Monte-Carlo to Barcelona

Renowned for its casino, its Grand Prix and its oligarch-friendly tax policies, Monte Carlo is glamour and hedonism personified, with a price tag to match. Wedged between Italy and France on the Côte d'Azur, this little principality enjoys a lovely setting, the villas and penthouses tumbling down the hillside towards the sweeping blue expanse of the Mediterranean. Most visitors won't feel the need (or be able to afford) to stay more than a day or two, but the Prince's Palace and the Oceanographic Museum are both well worth a visit. Enter the casino at your own risk...

Ever since Brigitte Bardot put Saint Tropez on the map with the seminal ‘And God Created Woman’ in 1956, this diminutive fishing village on the French Riviera has been a magnet for the international glitterati.

Smaller than Mallorca and mellower than Ibiza, Menorca is rightly feted for its beautiful, unspoilt beaches. The laid back capital, Mahón, is set on the Mediterranean’s largest natural harbour, and the city’s striking Georgian architecture is a reminder of the 18th century British occupation of the island.

Mallorca is renowned for its beaches, ranging from big, bustling resorts to small, secluded coves. The island interior offers ruggedly beautiful scenery and quaint little towns, while the charming capital, Palma, boasts an attractive old quarter dominated by the imposing Gothic cathedral.

From the warren-like medieval streets of the Barri Gòtic to the fantastical modernist architecture of Antoni Gaudí, from the dizzy heights of Mount Tibidabo to the golden sands of Barceloneta, there’s never a dull moment in Barcelona.