35-DAY ULTIMATE MEDITERRANEAN: FROM SPAIN TO TURKEY

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

Roses is a municipality and important fishing port and tourist centre situated on the coast at the northern end of the Gulf of Roses in Catalonia, Spain. Founded in the 5th century BC by Greeks, it was later settled by Romans and ruins from this period can be seen today. Attacks by Turkish pirates in the 16th century led top surrounding the town with a bastioned wall, and Castell de la Trinitat. Read more about Roses, Spain

Sanary-sur-Mer is a commune at the very western end of the Côte d’Azur in the SE of France, and is located 13 km from Toulon and 49 km from Marseille. Indeed there are numerous towns that are of interest to tourists within easy reach of this port. Considered to be the most beautiful port of Southern France, its harbour is lined with palm trees and pastel coloured houses on either side of a 13th century tower that was once a part of an important defence system. Read more about Sanary-sur-Mer, France

Seen from the water, Calvi, on the island of Corsica off the southern shores of France, is a beautiful spectacle with its three immense citadel bastions topped with ochre buildings that are sharply defined against a hazy backdrop of mountains. A hangout for European glitterati in the 1950s, the town these days is an interesting resort, in that its glamorous marina, souvenir shops and fussy boutiques contrast with the down-to-earth villages of its rural hinterland. Fascinatingly, Christopher Columbus supposedly came from Calvi, and there is a large statue at the foot of the citadel that commemorates this legend. Read more about Calvi, France

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

Porto Santo Stefano is a seaport town on the west coast of Tuscani, Italy. It lies 65 km NW of the major cruise port Civitavecchia, two hours from Rome. The port is on the north side of a 10 km wide ‘island’, joined to the Italian mainland by three narrow 5 km sandbars, one of which has an entry-exit road. Read more about Porto Santo Stefano, Italy

Rome, sometimes referred to as "The Eternal City," is the capital city of Italy. Cruises from Rome depart the Rome Cruise Terminal which is approximately 1.5 hours by train North-West of the city centre. Rome is renowned across the world for its rich past, impressive archaeological sites, delectable cuisine, gorgeous gardens, homes of local nobility, and significant structures including the Spanish Steps, the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, and Piazza Navona. Read more about Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Taormina is a small town on the island of Sicily in Italy, in the Province of Messina. Settled on a hill, the town - accessible via an aerial tramway - dominates two sweeping bays, and on the southern side the top of Mount Etna can be seen. While it is unashamedly touristy and has a main street lined with high-end designer shops, the town remains a striking location with gorgeous medieval churches, a stunning Greek theatre, and sweeping views. Read more about Taormina, Italy

Valletta (aka Belt Valletta, Città Umilissima) - traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's principal administrative district - is the capital city of Malta, located in the central-eastern portion of the island. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is essentially Baroque in style, with elements of Mannerist, Neo-Classical and Modern architecture. Don’t miss the the majestic St John’s Co-Cathedral, with its imposing bastions and a treasure of priceless paintings. Read more about Valletta, Malta

Located along one of Montenegro's most beautiful bays is picturesque Kotor. The bay is the deepest natural inlet in the Adriatic Sea, and the scenery around it is spectacular. Its well-preserved Old Town - surrounded by an impressive city wall - nestles at the head of southern Europe’s deepest sunken river valley. Read more about Kotor, Montenegro

Zadar is a Croatian city located not far from Sibenik. It is a several thousands of years old town and it was the capital of Dalmatia for many centuries. Several layers of city walls with their attractive and impressive entries dating back to the 16th century, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque monuments, as well as a preserved collection of church silver and gold, all bear witness to the city's tumultuous past. Read more about Zadar, Croatia

Located at the head of the Adriatic Sea between the mouths of the Piave and Po Rivers, an intricate web of 118 tiny islands and canals make up the enchanting city of Venice in Italy. Considered to be an extremely beautiful and romantic destination, it is not surprising that Venice has played an important role in the history of symphonic and operatic music. One must take a gondola ride along some of the over 150 canals, including the Grand Canal. Read more about Venice, Italy

Piran (Pirano) is a city and municipality in southwestern Slovenia on the Gulf of Piran on the Adriatic Sea. The municipality is bilingual, both Slovene and Italian are official languages, and it is one of the three major towns of Slovenian Istria. The city resembles a large open-air museum, with medieval architecture and a rich cultural heritage. Read more about Piran, Slovenia

Vodice (population 9000) is Croatian town bordering on the Adriatic Sea. Its history goes back to Roman times. Numerous archaeological excavations have revealed the remains of Roman settlements and a Liburnian necropolis from the 4th C BC. Read more about Vodice, Croatia

Located along one of Montenegro's most beautiful bays is picturesque Kotor. The bay is the deepest natural inlet in the Adriatic Sea, and the scenery around it is spectacular. Its well-preserved Old Town - surrounded by an impressive city wall - nestles at the head of southern Europe’s deepest sunken river valley. Read more about Kotor, Montenegro

