Jewels of The Med - ON10M309 Azamara Onward departing 4 Oct 2023

One of the world’s most beautiful cities also happens to be one of its most unusual. Venice is actually made up of over 120 islands in the Adriatic Sea. Because the city is connected by canals instead of streets, a good way to see Venice is on a romantic gondola ride. The epicenter of the city is St. Mark’s Square, where you’ll find the 900-year-old Basilica of St. Mark

A key commercial center with a Venetian past, Koper is Slovenia’s only deep-water port. Stroll the narrow streets of the “old city” to the Praetorian Palace, which could easily be the setting of a Renaissance drama, sip a coffee in the square, then visit the Cathedral of St. Nazarius, the largest in Slovenia.

Pula may be a relatively undiscovered gem by most modern-day travelers, but with its protected harbor and strategic location on the southern tip of Croatia’s Istrian Peninsula, it’s proven a popular hit with invaders. For almost 3,000 years, Pula has been home to everyone from the Romans, Ostrogoths, and Venetians to medieval knights and the Austro-Hungarian empire.

To visit Dubrovnik is to step back in time to the Middle Ages. The town is one massive museum, its thick walls constructed from the 13th to the 17th century encircle the entire city, and contain within them a treasure trove of striking architecture – squares, fountains, palaces, churches, and monasteries, all built from the same stone, line streets free of motor vehicles. Once the only city-state on the Adriatic to rival Venice, Dubrovnik has long been a center for Croatian culture, and home to artists and scholars of all disciplines. It is possible to circumnavigate the city atop the medieval walls.

One of the most beautiful islands in all of the Mediterranean, Corfu is said to cast a spell upon those who land upon its shores, which is perhaps why Shakespeare set his magical play, The Tempest, here. Millions of silvery olive trees grace the hillsides, the scent of lemon blossoms perfumes the air, and picturesque views of sapphire bays set against verdant hills capture your attention. A leisurely stroll through the narrow alleyways of Corfu old town will reveal many local treasures – old churches, a Byzantine cathedral, small enticing shops, and tavernas offering local wines and fresh seafood.

The capital and “heart” of the Greek Island of Kefalonia, Argostoli is a modern town with a traditional soul. Although devastated by a major earthquake in 1953, the city has been largely rebuilt, and there are still many places of myth and legend to explore. With its stunning display of stalactites and stalagmites, the famous Drogati Cave and underground Melissani Lake routinely top must-see lists. There’s also the vibrant central square, Plateia Valianou, with its many bars, restaurants and tavernas, and the picturesque Lithostroto, a pedestrian-only cobblestoned shopping street.

Gythion is a welcome reprieve from some of the more action-packed legendary sites in Greece, since an earthquake in the 4th century destroyed much of the ancient town. But that just means that rather than digging through thousands of years of history, you can spend the day in pursuit of here-and-now happiness.

Your daydream of a Greek island meets reality in Santorini – its whitewashed villages cling to cliff sides, and bright blue roofs reflect the sea and sky. So beautiful is it, that you can almost believe the myths that claim it as the birthplace of gods. Born itself as a volcanic cone, the island blew its top in 1450 BC, its center sank, and it assumed its current crescent shape, outlined by three main islands. The capital, Fira, a pedestrian haven with narrow, meandering cobblestone lanes, is reachable only by cable car, donkey, or for the fit and fearless, a flight of 600 steps.

Çeşme (Turkish pronunciation: [ˈtʃeʃme]) is a coastal town and the administrative centre of the district of the same name in Turkey’s westernmost end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula that also carries the same name and that extends inland to form a whole with the wider Karaburun Peninsula. It is a popular holiday resort and the district center, where two thirds of the district population is concentrated. Çeşme is located 85 km west of İzmir, the largest metropolitan center in Turkey’s Aegean Region. There is a six-lane highway connecting the two cities (Otoyol 32). Çeşme district has two neighboring districts, Karaburun to the north and Urla to the east, both of which are also part of İzmir Province. The name “Çeşme” means “fountain” and possibly draws reference from the many Ottoman fountains that are scattered across the city.

Istanbul is supremely exotic, warmly welcoming, and quite unique – after all, where else can you tour Europe and Asia on the very same afternoon? Must sees include Haghia Sophia, decorated in 30 million tiny mosaic tiles, the greatest church in Christendom for 1000 years, then a mosque and now a museum; and Topkapi, palace of sultans, complete with harem quarters. And of course shopping in the Grand Bazaar, a medieval version of a mall, for unusual gifts to take home, stopping along the way in a café for a cup of Turkish coffee or mint tea.

Istanbul is supremely exotic, warmly welcoming, and quite unique – after all, where else can you tour Europe and Asia on the very same afternoon? Must sees include Haghia Sophia, decorated in 30 million tiny mosaic tiles, the greatest church in Christendom for 1000 years, then a mosque and now a museum; and Topkapi, palace of sultans, complete with harem quarters. And of course shopping in the Grand Bazaar, a medieval version of a mall, for unusual gifts to take home, stopping along the way in a café for a cup of Turkish coffee or mint tea.