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.

Capri is a bountiful volcanic island of sculptural cliffs, sea stacks, and caves, including the Blue Grotto. Lemon scents and blooming flowers fill Anacapri, especially Villa San Michele. Follow bougainvillea-lined paths to Villa Cimbrone's gardens, boat to the Faraglioni for a kiss under the arch, or watch for mermaids as Virgil warned. Explore Capri town's winding streets or enjoy sundowners in Piazza Umberto.

Capri is a bountiful volcanic island of sculptural cliffs, sea stacks, and caves, including the Blue Grotto. Lemon scents and blooming flowers fill Anacapri, especially Villa San Michele. Follow bougainvillea-lined paths to Villa Cimbrone's gardens, boat to the Faraglioni for a kiss under the arch, or watch for mermaids as Virgil warned. Explore Capri town's winding streets or enjoy sundowners in Piazza Umberto.

Few experience Corsica's quiet beauty: cobbled streets, medieval villages, pine hills, natural pools and waterfalls. Hike cliffside trails, relax on white beaches and turquoise waters, and enjoy marina bistros with Corsican polyphonic music. As the sun sets, remember Matisse: "All is colour, all is light."

Villefranche-sur-Mer, a jewel on the Côte d'Azur, charms with pastel houses, flowers, and provincial scenes. Set on a sapphire harbour, it offers the Corniche by Plage des Marinières, a crescent of soft sand on the Mediterranean. Visit its chapels and centuries-old citadel for views of Cap Ferrat, then explore nearby walled towns: art-focused St-Paul-de-Vence and picturesque Èze, once admired by Walt Disney.

Marseille, France's oldest city, feels youthful: a multicultural port with great museums, galleries, lively squares and bars, plus bouillabaisse. See fountains from Napoleon III's era and city hall from Louis XIV's. Beyond the city, explore the dramatic Calanques coast, and Provence's cypress, lavender, Avignon and Aix-en-Provence, linked to Van Gogh, Cézanne and Peter Mayle. Taste Syrah and the region's terroir, and wander from Marseille's boisterous roots into classic Provence.

Discover Menorca, a small UNESCO-listed island known for its cheese, wine and gin. Its laidback, lemon-scented charm blends Georgian architecture, Spain's oldest opera house, history, art and a monastery museum. By turquoise shores, visit the Royal Naval hospital, shop for famed shoes, hike butterfly-lined coastal paths and enjoy tapas in harbour tavernas. Celebrated yet discreet, it's a stylish place to go and not be seen.

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.