Mediterranean and UAE from Barcelona

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain with three million inhabitants, a dominating port in northern Mediterranean with one of the most renowned and important universities in the world. The city is a very rich commercial centre, where industrial operations crucial to the Spanish economy take place. In fact, Catalans have always considered their region unique compared with the other Spanish regions and we can find its roots in the power exercised by Barcelona for four hundred years at least on Spanish monarchy and on European commercial events.

The origins of Messina are uncertain, as is the case with other cities on the island of Sicily. The first evidence of the city concerns Zancle, its first name, as baptised by Zanclon, a character of mystery and legend. The historical centre of the city was constructed by the Phoenicians who made Messina a flourishing commercial centre, followed by Greek colonists from Cumae and Euboea.

The cradle of Greek culture, Athens welcomes us to its port of Piraeus, watching us from above the wonderful Acropolis. Piraeus is the port of Athens, the largest in Europe, allowing you to visit the city, a place of dreams. A place of emigration, it has inspired numerous songs. Most ships will be making a stop in Athens before resuming the Mediterranean route or returning to the Atlantic. Take the time to visit the Acropolis and maybe the museum located at its base. Before flying out, enjoy the spectacle of a sunset at Capo Sunio. Try not to visit the city when it’s too hot in summer, much of the population moves out of town. Not to be missed: • The mythical Parthenon • The Ancient Agora • The Olympic Stadium

Its history lies in the pages of a thousand books enclosed in the world’s most famous library, the library of Alexandria in Egypt, the crossroad of cultures. Acclaimed a thousand times for its library and lighthouse, Alexandria has always been a crossroads of civilisations. Even today, the port of Alexandria welcomes the whole world into its cultural heritage. During the stop in Alexandria, Egypt, visit the site where the lighthouse once stood and don’t forget to stroll along the entire scenic route. Visit the new library that proudly honours its illustrious ancestor. Check out this welcoming population that will have you trying a thousand recipes with beans and let yourself be seduced by the local pastries.

Your stop in Jordan will be a dream: from Aqaba you can easily reach the beautiful lost city of Petra. Take advantage of this stop in the port of Aqaba to discover one of the finest jewels of the Red Sea. Aqaba, Jordan’s only port city that hosts the country’s only seaport, is known worldwide for its beautiful seaside resorts, famous dive sites and renowned tourist spots. During your stay, don’t miss the opportunity to visit the beautiful city of Petra, a historic site and one of the 7 wonders of the world. You can also visit the marine park and other city attractions.

Salalah is the country’s second largest city, the administrative capital of the region of Dhofar and lies over 1,000 km from the capital Muscat. Its climate is temperate all year round thanks to the influence of monsoons making Salalah a tropical city with lush vegetation: agriculture provides plenty of fresh fruit and coconuts. However there is much more to the economy of the region than agriculture: fabric and leather production, handicrafts, fishing and also shipyards and especially tourism are the main resources of a growing economy. In spite of the rather closed character typical of the era prior to Qaboos Bin Said’s government, the town has a multicultural side: the largest immigrant community is Indian with its own private school, “Indian School Salalah”. Indians make up 14% of the population today, followed by Pakistanis (8%) and by other ethnic immigrant groups

Muscat is a city with many points of interest, from natural freshwater pools, parks and nature reserves to plenty of unspoilt, soft sandy beaches and an abundance of marine life.

As one of the most important cities in the United Arab Emirates, Dubai has everything to meet a holidaymakers needs. The year round sunshine and excellent soft sandy beaches along the Jumeriah coast are ideal for those wanting to relax. For the more active, there are watersports to be enjoyed in the warm waters of the Persian Gulf. One of Dubai’s highlights is the Gold Souks, where gold glistens in the windows of endless rows of shops. Shopping here is a must – the duty free status of the city means there are plenty of bargains to be found.