Atlantic to Aegean Odyssey – Miami to Athens

People-watchers will enjoy South Beach’s Ocean Drive, while architecture buffs will love the Art Deco District. If you’re looking for something a bit different, there are world-class museums and shopping venues too. In Miami, there really is something for everyone.

Visit the Bermuda National Gallery, the Anglican cathedral and the Houses of Parliament. The islands of Bermuda have more golf courses per capita than any other country in the world. On the southern coast you can experience the famous pink sand beaches.

Breathtaking vistas await throughout this beautiful island. Take a cable car up to Monte for spectacular views of the botanical gardens and the charming town. Drive along the coast to a village where Winston Churchill painted seascapes or out to the stunning cliffs of Cabo Girão and enjoy a visit to a quaint fishing village.

Volcanic in origin, Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. While in port, you’ll notice the Auditorium of Tenerife, an amazing, organic structure that instantly became an icon when completed in 2003. Another modern landmark is the Oscar Domínguez Institute, a contemporary art gallery named after the 20th century surrealist. For a respite from the urban environment, visit the Palmetum, a botanical garden with more than 400 species of palms.

Soft breezes caress this small volcanic island just 79 miles off the west coast of Africa. A land of contrasts: you can explore some of the world’s most spectacular caves in the morning and relax on a white sand beach in the afternoon.

Agadir is the capital of the Agadir Ida-U-Tanan Prefecture and of the Souss-Massa economic region. The majority of its inhabitants speak Amazigh language, one of the two official languages of Morocco. It was the locale for the Agadir Crisis of 1911 between France and Germany that presaged the First World War.

Visit the ornate Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery and stroll the narrow, winding streets of the charming Alfama district. Enjoy marvelous old Sintra, a royal country retreat, and Cascais, a beautiful seaside resort. Explore medieval Obidos or make a pilgrimage to Fatima, where the Virgin Mary appeared repeatedly to three shepherd children in 1917.

Situated on the sun-kissed coastline of Algarve, Portimão is a colorful city with a bustling waterfront and a charming city center decorated with parks and plazas. The Museum of Portimão traces the history of human settlement in the area as far back as the Roman and Islamic periods. Enjoy beautiful views and explore hidden caves on a scenic boat trip up the coast and along the Rio Arade.

Spend a fabulous day in Seville visiting the magnificent cathedral, climbing the famed Giralda Tower and strolling through the gorgeous Alcazar and its gardens. See the ceramic-encrusted Plaza de España and stroll through the alleys of Barrio de Santa Cruz. Or explore the Andalusian wine country and Jerez, the home of sherry. Don’t miss the charm of Cádiz with its gracious squares, its flower-filled parks on the city bastions and its bustling markets.

Explore the Mendoubia Gardens, which contain a fascinating banyan tree that is more than 800 years old. Or experience a more traditional Morocco in Tetouan, a mountain city of grace and culture and the location of the beautiful white royal palace. The Caves of Hercules are nine miles west of Tangier in the Cap Spartel area; it is a place of great beauty and archaeological significance.

Go to the top of the Rock and admire the view across the Mediterranean and up the peninsula into Spain. Feed peanuts to the famed Barbary Apes and visit St. Michael’s Cave, a fascinating cavern once lived in by Neolithic peoples and visited by early Romans. See the quaint fishing village along the coast and enjoy the colorful town.

Spend a day in Granada seeing the magnificent Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, last stronghold of the Moors, or venture into the mountains to the picturesque Mijas, one of Andalusia’s dazzling “white” towns. Explore delightful Málaga, its Alcazaba, Roman theater and beautiful cathedral, or discover the charming resorts of Marbella and Puerto Banus along the famed Costa del Sol.

This walled city has always been a major naval port due to its natural harbor and strategic location. Enjoy a hilltop view from Concepción Castle, which served as a fortress for the Carthaginians, Romans and other peoples who once occupied the city. Visit the 1st century B.C. Roman Theater, the remains of the 13th century Cathedral of Santa Maria and the Naval Museum. For modernist architecture, see the City Hall, Grand Hotel and Casino.

