Syracuse (Italy) was one of Sicily’s most prestigious cities and at the height of its splendour competed with Athens. Visiting Syracuse is like stepping back in time to plunge oneself into the fabulous history of Sicily. Since its role as a central city of ancient Greece, numerous civilisations have followed one another to these shores, each leaving their mark. Arabs, Romans, Normans, Byzantines and Spanish influences give Syracuse its extraordinarily rich culture, a mosaic of perfumes, colours and flavours.

On the edge of Catania, Taormina (Italy) stands out against the slopes of Mount Tauro in the heart of a picturesque and charming location. Its ancient Greek theatre offers a magnificent panorama with the majestic Mount Etna, its lava flows still smoking, in the background.

Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily. The 12th-century Palermo Cathedral houses royal tombs, while the huge neoclassical Teatro Massimo is known for opera performances. Also in the center are the Palazzo dei Normanni, a royal palace started in the 9th century, and the Cappella Palatina, with Byzantine mosaics. Busy markets include the central Ballarò street market and the Vucciria,

Dominated by a fortified citadel, Lipari (Italy) is capital of the seven volcanic Aeolian Islands. Lipari is deservedly famous for its architectural and natural beauty as it embraces some stunning panoramas, pumice stone quarries and a “Castello” built on the ruins of an ancient Greek acropolis.

Generating a veritable explosion of intense emotions, the province of Salerno fascinates and enchants travellers. Its fascinating history will lead you to the extraordinary archaeological site of Pompeii, whose sprawling ruins provide a grandiose and moving vision of what a Roman city looked like in Imperial times. The city which was frozen in time under the ashes from the eruption of Mont Vesuvius offers you its peerless historical and cultural wealth, as well as the unique beauty of its location, which has earned it classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Gaeta takes its name from the legend of the nanny of Aeneas. This illustrious relationship can be seen in the nobility of this old town, built on a peninsula, at the end of a headland. In Roman times, Gaeta was already a renowned seaside destination; it fell under Byzantine domination then became an autonomous duchy and an independent republic. The fortifications that surround this ancient fort remind us of this rich history, as does the cathedral bell tower, an elegant building of both Roman and Moor influence, decorated with ceramic in the style of bell-towers of Amalfi.

The island of Elba is at the heart of the Tuscan Archipelago and presents a finely chiselled profile sheltering many pristine coves. Roman churches, Medicean fortresses and memories of Napoleon blend into the picture postcard that is Portoferraio (Italy). The town is one of the oldest on the island, the Ligurians, Etruscans and Greeks having shaped its history before it became a Roman colony. Here you can follow in the footsteps of Napoleon as you wind your way through the pastel-coloured houses protected by their two Medicean forts.

Nestled on a rocky spur in the north-west of Corsica, the port of Calvi offers its whiteness between two sapphire-coloured bays. Capital of the Balagne region, the Genoese city benefits from an exceptional natural setting between the abrupt relief of the central chain, fertile hills and long sandy beaches. From the promontory of the Notre-Dame-de-la-Serra chapel, built in the 19th century on the ruins of a 15th century sanctuary, you will not miss the sublime panorama of the seaside, the mountains and the Calvi citadel. A little further west, you will have the opportunity to discover with the peninsula of Revelatta, a wilder and more preserved part of Corsica.

Nice, capital of the Alpes-Maritimes department on the French Riviera, sits on the pebbly shores of the Baie des Anges. Founded by the Greeks and later a retreat for 19th-century European elite, the city has also long attracted artists. Former resident Henri Matisse is honored with a career-spanning collection of paintings at Musée Matisse. Musée Marc Chagall features some of its namesake's major religious works.