Rome is more than ancient architecture: it offers hidden gems, fashion, street art, Vespa rides to the Appian Way, and coins tossed into fountains. Visit the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and private quarters by appointment, plus the Colosseum, Caravaggio churches, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. Make pasta, hunt truffles, enjoy gelato and coffee, or unwind in a 3,000-year-old pool. In Rome, old and new blend so you can indulge in it all.

Naples, between Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, is rich in history and Italian culture. See Baroque churches, Renaissance palazzi, and Neoclassical opera houses; ride the funicular to Castel Sant'Elmo for views over the Bay of Naples, Sorrento Peninsula, and Amalfi Coast. Explore the city's underground tunnels, and visit nearby Pompeii, Herculaneum, or Capri.

Explore Sicily's rich mix of history, cuisine and nature: historic cities, Roman sites, Greek temples and vineyards; Mount Etna's lava lands; Valle dei Templi, Selinunte and the mosaics of Casale; Etna Rosso tasting; a nature reserve and Sciacca's Baroque old town. Finish with olive-oil-drenched pasta in this honey-hued region.

Explore Sicily's rich mix of history, cuisine and nature: historic cities, Roman sites, Greek temples and vineyards; Mount Etna's lava lands; Valle dei Templi, Selinunte and the mosaics of Casale; Etna Rosso tasting; a nature reserve and Sciacca's Baroque old town. Finish with olive-oil-drenched pasta in this honey-hued region.

Explore Bari Vecchia, a maze of medieval lanes, Romanesque churches, Baroque palaces and Greek, Roman and Norman history. See nonnas making orecchiette, the basilica with Saint Nicholas's relics, the 1170 cathedral, Norman fortress and harbour theatre. South are some of Italy's best beaches, especially Polignano a Mare. Bari also suits trips to Alberobello's trulli and cinematic Matera, with cave dwellings and chic restaurants.

Discover Valletta, Malta's tiny capital and master of restoration, behind honey-hued fortifications. Step back through hand-carved shelters, subterranean tombs and stone-age temples; uncover war secrets beneath limestone streets; skim Grand Harbour in a dghajsa; and explore museums of art and the "Fat Lady." Beyond history, enjoy lively bars, Michelin-starred Maltese cuisine, and diving on wrecks.

Tunis, gateway to North Africa, greets seafarers with whitewashed buildings and a rich old medina of mosaics, carved wooden doors, tiled courtyards, souks, white-domed mosques, and striking madrassas with black-and-white arches. French influence shapes the Ville Nouvelle, with broad eucalyptus-lined boulevards and St. Vincent de Paul Cathedral. Nearby are Carthage's Phoenician ruins and mosaics, plus the pretty oceanfront town of Sidi Bou Said.

Sicily blends olive-strewn landscapes, Greek temples, Byzantine mosaics, and ricotta-rich farm-to-table food. Wander Palermo's ficus-lined streets and the Florio family story, sip wine near Mount Etna and Taormina's Teatro Greco, and explore UNESCO sites, Villa Tasca, Monreale and Cefalù's medieval mosaics, plus ruins and secluded temples. From Baroque south-coast towns and chocolate to Michelin dining, Trapani beaches, and fishermen outside hip bars, its contrasts define the island.

Rome is more than ancient architecture: it offers hidden gems, fashion, street art, Vespa rides to the Appian Way, and coins tossed into fountains. Visit the Vatican's Sistine Chapel and private quarters by appointment, plus the Colosseum, Caravaggio churches, the Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. Make pasta, hunt truffles, enjoy gelato and coffee, or unwind in a 3,000-year-old pool. In Rome, old and new blend so you can indulge in it all.