Spanish Marvels & Italian Dreams

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

Alicante lies on the east coast of Spain and is Valencia region's second-largest city. Famous for its excellent weather and its long stretches of sandy beaches such as San Juan, thousands visit each year. Its most notable feature is undoubtedly the Castle of Santa Barbara situated on Mount Benacantil that dominates the city. Read more about Alicante, Spain

Motril, nestling at the foothills of the Sierra Lujar mountains, lies at the heart of the Costa Tropical in Spain It is an ideal base for exploring the many delights of the Andalucian coastline and hinterland. With warm winters and long hot summers, it is a magnet for both Spanish and foreign visitors. Numerous beaches, such as the Calahonda beach with its pretty setting serviced by beach bars, are delightful and always enjoyed by visitors. Read more about Motril, Spain

Gibraltar shares a northern border with Spain, but is a UK Overseas Territory located near the southernmost tip of the Iberian Peninsula, overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. It has an area of 6 sq.km. and a 1.2 km border with Spain. Read more about Gibraltar, Spain

Lanzarote, the easternmost of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean, lies about 125 km off the African coast. Due to its mild, dry climate it is regarded as a perfect year-round destination. Lack of erosion means that the volcanic landscape appears much as it did just after past eruptions. Read more about Lanzarote, Spain

Santa Cruz de Tenerife (commonly known as Santa Cruz) is the capital the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands. The port is of great importance and is the communications hub between Europe, Africa, and the Americas, with cruise ships arriving from many nations. Not surprisingly, the city has a real cosmopolitan mix due to immigrants from Latin America, Africa and Western Europe. Read more about Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Las Palmas, the ninth largest city of Spain, is situated on one of the smaller islands of the Canary Islands that are located just off the NW coast of mainland Africa. About twenty percent of all inhabitants of the entire group of islands live in this city. It is set in magnificent scenery of two bays and their beautiful beaches. Read more about Las Palmas, Spain

More than any other city, the likeable, lively and cosmopolitan city of Tangier has become Morocco’s face to the world. With a long history dating back to the Phoenicians, and a rich culture - an interesting mix of African and European influences - to explore, Tangier is a fascinating port of call. Of historical interest is the Medina, the old walled city that is home to alleyways filled with tea houses and shops selling trinkets. Read more about Tangier, Morocco

The Spanish city of Almeria is the capital of the province of the same name, and is the most eastern capital of Andalucia. It is the driest region in Europe as well as one of the warmest, with an average 19 degrees Celsius and 330 days of sun per year. Steeped in history, as seen in the fascinating backdrop of a magnificent Arab fortress called the Alcazaba, together with a Cathedral that is built with a fascinating combination of Renaissance and Gothic architectural styles, it has become an extremely popular tourist destination. Read more about Almeria, Spain

Valencia city, the administrative capital of the Valencian community and the centre of the region of L’Horta, is situated in the centre of the Spanish Mediterranean coastline. The Old City of Valencia, with its monuments, museums, and gardens, is a major tourist attraction. Here one finds the Gothic building of La Lonja that has been declared by UNESCO as a universal heritage monument. Read more about Valencia, 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

Located on the SE coast of France on the Mediterranean Sea, Marseille is France's largest commercial port, and is also the largest French city on the Mediterranean coast. It serves as a gateway to the lush fertile region of Provence and all its cultural contributions to gastronomic excellence, impressionistic art, and ancient architecture. This cosmopolitan city with 300 days of sunshine a year, clear blue skies and the down-to-earth warmth of its residents, boasts a trading history that goes back more than 2,500 years. Read more about Marseille, 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

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

Rome, the capital, and largest city of Italy, is full of unending possibilities. It can be reached from the port of Civitavecchia in approximately ninety minutes either by train or coach. Rome greets visitors with a multitude of faces, such as the Ancient City with ruins like: the Colosseum; the seven hills; the Roman Forum; and the Sacred Way, the path used for triumphal processions. 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

Taormina is a small town on the island of Sicily in Italy, in the Province of Messina. Settled on a hill, the town - accessible via an aerial tramway - dominates two sweeping bays, and on the southern side the top of Mount Etna can be seen. While it is unashamedly touristy and has a main street lined with high-end designer shops, the town remains a striking location with gorgeous medieval churches, a stunning Greek theatre, and sweeping views. Read more about Taormina, Italy

Igoumenitsa, with its large port and strategic location, is one of the fastest-growing cities in Greece. Just out of Igoumenitsa are small towns and beaches well away from the tourist trail. The mountains of the region are beautiful and there is much to take in if scenery and peace is what you are seeking. Read more about Igoumenitsa, 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

Trieste is a modern lively city, yet much of its former grandeur is still clearly apparent in the form of imposing buildings with neo-classical facades. It became a part of Italy at the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Trieste has often been referred to as Vienna by the Sea. Read more about Trieste, Italy

Trieste is a modern lively city, yet much of its former grandeur is still clearly apparent in the form of imposing buildings with neo-classical facades. It became a part of Italy at the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918. Trieste has often been referred to as Vienna by the Sea. Read more about Trieste, Italy