Explore the Greek Isles, Greece, Turkey & Italy

Rome seems to have its own gravitational pull, attracting not only millions of tourists each year, but also the most creative artists and thinkers of every era. All that surrounds a visitor in Rome—the stunning art and architecture, the grandeur of scale and the lively (almost hyper-animated) citizens—guarantees an unforgettable trip.

Naples is located in the beautiful Campania region, and many visitors use the city as a base to explore the surrounding areas, particularly Mount Vesuvius, the amazingly preserved cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri. Within Naples itself, historic sights are so numerous that you can’t help but come across them. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best in the world, and the Museo di Capodimonte houses a collection of art that includes the Farnese Collection and rivals the Uffizi in Florence. Strolling along the Gulf of Naples with Mount Vesuvius in the background, you can quickly forget the chaos of the Centro Storico.

The third largest settlement on the island of Sicily, Messina is an interesting mixture of old and new architecture, as much of the city had to be rebuilt following earthquakes in the 19th and 20th centuries. Be sure to visit the Piazza del Duomo to see Orologio Astronomico, the world’s largest astronomical clock.

Valletta is Malta’s delightful capital city and a World Heritage site. During a visit in 1830, British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli described Valletta as “a city of palaces built by gentlemen, for gentlemen.” Indeed, what better place to construct lavish buildings and store valuable objects than in a well-fortified city? Although defense was foremost in their minds, the Knights of Malta couldn’t have chosen a more scenic spot for their headquarters: The hilly peninsula between two large natural harbors provides wonderful views in nearly every direction.

Set like gems in the sparkling blue Aegean Sea, each of the Cyclades islands has its own character. For Mykonos, the local culture is a mix of the sacred and the profane. This island is the gateway to the neighboring unoccupied island of Delos, the sacred center of the Cyclades. Mykonos Town, the capital, is the center of activity on the island. Don’t let its reputation for bacchic behavior discourage you from visiting. Go during the daytime if you want to experience a more traditional side of town. Take time to stroll its warrenlike streets, many of which are no wider than a sidewalk. On each side are smooth, whitewashed cubes whose doors and windows are splashed with bright colors. Bougainvilleas, clematis and geraniums cascade from the wooden balconies.

For the better part of two millennia, Istanbul, Turkey, has been one of the greatest cities in the world, and it remains one of the most vibrant and magical places in Europe and the Middle East. It is not the capital of Turkey—that honor was bestowed on Ankara in the 1920s—but Istanbul is the country’s largest city, its main commercial, historical and cultural center and the heart of its tourism industry

Kusadasi is one of Turkey’s coastal megaresort cities and is particularly popular with visitors from Northern Europe who throng its lively Bar Street in summer. At first glance, little remains of Scala Nuova, the town that stood there in the Middle Ages. However, near the port stands a massive 17th-century caravanserai (caravan traveler’s inn) that today plays host to “Turkish Night” entertainment. Today the port plays host to numerous cruise ships throughout summer, which means that the shops in the center are often frantically busy for a few hours in the middle of the day. Their prices inevitably reflect the presence of a captive clientele with little time to compare.

Santorini, the southernmost of the Greek Cyclades, has to be one of the world’s most dramatically beautiful islands. Its unique topography is the result of a massive volcanic eruption some 3,600 years ago, which blew the middle out of the island to create a caldera, a volcanic crater filled with deep blue water from the Mediterranean Sea.

Piraeus may not have the cosmopolitan cachet and renown of Athens, but for those seeking a slice of genuine, informal Greek atmosphere, it is well worth exploring.