21-Day Jewels Of The Adriatic & Aegean

This is one of those destinations that really does live up to the hype! Istanbul is the place where East meets West, where Asia Minor reaches out across the Bosphorus and almost touches Europe. In its earlier incarnation as Constantinople, the city was the eastern bastion of the Byzantine Empire, holding out for centuries before finally capitulating to the Ottomans in 1453, and it remains a bristling, bustling cultural melting pot, the skyline dotted with magnificent minarets and domes.

Çanakkale occupies a key strategic location guarding the Dardanelles, at the meeting point of the Aegean and the Sea of Marmara. This region of Turkey is full of historical interest, including the battlefields of the disastrous Gallipoli campaign and the ruins of ancient Troy.

The Turkish port of Izmir, formerly the Greek city of Smyrna, is a liberal and progressive place where the secularism of Ataturk remains strong. During the Ottoman era this was a melting pot of ethnic groups including Armenians, Jews and Italians, and a cosmopolitan atmosphere persists to this day.

Saint John is said to have written the Book of Revelations in a cave on Patmos, and today the spot is marked by the hillside Monastery of the Apocalypse. As well as spirituality, the island is known for its beaches and upmarket vibe, with a scattering of stylish restaurants and bars.

Sun-kissed Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese islands, is steeped in history; the medieval heart of Rhodes Town was once home to the crusading Knights of St John, and later fell to the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The hillside village of Lindos, with its pretty whitewashed houses, is another highlight.

The island of Spetses lies just off the coast of the Peloponnese, and is popular as a second home for well-to-do Athenians. Wander the streets of charming Spetses Town and you’ll find some excellent restaurants, while the surrounding countryside is a verdant landscape of pine forest and gently rolling hills.

Athens is a city awash with historical and cultural significance, but it's much more than an open air museum; this is a dynamic, bustling metropolis, and a place where history is still very much unfolding.

The little fishing town of Gythion was once the seaport for ancient Sparta, though these days it’s a pretty sleepy place. Take a stroll around the picturesque streets and soak up the atmosphere, with pastel-hued houses, balconies draped in bougainvillea and some great little seafood restaurants.

We never fail to be moved when we see the terracotta roofs and honey-golden walls of Dubrovnik, and a stroll around the perfectly preserved old town is a highlight of any visit to the Dalmatian coast. Make sure you take the time to walk around the walls and soak up the marvellous sea views.

Hvar is the most popular of Croatia’s islands, a ruggedly beautiful place carpeted with lavender fields and dotted with little villages. The island’s capital, Hvar Town, is a charming collection of marble streets arranged around a harbour, and it gets very busy in the summer months.

Located on the quieter northern stretch of Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, the walled port city of Zadar is an intriguing blend of old and new, where Roman ruins and psychedelic modern art installations sit alongside one another.

Pretty little Piran grew rich thanks to the salt trade, and thrived under both the Venetian Republic and the Austro-Hungarian empire. The well-preserved old town is the highlight of Slovenia’s short stretch of coastline, set on a small peninsula jutting out into the Adriatic.

Venice is a city like no other, a marble maze of turquoise canals criss-crossed by beautiful bridges, overflowing with palaces, churches and charming little piazzas. No matter how many times you’ve seen it in photographs, that first glimpse of the Grand Canal will simply take your breath away.

Vodice is a popular tourist resort on the Dalmatian coast, situated close to the charming city of Šibenik, with its compact medieval centre, UNESCO-listed Gothic-Renaissance cathedral and crumbling fortresses. The nearby islands of Zlarin and Prvi? also make for an enjoyable day trip.

Kotor sits at the head of a beautiful, fjord-like bay, hemmed in by glowering mountains. The compact, walled old town is Montenegro’s star attraction, a warren of little alleyways and shady squares that is often described as a ‘mini Dubrovnik’.

Corfu, known as Kerkyra in Greek, is a beautiful island of verdant hills and rocky coves, and away from the more crowded resorts it remains a sleepy and idyllic place. Don’t miss the picturesque Venetian architecture of Corfu Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Rugged Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian islands, and remains unspoilt by tourism despite earning fame as the setting for ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’. The island rewards exploration, with some splendid beaches and lovely little villages, and the vineyards here produce some excellent wines.

Nafplion is one of the most beautiful cities on the Greek mainland, situated on the Argolic Gulf overlooked by the imposing Palamidi Fortress. The narrow streets of the old town are home to a beguiling mix of Venetian, Turkish and Greek architecture, while just offshore is the little island castle of Bourtzi.

Athens is a city awash with historical and cultural significance, but it's much more than an open air museum; this is a dynamic, bustling metropolis, and a place where history is still very much unfolding.