Mediterranean Grand Adventure

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome’s seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications.

Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome’s Bohemian Quarter.

Rome has been a magnet luring the world’s greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.

Inhabited since antiquity, Salerno found its place as a Roman colony in 197 B.C. After the fall of Rome, a who’s who of European kingdoms conquered the city including the Goths, the Byzantines and the Lombards. It’s easy to see why. The warm Mediterranean sun and rolling hillsides beckon with new adventures and pinch-me-I must-be-dreaming experiences.

Hike the jaw-dropping Mount Vesuvius, feel the centuries unfold as on a guided walk through the amazing cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, or soak up the scenery with a cruise along the dazzling Amalfi Coast. Whatever you choose, Salerno offers precious memories that will last a lifetime.

The largest of the Ionian Islands, Cephalonia possesses a classic landscape with an arid mountain interior and a rocky seacoast punctuated by bays and beaches. Mount Ainos, the island’s major peak, towers a mile above sea level, while the busy seaport of Argostoli is Cephalonia’s largest town. The Jet Set and the international yachting community have frequented the old fishing ports of Fiskardo and Sami since the late 1950s. But the island’s population soared in the 1980s and ’90s, as increasing numbers of general travelers discovered Cephalonia’s superb beaches, dramatic caves, and picturesque villages.

Archaeological evidence shows that Heraklion probably arose during the 9th century B.C. and was named in tribute to the Greek goddess Rhea, mother of Zeus. And like most Mediterranean cities, Heraklion has a long and turbulent history. Officially founded by the Saracens in the 9th century, the Byzantine Empire invaded in 961 only to lose control to the Crusaders who sold Crete to the Venetians in 1211 for a thousand silver coins.

Heraklion finally flourished under the Venetians. Throughout the city you’ll find stunning reminders of their influence: the Loggia, Venetian Walls, and Fountain of Morosini are just a few must-see examples.

But Heraklion is probably best known as the gateway to the breathtaking 4,000 year-old Minoan ruins at Knossos and to the famous windmills stretched across the Lassithi Plateau.

Did the catastrophic volcanic eruption that ravaged Santorini circa 1600 B.C. destroy Crete’s ancient Minoan civilization – and give birth to the myth of Atlantis? In 1967, archaeologists on Santorini unearthed the remains of a Bronze Age city that may have been home to as many as 30,000 people. Whether the Lost Continent of Atlantis is rooted in myth or reality, an undisputed fact remains. The eruption created a caldera – and one of the most dramatic land and seascapes in the entire Mediterranean. On Santorini, whitewashed buildings cling to vertiginous cliffs that plunge to a turquoise sea. Part of the Cyclades Archipelago, the three-island group of Santorini, Thirasia and uninhabited Aspronisi present the traveler with unforgettable vistas.

The island has had a number of names throughout history – from Strongyle or “Round” to Thera in honor of an ancient hero. Santorini is more recent and stems from the island church dedicated to St. Irene – Santa Rini to foreign sailors.

The largest and arguably the most beautiful of the 12 islands forming the Dodecanese, Rhodes has long played a major role in history. Lying just 12 miles off the coast of Turkey, the island straddles the sea-lanes linking Egypt, Southern Europe and the Holy Land. Rhodes Town bears witness to that long history. The ancient city features a classical stadium and the ruins of the Temple of Apollo. The “old” city is a walled town with medieval buildings and streets harking back to the days of the Crusades. The new town is a Mecca of luxury resorts lining the island’s picturesque Mandaraki Harbor.

The Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is reputed to have once stood guard over the harbor. Today, the bronze statues of a stag and doe top the two columns marking the harbor entrance.

From the port of Kusadasi on Turkey’s Anatolian Coast, one travels into the past. Nearby stand the ruins of ancient Ephesus, a major site of archeological excavation. The city was once a Roman provincial capital and trading center. Ephesus is also home to several of Christendom’s holiest sites. St. Paul preached at the Great Theater and the ruins of Ephesus’ Basilica cover the tomb of Christ’s most beloved disciple, St. John the Apostle.

