Mediterranean continued OLYMPIA (FROM KATAKOLON), GREECE


Imagine the early athletic drama that unfolded in this serene site, where 20,000 spectators once witnessed the first Olympians strive for glory. The marble starting blocks are still visible, as are the ruined Temple of Hera – where the torch was lit from the sun – and Temple of Zeus, whose 12-metre high statue, long since departed, rated among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.


PISA (FROM LIVORNO), ITALY


Pisa bestows a wondrous trio of riches on visitors who flock to the grand square in the north west of its medieval city. Rising from the green lawns in white marble, the circular baptistery and cruciform cathedral both take the breath away. Yet even they are dwarfed in renown by their neighbour, that sensational bell tower whose several arched tiers rise up in that photogenic tilt.


PORT SAID (FORCAIRO), EGYPT


Did you know that the Statue of Liberty was originally meant to stand in Port Said? Even without that iconic silhouette, there’s plenty to behold here, like the procession of ships waiting to enter the Suez Canal, eye-catching 19th century colonial architecture and the National Museum, whose illuminating exhibits include prehistoric artefacts, pharaonic mummies and Islamic manuscripts.


RHODES, GREECE


Where – or indeed whether – the gigantic bronze Colossus of Rhodes ever stood is something to contemplate here; though you may prefer to survey the Crusader legacy in medieval Rhodes Old Town along the Avenue of the Knights and in the superb Palace of the Grand Masters. Or simply venture inland to chance upon whitewashed villages nestled in the foothills.


ROME (FROMCIVITAVECCHIA), ITALY


Watch the Roman world go by as you sip espresso in Piazza Navona or look up to the Spanish Steps, where beautiful 18th century folk would once gather in the hope of finding immortality as artist models. See shafts of sunlight pierce the opening in the roof of the Pantheon, admire Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling, then cast a coin into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return.


SANTORINI, GREECE


You can scarcely make a more magical entrance anywhere. Gliding into the vast water-filled crater, Santorini arcs like a crescent moon around you, as whitewashed villages cling photogenically to its vertical cliffs. The scene is often more dramatic at dusk when, perhaps forever recalling the island’s volcanic past, the sun glows fiery orange and ardent red.


SPLIT, CROATIA


While Croatia’s second city brims with art galleries and museums, there really is only one main attraction in the culture stakes here: the Palace of Diocletian. This vast third century complex, built as the emperor’s Dalmatian Coast retreat in later life, houses an arched entrance court, temples, mausoleums and statues – even Egyptian Sphinxes – that captivate visitors to this day.


VENICE, ITALY


Napoleon supposedly dubbed it the ‘finest drawing room in all Europe’. Certainly there are few grander spaces than St Mark’s Square, with its renowned basilica, soaring bell tower and lavish Doge’s Palace. To you, it may be your first enchanting call within a lacework of canals so richly embellished with details like the pointed Rialto Bridge and poignant Bridge of Sighs.


VOLOS, GREECE


Summer retreat of ancient gods, Mt Pelion now provides a beautiful backdrop for Volos, with its waterfront promenade, lively bars and Archaeological Museum. Crystal waters wash beautiful sandy beaches, while the best way to admire the villages that cling to wooded slopes is aboard the Pelion steam train, crossing bridges and olive groves to reveal magical views.


YALTA, UKRAINE


Fairy-tale Swallow’s Nest Castle and the Crimean Mountains create a spectacular welcome to this elegant imperial resort. Stop by Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, with its gleaming gilded domes, or the White Palace of Livadia, where western leaders re-drew Europe’s map after World War II. Best of all, just wander the winding streets and broad promenade, appreciative of the mild climate.


ZAKINTHOS, GREECE


Nature bestowed considerable gifts onto this stunning island. Wild flowers blanket inland meadows and golden swathes of coastline lure human visitors into the warm waters – where monk seals often frolic – and entice loggerhead turtles ashore to lay their eggs. And none surpasses Shipwreck Beach for sheer beauty, as its perfect horseshoe bay cradles an abandoned hull on its white sand.


Santorini, Greece 168


Rialto Bridge, Venice, Italy The most fa mous ocean liners in the w orld


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