From the Adriatic to Sicily

The capital of Puglia, Bari has always been a crossroads between East and West. The city is distinguished by the diversity of its districts: Murattiano, with its elegant boulevards and Art Nouveau buildings, leads to Bari Vecchia, a labyrinth of narrow streets and lively streetscape. Boat docked, no water sports and no direct access to a beach. Passengers boarding and disembarking at this port of call.

The old town of Otranto, located in Puglia at the heel of the Italian boot, is absolutely splendid. Its surrounding ramparts that protect the Aragonese castle, its white alleys and the pretty view of the small fishing port give it the appearance of an Arab town. Boat at anchor, beach, dive locker closed.

Perched on Mount Tauro, the town seems to gaze out over the magnificent bays and the majestic Mount Etna. It boasts a fascinating historical heritage including the ancient Greco-Roman theatre. Boats at anchor, water sports.

The island’s volcanic origins have forged the most astonishing landscapes. Invaded time and again, its citadel reveals the island’s multi-facetted personality through the multiple influences of its architure. Ship at anchor. No Water sports.

French singer Hervé Vilard immortalised the “Island of Mermaids” in the ’60s with a hit that claimed Capri was over (a reference to a love affair that started there). But Capri is far from over. It has so much to offer, from wonders such as the Grotta Azzure with its blue light, and the sheer Italian chic of the Via Camerelle, which has as many luxury stores as Paris’s Faubourg Saint Honoré. Four kilometres away you can visit the more rural Anacapri. A Greek inscription dating from the days of Augustus welcomes visitors with: “Citizen, welcome to the land of gentle idleness”. Two thousand years later, the invitation is still as vibrant as ever. No, Capri isn’t over.

Trapani, the westernmost province of Sicily and a true architectural gem, proudly bears the traces of the Orient. The small, oriental-style squares rub shoulders with centuries-old churches, and all bordered by vineyards. Boat docked, dive locker closed, no direct access to the beach.

The best-selling novels of the Sicilian author, Andrea Camilleri, and his detective inspector Montalbano, are intricately linked to Porto Empedocle, a village in the province of Agrigente, to the extent that th municipality wanted to change its name to “Porto Empedocle Vigata”, the fictional name of the town in the books. The places imagined by Camilleri come to life as you explore the real-life town. Boat docked, no water sports.

Its deep natural port gave Malta its status as the crossroads of the Mediterranean, and a history that goes back to the dawn of humanity. Mystical and cultural, its blend of styles preserves its fascination intact. Boat docked, no water sports and no direct access to a beach. Passengers boarding and disembarking at this port of call.