Oran is a major port city on Algeria’s western Mediterranean coast, set around a broad bay beneath the hills of Mount Murdjadjo. Its urban landscape combines a busy harbour, broad avenues, older quarters, and coastal neighborhoods. Oran is also strongly associated with raï music, a popular Algerian style that developed in the western part of the country.

Bremerhaven, a port city on Germany’s North Sea coast, is known for its maritime heritage, bustling harbor, and cultural attractions. Founded in 1827 to serve as a gateway for Bremen’s shipping industry, it has grown into a major center for trade, logistics, and seafaring culture.

Nouakchott, the capital of Mauritania, is a city that blends the desert’s quiet rhythms with the daily life of a growing urban center. Its coastal setting, unique cultural traditions, and access to the desert make Nouakchott both an introduction to Mauritania and a gateway to exploring the country further.

Taitung is a city on Taiwan’s southeastern coast, backed by the Central and Coastal Mountain Ranges and facing the Pacific Ocean. Its setting gives the city a distinctive relationship with both mountains and sea, while a slower pace of development has preserved broad open spaces and coastal landscapes.

Cienfuegos, located on Cuba’s south coast along a sheltered bay, stands apart from many other Cuban cities due to its distinct European origins. Founded in 1819 by French settlers, the city developed with a carefully planned layout, wide avenues, and neoclassical architecture that earned it the nickname “La Perla del Sur.”