Europe & Mediterranean

Jeddah is a Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. The city is the principal gateway to Mecca, Islam's holiest city. With a thousand years of trading behind it and home to some of the world most successful merchants, it is natural that Jeddah is the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia. Read more about Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Jeddah is a Saudi Arabian city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. The city is the principal gateway to Mecca, Islam's holiest city. With a thousand years of trading behind it and home to some of the world most successful merchants, it is natural that Jeddah is the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia. Read more about Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Aqaba, in the far south of Jordan, is the country’s only port city and, due to the rich coral reefs in the Gulf, is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world. Cooled by a steady northerly breeze, and ringed by mountains that change in colour with the change of hours, many visitors simply just relax on the sandy beaches. Aqaba is the port for the 3800 year-old ‘hidden city’ of Petra, 100 km to the north. Read more about Aqaba, Jordan

Port Safaga is a town in Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea, in what is now known as the Red Sea Riviera. With its unpolluted atmosphere, black sand-dunes and mineral springs, Safaga City is considered - by important medical researchers - an important therapeutic tourist centre, and has resulted in attracting international tourism. It also serves as an embarkation point for flights to Luxor and the Upper Nile, enabling visitors to explore the wonderful highlights of Egypt that include the Karnak Temple complex and Valley of the Kings at Luxor. Read more about Safaga, Egypt

Port Safaga is a town in Egypt on the coast of the Red Sea, in what is now known as the Red Sea Riviera. With its unpolluted atmosphere, black sand-dunes and mineral springs, Safaga City is considered - by important medical researchers - an important therapeutic tourist centre, and has resulted in attracting international tourism. It also serves as an embarkation point for flights to Luxor and the Upper Nile, enabling visitors to explore the wonderful highlights of Egypt that include the Karnak Temple complex and Valley of the Kings at Luxor. Read more about Safaga, Egypt

Located in Egypt to the west of the Sinai Peninsula, the Suez Canal, measuring 163 km in length and 300 metres width at its narrowest point, serves as a two-way water transportation route between Europe and Asia. Almost 8 per cent of the total world's shipping is controlled by the Suez Canal. It essentially comprises two parts, north and south of the Great Bitter Lake that acts as a buffer to the canal, protecting it from the effects of tidal currents. Read more about Suez Canal - Transit, Egypt

Alexandria, Egypt’s largest seaport, was originally founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C. Extending about 32 km along the Mediterranean coast, it has become an important tourist resort. Indeed, known as The Pearl of the Mediterranean, Alexandria has an atmosphere that is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern. Read more about Alexandria, Egypt

The scenic seaside Greek town of Katakolon, with a population around 3,000, is your typical small-town cruise port with delightful cafes along the waterfront, shops that sell T-shirts, hats and jewellery, and a small beach that draws swimmers and sandcastle-builders. But that's not why ships make the town a destination. They arrive because Katakolon serves as the cruise gateway to ancient Olympia, just 40 km away, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Read more about Katakolon, Greece

Siracusa is located in the SE corner of the Italian island of Sicily, next to the Ionian Sea. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also renowned for being mentioned in the Bible as a place that was visited by the apostle Paul. Here you will find the most extensive catacombs outside of Rome, and the Jewish baths in Ortigo that are at least 1,500 years old. Read more about Siracusa, 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