10 Nights Europe, Mediterranean

The capital of Catalonia boasts the bustle of the world's busiest seaport, the medieval romance of its Gothic Quarter, and a feast of Catalan Art Nouveau buildings - including the great creations of Antonio Gaudí. The "Great Enchantress" remains one of the most exhilarating cities in Europe, decorated with the grandeur of Picasso, Miró and Dalí.

Alicante's exceptional location between the mountains and the sea provides the city with a special kind of enrapturing beauty. Located in Spain's Valencia region, it is a lively town guarded by a 16th century fortress.

This Balearic Island has a split personality. It's a 2,600-year-old Phoenician island steeped in monumental Renaissance architecture. It's also an offbeat, uncanny party spot known for one of the hottest club scenes in the world.

The city of Palma is located on the southern side of Mallorca, the largest the Spanish Balearic islands. Though it has its fair share of cultural attractions, Mallorca's predominant crowd-pullers are the Serra de Tramuntana mountains range and the sun-splashed beaches.

Sete is the charming port in a relatively unspoiled area in the South of France that leads you to Carcassonne, a walled city whose high-spirited summer festivals, boutiques and cafes lure traffic away from the French Riviera. It was the 12th century site of Europe's first medical school.

Toulon combines the bustle of a major French port with the breezy ambiance of a Mediterranean resort town. Against the backdrop of looming Mont Faron, beaches and café-lined promenades line a harbor filled with historic naval ships, luxury yachts, and colorful fishing boats.

This French city, known for its fine Corsican cuisine and its array of cafes, is the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Partake in the city's adulation of him and visit The Napoleon Museum and his birthplace, The Bonaparte Museum. The Museum Fesch houses one of the most important collections of Italian paintings in France.

Monte Carlo is majestically situated just a few kilometres from the Italian Riviera - between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea. Known for its sumptuous boutiques, palatial luxury hotels and chic restaurants, Monte Carlo offers cultured glitz and glamour in a romantic setting.

This beautiful coastal town is idyllically situated on a harbour, and is thus one of the world's favoured yachting locales. A little parish church of San Giorgio, built on the site of a sanctuary that Roman soldiers dedicated to the Persian god Mithras, offers an unparalleled panoramic view of the port and the bay.

Tuscany's second largest city has the aura of an authentic Mediterranean port and revels in its ancient maritime tradition. The Old Fortress, a grandiose five-sided complex built to protect the port, is one of the most important monuments dating back to the Medici dynasty.

The "Eternal City", with its 2,700 years of ancient history, is simply incomparable. Its formidable legacy is rooted in a plethora of masterpieces, including The Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, The Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, St. Peter's Basilica and Piazza Novana.