A Journey through Catalan Shores to Saudi Arabian Mystique

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

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

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

Messina is a harbour on the eastern coast of Sicily, a short ferry crossing to mainland Italy lying to the east. Due to the several earthquakes that have struck the area on several occasions, the city is almost completely modern. Mostly viewed as the starting point for tours and trips to Taormina and Mount Etna, both of which are truly unforgettable, it also has much to offer in the way of history and beauty. Read more about Messina, Italy

Port Said lies at the northern end of the Suez Canal on the Mediterranean coast. Built in 1859 to house workers on the canal, it is now an important harbour for Egyptian exports. Due to its numerous old houses with grand balconies on all floors giving the city a distinctive look, being a duty-free port, its public and private beaches, and its cosmopolitan heritage, it has become a popular tourist resort. Read more about Port Said, 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

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

Sharm el-Sheikh, or just Sharm, is a well-known port and resort town at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. It includes smaller coastal towns as well as the very well-known Saint Catherine’s Monastery and Mount Sinai which, for many, are essential places to be visited. With its dramatic landscape, mainly dry, temperate climate, crystal clear water, magnificent corals, exotic under water flora and rare tropical fish, it is not surprising that Sharm el-Sheikh's major industry is foreign and domestic tourism. Read more about Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

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

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