A pleasant thing to do is simply sit down at one of the cafes overlooking the port of Marseilles and, sipping a Pastis, observe the landscape and the people who inhabit it. Also called the “Porpoise City “, Marseille is France’s sunniest town, charming with its gullies where you can swim, its history and culture and restaurants with cosmopolitan cuisine. You cannot leave without having first toured on the “Cours Julien”, the street for shopping. The port of Marseille is perhaps a typical tourist destination, but it deserves to be visited for the ferry that leaves from the Town Hall and the old church, which replaced a Templar building.

Above the port of Savona, the Priamar Fortress greets every departure and arrival of the Costa ships sailing in the Mediterranean. Genoa and its aquarium are nearby. The port of Savona, which you can explore during your cruise in Italy, is one of the prettiest of the Italian Riviera. The lovely climate, summers that are never to hot, mild winters and the exceptional beauty of the sea near the town makes Savona an excellent base to set out to explore Liguria. Savona is notable for the Priamar Fortress, which has dominated the town since the 16th century, and also for its historic centre where you can visit Savona Cathedral. A stop in Savona can also be an opportunity to visit the nearby city of Genoa and its narrow, picturesque streets, known as “caruggi”.

Naples is the heart of the Mediterranean. A unrivalled city where everything becomes a pleasant experience. The port of Naples is located right in the heart of the city and you can easily reach the city centre on foot. One of Italy’s symbolic cities: a cruise to Naples will immerse you in a universe of flavours and traditions that have developed during a history of almost 3,000 years. A shore excursion around Naples is like a visit to an open-air museum watched over by the majestic slopes of Vesuvius. The true soul of the city is Spaccanapoli in the ancient heart of the Decumani—the streets built in the Greco-Roman era—where you dodge mopeds as you stroll among the artisan workshops. It would be sacrilege to take a trip to Naples and not enter at least one of the over 500 churches in the old city. Take advantage of the break to visit Pompeii. You will be offered two shore excursions to immerse yourself in the heart of history and visit the ruins of this ancient Roman city. Then, let yourself be enchanted by the beauty of the landscapes between the Hill of Posillipo and Vesuvius. If you want to go shopping, take a trip to Spaccanapoli, the main artery of the city.

Costa Cruises stops in Catania on the Mediterranean cruise. This Sicilian city, proud of its ancient history, is a port that should not be missed. The stop in Catania will offer you both cultural visits, which are some of the most beautiful in Italy, and shore excursions full of wonderful surprises. Dynamic and full of energy, it will surprises with the richness of its old town and the unique sight of the lava layers on the slopes of Mount Etna. Catania, like Sicily, is rich in monuments, ancient traditions and sumptuous food, which it shares generously with the rest of the world. The port of Catania is located about 300 metres from the historic city centre. We suggest that you visit the Piazza del Duomo, symbol of the city. If you cross Via Crociferi, one of the city’s most famous streets, you come to Palazzo Biscari, one of the most impressive and majestic buildings in the whole of Sicily. Finally, you can see Mount Etna looking north, with its famous lava flows.

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

Capital of a province, with nearly three million inhabitants, Smirne (Izmir in Turkish) is Turkey’s second city, after Istanbul, thanks to its busy port and to the intense industrial activity which, from traditional fields tied to agriculture, has expanded to include shipbuilding, mechanical and chemical plants for oil refinery. Located within a beautiful bay, surrounded by lovely hills, the town has changed in the course of recent years, into a modern metropolis with an established urbanistic structure and new residencial areas.

Many say this is the most beautiful city in the world. What is certain is that it’s a unique city, the gateway to the East with a portion of its heart still in the West. The city of Istanbul is located on the border between Europe and Asia. It’s the largest city in Turkey and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The port of Istanbul is located on the Bosphorus, in Karaköy. From there you can easily reach the city centre on foot or by tram. During the stop you can take a walk to visit the main historical monuments and browse through the bazaars you will encounter along the way. Let yourself be carried away by this incredible experience and fascinating culture that unites Europe and Asia.

Many say this is the most beautiful city in the world. What is certain is that it’s a unique city, the gateway to the East with a portion of its heart still in the West. The city of Istanbul is located on the border between Europe and Asia. It’s the largest city in Turkey and is included on the UNESCO World Heritage list. The port of Istanbul is located on the Bosphorus, in Karaköy. From there you can easily reach the city centre on foot or by tram. During the stop you can take a walk to visit the main historical monuments and browse through the bazaars you will encounter along the way. Let yourself be carried away by this incredible experience and fascinating culture that unites Europe and Asia.

Crete is part of the history of the Mediterranean. The myth about Theseus, the Minotaur in the labyrinth of Knossos and Ariadne’s famous thread is among the best known in the world. The stop at Heraklion starts with a visit to the port of Crete. Situated in the centre of the island, this former British watchtower has a long history. You cannot land on the island that gave birth to the legend of the Minotaur without visiting the ancient Palace of Knossos. Its ancient Minoan ruins and its maze of corridors and rooms evoke the famous Greek myth of the labyrinth. Equally impressive is the island fortress of Spinalonga, which is well worth a visit. Heraklion embodies the charm of an era both ancient and medieval.

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.

A pleasant thing to do is simply sit down at one of the cafes overlooking the port of Marseilles and, sipping a Pastis, observe the landscape and the people who inhabit it. Also called the “Porpoise City “, Marseille is France’s sunniest town, charming with its gullies where you can swim, its history and culture and restaurants with cosmopolitan cuisine. You cannot leave without having first toured on the “Cours Julien”, the street for shopping. The port of Marseille is perhaps a typical tourist destination, but it deserves to be visited for the ferry that leaves from the Town Hall and the old church, which replaced a Templar building.