Germany's second largest city, with its 1.8 million inhabitants, is on the river Elbe. Hamburg has its dense network of waterways and significantly more bridges than Venice. The legendary entertainment district of St. Pauli, the harbour at Landungsbrücke and Miniatur Wunderland, the world's largest model railway attraction.

Rotterdam, with around 590,000 people, is the second largest city in the Netherlands. It also one of the three cultural centers in the country. The city is the known for its skyscraper skyline and its many museums, festivals and events.

Zeebrugge is located in the Flanders region of Belgium. The small town has nearly 3865 inhabitants and is situated in close proximity to Bruges. Brugge is characterized especially by its medieval old town, ramparts and windmills. Since Brugge was not affected by war or large-scale fires, the city is very well preserved. It is explorable on foot and by boat. Local attractions include the Church of Our Lady of the Madonna by Michelangelo and the four remaining city gates (Gentpoort, Kruispoort, and Smedenpoor Ezelpoort).