6 August - At sea

7 August

France: Bordeaux (Le Verdon)

8 August

France: Saint-Jean-de-Luz

The pretty town of Saint-Jean-de-Luz is one of the highlights of the French Basque Country, on a crescent-shaped bay between Biarritz and the Spanish border. The streets of the old town are filled with charming timbered houses, and there are some great restaurants where you can sample Basque cuisine.

9 August

Spain: Santander

Santander is the largest city on the Cantabrian coast, although perhaps not the prettiest, having lost many of its oldest buildings in a fire in 1941. Nevertheless, pockets of belle époque elegance remain, and the old town has some lively bars and restaurants. The beautiful medieval village of Santillana del Mar is a popular day trip from here.

10 August

Spain: Ferrol

The Galician city of Ferrol, birthplace of General Franco, doesn’t feature on too many tourist itineraries, though maritime enthusiasts may enjoy a visit to the 18th-century shipyards. Most cruise visitors will use Ferrol as a base to explore Galicia’s wild coast, the nearby city of La Coruña or the famous pilgrimage site of Santiago de Compostela.

11 August

Portugal: Porto

Blessed with a dramatic setting on the steep banks of the river Douro, Portugal’s second city is currently enjoying something of a renaissance, and is best known as the home of the country’s most famous export, port wine.

12 August

Portugal: Lisbon

Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon’s colourful cityscape includes Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums. But for many the best times will be had wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets, with their great local food, wine and music.

13 August

Spain: Cádiz

The crumbling, sun-baked seafront city of Cádiz is said to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the western world, founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC. Although the city lacks any obvious landmarks, it’s rich in atmosphere, and plays host to one of Spain’s most colourful carnivals.

14 August

Spain: Málaga

Málaga boasts plenty of chic restaurants and bars where you can ease into the rhythms of life in southern Spain, before exploring sights including the intriguing, unfinished Gothic cathedral, and a museum devoted to the city's most famous son, Pablo Picasso.

15 August

Spain: Almeria

Situated on the sunniest stretch of the Andalusian coast, Almeria is little visited by tourists, but the narrow streets of the old town contain some intriguing Mudejar-style architecture. The surrounding landscape is almost lunar in appearance, and has served as the backdrop for many films, from spaghetti westerns to 'Lawrence of Arabia'.

16 August

Spain: Alicante

Much more than just a gateway to the Costa Blanca, Alicante is an attractive and atmospheric city with plenty to recommend it. Founded by the Romans, then ruled by the Arabs for 500 years, the city has a rich history and a lovely old town, along with superb beaches and an excellent modern art museum.

17 August

Spain: Barcelona

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.

18 August - At sea

19 August

Italy: Palermo

Palermo is an acquired taste; noisy, chaotic and rather grimey in places. But there’s something quite intoxicating about the crumbling facades and the bustling markets, and the Arabesque style of many of the buildings hints at Sicily’s historical role as a stepping stone between Europe and North Africa.

20 August

Italy: Siracusa

Founded by Greek colonists in 734 BC, Siracusa was once the largest city in the ancient world, surpassing even Athens in its splendour. Highlights include the island of Ortigia, where narrow streets are lined by beautiful Baroque architecture, and the impressive ruins at the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis on the Sicilian mainland.

21 August

Greece: Argostoli (Kefalonia)

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.

22 August

Greece: Gythion

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.

23 August

Greece: Paros

Paros gleams with a classic Cycladic colour palette of whitewashed houses and blue-domed churches, and is famous for its ancient marble quarries, which provided the raw material for the Venus de Milo. The island is also home to some great restaurants, peaceful inland villages and lovely beaches.

24 August

Greece: Athens (Piraeus)

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.

25 August

Turkey: Kusadasi

The Turkish port of Kusadasi is the gateway to Ephesus, one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the Eastern Mediterranean. This was the Roman capital of Asia Minor, and the remains constitute the most complete classical city in Europe.

26 August

Turkey: Bozcaada

The Aegean island of Bozcaada, also known as Tenedos, is a popular weekend and summer escape for residents of Istanbul. The main settlement, Bozcaada Merkez, has an atmospheric Greek quarter full of colourful houses, while elsewhere on the island you'll find vineyards, beaches and an impressive castle.

27 August

Arriving in Istanbul

Istanbul is the place where East meets West, where Asia Minor reaches out across the Bosphorus and almost touches Europe, and the city remains a bristling, bustling cultural melting pot, the skyline dotted with magnificent minarets and domes.