Malta, Balearics & Spain Star Flyer departing 22 Oct 2023

The Knights of St. John put Malta on the map in 1565 when they withstood an invasion of 30,000 Turks with only 700 Knights. For that a grateful Europe gave them the means to build the city of Valleta. And a beautiful city it is. See the graves of the Knights guarded by masterpieces by Caravaggio in the imposing St. John’s Co-Cathedral. Marvel at frescos in the Palace of the Grand Knights. Or drive to the ancient ruins of Hagar Qim, where Neolithic temples more than 5,500 years old are believed to be the oldest human structures on earth.

Legend says that Ulysses tarried with the goddess Calypso on Gozo, hence it’s original name of Calypso’s Isle. And no wonder he didn’t want to leave – her cave overlooks an enchanted lagoon of gin-clear water surrounded by tall cliffs called the Inland Sea. Look out to the blue Mediterranean through the Azure Window, a soaring arch of rock spanning sky and sea, carved by eons of wind and water.

Cagliari is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia. It’s known for the hilltop Castello, a medieval walled quarter situated high over the rest of the town. Architectural highlights include the 13th-century Cagliari Cathedral. Housed in a former arsenal, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari displays bronze objects, Roman ceramics and artifacts from the Nuragic age to the Byzantine era.

You can see why Lord Nelson choose this spot as the base for the British Mediterranean fleet during the Napoleonic Wars. Imagine dozens of ships of the line, being fitted out for battle in this historic harbor. Reminders of those times can still be seen in the gracious Georgian buildings that climb the steep hills backing the Moll Ponent. Mahon’s heritage also includes the invention of mayonnaise and the first distillation of gin from juniper berries.

Towering over the harbor, Palma’s enormous Gothic cathedral is a powerful symbol of the religious fervor which gripped all of Spain shortly after the defeat of the Moors. Built by Jaumé I, its vast open nave and soaring Gothic columns have been added to over the centuries. Behind the Cathedral, a maze of twisting streets leads to designer boutiques and open-air markets.

Ibiza is a place where people hang out because they can let it all hang out. With a wildly mixed population of trendy artists, aging hippies, laid-back ex-pats, and dedicated club goers, Ibiza has a well-earned reputation for the bizarre and outrageous. Except for the medieval walls, you could almost think it was the Med’s version of Key West. But away from the hustle of town, some lovely beaches await.

Cartagena is a port city and naval base in the Murcia region of southeast Spain. Founded by the Carthaginians around 220 B.C., the city boomed during the Roman period. Among its many Roman ruins are a 1st-century B.C. theater and Casa de la Fortuna, a villa with murals and mosaics. The Muralla Púnica (Punic Wall) interpretation center houses the remains of a 3rd-century B.C. defensive wall.

The town of Motril is located in the Spanish region of Andalucia on the Costa Tropical. Nestling at the foothills of the Sierra Lujar mountains, Motril lies at the heart of the Costa Tropical which is one of the most lush and productive agricultural areas of Spain. The town’s coastal strip includes two main beaches – the busiest being Playa Poniente, which is well served with tourist facilities, and the quieter Playa Granada. There are also many sheltered coves, rocky inlets and impressive cliff faces along this stretch of coastline making it popular with divers, snorkelers and sailors.

When the Moors crossed over from Africa to Andalucía in 714, they were to establish a kingdom that would become the glory of the Middle Ages. Malaga’s fortress palace of the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro are splendid examples of Moorish architecture. But it is in Granada that you can see the most romantic and magnificent expression of the Arabesque style in the glorious Alhambra Palace. Ferdinand and Isabella lived here for a while, as did Washington Irving, author or Tales of the Alhambra