Doha, Dubai, Muscat, Sharm El Sheik-, Sokhna Port, Kusadasi (Ephesus), Piraeus/Athens

Doha is located on the coast of the Persian Gulf and is the capital city of the State of Qatar. Qatar is the world's richest and most cosmopolitan nation on the Arabian Peninsula. Doha, once a small port, today is full of impressive, towering buildings of strikingly modern architecture and luxury shops such as the Pearl or the Villaggio Shopping Mall. Visit the stunning Museum of Islamic Art which houses the largest collection of Islamic artifacts in the world and the unique Sheikh Faisal Bin Qassim Al Thani Museum with its magnificent exterior and its dazzling collections from cars to stamps and Islamic treasures.

Stretching along the southernmost shores of the Arabian Gulf, cosmopolitan Dubai is often described as a city of contrasts. On one side, sparkling tall buildings, glitzy shops and sun-soaked beaches of a glamorous seaside destination, on the other side, a city rooted in tradition and history. Wander the narrow streets of the Al Bastakiya historic district, where you can take in the sights and sounds of bustling souks (markets) or the quiet wonder of local mosques. Dubai is a wonderful word for shopping, in the most impressive shopping malls, such ast the Mall of the Emirates that also hosts the ski centre, and the Dubai Mall, which are a tempting world of shopping opportunities.

The capital and largest city of the Sultanate of Oman, Muscat is a beautiful Middle Eastern city offering visitors diverse attractions, a low-rise gem, wedged between Arabian Gulf and scenic mountains. Once ashore witness lavish palaces, Zawawi Mosque, its pink marble crowned by a gilded dome and Muttrah Souq, a jumble of crafts and clothing perfumed with spices and frankincense. Take time and explore Bahla Fort, a UNESCO World Heritage Site built in the 13th and 14th centuries, the impressive forts Al-Jalali, in the harbor of the old city of Muscat and Al Mirani, which overlooks the Sea of Oman, visit the spectacular Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, enjoy a stroll through Qurum National Park. Muscat also offers several museums and, further afield, the unique opportunity to watch camel racing and bull fights. 

Ain Sokhna is a town in the Suez Governorate, lying on the western shore of the Red Sea's Gulf of Suez. It is situated 55 km south of Suez and approximately 120 km east of Cairo. Recent archaeological excavations have shown that there was an ancient Egyptian port and settlement in this area. The site was first brought to attention in 1999 by Professor Mahmud Abd El Raziq French and Egyptian archaeologists have been investigating this area since that time. As early as the Old Kingdom, seafaring expeditions on the Red Sea were organized from this port. Similar material was also found at the Wadi Maghareh, where many Old Kingdom inscriptions are found.

Kusadasi is a popular resort along the coasts of Asia Minor, our base of the exploration of nearby ancient town of Ephesus, which has one of the largest collections of ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. In the first century B.C., it was one of the largest cities in the world, boasting the Great Theater which 24.000 people, the Temple of Artemis, which was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the Library of Celsus, which was considered the finest in creation. Today, we can see only parts of the ancient glory but still, you will definitely be enchanted. Don't miss the chance to visit the local bazaar in Kusadasi.

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.