Lying on Spain’s radiant Costa Blanca, Alicante exudes a rare beauty. Lovely Baroque buildings cluster around the historic central district. Marble plazas grace its broad waterfront boulevard, the illustrious Explanada de España. Pristine beaches like San Juan hug the shoreline. It’s no surprise that Alicante is popular year-round. Venture to the grand Castle of Santa Barbara overlooking the city and walk from its high towers down into the dungeon. Stop for a glass of refreshing sangria in the Old Quarter. Behold the masterpieces hanging in the Gravina Museum of Fine Arts, a former 18th century palace.

With its youthful spirit and natural beauty, the Balearic island of Ibiza (or “Eivissa,” as it’s known locally) appeals to those who love the outdoors. The beach-blessed coastline is majestically rugged, and the hills are covered with olive and fig trees. The capital of Ciudad de Ibiza offers a multitude of diversions, especially in the historic Dalt Vila district. Visit its 16th century Castle of Ibiza and the churches and Museum of Contemporary Art inside the fortified walls. With its cobblestone streets, Ibiza is a scenic city to walk. Two of the most popular beaches are Talamanca and Ses Figueretes.

Explore this beautiful island beginning with the magnificent Seo Cathedral and Bellver Castle. See the windmills and impressive manor house in the verdant countryside. Discover the amazing natural wonders in the Drach Caves. And for romance, visit the former Carthusian monastery in Valldemosa, where George Sand and Chopin spent a winter.

Visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral and the amazing La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece. Enjoy the lovely Montjuic Gardens, Gaudí’s other fabulous structures, the charming squares of the old Gothic Quarter and the Ramblas, Barcelona’s famed downtown promenade. Or visit beautiful Montserrat and its monastery in a breathtaking setting high in the mountains.

Located on the eastern shores of Spain’s Costa Brava, Palamos is a small and walkable city with beautiful beaches and a lovely promenade lined with restaurants and cafés. Learn about the history and the art of fishing at the popular Fishing Museum. Travel outside the city to visit the renowned Dali Museum, where the museum itself is as much of an attraction as the works of Salvador Dali that adorn its walls.

Spend a glorious day in the French countryside seeing beautiful hilltop Les Baux; or Arles, where Van Gogh found so much inspiration; or magnificent Carcassonne with its towers, turrets, half-timbered houses and superb nave of the 11th century Basilica de Saint-Nazaire. Or explore fortified Aigues Mortes in the heart of the Petite Camargue, surrounded by ponds, marshes and saltpans.

See the sights and enjoy the views of historic old Marseille and visit the charming fishing port of Cassis. Or venture into the celebrated Provençal countryside with its fields of lavender and sunflowers. Explore lovely Aix or stroll through Avignon and its Papal Palace and the hilltop village of Les Baux.

Lying on a natural harbor on the French Riviera, Toulon is France’s principal naval base, and the waterfront is always full of life. Designed around stately fountains and small squares, the Old City is tucked between the harbor and boulevard de Strasbourg, and its Cathédrale Saint-Marie-Majeure is noteworthy for its Romanesque architecture. The city is also rich in history, much of it on display in the marine museum and the Museum of Toulon, celebrated for its Provençal paintings. For the ultimate view of Toulon, ride the cable car to Mount Faron.

Stroll through the narrow streets of Napoleon’s birthplace, visit the bustling, colorful market, browse in the shops and see the cathedral where he was baptized. Relax in shady Place Foch beside a bubbling fountain and Napoleon’s statue. Or discover the stunning, rugged Corsican countryside and its famous aromatic maquis shrubs and oak trees. Admire the superb views and the impressive Prunelli Gorges.

Stroll through picturesque Portofino and Santa Margherita. Be awed by the stunning scenery as you explore the beautiful coastal resorts of Ravello, Sestri Levante or San Fruttuoso by local boat and on foot.

