Coasts of Mediterranean/Treasures of 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, 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.

Get ready to be impressed – this is your gateway to the dazzling riches of Florence and Pisa.

Savona’s located on the shores of the Ligurian Sea, at the very top of Italy’s boot. Yachts and cruise liners bob in the narrow harbour, which juggles traditional architecture with modern waterside apartments. The city itself boasts a bumper crop of historic landmarks, from the 16th-century Priamar Fortress to the stunning Sistine Chapel – a frescoed mausoleum with a famous namesake in Vatican City. Its biggest claim-to-fame, though, is that it was once home to explorer Christopher Columbus. Do your own exploring beyond the city limits, and you can drive to big-hitters like Genoa and Turin in an hour or two, respectively.

There’s no better way to arrive in Calvi than by cruise ship. As you pull into the iconic harbour, you’ll be greeted by its towering citadel. Beneath the soaring peaks of the Monte Cinto, this 15th-century outpost keeps watch over the whole town. Look beyond it, and you’ll discover a stylish holiday playground that’s a magnet for the yacht-owning super-rich. Cue designer boutiques, trendy seafood restaurants, and a four-mile stretch of glistening white sand…….

One of the most romantic ports in the Mediterranean, Marseilles is steeped in history and begs to be explored.

Think Marseilles and the first words that spring to mind are antiquity, seafood, museums, history and travel. The Provencal city that sprawls around a 2,600 year old port features a bustling downtown shopping area, green parks, a medieval-village-style neighbourhood, and wonderful seafood.

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.

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 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.

This is the most spectacular natural setting in Italy. With its beautiful bay overlooked by Mount Vesuvius, a sunny climate and lots to see, Naples is unmissable.

A stroll through the narrow streets and hustle and bustle of the local markets that sell literally everything is an experience in itself in Naples. That’s before you discover the memorable sights like the majolica-tiled cloister of the Church of Santa Chiara, the local craftsmen of San Gregorio Armeno who make the famous Neapolitan crèche figures, or the Galleria Umberto where designer shops sit amidst glorious architecture. Don’t forget to take the chairlift up to Mount Vesuvius itself or the tour to Pompeii and the ancient ruins of Herculaneum. And why not take the short boat ride to the picturesque and exclusive island of Capri?

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 Europe’s most fashionable resort areas.

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.