On Mediterranean tours and cruises, you will find diverse cities, rich culture and astounding natural wonders. These are some of the wonderful places you might visit while on a tour of the Mediterranean.
Sorrento, Italy: Its early name, “Surrentum,” was in deference to the Sirens, the shipwreck-causing mermaids who bewitched sailors. In the Odyssey, Ulysses tells of turning the Sirens into the Li Galli rocks that surround the city’s seascape. The Villa Comunale is a perfect place to unwind, with incredible views of the bay and a collection of gorgeous gardens.
Ephesus, Turkey: Offered as a shore excursion from Kusadasi, Ephesus, Turkey is perhaps the best-preserved ancient city in the Eastern Mediterranean. One of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Temple of Artemis, was once located in Ephesus. The city’s heritage can be experienced in its extensive collection of Roman public architecture, from libraries and fountains to baths and brothels and the astounding Temple of Hadrian.
Valletta, Malta: Malta’s capital city began as a refuge from the Turks, with forts surrounding the city on all sides and transverse streets beginning and ending with staircases right down to the harbor. Not far from the city is the Hagar Qim temple. Dating back to 3600 B.C., it is possibly the oldest man-made structure in the world.
Mallorca, Spain: Palma de Mallorca, off the coast of mainland Spain, is a delightful hybrid of the Arabian Nights and the Renaissance where the island’s past of alternating African and European control is always visible. The Catedral, a former mosque transformed in the 13th century, is a spectacular showpiece often likened to a ship moored at the city’s waterfront edge.
Rhodes, Greece: The oldest inhabited city in Europe, Rhodes was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Colossus of Rhodes, an ancient statue of the god Helios. Helios was knocked down by an earthquake 2,300 years ago, but still in existence are 40-foot-thick city walls and the spectacular Acropolis of Lindos, perched 380 feet above the sea.
Dubrovnik, Croatia: Begun as a Byzantine trading outpost in the 7th century, Dubrovnik is the birthplace of the Croatian language and was rivaled only by Venice in Mediterranean commercial and cultural significance. Its medieval quarter is still completely encircled by walls, and the grounds of the Franciscan Monastery are home to one of Europe’s oldest pharmacies, in operation since 1391.
Katakolon and the Site of Olympia, Greece: That weeks-long athletic extravaganza that keeps you glued to the television every other year? It all began here in 776 B.C., and it’s still the place where the Olympic torch is lit each Olympiad – using the sun and a lens. The original “locker rooms,” gymnasia and stadium are still here, as are temples to Zeus and other gods.
