Croatia’s second city enjoys a dramatic setting, hugging a sweeping bay against a backdrop of sheer grey mountains. Split's labyrinthine old town is contained within the remarkable Roman ruins of Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and spills out onto the buzzing seafront Riva promenade.

Bari is the second biggest city in southern Italy, situated at the heart of sunny Puglia. The delightful old town brims over with pretty churches and balconied houses, and the striking Basilica is said to house the bones of Saint Nicholas. Easy day-trips include the trulli houses of Alberobello and the stunning hilltop city of Matera.

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.

Chania, Crete’s second city, is an alluring blend of architectural styles. The jumble of streets that make up the Venetian old town are remarkably intact, and there are plenty of reminders too of the two centuries of Ottoman rule, such as the imposing harbourfront Mosque of the Janissaries.

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 volcanic island of Santorini (known officially as Thira) is one of the most spectacularly beautiful in the Mediterranean. The pretty village of Oia, with its whitewashed houses and windmills tumbling down the hillside, is particularly photogenic.

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.

Bodrum is one of the trendiest destinations on Turkey’s Aegean coast, with plenty of private yachts bobbing alongside the traditional gulet boats in the harbour. Whitewashed buildings draped in bougainvillea give the town a Greek feel, overlooked by the imposing 15th century crusader castle.

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.