MSC CRUISES ULTIMATE WINTER GETAWAY - 7 NIGHTS FROM £359pp

Hamburg, Germany, is renowned for its elegant boulevards, stately buildings, and emerald green parks and in November and December, you can enjoy one of the city’s 30 Christmas markets whilst sipping on mulled wine or nibbling roasted chestnuts! From Hamburg you can visit magnificent the Hanseatic city of Lubeck - a UNESCO World Heritage Site or Lüneburg's - the "City of White Gold" with its many richly decorated historical buildings and small, cobbled alleyways.

Amsterdam is the charming city made-up of picture-perfect canals and bridges with stunning 16th century architecture. Popular attractions include Anne Frank’s house, the Van Gogh Museum For food lovers, visit the famous town of Gouda – renowned worldwide for its delicious creamy cheese but also for stroopwafels – syrup waffles. Or for those looking to get out of the city, the visit the the windmill village of Zaanse Schans, where most of the houses are made of wood and sport the pretty green painted façades typical of the Zaan area.

Zeebrugge, Belgium is close to the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage city of Bruges, one of Europe’s best-preserved Medieval cities with quaint cobbled streets and tranquil canals. Indulge in traditionally Belgian treats such as waffles and chocolate, the world-famous beers and French fries – actually a truly Belgian creation – or shop for the beautiful local lace and tapestries. Or spend the day exploring Belgium’s capital city, Brussels where skyscrapers and hotels have modernized the skyline of this French and Flemish speaking city.

From Le Havre, France guests can visit Rouen, historical capital of Normandy, or Honfleur, a tiny town known for its picturesque harbour and beautifully preserved old buildings with slate-covered frontages. A favourite motif of many painters, Honfleur is known to have particularly inspired Gustave Courbet, Claude Monet, Eugène Boudin and Johan Jongkind. Or visit Paris and soak up the charms of France’s romantic capital city and see the Champs-Élysées, the Eiffel Tower, Place de la Concorde and many other world-famous landmarks.