Mediterranean Medley

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

The birthplace of paella, Valencia is an enchanting city that offers visitors beautiful sights as well as unforgettable food.

Outside the city of Valencia, orange groves stretch away into the distance across the irrigated lands of the coastal plain. Inside the city, its sights add to its appeal. The Ceramics Museum is one of Europe’s finest and includes a gallery of ceramics made by Picasso. The Silk Exchange, Square Central Market and octagonal gothic cathedral with alabaster windows give you the opportunity to explore further. That’s before you discover the rest of the old town or even travel out to Albufera, the largest freshwater lake in Spain.

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.