Mediterranean Serenade - 17 nights, September 2013

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.

Explore inside the ancient city walls where a beguiling honeycomb of plazas, promenades, enchanting ruins and churches cluster around the gold-domed baroque cathedral. Saunter beneath sweeping palms, soak up astonishing sea views or simply watch the world go by in this busy, buzzing port. Alternatively head to Seville and soak up the atmosphere of the flamenco.

Sir Walter Scott’s declaration that Valletta is ‘A city built by gentlemen for gentlemen’ is epitomized by the superbly landscaped parks and palaces preserved within the imposing16th century sand-hued fortifications that loom out of the blue waters. Take a visit to the fascinating National War Museum where you can view the George Cross awarded to the island for Malta’s remarkable role in World War II.

Can any city match up to the romance of Venice? As the warm sunset casts its balmy glow over the charming canals it’s hard to imagine it possible. Explore the maze of markets and cafés by gondola before heading to Harry’s Bar to sip its famous Bellini cocktail. It won’t take long on one of Venice’ peaceful canals, beneath a beautiful bridge, for you to fall for this extraordinary city’s spell.

Acknowledged as ‘The Pearl of the Adriatic’ Dubrovnik is truly an amazing destination to visit. Its history is as rich and intriguing as the first sight of it looming out of crystalline waters is breathtaking. The Old Town was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979 and it is no wonder as you discover its morning market piled with fresh flowers, cheese and fish.

Explore the legacies of Greek, Roman and Venetian Empires or simply marvel at nature’s treasures on this beautiful island swathed in emerald green, lapped by turquoise waters and fringed with golden sand. The once pastel colours on Venetian buildings may have faded, but the welcoming scent of eucalyptus, fig and lemon trees are fragrant as ever.

Only three miles from mainland Italy, Messina sits on Sicily’s North-Eastern tip under Mt Etna’s unerring gaze. Set your watches! One of Messina’s undoubted attractions is the astronomical clock housed inside a soaring bell tower on the Piazza del Duomo. Its midday show of bronze mythological figures and roaring lions is a spectacle to behold.

Grab a cable car to carry you up the ancient Pillar of Hercules for views that will leave you breathless. For the wildlife enthusiast in you there’s a stop to appreciate the diverse birdlife and to meet those famous Barbary Apes, of course! Beneath Gibraltar’s white cliffs grow a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. No fewer than 600 varieties of flowers grow here, some found nowhere else on Earth.

The United Kingdom's premier passenger ship port, Southampton was home to the great transatlantic liners of yesteryear. The port serves as your gateway to Southern England’s magnificent historic sites, national landmarks, charming villages as well as the great metropolis of London. Southampton is the ideal starting or ending point for a memorable voyage.