In Kusadasi, whitewashed stone houses rise in tiers behind the market district. The palm-lined esplanade is the center of town life, with thousands of merchants offering wares to rival the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul.

Thanks to its proximity to the mainland, Mykonos was one of the first Greek islands to become an international travel destination. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, Mykonos was famed as a haunt for the rich. The island’s nightlife – then and now – was a glittering whirl of colored lights, music, and parties. But there’s another side to Mykonos – the neighboring island of Delos. In classical mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. Travelers to Delos can stroll among the island’s vast ruins, which include three temples consecrated to the Sun God and the famed Lions Walk.

Mykonos town features hip boutiques, restaurants, jewelry stores, souvenirs, taverns and cafés. The island’s famed windmills are found just south of the waterfront.

The past maintains a vibrant presence in the cradle of Western civilization. Atop the Acropolis, the serene Parthenon sails above the commotion of the modern city. The tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides were performed in the Theater of Dionysus at the foot of the Acropolis. On Pnyx Hill, citizens of a fledgling democracy gathered to cast their votes on Athens’ destiny. Then there is the hustle and bustle of the modern city, a metropolis of 4.5 million that spreads out from the foot of Mt. Lycabettus and across the plain. Packed with busy shops and lively tavernas, modern Athens is a colorful counterpoint to classical Greece.

Piraeus is the port city for Athens and has been Athens’ port of entry for over two millennia.

Thanks to its proximity to the mainland, Mykonos was one of the first Greek islands to become an international travel destination. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, Mykonos was famed as a haunt for the rich. The island’s nightlife – then and now – was a glittering whirl of colored lights, music, and parties. But there’s another side to Mykonos – the neighboring island of Delos. In classical mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. Travelers to Delos can stroll among the island’s vast ruins, which include three temples consecrated to the Sun God and the famed Lions Walk.

Mykonos town features hip boutiques, restaurants, jewelry stores, souvenirs, taverns and cafés. The island’s famed windmills are found just south of the waterfront.

Limassol, the second-largest city in Cyprus and the biggest port in the Mediterranean transit trade, is an important tourist and commercial hub. Flanking Akrotiri Bay on the island’s southern coast, the town sprawls between two ancient cities, Amathus and Kourion.

Ashdod produces textiles, cosmetics, and half the electrical power generated in Israel. Yet it is best known as the portal to the Holy Land.

According to Scripture, Ashdod was once home to giants. It was here that the Philistines brought the captured Ark, celebrating their victory over the Israelites. Today, the city itself is a giant of industry, surpassing Haifa as the largest port in Israel. More importantly, Ashdod is your gateway to Jerusalem. This city in the hills of Judea is sacred to three of the world’s great faiths. For Jews, the Western Wall – the sole surviving remnant of the Second Temple – embodies their cultural and religious identity. Christians walk the Via Dolorosa and observe the Stations of the Cross, renewing Christ’s sacrifice. For Moslems, the city is home to the third holiest shrine in all Islam. From a spot near the El-Aqsa Mosque, Muhammad ascended into Heaven to receive the teaching of Allah.

The nearby Lassithi Plateau is the highest inhabited plateau in all Greece. Nearby Mt. Dikti rises some 7,218 feet (2,200m) above sea level.

White-washed houses climb the slopes of this charming port on the Gulf of Mirabello. The small harbor is surrounded by restaurants, cafés, and shops prepared to dispense everything under the sun – from necessities to souvenirs. Aghios Nikolaos is also your gateway to the Minoan ruins at Knossos and to the famous windmills of the Lassithi Plateau.

Italy’s third-largest city, Naples is a bustling metropolis famed for it stately buildings, crowded streets, pizza – and notoriously bad traffic. However, this beautiful city is rich in centuries-old culture and customs. Naples is also your gateway to the Isle of Capri, the fabled Amalfi Coast and the ruins of Pompeii, buried in ash by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Naples boasts an ideal location, with both the ruins of Roman cities and the stunning Amalfi Coast in easy reach.

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome’s seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications.

Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome’s Bohemian Quarter.

