'Never done this before': Cruising the Iberian coast is not what Catriona expected

Have you ever wondered why so many countries around the world speak Spanish and Portuguese? I mean, these are relatively small countries in land size, yet their languages are spoken in the Asias, South America and Africa by hundreds of millions of people. By taking this trip along the Iberian coast, I realised firsthand what the great navigators, royal families, traders and entrepreneurs of these great nations figured out centuries ago: if you control the ports, you control the world! And boy, what beautiful ports they are, a cruise along this coast is such an enriching journey.Now, I've been to both Portugal and Spain a few times before (and shopped my little heart out) but never really followed the Iberian Coast. Watch the video above.READ MORE: Couple who spent a year living 'van life' swear by $15 IKEA must-haveA great place to start is in Lisbon, it's perfect if you'd like to tack on a side trip, base yourself for a couple of days and it's just so central. Prepare for a colour explosion in Lisbon, my love for azulejo tiles, that cover so many of the buildings, began here. And I insist you sample the original Portuguese tarts from Pastéis de Belém. They're so creamy, so fresh they're served warm, you can actually see the cooks whipping them up and the queue that snakes out of the building is testimony to their iconic rep. Yum!READ MORE: Ten gardens to visit in Paris no guidebook will tell you aboutIt's in Portugal that you also get a sense of what an incredible seafaring nation this is, how so much of the world was shaped by the great minds who congregated here centuries ago and of course it's a brilliant location to board Scenic Eclipse. This gorgeous 'yacht', has all the bells and whistles and is small enough that you can really explore and milk the absolute most of this coast. Admittedly in a slightly more luxurious way than those great explorers did. Departing Lisbon, I had enough time to do one of my favourite things on a cruise ship, unpack once! Then devote myself to the ever changing views from the balcony. Don't you love that holiday feeling of 'what will I wake up today?' You'll have it in spades here. I was ready for exploring when we docked in Portimão, we did some market shopping when we headed inland to the town of Silves and quietly wandered through the imposing 10th century, red brick fortress there.It feels like living history, so whether you're a Game of Thrones fan (yep, filmed all around this area) or you just love a juicy tale you won't be disappointed. The buildings aren't the only things protected here in the Algarve, look up and you'll notice these large white storks who have made their (rather large and remarkably well made) nests here. It's like spotting Where's Wally! I won't say I had a favourite port, but let me tell you, as we sailed into Seville in Spain my heart was hooked. Surely the most stylish people in Spain live here? Their city is just so beautiful, how could they not be proud. We chose to take an e-bike tour here, it's relatively flat so super easy and it allowed me to soak up the energy of Seville from ground level. To cycle past the original tobacco factory that inspired Carmen, to feel the heat of the area, learn the original story, this living history still has me floored. Not to mention the natural beauty of the cool, green Parque de Maria Luisa, these people have lifestyle down pat! Our day of cycling was the perfect entree to our evening of flamenco, in an historic bull ring, with dancing horses no less. I was in raptures, caught up in the mood and I'm pretty sure I stuck a red rose behind my ear like our passionate dancers. Now, my next stop is where I bought my little niece her first flamenco dress and recommend you wear comfy shoes...Córdoba! You'll want to walk these cobblestone streets for as long as possible and give yourself plenty of time to explore the surrounding lanes of the Cathedral there. What struck me, was learning how so many religions and cultures co-existed so peacefully here, during the 10th century particularly. This really was the cultural hub of the world. You'll get a crick in your neck from gazing up at the Moorish architecture, the detail is exquisite.I loved our time in Málaga too, where Antonio Banderas was born. In fact we had a cuppa and churros looking up at his apartment before we hit the markets and walked his beloved city. Oh, and this is also the birthplace of Picasso so give yourself plenty of time to visit the museum his family created here (the gift shop is awesome). You can view Catriona's Scenic Eclipse Iberian Discovery cruise story on 9Now, and watch Getaway Saturdays at 5:30pm on 9 for more exciting travel adventures.