Traversing 'The Med': A Mediterranean Feast

Naples is an historic city over 2,500 years old, sitting on the west coast of southern Italy by the Gulf of Naples. Located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and Camp Flegrei and with numerous tours and cruise excursions available at the port, one may be inclined to miss out on what Naples itself has to offer. It has some of the world's best opera houses and theatres, and is often called an open-air museum because of its many historic statues and monuments. Read more about Naples, Italy

Naples is an historic city over 2,500 years old, sitting on the west coast of southern Italy by the Gulf of Naples. Located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and Camp Flegrei and with numerous tours and cruise excursions available at the port, one may be inclined to miss out on what Naples itself has to offer. It has some of the world's best opera houses and theatres, and is often called an open-air museum because of its many historic statues and monuments. Read more about Naples, Italy

Naples is an historic city over 2,500 years old, sitting on the west coast of southern Italy by the Gulf of Naples. Located halfway between two volcanic areas, Mount Vesuvius and Camp Flegrei and with numerous tours and cruise excursions available at the port, one may be inclined to miss out on what Naples itself has to offer. It has some of the world's best opera houses and theatres, and is often called an open-air museum because of its many historic statues and monuments. Read more about Naples, Italy

Olbia is a seaport in a NE wedge of Sardinia, and the main connection from the island to mainland Italy. It is fast becoming a popular tourist centre, primarily as the gateway to the famous and delightful stretches of coast, the Costa Smeralda. The people of the town are very friendly and there is a variety of bars, pubs and fine Italian restaurants to be enjoyed. Read more about Olbia, Italy

Bastia is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France located in the NE of the island of Corsica at the base of Cap Corse. Filled with heart, soul and character, the bustling old port of Bastia is a pleasant surprise. It is an authentic snapshot of modern-day Corsica, a lived-in city that’s resisted the urge to polish up its image just to please the tourists. Read more about Bastia, France

Nice is situated on the SE coast of France on the French Riviera, and is the second-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast. Monaco lies 13km to the east. Nice itself is an attraction: the rich blue-green sea, diverse shopping, splendid dining and lovely art-deco façades. Read more about Nice, France

Toulon is a French city that borders the Mediterranean in the SE of Provence. Better known as France’s main naval base than a cruise port, there are some excellent beaches a short drive along the coast, and many visit the beautiful and often dramatic Provencal countryside, while others prefer to drive east to the French Riviera resorts. Bobbing sailing boats dot its busy harbour where French warships also constantly come and go. Read more about Toulon, France

Sète is the most fascinating small town on the French Mediterranean coast precisely because it doesn't go out of its way to be charming. The town encircles a lone hill, the Mont St-Clair, on the otherwise flat Languedoc coast. With the sea out front, and backed by the salt water Thau lagoon - colonised by oyster and mussel beds - and the two joined by a series of canals, Sète is all but an island. Read more about Sete, France

Barcelona, located in Catalonia Spain, is Europe's largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast, and one of the world’s major global cities. Today, Barcelona balances itself on the cutting edge of architecture, intellectual life, and style. Indeed Barcelona won the 1999 RIBA Royal Gold Medal for its architecture, the first time that the winner has been a city, and not an individual architect. Read more about Barcelona, Spain

Palma de Mallorca is the major city and port on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is situated on the south coast of the island on the Bay of Palma, and almost half of the total population of Majorca live there. Visitors are spellbound by its blue waters, white beaches, lush foliage (almost 40 percent of the island is protected countryside), and 300 days of sunshine each year. Read more about Palma de Mallorca, Spain

Motril, nestling at the foothills of the Sierra Lujar mountains, lies at the heart of the Costa Tropical in Spain It is an ideal base for exploring the many delights of the Andalucian coastline and hinterland. With warm winters and long hot summers, it is a magnet for both Spanish and foreign visitors. Numerous beaches, such as the Calahonda beach with its pretty setting serviced by beach bars, are delightful and always enjoyed by visitors. Read more about Motril, Spain

More than any other city, the likeable, lively and cosmopolitan city of Tangier has become Morocco’s face to the world. With a long history dating back to the Phoenicians, and a rich culture - an interesting mix of African and European influences - to explore, Tangier is a fascinating port of call. Of historical interest is the Medina, the old walled city that is home to alleyways filled with tea houses and shops selling trinkets. Read more about Tangier, Morocco

Cadiz is a city and port in SW Spain. It is the capital of Cadiz Province, an autonomous community of Andalusia. Due to its small size one is never more than a few blocks from the sea, and this engenders a safe, relaxed, and easy-going atmosphere. Read more about Cadiz, Spain

Portimao is a city located in the District of Faro in the Region of Algarve in southern coastal area of Portugal. It is a popular holiday resort, undoubtedly due to the fact that it enjoys around 300 days of sunshine each year. Portimao is also known for its sporting events. Read more about Portimao, Portugal

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies in the western Iberian Peninsula aside the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, lies in the western Iberian Peninsula aside the Atlantic Ocean and the Tagus River. As one of the oldest cities in the world, it is rich in Romanesque, Gothic, Baroque, Modern and Post-Modern constructions. The city is also crossed by historical boulevards and monuments along the main thoroughfares. Read more about Lisbon, Portugal