Ancient civilisations, from Italy to Greece

The city of Salerno, Italy, is situated on a gulf of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The city is within an easy distance of the dazzling Amalfi Coast. It is best known for being the home of the first University of Medicine in the world! Read more about Salerno, Italy

Catania, the second largest city in Sicily, lies in the middle of the Ionian coast. It is a lively energetic place with an international outlook. At its backdrop is the famous Mt. Read more about Catania, Italy

Gallipoli (Italy), located by the Ionian Sea on the west coast of the Salentina Peninsula, is also known as the "Ionian Pearl". The Old Town is built on a limestone island and linked to the mainland by a 16th C bridge. The walls and bastions surrounding the old town are believed to have been built in the 15th century to fend off pirate attacks, as the port was once part of an important trade route. Read more about Gallipoli, Italy

Parga is a town and municipality located in the NW of Greece in the region of Epirus. It lies on the Ionian coast between the cities of Preveza and Igoumenitsa. Tourism is rather new here and the number of foreign tourists is small so people are friendly, and the town still feels genuinely Grecian. Read more about Parga, Greece

The scenic seaside Greek town of Katakolon, with a population around 3,000, is your typical small-town cruise port with delightful cafes along the waterfront, shops that sell T-shirts, hats and jewellery, and a small beach that draws swimmers and sandcastle-builders. But that's not why ships make the town a destination. They arrive because Katakolon serves as the cruise gateway to ancient Olympia, just 40 km away, the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Read more about Katakolon, Greece

Today’s Corinth was built on the shores of the Gulf of Corinth in 1858 after an earthquake destroyed the former city which was situated near the ruins of ancient Corinth. Today’s Corinth is about 78 km SW of Athens, on the Corinthian Peninsula, ‘separated’ from the mainland by the Corinthian Canal. The city is surrounded by several coastal townlets and the inland townlets of Exmilia and perhaps, best known, the archaeological site of the ancient city just 5km to the SW. Read more about Corinth, Greece

Itea lies in a bay in the Gulf of Corinth and serves as the port from which to visit Delphi, situated on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, a place of stunning views. Renowned for having the most famous oracle in ancient Greece, it was considered to be the centre of the world. At the archaeological site you will see the remains of a theatre and a stadium where the Pythian festival - similar to the Olympic Games – was held. Read more about Itea, Greece

Nafplion (with a variety of spellings), the first capital of Greece, is situated on the Peloponnese Peninsula just a two and a half hour drive from Athens. Its picturesque harbour, with two mountains crowned by medieval fortresses overlooking the town. The small island fortress called the Bourtzi that once protected the harbour presents a scene that will ever be remembered. Read more about Nafplion, Greece

Hydra is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece, located in the Aegean Sea between the Saronic Gulf and the Argolic Gulf. In ancient times the island was known as Hydrea, which was a reference to the (now depleted) springs on the island. There is one main town, known simply as Hydra Port. Read more about Hydra, Greece

Athens, the capital and largest city of Greece, is also one of the world's oldest cities with an unparalleled history that spans around 3,400 years. Experiencing long periods of sunshine throughout the year, and known as "the cradle of Western civilisation", it is a 'must-see' destination for world travellers. The city contains a fascinating variety of different architectural styles, ranging from Greco-Roman through Neo-Classical, to Modern. Read more about Athens, Greece