Eastern Mediterranean- Greece, Black Sea, Turkey, Israel, Egypt
Tucked into a forested valley in the western Peloponnese, Olympia was ancient Greece’s center for the worship of Zeus, as well as the birthplace of the original Olympic Games. The Games took place here every four years for over 1,100 years, and the ruins – which include a colossal stadium that was built for 20,000 spectators – are truly impressive. Just 20 miles away on the coast is Katakolon, the maritime gateway to Olympia.
Life in this exuberant city revolves around its outstanding UNESCO World Heritage Site, Diocletian’s Palace. Don’t be mistaken though – this is no quiet palace or stuffy museum – it’s an elaborate ancient complex of 220 buildings that make up the beating heart of this beautiful city. Home to around 3,000 people, Diocletian’s Palace is a precious Roman gem where the locals go about their daily lives undeterred by the fact that they’re living in a historical wonder.
Pine-scented Spetses is an upscale and relaxed island that attracts more affluent Athenians than foreign tourists. With its rich seafaring culture, this little island is also hugely popular with the yachting crowd. This is one of the most cosmopolitan destinations in Greece, with beautiful Neoclassical buildings sitting on its fine squares and horse-drawn carriages roaming its pretty streets.
Dating back to 734BC, Siracusa was once one of the great ancient capitals of Western civilization. Today it’s a lively city with a charming historic center, lovely Baroque architecture and some amazing Greek and Roman ruins, like the monumental Teatro Greco at the Parco Archeologico – one of Sicily’s most impressive archaeological sites. At Siracusa’s heart you’ll find the beautiful island of Ortygia, which was first inhabited by the ancient Greeks.
Beautiful beaches, picturesque villages, tranquil churches and local traditions meet Cycladic chic on Sifnos. Long known for its outstanding cuisine – the island was the birthplace of Nikolaos Tselementes, author of the first Greek cookbook – Sifnos is growing increasingly cosmopolitan. The tranquil port of Kamares boasts some fabulous waterfront cafés, restaurants and stores along its long, lovely beach. Visit the exceptionally pretty village of Kástro, a former Venetian citadel that was built on top of an ancient town.
As the city of Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro, Seville has an undisputed reputation for theatricality and exuberance, which means that it perfectly encapsulates the intensity and passion of the Andalusian spirit. After sailing in via the Guadalquivir River Wander around the exquisite Old Town and you’ll come face to face with Baroque churches, medieval alleyways, aristocratic mansions and a majestic Gothic cathedral – the largest Gothic cathedral in the world.
Gallipoli means ‘Beautiful City’ in Greek—and this gorgeous little town on the Salento Peninsula certainly lives up to its name. Surrounded by water and accessible only by sea or via a 16th century bridge, the town’s historic heart sits on a small island that juts out into the Ionian Sea. This is a place that displays its proud seafaring heritage at every turn, and you’ll see fishermen fixing their nets at the harbor and the freshest seafood dishes adorning the menus of the Old Town.
Italy’s ‘City of Flowers’ simply overflows with Riviera-style grandeur. Ostentatious villas and grand hotels line the sun-kissed streets that have been attracting Europe’s aristocratic elite for over a century. The city has managed to retain all of it’s early 20th century glamor – an age when it was the playground of choice for people like Russia’s Empress Maria Alexandrovna. Soak up a sense of the city’s sumptuous past in the old squares of the La Pigna neighborhood or head out of town to explore the artist colony at Bussana Vecchia.
The largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago, Elba is at the heart of a stunning land-and-marine park between mainland Italy, Corsica and the Ligurian and Tyrrhenian seas. The main town of Portoferraio sits on a hill, its 16th century fortifications still visible today. Napoleon was famously exiled here, but Mother Nature is Elba’s real attraction. Along the rocky coastline you’ll find numerous gorgeous small bays, coves and beaches, while in the mountainous interior you’ll discover endless hiking trails that showcase the island’s rugged beauty.
Green, forested Kefalonia is an Ionian idyll amid cerulean seas: an island of hidden coves and beaches and scenic villages and vineyards. On its northeastern shore, the tiny port of Fiskardo welcomes luxury vessels to its pretty, curved harbor that looks out over the legendary island of Ithaka. Colorful Italianate villas line Fiskardo’s waterfront, creating a beautiful setting for the village’s impressive line-up of chic cafés, restaurants and boutiques.