Rome has been a magnet luring the world’s greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean. Like its neighbor Corsica, Sardinia boasts a dramatic coastline, superb small harbors and beaches that draw visitors from around the world. Gaunt hills crowned with granite outcropping take up most of the island interior, though the landscape is broken by vineyards and groves of olive trees and cork oaks. The island’s harsh beauty is counterpointed by its rich culture – the island boasts extensive prehistoric ruins, fine Pisan churches and medieval walled towns.

For centuries, Italian city-states and Spain vied for control of Sardinia. The old port of Alghero has a distinctive Catalan feel – it was known as “Little Barcelona.” The Albi Palace was a residence for the Spanish viceroys who governed Sardinia.

Alghero is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship’s tender.

One of Spain’s oldest cities, Malaga has been inhabited since the time of the Phoenicians, who called it Malaka. A city of narrow streets, whitewashed houses, churches and sunny plazas, Malaga offers an idealized image of Spain. Andalusia’s main port is also your gateway to the resorts of the Costa del Sol. No visit to Malaga would be complete without a trip to Granada and a tour of the fabled Alhambra.

Malaga was the chief port for the Kingdom of Granada, the last stronghold of Moorish Spain. The city fell to Ferdinand and Isabelle in 1487. The re-conquest of Spain ended with the fall of Grenada in 1492, the year Columbus discovered the New World.

Tangier – the very name conjures up an air of mystery and adventure, a place where Berber tribesmen, Europeans and assorted adventurers meet and mingle in the narrow streets of the Kasbah. The city’s history and culture does little to dispel that sense of mystery. Founded by Carthaginians in the 5th century B.C., the city has seen great powers and would-be conquerors come and go; the city always abides. There is also the Tangier of the mind. Since the 19th century, European and American painters, poets and writers have been drawn to the narrow streets of old city. Delacroix first immortalized Tangier’s landscaped and publicized its charms, giving Europe a taste for the exotic. And American writers like Paul Bowles, William Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg made the city a veritable suburb of modern American literature.

The capital of Madeira is named after the fennel (funcha) that once flowered there in profusion. The largest island in the Madeira Archipelago was discovered in 1419 by Portuguese explorers venturing south into the Atlantic. The island is nearly equidistant from Lisbon and the African coast, and its unique geographical position allowed Madeira to play a pivotal role in European discovery. Seamen such as Christopher Columbus gained knowledge and experience plying the routes of the island’s sugar trade. When sugar declined, the island’s famed wines continued to provide a robust trade. By the late 18th century, Madeira’s mild climate, rocky peaks, and lush valleys provided a winter haven to Europe’s aristocrats. Visitors still flock to the island today, drawn by its scenery and its weather.

Funchal is noted for its superb hand-embroidery and wicker ware, both Madeira specialties. The island, of course, is also noted for its superb wines: they are perhaps the world’s most complex and long lasting wines.

Tenerife is the largest island in the Canary Archipelago. Like its brethren, Tenerife was formed by fierce volcanic activity. Its landscape remains dotted with volcanic cones and areas of intense geothermal activity. Towering over the island is Mt Teide, an extinct volcano that, at 12,200 feet above sea level, is the highest peak in Spanish territory. Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the island’s capital and your port of call.

Tenerife’s north shore is separated from the south by rugged mountains, creating a rain shadow. The majority of the islands most recent resorts are found in the sere and parched south shore.

The Cape Verde Islands lie off North Africa’s tropical coast. Their name literally means “green cape,” but nature has played a cruel trick on the archipelago. Changing climatic and economic conditions have left the archipelago ravaged by drought. But the islanders are a hardy and courageous lot. With foreign investment and private enterprise, the Cape Verde Islanders are slowly pursuing a new economic dream for their home and working toward a more promising future.

According to the popular 1960 beach movie, Fort Lauderdale is “where the boys are.” The city’s reputation as America’s Spring Break capital, however, has been replaced with the more favorable image of a prime family tourist destination, attracting more than 10 million visitors annually. The most popular beach resort in Florida is even more rightly famed as the “Yachting Capital of the World,” with more than 40,000 registered crafts calling its waters home. The city also prides itself on being the “Venice of America” with more than 300 miles of navigable waterways. Fort Lauderdale boasts world-class theaters, museums, sightseeing, and shopping.