Top 10 European ports

6. St. Petersburg
Best Small Pleasure: Dining on "chicken Kiev" at the Grand Hotel's sidewalk cafe just off vibrant Nevsky Prospekt...strolling through the park opposite St. Isaac's Cathedral.

Biggest Surprise: St. Isaac's Cathedral, a splendid mid-19th century Orthodox church with highlights that include mosaic murals, granite pillars and marble floors; its immense gold dome can be seen for miles around...St. Petersburg's canals (you can take a boat ride a la Venice).

Touristy But Fabulous: The summer palaces -- especially Pavlovsk and Pushkin.

7. Oslo
Best Small Pleasure: The murals in City Hall that depict scenes from life in Norway along with scenes highlighting resistance activities against the Germans there during World War II.

Biggest Surprise: Oslo's got the perfect blend of art and culture, history, and lush scenery (green parks, gorgeous bays and harbors).

Touristy But Fabulous: A short boat ride amidst the fjords (even locals occasionally deign to get onboard).

8. London
Best Small Pleasure: Lunching at "gastro" pubs like Chelsea's Cooper's Arms and Foxtrot Oscar.

Biggest Surprise: Gorgeous Kensington Park -- head for the lake (you can rent lounge chairs) and don't forget to check out the Princess Diana memorials (flowers, letters) tucked into the wrought iron gate of Kensington Palace.

Touristy But Fabulous: Riding around on the double decker buses (on the top deck!)...riding the London Eye, the city's millennial Ferris wheel...afternoon cream tea but not necessarily at the famed Ritz; more elegant experiences can be found at olde-British hotels like Brown's.

9. Copenhagen
Best Small Pleasure: Kayaking through Copenhagen's canals...lunch at a sidewalk cafe at Nyhavn beside the canal.

Biggest Surprise: Climbing the seemingly endless spiraling staircase of the historic Round Tower; you can see why Russian Czar Peter the Great actually rode his horse to the top in 1716.

Touristy But Nice: Tivoli Gardens is a must-see; there are rides and amusements and restaurants galore -- if your ship overnights in Copenhagen, go after dark with the park is lit with twinkling lights and is quite magical...take a guided tour of Copenhagen, via the canals, by boat.

10. Stockholm
Best Small Pleasure: Strolling along downtown's waterfront promenade.

Biggest Surprise: The Swedish Archipelago. At sunset, as ships sail from the port of Stockholm to the open ocean, they pass through (takes a couple of hours) a gorgeous, glittering string of small islands, green, lush, and largely undeveloped aside from occasional brightly painted wood homes. This view alone is worth booking a balcony cabin.

Touristy But Fabulous: A city tour from a boat...Gamla Stan, Stockholm's walled, medieval-era old town; head for Vasterlanggatan, the main drag, and explore from there.

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