devastating fire erased much of the medieval heart, forcing the city to reinvent itself. What remains today are two distinct identities: a graceful seaside escape with lively beaches and fine dining, and a place whose roots reach back 15,000 years, visible in the prehistoric cave art of Altamira and Puente Viesgo. Modern life adds yet another layer, from surfers chasing Atlantic swells to the bold glass curves of the Renzo Piano-designed Centro Botín, a must-see for lovers of contemporary art and architecture.

On Spain's northwest coast, A Coruña is known for the Tower of Hercules, the world's only functioning Roman lighthouse and a UNESCO site with sea views. The city has over a mile of beaches, a charming Old Town around Plaza de María Pita, and great Galician seafood, especially octopus. It's also a gateway to Santiago de Compostela, whose iconic cathedral marks the traditional end of the medieval pilgrimage route and is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Porto, a compact UNESCO city on both sides of the Douro, is easy to explore on foot. Its Ribeira quarter has cobblestone streets and squares tracing 2,000 years of history. Highlights include the 12th-century Romanesque cathedral, Palácio da Bolsa, and the Beaux-Arts railway station. Cross the Dom Luís I Bridge to taste port wine in nearby cellars, and visit Guimarães, Portugal's first capital, for medieval castles and 15th-century palaces.

Lisbon, Portugal's Atlantic capital, is spread across seven hills. Start in Alfama, with its medieval streets leading to Castelo de São Jorge and sweeping city views. Head to Baixa for shopping, restaurants, and neoclassical architecture. In Belém, see two UNESCO sites: Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery. If time allows, visit nearby Sintra and Cascais, or continue to Fátima, where Virgin Mary apparitions were reported in 1917.