12 Nights Europe, Mediterranean

Croatia's seaside city is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Attractions include a 14th-century Franciscan monastery, the Cathedral and the Gothic Rector's Palace. Within the ancient fortifications is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways and a striking Renaissance boulevard called the Stradun.

Croatia's seaside city is one of the best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Attractions include a 14th-century Franciscan monastery, the Cathedral and the Gothic Rector's Palace. Within the ancient fortifications is a labyrinth of narrow alleyways and a striking Renaissance boulevard called the Stradun.

Hvar, a Croatian island in the Adriatic Sea, is best known as a summer resort. Highlights of the port town Hvar include its 13th-century walls, a hilltop fortress and a main square anchored by the Renaissance-era Hvar Cathedral

Looking at a map of Europe, you might be forgiven for missing Kotor ? a tiny port in the already-tiny country of Montenegro. But from the moment your Kotor cruise docks, youll enter a larger-than-life world of mighty forts and towering sea cliffs, the air filled with the refreshing smell of the ocean. With a Montenegro cruise, you can explore the attractions inside Kotors fortified Old City, one of the Mediterraneans best-preserved medieval towns. Dont miss the Cathedral of St. Tryphon, an ornate church first consecrated in 1166. Then, scale St. Johns Fortress ? the hilltop fortifications, dating back to the 6th century, offer the best views of the city, the harbor and the surrounding mountains.

Durres is a port city on the Adriatic Sea in western Albania, west of the capital, Tirana. It's known for its huge Roman amphitheater. Nearby is a 9th-century church with mosaic-covered walls. The Archaeological Museum displays pieces from the Greek, Hellenistic and Roman periods

Sarande is a resort on the Albanian Riviera, in southern Albania. Sandwiched between the Ionian Sea and hills of olive groves, the town is on a horseshoe-shaped bay, edged by beaches and a promenade. In the center are the archaeological remains of a 5th-century synagogue, later an early Christian basilica. Intricate floor mosaics are still evident. The 16th-century Lëkurësi Castle is on a hilltop above the town.

Corfu was once ruled by Venetian doges, Turkish sultans and French invaders. Marvel at the 17th-century icons in St. George's Church, the medieval Palace of Phrourio and the 19th-century Achilleion Palace. The greenest of the Greek Isles, Corfu also boasts thriving vineyards and olive orchards among its rugged mountains.

The modern town of Delphi is situated immediately west of the archaeological site of the same name, and hence is a popular tourist destination. Delphi is also the name of the modern-day municipality in which the town of Delphi is situated

Itea is the gateway port to Delphi, considered by the ancient Greeks to be the centre of the earth. Delphi was once the site of an oracle of the earth Goddess Gaea. This oracle was the religious and moral capital of the classical world for many centuries.

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland, arguably making the peninsula an island. The canal was dug through the Isthmus at sea level and has no locks

Nafplio is a seaport town in the Peloponnese in Greece that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf

Greece's capital and its largest city was born atop the Acropolis, where ancient warrior-kings once dwelled. These ruins are a testament to the golden age of Greece, and the Parthenon is considered the most architecturally sophisticated temples of its time. Ancient Agora, a sprawling array of stones, slabs and foundations, was once the focal point of ancient Greek life.

Greece's capital and its largest city was born atop the Acropolis, where ancient warrior-kings once dwelled. These ruins are a testament to the golden age of Greece, and the Parthenon is considered the most architecturally sophisticated temples of its time. Ancient Agora, a sprawling array of stones, slabs and foundations, was once the focal point of ancient Greek life.

Greece's capital and its largest city was born atop the Acropolis, where ancient warrior-kings once dwelled. These ruins are a testament to the golden age of Greece, and the Parthenon is considered the most architecturally sophisticated temples of its time. Ancient Agora, a sprawling array of stones, slabs and foundations, was once the focal point of ancient Greek life.