Western Mediterranean

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.

Mallorca, the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands, is a Mediterranean gem that entices travellers with its diverse beauty.

For Renaissance treasures, nothing compares. The Uffizi is home to Michelangelo’s David, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Leonardo’s Annunciation – just to start. Add architectural icons like Brunelleschi’s Duomo, or the Baptistry with its Gates of Paradise.

Rome, the Eternal City, stands as an unparalleled testament to millennia of history, culture and influence.

With a skyline defined by towering Mount Vesuvis, Naples is a bustling Italian city brimming with beauty. Experience its rich neoclassical architecture at sites like Gesu Nuovo Church, with its lavish interior adorned with detailed frescoes, statues and gold inlay. Go even deeper into history at the San Gennaro catacombs, where Naples' first bishops were buried in the second century AD. Walk along the Miglio Sacro ('Holy Mile') and people-watch your way through the cafes and shops of the Sanita district with a zuccherato (sweetened espresso) in hand. Jump onboard a Naples cruise and take the short bus ride to the base of Mount Vesuvius – it's an easy 20- to 30-minute hike will take you to the summit – and tour the ruins of Pompeii afterward.

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.