Pylos is the name of a large bay and a town on the west coast of the Peloponnese Peninsula in southern Greece. It consists of two distinct settlements several kilometres apart. Old Pylos is situated on the NW of the bay, and New Pylos on the SE. Read more about Pylos, Greece

Nafplion (with a variety of spellings), the first capital of Greece, is situated on the Peloponnese Peninsula just a two and a half hour drive from Athens. Its picturesque harbour, with two mountains crowned by medieval fortresses overlooking the town. The small island fortress called the Bourtzi that once protected the harbour presents a scene that will ever be remembered. Read more about Nafplion, Greece

Athens, the capital and largest city of Greece, is also one of the world's oldest cities with an unparalleled history that spans around 3,400 years. Experiencing long periods of sunshine throughout the year, and known as "the cradle of Western civilisation", it is a 'must-see' destination for world travellers. The city contains a fascinating variety of different architectural styles, ranging from Greco-Roman through Neo-Classical, to Modern. Read more about Athens, Greece

Monemvasia is located on a small peninsula off the Peloponnesian east coast in the Greek prefecture of Laconia. It is actually a medieval fortress with a town next to it and is joined to the mainland by a 200 m narrow causeway. It looks as if it has literally jumped out of the Medieval Era. Read more about Monemvasia, Greece

Agios Nikolaos stands on the shores of the beautiful Mirabello Bay, a coastal town on the eastern coast of the Greek island of Crete. It sits partly on the ruins of the ancient city of Lato pros Kamara. It has three faces to the sea – the Lake and port, Kitroplatia Beach, and the Marina. Read more about Agios Nikolaos, Crete, Greece

Mykonos is the principal town of the island of the same name, which is part of the Cyclades, and could well be described as the most sophisticated of the Greek Islands. Visited by innumerable international celebrities - you may even see some enjoying a coffee on the sidewalk - it is not surprising that it is considered by many to be one of the top tourist destinations in the world. It is also an island with beautiful landscapes, scores of churches, some fascinating monuments, and windmills. Read more about Mykonos, Greece

Cesme, on the west coast of Turkey, is a popular holiday and resort destination located on a promontory on the tip of a peninsula that carries the same name. The town itself is dominated by the medieval Cesme Castle, while the back streets of the old town with their old Ottoman and Greek houses that charm passers-by, are best seen by means of a casual stroll. South of the castle there is an Ottoman caravanserai - an inn built in 1528 especially for caravans - that has since been transformed into a lovely boutique hotel. Read more about Cesme, Turkey

Kusadasi is a resort town on Turkey's Aegean coast and the centre of the seaside district of the same name. While best known as a starting point for visiting Ephesus, once one of the most beautiful cities in the world with a history dating from 3000 BC, there’s also a delightful range of activities in town. Places of interest include: the City Walls, of which one gate remains to-day; the peninsula at the end of the bay with its castle and swimming beaches; several aqua parks with wave-pools and white-water slides; Ladies Beach, once segregated but now open to all; and Dilek Peninsula National Park. Read more about Kusadasi, Turkey

Istanbul (Byzantium from 660 BC, Constantinople from 330 CE, and Istanbul since 1930) is the largest city in Turkey and the fifth largest city proper in the world. It has dominated the Straits of Bosphorus, in the NW of the country, for 25 centuries, and as Constantinople was the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. It was a metropolis of stunning splendour when the great capitals of Europe were mere villages and is the only metropolis in the world that is situated on two continents. Read more about Istanbul, Turkey

Canakkale is a pleasant Turkish town settled on both sides of a bridge of the same name, which connects the Biga Peninsula in Asia. Travelling across town is easiest by the use of regular ferries. It is well known for its proximity to the Gallipoli Peninsula, at which the famous Gallipoli Campaign took place in WW1. Read more about Canakkale, Turkey

The Greek Island of Patmos is possibly best known as the place where the apostle John received his vision and wrote the Apocalypse, and is subsequently sometimes called the Jerusalem of the Aegean. Whether you are interested in history and religion or not, the Monastery of St. John is regarded as a 'must see'. Read more about Patmos, Greece

Rhodes is the principal city of the island of the same name, situated in the Aegean Sea. It is renowned for having the longest summer of any of the Greek islands. It is famous for being the site of the Colossus of Rhodes - one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World - as well as being the home of the Citadel of Rhodes, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as one of the best preserved medieval towns in Europe. Read more about Rhodes, Greece

Santorini is a small, circular archipelago of volcanic islands located in the Aegean Sea, about 200 km from Greece's mainland. It is essentially what remains of an enormous volcanic explosion some 3500 years ago, which destroyed the earliest settlements on what was formerly a single island, and which resulted in the creation of the current geological caldera. Take the cable car to view the beautiful panorama of Santorini. Read more about Santorini, Greece

Athens, the capital and largest city of Greece, is also one of the world's oldest cities with an unparalleled history that spans around 3,400 years. Experiencing long periods of sunshine throughout the year, and known as "the cradle of Western civilisation", it is a 'must-see' destination for world travellers. The city contains a fascinating variety of different architectural styles, ranging from Greco-Roman through Neo-Classical, to Modern. Read more about Athens, Greece