Highlights of the Mediterranean followed by Coastal Gems

Beaches or bargains, the sea or sights. Palma has it all, together with enough sunshine and souvenirs to keep anyone happy.

If you like beaches, cafes or simply lazing around in the sunshine, you’ll love Palma, together with the nearby resorts of Palma Nova and Magaluf. Before you relax, though, make sure you visit Palma City itself to see the Moorish palace, the designer stores and the quaint shops and cobbled streets of the old city, behind the Gothic Cathedral. And for souvenirs, make a bee-line for Inca, the largest street market on the island which opens every Thursday.

History doesn’t come much better than the Eternal City. Neither does the opportunity to find exclusive designer shops. Discover the old and the new city in Rome.

Whatever you’re looking for in Rome, you’ll find it. For a touch of the past, try the magnificent 50,000 seater Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Forum Romanum and the Spanish Steps. That’s not forgetting the Vatican itself, with St Peter’s Cathedral and the unrivalled Vatican Museum. Or the Trevi Fountain where you can throw a coin in the water for good luck. But not all Roman roads are lined with antiquities. Some boast the exclusive shops of Fendi, Valentino and Gucci, while others are lined with bustling cafes from the fancy to the casually friendly.

Think sights, sights and more sights. This is the perfect excuse to discover the real pleasures of Tuscany, and the real magic of Pisa.

Wander through the ancient cobbled streets of Florence amd enjoy a coffee or Italian ice cream while you soak in the atmosphere. Visit the Uffizi Galleries, one of the best art museums in the world, before taking in the famous Duomo cathedral, the Santo Spirito church and the magnificent bronze doors of the Basilica, aptly named ‘the gates of heaven’ by Michelangelo. And then wonder if the Leaning Tower, one of four impressive buildings in the Field of Miracles in Pisa, really is a hidden treasures and ambience of Pisa itself.

Sitting amidst a varied landscape of mountains and beaches, the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte on the west coast of Corsica is a wonderful destination to explore.

The breathtaking sight when you sail into Ajaccio, with the crystal blue waters contrasting with the green of the beautiful countryside, is just the introduction to Ajaccio. Boasting Corsican architecture as well as a famous military leader, the town features a fascinating blend of French and Italian influences.

St Raphael is the girl next door of southern France. Compared to its flashy cousins down the coast, it’s more of a shy and retiring kind of place. The town sits on the edge of 36 kilometres of unspoilt coastline, and it’s overlooked by acres of natural forest and the terracotta-coloured peaks of the Esterel Mountain range.

Dramont beach is a real favourite with families – head here with the little ones to build a sandcastle.
St Raphael gives you easy access to A-list favourite, St Tropez. This upmarket slice of the French Riviera is a hotspot for the world’s elite, and it’s packed with expensive boutiques, smart restaurants and luxury yachts.

Its phenomenal reputation makes other cities positively green with envy, and bohemian Barcelona continues to top the popularity charts. So what makes it such a big hit? Well, where do we start?

Beaches or bargains, the sea or sights. Palma has it all, together with enough sunshine and souvenirs to keep anyone happy.

If you like beaches, cafes or simply lazing around in the sunshine, you’ll love Palma, together with the nearby resorts of Palma Nova and Magaluf. Before you relax, though, make sure you visit Palma City itself to see the Moorish palace, the designer stores and the quaint shops and cobbled streets of the old city, behind the Gothic Cathedral. And for souvenirs, make a bee-line for Inca, the largest street market on the island which opens every Thursday.

Gibraltar is only two miles long. This, its duty-free shops and sunshine record make it the perfect place to shop, explore and meet the famous Gibraltan monkeys.

Inside and outside, Gibraltar offers lots of opportunities to find out what makes it so appealing. On the rock itself are attractions like the Moorish Castle, the Gibraltar Museum and the cable car ride to Europa Point with its stop to visit the families of famous Gibraltan monkeys. Inside the rock, there are more miles of road than on the outside, including the Great Siege Tunnels and St Michael’s Cave.

From the splendour of its sheltered inner harbour to streets full of Moorish relics, Cadiz is the perfect introduction to the real beauty of Spain.

Whether you want to see medieval walls built on Roman foundations or wander through designer stores filled with the latest European fashions, Cadiz is for you. Wander past churches built with the wealth Spanish conquistadors cnatched from the New World – including the cathedral where the treasury contains a monstrance said to be adorned with a million jewels. And when you finish looking for a Moorish treasure of your own, relax in true Spanish style in a traditional cafe. That’s before you even start thinking of travelling further afield to see sights like the cathedral in Seville that houses the Chrispher Columbus Sepulchre or the city’s picturesque Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza de Espana.

Looking out across the Mediterranean, Malaga overflows with an assortment of architectural treasures and Spain’s prized jewel, the Alhambra Palace, is within easy striking distance. Andalucia’s second largest city, Malaga, is a bustling port on Spain’s sunny Costa del Sol. Standing on a hillside overlooking the city is the 8th-century ‘Alcazaba’, an impressive Moorish fortress. Malaga’s cathedral is affectionately known as ‘La Manquita’, meaning ‘the onearmed one’ owing to its half-built tower, abandoned in the 1700s due to insufficient funds. During the Arab occupation of Spain, Malaga was the principle port of the Moorish kingdom of Granada. A short drive inland takes you to the heart of this wonderful city and its celebrated centrepiece, the breathtaking Alhambra Palace

Sheltered by a deep bay on Spain’s Levant Coast, Cartagena fuses modernity with tradition and is the gateway to Murcia.

Founded in 223 BC by the Carthaginians, and later conquered by the Romans, Cartagena boasts a varied and colourful past. In the 18th Century it rose to pre-eminence as a major Spanish naval base – reminders of Cartagena’s seafaring tradition can be seen down in the port where a prototype submarine adorns the quayside. A walk through the city reveals splendid architectural reminders of Cartagena’s ‘Golden Age’, while the Castillo de la Concepcion, the city castle, offers stunning panoramic views over Cartagena. Not far from the city lies Murcia, the regional capital. Murcia’s spectacular Baroque cathedral (pictured) is famed for two ornate side chapels: the Gothic Capilla de los Velez and the Renaissance Capilla del Junteron.

Beaches or bargains, the sea or sights. Palma has it all, together with enough sunshine and souvenirs to keep anyone happy.

If you like beaches, cafes or simply lazing around in the sunshine, you’ll love Palma, together with the nearby resorts of Palma Nova and Magaluf. Before you relax, though, make sure you visit Palma City itself to see the Moorish palace, the designer stores and the quaint shops and cobbled streets of the old city, behind the Gothic Cathedral. And for souvenirs, make a bee-line for Inca, the largest street market on the island which opens every Thursday.