Aegean & Adriatic Coasts

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

Petra is a Greek village on the island of Lesbos in the North Aegean Sea. The island is just 10 km from the mainland of Turkey and not far from the city Izmir. The village itself has hotels, shops, restaurants and bars close to the beach. Read more about Petra (Lesbos), Greece

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

Chania is the second largest city of Crete and lies along the north coast of the island. This region as a whole is rich in history, and Chania's Old Town with its old aristocratic appearance, arched doorways, stone staircases, small and crumbling Venetian harbour, a mosque, and narrow streets, is considered the most beautiful and well-preserved urban district on Crete. Places of interest include the Archaeological Museum housed in the church of St Fragiskos, the Chania Public Baths, and the Fortezza, a large Venetian castle. Read more about Chania, Greece

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

Dubrovnik, a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea coast, is a prominent tourist destination. The city joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1979. An outstanding feature of the Old Town of Dubrovnik is its intact city walls that run uninterrupted for 1,940m encircling the city. Read more about Dubrovnik, Croatia

Korcula is a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea lying just off the Dalmatian Coast. The greenest, most independent and most interesting of Croatia's 1,000 or so islands, Korcula is very much a law unto itself, as you might expect from a community that has resisted the sieges of centuries. Korcula Town is a mini-fortress enclosed with honey-coloured stone walls built in the 14th century, with round defensive towers. Read more about Korcula, Croatia

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

Ravenna is an inland city in Italy that is connected to the Adriatic Sea by a canal. Interestingly it is the second largest commune in land area in the country, though it is a little larger than half the size of Rome, the largest. It has eight early Christian monuments built in the first half of the first century AD, all of which are inscribed on the World Heritage List. Read more about Ravenna, Italy

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

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