Monte Carlo to Barcelona

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, Monaco

Portofino, part of the Italian Riviera, sits on a peninsula in the Tigullio Gulf east of Genoa. It is a picturesque half-moon shaped seaside village, with shops, restaurants - with their famous sea food - and cafes, lining the shore. The crystalline green waters invite visitors to enjoy diving as there are 20 dive sites, as well as boating, in specified areas. Read more about Portofino, 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

The seaside resort town of Saint-Tropez that lies 104 km to the east of Marseille in SE France is very popular with tourists. Set on the lovely blue water of the Bay of Saint-Tropez, this modern version of a medieval town is distinguished by the line of yachts along the quay, the promenade, and the famous terrace cafes. Behind the cafes, the small streets and old buildings comprising sunset-hued pink, orange and deep red townhouses are picturesque, but they're possibly more popular for the multitude of shops and restaurants than their historical significance. Read more about St Tropez, France

Sète is the most fascinating small town on the French Mediterranean coast precisely because it doesn't go out of its way to be charming. The town encircles a lone hill, the Mont St-Clair, on the otherwise flat Languedoc coast. With the sea out front, and backed by the salt water Thau lagoon - colonised by oyster and mussel beds - and the two joined by a series of canals, Sète is all but an island. Read more about Sete, France

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

Palma de Mallorca is the major city and port on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. It is situated on the south coast of the island on the Bay of Palma, and almost half of the total population of Majorca live there. Visitors are spellbound by its blue waters, white beaches, lush foliage (almost 40 percent of the island is protected countryside), and 300 days of sunshine each year. Read more about Palma de Mallorca, Spain

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