Discover the Mediterranean from Cannes to Athens

The picturesque and elegant French city of Cannes, situated on the French Riviera, is possibly best known for its famous annual Film Festival, though it is also known for some beautiful beaches, glamorous yachts, a variety of luxury shops, and restaurants. Cannes is a most cosmopolitan town, and visitors are hard pressed to find a genuine native, as many attracted to the Côte d'Azur have chosen to make it their home. Not surprisingly, restaurants have international cuisines, including the traditional gastronomic delights. Read more about Cannes, France

Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco in France. It really has a fairy-tale image with its beautiful Riviera - Côte d'Azur - setting, yacht-filled harbor and the elegant Casino that visitors can’t miss, though most don’t even enter to see the opulence and grandeur reflecting its exorbitant cost. It is an extremely rich place, where fast cars, big diamonds and flashy yachts are the norm. Read more about Monte Carlo, France

Santa Margherita, an old-fashioned seaside resort of the Italian Riviera, is situated on the shores of Ligure Bay, about 35km SE of Genoa. Set on the Gulf of Tigullio between Rapallo and Portofino, the resort/fishing town of Santa Margherita Ligure really couldn’t be in a better neighborhood. Fashionable but much quieter than Portofino, life in Santa Margherita Ligure centres around the lovely palm-laden harbour, where boating and simple sunning are the orders of the day. Read more about Santa Margherita, Italy

The Marina di Carrara is a port in NW Italy bordering the Ligurian Sea branch of the Mediterranean. The city of Carrara is 6 km inland from the port. This area of northern Tuscany is known for the white and blue-grey marble quarried there, in the stunning white Apuan Alps that reach to 1946 m. Read more about Marina Di Carrara, Italy

Livorno is the third largest port on the west coast of Italy, and is well known for supporting cruise ship tourism to Florence, the Tower of Pisa, the hill towns of Tuscany, Cinque Terre with its enchanting villages, and the Chianti wine region, generally with time allowed for visiting some famous outlet stores of famous fashion houses. However the port of Livorno itself has a lot to offer visitors. Criss-crossed by Medicean canals that are still navigable, and with its port overlooked by towers and fortresses, this well-planned city is most appealing. Read more about Livorno, Italy

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

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

Positano is a small town on the Amalfi Coast in Campania, Italy. The main part of the city with its steeply stacked houses presents a pleasant medley of pastel colours, and its near vertical streets - indeed some of the streets are actually staircases - sits in an enclave in the hills leading down to the coast. This is one of the coast's most photogenic and expensive towns. Read more about Positano, Italy

Sorrento is a small, enchanting, Italian town, located over white steep cliffs that offers a fantastic view over the Bay of Naples, offering views of many famous neighbouring tourist attractions. Indeed, its location allows visitors to comfortably reach the delightful and enchanting towns of Naples, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Capri, Ischia and the Amalfi Coast. Renowned for its natural attractions of landscapes, including the impressive rocks of the limestone mountains, and breathtaking panoramic views, it is also filled with fascinating historical and religious architecture. Read more about Sorrento, Italy

The isle of Capri is an Italian resort island that lies on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in southern Italy. While it is most often visited by day-trippers from Sorrento or Naples, it is a port of call for small ships. The town of Capri is the main centre of population, with a maze of expensive boutiques and, for historians, the island is dotted with neglected Roman ruins. Read more about Capri, Italy

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

Itea lies in a bay in the Gulf of Corinth and serves as the port from which to visit Delphi, situated on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a place of stunning views. Renowned for having the most famous oracle in ancient Greece, it was considered to be the centre of the world. At the archaeological site you will see the remains of a theatre and a stadium where the Pythian festival - similar to the Olympic Games – was held. Read more about Itea, Greece

Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. In ancient times the island was known as Hydrea, which was a reference to the (now depleted) springs on the island. There is one main town, known simply as Hydra Port. Read more about Hydra, 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