Alexandria, Egypt
The second largest city in Egypt, Alexandria, known as «The Pearl of the Mediterranean», has an atmosphere that is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern. Its ambience and cultural heritage distance it from the rest of the country although it is actually only 225 km. from Cairo. Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 BC, Alexandria became the capital of Graeco-Roman Egypt.

Bonifacio, Corsica
Bonifacio’s almost land-locked harbour is one of the most dramatic totally protected harbours, a bustling port with excellent seafood restaurants, and a modern marina. The ancient citadel town is perched high atop a seemingly impenetrable granite cliff.

Cadiz, Spain
Cadiz called ‘‘the cup of silver’’ takes its name from the silvery harbour and sparkling atmosphere. It is almost African in appearance - its streets are lined with palm trees, its churches topped with dome-like cupolas and its white houses shaded by orange trees. Take advantage of our optional tours to Seville, the irresistible capital and cultural centre of Andalusia with its colourful and festive lifestyle.

Casablanca, Morocco
Long before Ingrid Bergman and Bogie made Casablanca a symbol for romance, the city was famous for intrigue and mystery. Veiled by overlapping mantles of French, Arabian and African culture, Casablanca reveals new faces at every turn. The enormous Hassan II Mosque (holding 70,000 worshippers) is the new Morocco, while the fanciful Mauresque buildings in the Medina impart visions of pre-war Casablanca.

Cochin, India
India's seductive Malabar Coast entices visitors to enter an exotic and languorous world. Chinese fishing nets with wings spread to the sun and the old Portuguese fort greet you to Cochin's harbor. Take a backwater cruise through winding canals. Visit the tomb of Vasco da Gama. Marvel at the splendor of the Dutch palace of Mattancherry or the treasures of the ancient Jewish synagogue and catch a riveting performance of Kathakali dancers.

Colombo, Sri Lanka
A teardrop sliding off the nose of the Indian sub-continent, Sri Lanka was once known as Serendib (from whence serendipity came), and then Ceylon, the resplendent land. Colombo is a graceful city dominated by sprawling colonial buildings and its often-photographed clock tower. Explore the Pettah bazaar, stroll through Cinnamon Gardens, or visit the ancient hill capital of Kandy, home of the sacred tooth of Buddha.

Essaouira, Morocco
The beaches around Essaouira are beautiful.The town itself is famous for its fresh seafood and is now a popular place to take part in most forms of watersports.

Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
The British have a soft spot in their hearts for Madeira. Since colonial times, the redolent wines of this spring-like island have been a favorite on English tables. And since before the Napoleonic Wars, Funchal has been a favorite R & R stop for British vacationers. Madeira's terrain is impossibly steep, interrupted frequently by cascading waterfalls, but every terraced inch is covered in lush greenery and flowers. And everyone who visits Madeira has to take the careening sled ride from Monte to Funchal.

Goa, India
The port city of Goa is a lovely throwback to earlier era, retaining a faded elegance from the time when it was the pearl of Portugal's spice trade empire. The Manueline architecture and imposing structures of Goa's several 16th century cathe drals attest to the colony's importance. See the remains of St. Francis Xavier in the Basilica de Bom Jesus. Goa's world famous beaches are a haven for hippies and partygoers alike.

Ibiza, Balearic Islands, Spain
Ibiza is a place where people hang out because they can let it all hang out. With a wildly mixed population of trendy artists, aging hippies, laid-back ex-pats, and dedicated club goers, Ibiza has a well-earned reputation for the bizarre and outrageous. Except for the medieval walls, you could almost think it was the Med's version of Key West. But away from the hustle of town, some lovely beaches await.

Lisbon, Portugal
The capital of Portugal since its conquest from the Moors in 1147, Lisbon is a legendary city with over 20 centuries of history. Spreading out along the right bank of the Tagus, its downtown, the Baixa, is located in the 18th-century area around Rossio. The Alfama, one of the oldest quarters in Lisboa still retains much of its original layout since it largely survived the earthquake of 1755.

Las Palmas Canary Islands, Spain
Columbus wasn’t the first visitor to Las Palmas (he stopped here twice on his first voyage). Today this 15th century city with a semitropical colonial ambience is a favorite stopping place for yachts crossing the Atlantic. Visit the Casa Colon, named for the great explorer, and do some exploring of your own by adventuring to the volcanic crater of Caldera de Taburiente National Park. Its lunar landscape and exotic vegetation take you to a new world!

Mahon, Menorca
You can see why Lord Nelson choose this spot as the base for the British Mediterranean fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. Imagine dozens of ships of the line, being fitted out for battle in this historic harbor. Reminders of those times can still be seen in the gracious Georgian buildings that climb the steep hills backing the Moll Ponent. Mahon's heritage also includes the invention of mayonnaise and the first distillation of gin from juniper berries.