Spend a glorious day amidst the fabled architecture of this Renaissance city. See the Duomo with Brunelleschi’s dome, the famous baptistry, Michelangelo’s magnificent David, the bridge over the Arno and the astonishing Uffizi Gallery. Visit Pisa’s superb Campo dei Miracoli and its beautiful cathedral and famed campanile. Or enjoy the Tuscan countryside, Siena and San Gimignano, renowned for its medieval towers. Shopping: Find leather goods, lingerie, gold jewelry, Florentine mosaic, lace, marbled paper items, antiques and fine art. Dining: Savor the prosciutto, pecorino cheese and infinite variety of breads, cakes and salamis.

Portoferraio is a town and comune in the province of Livorno, on the edge of the eponymous harbour of the island of Elba. It is the island’s largest city. Because of its terrain, many of its buildings are situated on the slopes of a tiny hill bordered on three sides by the sea.

Travel to Rome and revel in the magnificent monuments, from the ancient Roman Forum and Coliseum to the splendor of St. Peter’s Basilica with Michelangelo’s Pietà and his breathtaking frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. Or enjoy a drive through the lush farmlands of the Roman countryside to lovely medieval Castelgandolfo.

Salerno is a port city southeast of Naples, in Italy. Atop Monte Bonadies, the centuries-old Arechi Castle has sea views, plus Museo Medievale del Castello, exhibiting medieval ceramics and coins. In town, built on the ruins of a Roman temple, is Salerno Cathedral. It has Byzantine bronze doors, a baroque crypt and a marble altar. The terraced Minerva’s Garden has been growing medicinal plants since the 14th century.

Perched on a low-lying, palazzi-dotted promontory on Sicily’s western coast, Trapani reveals a hint of its medieval past in its historic core’s tightly knit maze of narrow streets. The rebuilt 14th century Cathedral of St. Lawrence and the grand Sanctuary of the Annunciation, which holds a fascinating regional museum, are nuggets well worth a visit. Wandering the Villa Margherita public gardens makes for a relaxing afternoon.

Meander through Tunis’ 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.

Destroyed by an earthquake in the 17th century, Catania has been beautifully restored and offers ancient churches, castles and amphitheaters, lush gardens and lovely palazzos to explore. Tour the 13th century Ursino Castle, which was situated along the coast until earthquakes and volcanic eruptions transformed the landscape. Drive inland through picturesque villages and explore Villa Romana del Casale, a 4th century villa and UNESCO World Heritage Site containing a complex collection of Roman mosaics considered one of the finest in the Roman world.

Visit ancient Olympia where the Olympic Games began in 776 B.C. and stroll around this deserted sanctuary, admiring the temples, altars and treasuries, and stand on the ground where ancient athletes practiced before competing. Or enjoy a pleasant drive through the countryside past quaint villages to a local vineyard and sample the wines, local cheeses and other foods.

In Monemvasia, known as the “Gibraltar of the East,” discover an ancient castle and Byzantine churches, a monastery dating back to 1150 in the uninhabited Upper Town, and the Muslim mosque, which houses the citys archaeological collection and is located in the fortified Lower Town. Or travel inland to Mystras, the last Byzantine stronghold against the invading Ottomans, perched high on a Peloponnesian hill.

Visit the beautiful whitewashed hilltop towns of Oia and Fira and their breathtaking views of the caldera below. See the stunning artifacts in Fira’s museum, including recent finds from the excavation of Akrotiri, thought by many to be the legendary city of Atlantis, or visit a winery. Stroll through the winding streets with fantastic views around every corner.

Meander through the ruins of ancient Ephesus and marvel at the famed Library of Celsus, the huge amphitheater, the marble roads with their chariot marks, the amazing mosaic sidewalks and the superb, rarely opened Terrace Houses. Or journey to three monumental cities of antiquity – Priene, Miletus and Didyma – renowned for their majestic temples and impressive, beautifully preserved stadiums.

Climb up the magnificent Acropolis and stand in awe of the Parthenon, the beautiful temples and the view over Athens stretched out before you. See city highlights including the new and old Olympic stadiums. Journey to Cape Sounion and the temple of Poseidon overlooking the sea, or visit ancient Corinth and the narrow Corinth Canal cut through miles of solid rock.