Mediterranean

Few destinations can match the Mediterranean's extraordinary concentration of history, beauty, and culinary excellence. A single voyage can take you from the Colosseum in Rome to the Acropolis in Athens, from the marble-paved streets of Dubrovnik to the caldera-edge villages of Santorini. For thousands of years, civilisations have risen and fallen along these shores, leaving behind a legacy of architecture, art, and gastronomy that continues to captivate the world.

The Western Mediterranean offers Spain's sun-soaked Costa Brava, the glamour of the French Riviera, the colourful fishing villages of the Cinque Terre, and the baroque splendour of Valletta, Malta. Heading east, the Greek islands scatter across the Aegean in their hundreds, each with its own distinct character. Turkey's Aegean coast reveals ancient Ephesus and the turquoise bays of Bodrum, while Croatia's Dalmatian coast offers a string of medieval walled cities and pristine national parks.

Mediterranean cruises are available year-round, though the shoulder seasons of April–June and September–October offer the finest combination of warm weather, manageable crowds, and superb light.