Malaga, Spain
When the Moors crossed over from Africa to Andalucía in 714, they were to establish a kingdom that would become the glory of the Middle Ages. Malaga's fortress palace of the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro are splendid examples of Moorish architecture. But it is in Granada that you can see the most romantic and magnificent expression of the Arabesque style in the glorious Alhambra Palace. Ferdinand and Isabella lived here for a while, as did Washington Irving, author or Tales of the Alhambra.

Motril, Spain
The town of Motril is located in the Spanish region of Andalucia on the Costa Tropical. Nestling at the foothills of the Sierra Lujar mountains, Motril lies at the heart of the Costa Tropical which is one of the most lush and productive agricultural areas of Spain. The town’s coastal strip includes two main beaches - the busiest being Playa Poniente, which is well served with tourist facilities, and the quieter Playa Granada. There are also many sheltered coves, rocky inlets and impressive cliff faces along this stretch of coastline making it popular with divers, snorkellers and sailors.

Palma, Majorca
Towering over the harbor, Palma's enormous Gothic cathedral is a powerful symbol of the religious fervor which gripped all of Spain shortly after the defeat of the Moors. Built by Jaumé I, its vast open nave and soaring Gothic columns have been added to over the centuries. Behind the Cathedral, a maze of twisting streets leads to designer boutiques and open-air markets.

Port Said, Egypt
From Port Said at the entrance to the Suez Canal, an optional tour takes you to Egypt's capital of Cairo and the ancient monuments of Giza and the Pyramids. More than 18 million people are jammed into the teeming city split by the River Nile. In Cairo's famed Egyptian Museum, be dazzled by the multi-colored sarcophagus and golden mask of King Tut. At the desert's edge in Giza, the Great Pyramids of Cheops and the staring face of the Sphinx offer up a whole new perspective on eternity

Portimao, Algarve Coast, Portugal
The city of Portimao, the beach resort Praia da Rocha, and the nature reserve Ria de Alvor are the most well known places of an Algarve region quite unique in its diversity. Summertime is clearly the busiest time of year, reaching a climax with the popular annual sardine festival in August but the mild climate of the Algarve and many sunny winter days attract a multinational crowd in all seasons. Explore the countless shopping opportunities, visiting historical sites, strolling along the river boulevard or just sipping a drink in a garden bar. Warm seawaters and gorgeous rock formations make the beaches particularly alluring.

Punta Delgada, Azores
The Azores have long played host to transatlantic yachtsmen, traders and explorers. It stands on the pretty green and fertile island of Sao Miguel. Although the Azores were included on a map as early as 1351, Portuguese sailors are not known to have reached them until 1427. 16th and 17th century economic growth saw the construction of lavish palaces and churches, many still surviving.

Safaga, Egypt
From Safaga on the Red Sea coast, take an optional journey back in time to Luxor and the unforgettable Valley of the King's, where the Pharaohs created their gargantuan mausoleums on the banks of the Nile. Explore 3,000 years of history in the stupendous tombs of Ramses and Tuthankhamen, Luxor's Theban Temple of Karnak and the Colossus of Memnon.

Safi, Marocco
Today, Safi is mainly modern, home to a fishing port and diversified industries. The old town which lies within the city is still very much alive. Here you may be tempted to buy pottery typical of this part of the region.

Salalah, Oman
With crescents of white sands stretching as far as you can see, it's no wonder the Sultan chose Salalah as Oman's summer capital. The other reason is Salalah's wondrous climate. Watered copiously by summer monsoons, coastal Dhofar is green and inviting, while just beyond the hills lies the arid desert. See the Tomb of the Prophet Job and follow the Frankincense Trail to Mughsail, where you can walk through ancient groves of gnarled frankincense trees older than Job himself!

Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt
Within the last 10 years a booming development in the tourist sector has completely changed the identity of Sharm el Sheikh. What once was a favoured place for fishermen to sort out their tremendous catches in a romantic isolated bay has developed into a luxury modern holiday resort most treasured by divers and sun-lovers.

Tangier, Morocco
Tangier was the real model for the famous American film «Casablanca» with Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. It still retains its faded mongrel charm - not entirely Moroccan, European or African but a heady mix of all three - and the old world of bazaars is still intact in the form of the Grand Socco with its makeshift shops, snake charmers, musicians and storytellers. Visit the white-walled Kasbah and the Sultan’s Garden with its Moroccan fountain, fragrant herbs and shrubs, and orange and lemon trees. At the end of the day there’s always that erotic Moroccan «liquid light» that French painter Delacroix painted over and over again that makes an appearance in every love story set in the Middle East.

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
The island of Tenerife is bisected by steep volcanic mountains cut by garden-like valleys lush with flowers and vegetation. In the capital of Santa Cruz' anthropological museum, learn about the original inhabitants of Tenerife, the stone age Guanche people, who eked out an existence as shepherds. Not to be missed is a spectacular drive into the mountains, where 3,718-metre Mount Teide, Spain's tallest mountain, is covered in snow much of the year.