Mediterranean Magic & Morocco

Lined with Baroque buildings and enclosed within its sixteenth century city walls, it’s almost as if time stands still in Valletta. With 7,000 years of history just waiting to be discovered, the Maltese capital is a dream to explore.

Bright stone buildings mark the rambling layout and baroque architecture of Trapani. Extending out into the sea, the towns characteristic shape of a scythe, frames the majestic Tower of Ligny, which rises from its most extreme point. Originally under Arab dominion, Trapani was a blossoming center for the production of salt, tuna, and coral. The city became famous throughout the Old World in the 16th century, when the work of Trapanese coral artisans was revealed. Their gorgeous collection of works in coral is preserved in the Pepoli Museum.

The Sardinian coastline is serrated by deep-cut coves of sparkling sea, surrounded by rocky prominences and edged in lovely strands of beach. The Aga Khan fell in love with the place, and dubbed it the Costa Smeralda, creating a magnet for the global glitterati. At Golfo Aranci, shining arcs of silvery sand are linked into a larger curve, encircled by a muscular peninsula that looms protectively between the town and the sea. It looks expensive, and it is.

This ancient harbor on Corsica’s northeast coast is close to the famous Patrimonio vineyards, and to Saleccia Beach, considered one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean.

One of the Mediterranean’s best ports and largest harbors welcomes you to the home of the French Mediterranean Fleet. Located in the Var prefecture of the Provence, Toulon has a long history that is revealed in various districts of the city. The Old Town is along the harbor, with narrow streets and small squares, most boasting a nicely decorated fountain. The Upper Town is mostly 19th century grandeur. You can take a cable car to Mont Faron, bypassing the road that is a notorious stretch for bicycle racers. The waterfront neighborhood of Le Mourillon is a family-friendly beach area for Toulonais. There are wonderful museums of history, art from various periods and naval history to explore as well.

Although today it is cut off from the sea, Fréjus was the second-largest naval port in the Roman empire in the 1st Century B.C. The town’s name descends from Forum Julii, the retirement center for the 8th Legion. The Roman ruins in the area are what draws most visitors today, and the massive pillars of the aqueducts, sections of walls and the crumbling remains of the tree-shaded theater and amphitheater are picturesquely situated and satisfying. In the town center, a central square faces the medieval stone cathedral and its adjacent cloisters, with impressive doors, handsomely carved woodwork and elaborate ceilings. Outside town, the 1889 Palladian Villa Aurelienne sits amid 60 acres of Mediterranean gardens. Fréjus suffered a terrible flood in 1959 when runoff from unprecedented rains swept down the mountains and broached the dam at Malpasset. The ruined site is a reminder of man’s fragility in the face of Nature’s power. On another hilltop, the small, octagonal Chapel of Notre Dame de Jerusalem is richly decorated with stained glass windows and colorful frescoes designed by the artist Jean Cocteau and completed after his death.

Located at the foot of the mountains on Spain's rugged Costa Brava, Palamos boasts seven superb beaches, Iberian archeological remains from the year 6 BC, and the Church of Sant Esteve on the beach. Highlighting the town center is its 16th-century cathedral.

Barcelona’s stunning blend of intriguing architecture, irrepressible culture, exquisite food and inviting beaches means that it is truly a destination that has something for everyone.

Known as the gateway to the Mediterranean, Valencia’s locals say their coastal home receives more sun than any other Spanish city.

With its warm weather and attractive scenery, Andalusia was settled successively by Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans and Vandals. But it was the Moors who graced it with a rich medieval culture of silver filigree, arches and arabesques, and the domes and minarets of its mosques, making it the center of the most highly developed civilization of the Middle Ages. Sherry wines, well-disciplined horses, brave bulls and the flamboyant flamenco are all part of its allure. Seville has been called "the most interesting town in all of Spain," and this pretty city, sparkling in the Andalusian sun, has played its part as the setting for Don Juan, Carmen, and Rossini's famous barber.

The sprawling, Moroccan city of Casablanca, sits on the north-west coast of Africa.

Situated just across the narrow Strait of Gibraltar from Europe, Tangier has long comprised a hybrid culture that is nearly as European as it is African. Standing atop Cap Spartel, one can gaze down on the place where the Atlantic meets the Mediterranean. The “Hollywood” district where the foreign embassies have traditionally been located reflects the European influence. But ascending the hill above the waterfront, one enters the narrow, winding alleys of the Kasbah, the city’s oldest, most Moroccan section. Down the coast, nearby Tetouan retains a nearly untouched walled medina, with sections originally occupied by Andalusian, Berber and Jewish populations. It is small enough that visitors can explore it without risking becoming lost, making it a perfect choice as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

This city of the Mediterranean coast is the second largest on the so-called Costa Tropical. But for us it is the port from which to ascend the slopes of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada to the ethereal Moorish city of Granada and the astounding complex of the Alhambra, the most beautiful display of Islamic architecture in Europe. Dramatically sited overlooking the city, the walled series of halls, courts, gardens and colonnades drip with airy carving and elaborate decorative reliefs that embody the term Arabesque. The sprawling Generalife Gardens adjoining the fortress are a memorable site unto themselves. Elsewhere in Granada, the Capilla Real is a purely Spanish Gothic building, holding the marble tombs of the Reyes Catolicos Ferdinand and Isabella behind a gilded wrought-iron screen.

Founded by Carthaginians in the third century BC, this ancient Mediterranean port city exemplifies the region's tumultuous history. Romans, Visigoths, Castilians and Moors have all left their marks. Under King Philip II, Cartagena's naturally deep, sheltered harbor was developed into the nation's premier naval base, a position it still enjoys today. Ancient ramparts remain, as does a lighthouse erected in Moorish times.

Ibiza, the third largest of the Balearics, began to grow from a quiet, little-known island into a playground for the rich and an enclave for artists in the 1950s and 1960s. The island's brilliant, whitewashed houses reflect not only the summer sun, but 300 years of Moorish rule, earning it the nickname of 'Isla Blanca' or White Island. The town of Ibiza, also known as Eivissa, is a delightful combination of Medieval and 19th-century architecture. Visit the picturesque upper town (Dalt Vila), far removed from the sometimes hectic pace of the rest of the island. The ancient cathedral, enclosed by 16th-century walls which are a national monument in their own right, provides a stunning view of the Mediterranean below.

The Sardinian coastline is serrated by deep-cut coves of sparkling sea, surrounded by rocky prominences and edged in lovely strands of beach. The Aga Khan fell in love with the place, and dubbed it the Costa Smeralda, creating a magnet for the global glitterati. At Golfo Aranci, shining arcs of silvery sand are linked into a larger curve, encircled by a muscular peninsula that looms protectively between the town and the sea. It looks expensive, and it is.

Originally built by Emperor Trajan who had a villa here, Civitavecchia has flourished as a major port for Rome since the 13th century. Today it is an important ferry terminal and for many travelers the gateway to the Eternal City, Rome. The Renaissance fortifications that surround the harbor area were begun by Bramante and completed by Michelangelo in 1535.