Jewels of the Mediterranean

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, youll 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.

Often called the Gateway to the Emerald Coast, the NorthEastern port of Olbia is tucked into a bay in the Tyrrhenian Sea and is one of Europes most fashionable resort areas.

A charming town itself, La Spezia is also the gateway to the beautiful Le Cinque Terre region. At the centre of the most captivating coastal area of Italy called the Gulf of the Poets, La Spezia has the typical narrow streets and yellow, pink and orange buildings of old Italian towns. It is beyond the town, however, where the real beauty lies.

Think of the French Riviera and what springs to mind? Expensive yachts? Wide, palm-fringed boulevards? Glittering turquoise seas? Experience the glamour and glitz of France’s most famous stretch of coast. Imagine you’re Lewis Hamilton as you drive along the Grand Prix circuit in Monte Carlo. After you’ve negotiated the hairpin bends, you’ll find it hard to believe the fastest lap time on this circuit is just over 13 seconds. Trace your way along the French Riviera. Take in elegant Nice, the hilltop village of St Paul and Grasse, which is the world capital for perfume and flowers.

Toulon is a port city on southern France’s Mediterranean coast, lined with sandy beaches and shingle coves. It’s a significant naval base and the harbor is home to submarines and warships, as well as fishing boats and ferries. The grand Musée National de la Marine in the Port of Toulon exhibits maritime artifacts. Rugged limestone mountains form a backdrop to the city, and a cable car shuttles visitors up Mont Faron.

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, youll 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.

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.

History doesnt 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 youre looking for in Rome, youll find it. For a touch of the past, try the magnificent 50,000 seater Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Forum Romanum and the Spanish Steps. Thats not forgetting the Vatican itself, with St Peters 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.

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, youll 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.