Mallorca, also known as Majorca, is a wind-swept island with steep jagged cliffs and olive groves more than a thousand years old. Mallorca is an island of contrasts. To the south is a busy tourist area with hotels, bars, restaurants, shopping and dazzling night life. To the north are rocky valleys, sleepy villages shrouded in bougainvillea, and breathtaking views. Palma is dominated by the breathtaking Gothic Cathedral, located high above the waterfront on the site of a former mosque.

Cartagena is a Spanish Mediterranean city with more than 2,500 years of history. Each corner, street and square offers travelers monumental examples of its splendorous historical past. The origins of the city are shown at the Punic Wall, which marks the foundation of the city by the Carthaginians in 227 BC. Cartagena has been the capital of the Spanish Navy’s Maritime Department of the Mediterranean since the arrival of the Spanish Bourbons in the eighteenth century.

Situated on Spain’s Costa del Sol, Malaga is the region’s capital and a popular holiday destination. The city is also renowned as the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, whose works can be seen in the fairly new Museo Picasso housed in the Palacio de Buenavista. And connoisseurs can imbibe in the sweet Malaga dessert wines that come from the hilly vineyards just outside of town. This is a pleasant town to explore and also serves as a popular starting point for excursions to splendid Granada and the famed Alhambra, located inland at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

Savor this delightful old city spread over seven hills and its many attractions reflecting the influence of its numerous rulers. Climb to the citadel; visit the fabulous Archaeological Museum, Roman ruins and Pisan towers, early Byzantine churches, the Cathedral or the Botanic Gardens. Enjoy the nearby beach or discover the remains of Sardinia‘s ancient, enigmatic Nuraghe culture, their villages and huge burial caves.

Travel across millennia as you visit the ruins of ancient Carthage and Tunis‘s opulent, historic medina with its winding alleys and souks. Visit the superb Bardo Museum with its spectacular Roman mosaics or the lovely whitewashed village of Sidi Bou Saïd perched on a cliff above the sea, a charming spot of cobbled streets, flower-filled courtyards and ornate window grills painted deep blue.

Messina, the third largest city in Sicily, was the most important port of departure for European knights on their way to the Crusades in the Middle Ages. Today, this extensively rebuilt port city still boasts many historically and architecturally significant landmarks, particularly the renowned cathedral with its unusual astronomical clock, the 12th century Catania Church and the ornate Teatro Vittorio Emanuele. Messina is also the starting point for a day trip to the peak of breath-taking Mt. Etna-Crateri Silvestri.

Naples, a city in southern Italy, sits on the Bay of Naples. Nearby is Mount Vesuvius, the still-active volcano that destroyed nearby Roman town Pompeii. Dating to the 2nd millennium B.C., Naples has centuries of important art and architecture. The city‘s cathedral, the Duomo di San Gennaro, is filled with frescoes. Other major landmarks include the lavish Royal Palace and Castel Nuovo, a 13th-century castle.

Whether enjoying the street performers at the Spanish Steps and people-watching over a fine glass of wine in colorful Trastevere, or taking in the historical and architectural glory that is Rome, visitors are spoiled for choice in this truly Eternal City. St. Peter’s Basilica is a full-day outing, featuring the Sistine Chapel and panoramic city vistas for those willing to climb to the top of the dome. Other landmarks not to miss include the renowned Trevi Fountain, the Coliseum, and Aventine Hill, which provides you with a grand view of the imposing remains of the Imperial Palaces and the Circus Maximus, of Ben Hur fame.