Civitavecchia (Rome), Olbia-Emerald Coast, Marseille (Provence),

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.

Olbia is one of the busiest ferry ports in Sardinia, founded by the Greeks in the 6th century led by a divine hero named Aristeous who taught the Sadinians how to gather honey. In 350 BC it became the first Carthaginian settlement on the East Coast, only to be thrown out a couple of hundred years later by the Romans. Olbia remained an important Roman port until it was destroyed by the Vandals in 450AD. Olbia’s charms are discrete ones. The historical center is nice enough with a couple of nice squares, a granite romanesque church S. Simplicio, which dates from the middle ages and the 17th century church of S. Paolo.

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.