Piraeus/Athens, La Valletta, Catania, Taranto, La goulette, Palermo, Naples, Civitavecchia (Rome), Ajaccio, Savona, Marseille (Provence)

Piraeus port is the gateway to Athens center. Don't miss the Parthenon, the temple to Athena which looms over Athens from its perch atop the Acropolis, an eternal icon of art and civilization. Completed in 438 B.C., the temple still astounds as the flowering of Greek art and architecture. When you come down off the hill, don't miss a visit to the Ancient Agora, Syntagma Square, the Acropolis Museum and the city's historic centre, around Plaka. Ideally, sit and relax at a cafe on the foot of the hill, sample some Greek souvlaki or a frappe, take a glance back up the hill from time to time and give the goddess her due.

Valletta, The Fortress City, Citta' Umilissima, "a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen" is Malta's capital city: a living, working city, the administrative and commercial heart of the Islands. The city is busy by day, yet retains a timeless atmosphere. The grid of narrow streets boasts some of Europe's finest art works, churches and palaces, among which St. John's Co-Cathedral, with its elaborate inlaid marble tombstones and Caravaggios and the Grand Master's Palace. Enjoy visiting the famous Three Cities across the Grand Harbour and if you have time, Sliema/ St. Julian's/ Paceville area, renowned for its cosmopolitan feel and lively nightlife.

Catania is Sicily's second largest city, on the Ionian Sea, under the shadow of Mount Etna, the biggest volcano in Europe. The city has a history dating back 2700 years, dominated by several different cultures (Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Normans, Spanish, etc.), so, it is a wonderful combination of ancient and modern. Among its attractions, Piazza Duomo, the heart of Catania, with the city’s symbol monument the fountain with the Elephant, the Roman Amphitheatre, the City Hall, the Cathedral of Sant'Agata, Teatro Massimo Bellini, the Archbishop's Palace, the Palazzo Biscari and Castello Ursino (1239). From Catania you can choose shore excursions to idyllic Taormina and impressive Mount Etna.

Taranto, in Italian Taranto, is a seaside town of Italy built in the place of the ancient Greek colony. It is located in southern Italy, in the Puglia region, built on the banks of the homonymous bay. The city has grown on a small island within the local lagoon and on the coasts around it. It is the seat of the homonymous province, Taranto is an important commercial port and main base of the Italian navy.

Valletta, The Fortress City, Citta' Umilissima, "a city built by gentlemen for gentlemen" is Malta's capital city: a living, working city, the administrative and commercial heart of the Islands. The city is busy by day, yet retains a timeless atmosphere. The grid of narrow streets boasts some of Europe's finest art works, churches and palaces, among which St. John's Co-Cathedral, with its elaborate inlaid marble tombstones and Caravaggios and the Grand Master's Palace. Enjoy visiting the famous Three Cities across the Grand Harbour and if you have time, Sliema/ St. Julian's/ Paceville area, renowned for its cosmopolitan feel and lively nightlife.

Palermo, capital of Sicily, is situated right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Traces of Roman, Arab and Norman influences mix here, in a city that is over 2.700 years old. The highlights of Palermo, which is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, are Palazzo dei Normanni, one of the most beautiful Italian palaces and a notable example of Norman architecture with its golden Byzantine mosaics, the Cathedral with the heliometer (solar "observatory") of 1690, Santa Maria dell'Ammiraglio (St Mary of the Admiral), San Giovanni degli Eremiti (12th century), Palazzo Abatellis with the Regional Gallery, the Regional
Archeological Museum Antonio Salinas, the neoclassic Teatro Massimo ("Greatest Theatre",1897) and many
small piazzas that depict the city's historic past.

Naples is the third-largest municipality in Italy, after Rome and Milan and one of the chief commercial cities of Europe. The city center has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the surrounding areas are dotted with cultural and historical treasures, with most notable, the restored ruins of Pompeii. Naples itself is mere enduring greatness. Highlights include Castel dell' Ovo, Castelnuovo, Castel Sant'Elmo, a medieval fortress located on a hilltop and national museums dedicated to art and archaeology. There is also a docile bay; the peaceful cypress-tufted islands of Ischia, Procida and Capri and over the city, Mount Vesuvius, volcano and national park. Take the opportunity to see the only active volcano on the European mainland, which blew in A.D. 79 and buried the city of Pompeii, or visit the magnificent Amalfi and Sorrento coasts.

Our gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome's seaport since the 13th century, boasting a long and venerable history. Its location near the modern city, made it a perfect vacation resort for emperor Trajan, who built a pleasure villa. while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications. Yet the Eternal City, the ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2.000 years, is our main reason to be here. YYou can visit the ruins of the Forum and the Colosseum, throw a coin in Fontana di Trevi to make sure you return to Rome one day, take a photo in front of the Vatican, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome's Bohemian Quarter and enjoy a delicious gelato, in the glamorous area.

The capital of Corsica, Ajaccio is the island's largest town and hometown of Napoleon Bonaparte. Everywhere you'll discover traces of the island's long and colorful history, from medieval walled towns to seaside villages guarded by 16th-century towers. One can stroll past the cathedralwhere the future emperor was baptized and the Casa Buonaparte, a museum devoted to the imperial glory. Corsica's nature is characterised by dramatic shoreline cliffs, small coves and golden beaches but it is also the "scented isle", with its stony mountains carpeted in macchia, a low, thick, chaparral comprised of aromatic Corsican mint, rock roses and myrtle.

Savona is a seaport in the northern Italian region of Liguria, on the Mediterranean Sea. Savona is the home port of Costa Cruises for the cruises to East and West Mediterranean, the Canary Islands etc. It has a large, modern cruise terminal, the Palacroisière, which provides all the facilities for its passengers. Large cruise ships dock next to the marina, which is located in the historic center of the city. Most sights are within walking distance of your cruise ship, through a pedestrian bridge near the marina. One of the most important inhabitants of Savona was the navigator Christopher Columbus, whose house, a cottage, is situated in the Savona hills. Highlights are the Cattedrale di Santa Maria (17th c.), located in the heart of the old town, the Priamar palace (16th c.), a reinforced fort just outside the port, the symbol of the town Brandale tower (12th c.), and the main tower (Tower Quarda) of the city Leon Pancaldo tower (14th c.) at the entrance of the old harbor. On the old markets, you will find souvenirs and local products. 

Marseille is the largest port on the Mediterranean, France's second largest city and a virtual melting pot of peoples and cultures. It is a unique city with a feel and culture all its own. It is also a place of striking contrasts, from the fishing boats of the picturesque Vieux Port to the modern Canebiere. Dominating the harbor is the infamous Chateau d'If, the rocky prison from which Alexandre Dumas' "Count of Monte Cristo" escaped. If you have time, explore the countryside around Arles and Avignon, immortalized in the canvases of Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso, try the renowned bouillabaisse or tour the lovely towns and vineyards of Provence.