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.

Amalfi and its coast are a vertical dream of fairytale towns, flower-lined paths, and cliffside views over impossibly blue sea. Amalfi town offers the dramatic 11th-century Duomo, the Emerald Grotto, and hand-painted ceramics. Above, Ravello charms with Villa Rufolo's gardens and Villa Cimbrone's Terrace of Infinity. Positano, a UNESCO-protected gem, has steep boutique-lined streets, chic terraces for limoncello, pastel houses, and Spiaggia Grande beach.

Cagliari fans out from Il Castello, the steep hilltop citadel built by Pisan rulers in the 13th century, home to the Cathedral of Santa Maria and the Elephant Tower, where trophy heads once hung. Seven-kilometre Poetto Beach stretches from the Devil's Saddle on the St. Elia promontory past beachfront eateries serving Sardinian seafood with chilled Vermentino. Offshore, Capo Carbonara Marine Reserve teems with coral fans and colourful sea life.

Discover Cartagena, a hidden Spanish gem rich in history and culture, with gourmet cuisine to match. Join cookery classes, wine tastings and coffee workshops, or take the thrilling elevator to Castillo de la Concepción. Step back to Roman times at the theatre and sanctuary, see relics and mosaics in museums, explore shipwrecks and Mediterranean history, admire street art, sample the local Asiático, and see Roman ruins, Byzantine walls, Belle Époque architecture, marble streets and war memorials.

Enjoy the epitome of Spanish charm. Slowly discover Andalusian riches to reveal Picasso's birthplace, the Alhambra in Granada, Mezquita in Cordoba and the Ronda valley. Explore ancient heritage sites, dance the flamenco, dare to hike the Caminito del Rey trail and delve into white villages sprinkled amongst mango groves and avocado orchards. Sip cocktails by day and sangria by night. And as you watch the sun slip down, reflect upon this gateway of delights.

Enjoy the epitome of Spanish charm. Slowly discover Andalusian riches to reveal Picasso's birthplace, the Alhambra in Granada, Mezquita in Cordoba and the Ronda valley. Explore ancient heritage sites, dance the flamenco, dare to hike the Caminito del Rey trail and delve into white villages sprinkled amongst mango groves and avocado orchards. Sip cocktails by day and sangria by night. And as you watch the sun slip down, reflect upon this gateway of delights.

At the crossroads of Europe and Africa, Tangier keeps its bohemian, artistic feel. Watch the scene from Petit Socco, then wander the Kasbah and Grand Socco through color-saturated streets of tiles and painted shutters. Must-visits: Librairie des Colonnes, Café Hafa for sunset mint tea over the Strait of Gibraltar, and El Morocco Club for rooftop drinks or the city's only piano bar.

Alicante blends blue-domed cathedrals, cobbled lanes and leafy plazas, and opens onto Costa Blanca beaches, mountains and medieval villages. Stroll El Barrio for tapas and turrón, climb to Santa Cruz's whitewashed houses on Mount Benacantil, and visit the 1,000-year-old Castel de la Santa Bàrbara for sweeping Mediterranean views and the palm-fringed Explanada de España.

Barcelona blends vibrant energy with Catalan tradition: explore the Gothic Quarter and Gaudí's architecture, enjoy tapas and cava in plazas and cafés, relax at the beach, shop along Passeig de Gràcia, and end the night in bohemian bars on La Rambla. A stylish city full of character.