Costa Favolosa: HAM - HAM - HAM07A0C

     Invergordon's founder, Sir William Gordon of Embo, bought the old castle at the beginning of the 18th century and decided to retire to this niche in the Highlands where he devoted himself to his favourite pastimes, hunting and fishing. He had a substantial fortune and entirely restored the castle and began to finance plans for the building of a small town and port. This definitively changed the name of the city from Inverbreakie to Invergordon.
     The city grew with few obstacles standing in its way, mainly due to the wealth of the Gordon family and its heirs, who cultivated the land, fished and brought life to the town until 1900 when the port underwent a sudden injection of development due to trade in minerals and wood. Invergordon became an important military base for the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force during World War II and it was from here the British storm attacks departed to attack the Nazi enclaves.
     After the military base was closed down in 1956, petroleum companies began to take an interest in Invergordon, given its proximity to the extraction activities in the North Sea. Invergordon is a typical Scottish Highland city and is proud of its traditions and monuments. These include the Balnagown Castle, built in the 15th century, enlarged before falling into disrepair having been the base of the famous Ross clan. Mohammed Al Fayed purchased the castle in 1973 and completely restored it. Today it is one of the most outstanding castles in all the United Kingdom.
     Twenty kilometres away you'll find the medieval royal hamlet of Tain, one of the centres for pilgrimages made to ancient Scotland where generations of Catholic kings often came in spiritual retreat. Records show that James VI came here 18 times to pray for the protection of Scotland and its people.
     Invergordon is one of the most beautiful ports in Great Britain, and with its passageway through the Cromarty Firth, it is one of the privileged gateways to the wonderful world of the Scottish Highlands, just a stone's throw away from the mysteries of Loch Ness and the battle fields of Stirling and Culloden.
     The Ord Distillery is yet another of the important reference points for this part of Scotland, having produced one of the best known scotch whiskys in the region for the last 500 years. Glen Ord is matured for 12 years and is the pride and joy of the region.

     Founded in 808 by Charlemagne, the fortress of Hammaburg was the original nucleus of Hamburg. The city immediately grew thanks to the institution of the archbishop’s see. Following the invasions of the Vikings, the Danes and the Slavs, Hamburg formed an alliance with the German cities of Bremen and Lubeck forming the Hanseatic League, which was to have a strong commercial influence in the North and Baltic Seas. Occupied by the French from 1806-11 during the Napoleonic wars, Hamburg became part of the German Confederation in 1815. The city was devastated by the bombardments of World War II which claimed 40,000 victims, but the post-war reconstruction saw Hamburg regain its historical and commercial importance as well as primary roles in industry and culture. With a population of over 1.7 million it is Germany’s second city after Berlin. In fact Hamburg is not just a city but also a city-state - Freie und Hansestadt Hamburg (the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg) – and is one of the 16 Länder that form the Bundesrepublik, the Federal Republic of Germany. Only the capital Berlin and nearby Bremen have been afforded the same status.
     Hamburg stands at the point at which the Alster and Bille flow into the River Elbe, around 110km from the North Sea. It is one of Europe’s busiest and most important ports and is connected to a large proportion of the continent via canals and other waterways. The building of the Kiel Canal in 1895 further increased traffic in the port making water transport between the city and the Baltic region that much easier. The port extends across the entire width of the Elbe, covering an area of around 40km2, and stands principally on the south bank of the river. One of the most characteristic areas of the city is around the Speicherstadt, the free port or warehouse district constructed between 1881 and 1887, where the buildings stand right on the edges of the canals. This district is also home to the majestic Kohlbrandbrücke bridge, the new emblem of Hamburg.
     Meanwhile on the north bank of the Elbe, directly opposite the old port, are the modern districts of St. Pauli and Altona, the ideal places for those looking for an evening of entertainment. As well as being the heart of Hamburg’s nightlife, the area is famous for the Reeperbahn red-light district. The banks of the river are connected by bridges and two tunnels: one for pedestrians and cyclists built in 1911 and the other, the Elbtunnel, designed for transport and constructed in 1975. Before flowing into the Elbe the Alster forms two lakes, the Aussenalster and the Binnenalster. From these two basins the water is channelled into the network of waterways that makes Hamburg distinctive.
     The Binnenalster, with the famous Alster fountain at its centre, is flanked by the historic town centre, the most elegant area of the city. At the heart of the Alstadt is the town hall (the Rathaus), which, built in 1897, boasts 646 rooms and dominates the square of the same name (Rathausmarkt) and also houses the stock exchange. Not far away you can also visit St. Peter’s Church, construction of which began in the 12th century. Other religious buildings of particular interest are the churches of St. Jacob (13th-15th century), St. Catherine (14th-15th century) and St. Michael, which dates back to the end of the 18th century. Also of note are the best examples of 20th century architecture that characterise a large part of the new city and its cultural buildings: the Musikhalle (1904-1908), the Landungsbrücken (1909), the Chilehaus (1923), the Shell-Haus (1931), and the Amerikahaus (1957). Capital of Germany when it comes to musicals, Hamburg has one of the most lively and enterprising cultural scenes in Europe: the city has 31 theatres, 6 comedy theatres, 10 cabaret theatres and 50 state and private museums.
     Most well-known of the museums is the Hamburger Kunsthalle which has been restored many times since its opening in 1869. Here you will find a large collection of paintings by European artists such as Manet, Munch and Rembrandt, as well as works from the German Romantic painters such as Friedrich and Otto Runge. 1997 saw the opening of the Gallery of Contemporary Art Wing, a cube-like structure designed by Mathias Ungers.