These seven Mediterranean wonders are the best ports of call
Explore the seven wonders of the Mediterranean, one city at a time, or - better still - as part of a cruise.
Explore the seven wonders of the Mediterranean, one city at a time, or - better still - as part of a cruise.
Barcelona, Spain
Antoni Gaudi's Sagrada Familia may still be a work in progress 142 years after the first brick was laid, but that hasn't stopped the 5 million tourists, who rock up at the world's largest unfinished Catholic church every year to take in the sheer lunacy of its design - inside and out. And that's just the start of the over-the-top experiences you can enjoy in the fiercely spirited Catalonia capital. Lose yourself in the technicolour world of Gaudi's Parc Guell; enjoy lip-smacking pintxos in Carrer de Blai, known as the tapas street of Barcelona; and inhale the Mediterranean, as part of the coastal walk that starts at Parc del Forum (a public park) and ends six kilometres south at the skyscraping waterside W hotel, where you can reward yourself with sensational Japanese fare and sea views at the 26th-floor Noxe restaurant.
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Marseille, France
Start your explorations of the French city - founded by Greek settlers 26,000 years ago - at Corniche President John Fitzgerald Kennedy: built in 1863, the coastal drive was renamed exactly 100 years later as a tribute to the American statesman who had just been assassinated. Stretching for about five kilometres, between two of the city's most famous beaches - Catalan and Prado - it's France's answer to Australia's Bondi to Bronte, and often said to offer the best views of the Med, complete with the fragile Frioul Islands in the distance. Then make a beeline for the heart of Marseille: Le Panier, the city's oldest precinct of dense labyrinthine streets bursting with vibrant murals, cute boutiques and cafes that spill on to steep, winding alleys.
Santorini, Greece
The Kate Moss of the Mediterranean needs no introduction. Hundreds of pictures of its striking blue domes and sugar-cube-white houses have no doubt inundated your social media feed over the past few months. But let's get one thing straight: Santorini is actually prettier than its prettiest pics. And the best way to take it in is to simply wander in the old village of Oia, where bougainvillaea-lined narrow lanes will lead you to cliff-top lookouts with hypnotic sea views.
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Monte Carlo, Monaco
It may be located on the French Riviera, but the hedonistic heart of Monaco - the world's second-smallest country (after the Vatican) - follows a beat of its own. The palaces, the casinos, the cathedrals and the luxury yachts bobbing in the distance give the compact city - home to the annual Formula One Grand Prix - a vibe like nowhere else. Soak it up at Larvotto Beach, where silky white sand meets ink-blue waters.
Naples, Italy
Colourful Naples is the birthplace of pizza, so don't forget to take your appetite. There's no dearth of excellent eateries in the old town - from Pizzeria De'Figliole, which specialises in traditional fried versions, to Lombardi 1892, where members of the same family have been turning out pizzas for the past 131 years. But for the world's best wheel of indulgence - according to the highly regarded 50 Top Pizza guide by influential food journalist Luciano Pignataro - you'll have to queue outside Diego Vitagliano Pizzeria in Bagnoli, where prices remain affordable despite insane crowds and pizzas are always light and fluffy.
Athens, Greece
Past and present meet in Athens like nowhere else. Check into the cutting-edge Grand Hyatt from where you can soak up uninterrupted views of the ancient Acropolis; hit the centuries-old streets of Psirri, where hipster staff at chic bars shake up envelope-pushing cocktails; and discover the charms of Koukaki, dotted with art galleries, boutiques and hidden gems like Bel Ray, a former car repair shop turned into a diner.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Cobblestoned streets, medieval walls, red-roofed houses and the shimmering Adriatic - Dubrovnik is Game of Thrones brought to life. Discover the Old Town on foot, taste impossibly fresh seafood at Proto Fish Restaurant and truly take to the Med by signing up for a water-based adventure like kayaking, which will take you to quiet coves, far from the madding summer crowds in the city.
Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.
My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.
Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.
My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.
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