Rome offers endless choices: enjoy street performers at the Spanish Steps, wine and people-watching in colorful Trastevere, or the city's rich history and architecture. St. Peter's Basilica is a full-day visit, with the Sistine Chapel and panoramic views from the dome. Don't miss the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, and Aventine Hill, which overlooks the Imperial Palaces ruins and the Circus Maximus.

Spend a day exploring the fabulous ruins of ancient Pompeii and Herculaneum with their stunning temples, frescoes and mosaics. Explore fascinating Naples and its famed museums, visit charming Sorrento or take a boat trip to the beautiful Isle of Capri.

Messina, Sicily's third-largest city, was a key medieval port for knights heading to the Crusades. Though extensively rebuilt, it still has major landmarks, especially the cathedral with its unusual astronomical clock, the 12th-century Catania Church, and the ornate Teatro Vittorio Emanuele. It's also a starting point for day trips to Mt. Etna's Crateri Silvestri.

Malta's capital and major port, Valletta was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980. Highlights include the 19th-century Mosta Dome, San Anton Palace Gardens in Attard, Lija and Balzan, and the sea views from Dingli Cliffs. Valletta also makes a good base for day trips to Mdina, with St. John's Baroque Cathedral, and Rabat, once part of Roman Melita, with its archaeological sites.

Travel across millennia as you visit the ruins of ancient Carthage and the opulent, historic medina with its winding alleys and souks. Visit the superb Bardo Museum with its spectacular Roman mosaics or the lovely whitewashed village of Sidi Bou Saïd perched on a cliff above the sea, a charming spot of cobbled streets, flower-filled courtyards and ornate window grills painted deep blue. Enjoy looking for interesting jewelry, caftans and inlaid boxes.

Savor this delightful old city spread over seven hills and its many attractions reflecting the influence of its numerous rulers. Climb to the citadel; visit the fabulous Archaeological Museum, Roman ruins and Pisan towers, early Byzantine churches, the Cathedral or the Botanic Gardens. Enjoy the nearby beach or discover the remains of Sardinia's ancient, enigmatic Nuraghe culture, their villages and huge burial caves.

Mallorca, also known as Majorca, is a wind-swept island with steep jagged cliffs and olive groves more than a thousand years old. Mallorca is an island of contrasts. To the south is a busy tourist area with hotels, bars, restaurants, shopping and dazzling night life. To the north are rocky valleys, sleepy villages shrouded in bougainvillea, and breathtaking views. Palma is dominated by the breathtaking Gothic Cathedral, located high above the waterfront on the site of a former mosque.

One of Europe's most visually stunning cities, Barcelona balances the medieval intimacy of its Gothic Quarter with the grace and distinction of the wide boulevards in the Moderniste Eixample. It was the home of architect Antoni Gaudí, whose Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Park Güell and Casa Milà are the most profound statements of Modernisme. View the splendid works at the Picasso Museum and the Miro Foundation, or discover Barcelona's passionate ambiance at a flamenco show.

Experience Costa Brava and understand why Salvador Dalí and others have long been inspired by its beaches and coves. Spend a day in the warm sand of La Fosca or learning about the history of this fishing village in Museu de la Pesca or simply taking in the Mediterranean air while walking down the promenade. Just an hour north of the city, you can visit the extraordinary Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres. The museum holds works done from his adolescence to the last years of his life.

Located in southeastern France, today's Marseille is a far cry from the sleepy villages it once inspired in Cézanne's paintings. With more than a million people, the city remains the cosmopolitan and exuberant capital of southern Europe, with its picturesque Old Quarter, lively sidewalk cafes and shops, and Romanesque-Byzantine Notre Dame de la Garde Basilica, overlooking the steep cliffs and offering a bird's eye view of the city's colorful "quartiers" stretching down toward the sea.

Livorno in Tuscany is a gateway to Florence and Pisa. From the 13th to 16th centuries, Renaissance freedom inspired Dante, Donatello, Michelangelo, Giotto, Botticelli, da Vinci, and Machiavelli. In Florence, see the Galleria dell'Accademia and Michelangelo's David, plus the Uffizi, Italy's famed art gallery. Visit Pisa's Campo dei Miracoli, Siena's medieval charm, and Lucca, where you can bike through the Tuscan countryside.

There is something for everyone in Alicante. The historic Mediterranean port city is located in renowned Costa Blanca, within the region of Valencia. From outdoor cafés to white-sand beaches to museums that house rare masterpieces, this town has everything one would expect of a Mediterranean escape. Be sure to visit the picturesque town of Guadalest, one of the most unique destinations in all of Spain.

Valencia was founded by the Greeks and later ruled by Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, and Arabs. In the 15th century it became a center of art, producing notable paintings, sculptures, and jewels. Today it blends modern landmarks in the City of Arts and Sciences with historic sites like the 13th-century Cathedral, the Chapel of the Holy Chalice, the Quart Towers, and the Serranos Towers.

One of Europe's most visually stunning cities, Barcelona balances the medieval intimacy of its Gothic Quarter with the grace and distinction of the wide boulevards in the Moderniste Eixample. It was the home of architect Antoni Gaudí, whose Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Park Güell and Casa Milà are the most profound statements of Modernisme. View the splendid works at the Picasso Museum and the Miro Foundation, or discover Barcelona's passionate ambiance at a flamenco show.