Ultimate Italy, French Riviera & the Mediterranean Islands

One of the world's great cities, Rome continues to dazzle and delight visitors with a potent mix of architectural marvels, continent-defining history and buzzing nightlife. As the saying goes, the city wasn't built in a day, and if you want to make the most of Rome you'll need to spend at least a couple of nights here. The Colosseum, the Vatican and the Forum are among the big ticket items, with the crowds to match, though in truth you will find history around almost every corner.

The faded port town of Livorno serves as a gateway to Tuscany’s star attractions. Wonderful Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is resplendent with beautiful architecture and unrivalled artistic treasures, while nearby Pisa is of course famous for its precarious Leaning Tower.

The colourful facades along Portovenere’s UNESCO-listed harbourfront make this one of the most picturesque villages on the Ligurian coast, and it has often been described as the ‘sixth town’ of the Cinque Terre. Wandering the narrow alleyways is a delight, and it’s worth the climb to the impressive hilltop Castle Doria.

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. This little principality enjoys a lovely setting, the villas and penthouses tumbling down the hillside towards the sweeping blue expanse of the Mediterranean.

Nice enjoys a marvellous setting on one of the most glorious stretches of the Côte d’Azur, the sweeping Bay of Angels, so it’s no wonder that tourists have been flocking here since the 19th century.

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.

The pretty Provençal fishing village of Sanary-sur-Mer is an agreeable place to spend a day, with a clutch of historic buildings and a lively open-air market. Sanary also has a fine literary heritage, home to a number of exiled German writers during the 1930s, and it was here that Aldous Huxley wrote ‘Brave New World’.

The little fishing village of Cassis is one of Provence's hidden gems, with a delightful little harbour where you can enjoy ‘bouillabaisse’, the famous seafood dish that was invented here. Cassis is also a base for boat trips to explore the picturesque limestone coves and inlets (known as ‘calanques’) that shape the surrounding coastline.

The pretty seaside resort of Collioure sits on French Catalonia’s Côte Vermeille, close to the border with Spain. The town has an impressive artistic heritage, providing the inspiration for the Fauvist movement amongst artists such as Matisse, Picasso and Bracque, and today there are more than 30 galleries and workshops.

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.

Although Ibiza is best known as a hedonistic party island, it’s easy to give the clubbers a swerve and discover the White Isle’s mellower side. The island boasts some spectacularly beautiful coastline, and the fortified Old Town (Dalt Vila) is UNESCO listed.

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.

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.

The Corsican port of Calvi is a popular summer destination for both sun-seeking tourists and the yachts of the super-rich, with a swanky harbour and five miles of beautiful beach. The town is said by some to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, and the skyline is dominated by the imposing 15th century Genoese citadel.

The island of Elba, just off the Tuscan coast, is where Napoleon Bonaparte was famously forced to live in exile between 1814-15. It’s hard to feel too sorry for him, though; the views from his plush Villa dei Mulini, situated high above the town of Portoferraio, are quite spectacular.

Porto Santo Stefano sits on the slopes of Monte Argentario, a promontory connected to the Tuscan coast by three slender spits of land. The port was subjected to frequent pirate raids until the Spanish fortified it in the 16th century, and the fortress still looms over the harbour.

Bonifacio sits atop brilliant white limestone cliffs on the southern tip of Corsica, with the harbour down below filled with fishing boats and glitzy yachts. The town's history as a Genoese stronghold, along with its proximity to Sardinia, means that the Italian influence is strong here.

Created in the 1950s and ‘60s by a group of investors including the Aga Khan, the resort of Porto Cervo was conceived as the perfect Mediterranean village, drawing on architectural influences from Spain, Italy, Greece and North Africa. It’s a glitzy retreat for the international jet set, at the heart of Sardinia’s glorious Costa Smeralda.

Ponza is the largest of the Pontine islands, situated out in the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west of Naples. Sometimes described as a more authentic alternative to Capri, the island is notable for its natural beauty and Neapolitan-influenced cuisine, and has a reputation as a hideaway for the rich and famous.

One of the world’s great cities, Rome continues to dazzle and delight visitors with a potent mix of architectural marvels, continent-defining history and buzzing nightlife. The Colosseum, the Vatican and the Forum are among the big ticket items, with the crowds to match, though in truth you will find history around almost every corner.