15 Days Mediterranean Heritage and Adventure Tour

About the destination: Larnaca is a city in Cyprus. The town of Larnaca is built over the ancient city kingdom of Kition, a rich sea port and major center of the copper trade and later a Phoenician stronghold. Larnaca is certainly a notable resort and its attractions cater well for the needs of holiday makers and sightseers, although most are fairly modern and commercial. Amidst all of the bars, beaches and clubs, there are some really good museums scattered around central Larnaca.

About the destination: With beautiful villages surrounded by vineyards and cities full of trendy art galleries, spas and restaurants, to shipwreck diving, skiing on snow-covered mountains and strolls around fabulous archaeological sites, colourful Cyprus is every inch a sophisticated Mediterranean destination. The island, which legend has it was where Aphrodite - the ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty - was born, lies on the fringes of Europe at a point where Asian, Middle Eastern and European cultures merge. While giving the island a rich mix of traditions, cuisine and music, Cyprus’s strategic position has also made it desirable to countless powers over millennia. All have left their mark. Nicosia is the capital and, famously, the only remaining divided city in the world. The south of the city, known as Lefkosia, is a modern metropolis and the governmental, business and financial hub of the Republic of Cyprus, while the north (Lefkoşa) is considered the capital of the "self-proclaimed Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus". Since the Turkish invasion of 1974, north Cyprus is internationally considered an occupied territory. South Nicosia is characterised by wide boulevards lined with designer fashion shops, pavements cafés, offices and museums. It is dominated by huge city walls that separate its old town full of Venetian houses and the shiny new city around Eleftherias Square. Nicosia is a popular day excursion from the island’s other cities, Larnaca (Larnaka), Limassol (Lemesos) and Paphos (Pafos).

About the destination: Situated on the south west coast of Cyprus, Paphos holds great appeal to visitors of all ages. Steeped in history, with a wealth of ancient sites, some dating back to the 4th century BC, Paphos is listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site. Paphos is renowned as the birthplace of Greek goddess Aphrodite. Modern-day Paphos is divided into two parts, the upper area, known as Ktima, being the commercial centre and the old centre of Paphos, which lies inland on a high rocky edge and overlooking the second part. The second part is known as Kato Paphos containing the main archaeological points of interest, like medieval baths, catacombs and a simple fishermen’s church, as well as the Paphos Archaeological Site, which houses a number of attractions, including the House of Dionysos and the House of Theseus, both ruins of large Roman villas famous for their mosaics. The surrounding area is countryside, rich in vegetation with banana plantations, citrus groves and vineyards which lead on inland to the gentle foothills of the Western Troodos Mountains. Paphos is a fascinating city with all sorts of ancient ruins and areas of exquisite natural beauty. It is also a fantastic holiday resort where to enjoy beautiful beaches and lovely taverns offering delicious food.

About the destination: Athens takes its name after the goddess of wisdom Athena, who is celebrated by the magnificent Acropolis, which overlooks the modern, cosmopolitan city that Athens is today. Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities and it is the birthplace of western philosophy, democracy and theater. Up to this date, the Greek capital remains a major worldwide centre of culture, with its historic centre, iconic classical sites and museums filled with ancient Greece artefacts. The Acropolis, crowned by the emblematic Parthenon, has been proclaimed a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cars were banned from the historic centre, which has become the most striking pedestrian promenade in Europe. In this archeological Park, visitors will witness the contrasting nature of this ancient metropolis being able to visit the New Acropolis Museum, a high-tech modern structure with light and airy exhibition spaces as well as the National Archaeological Museum, the largest archeological museum in Greece built in the 19th century and devoted to ancient Greek art. The Acropolis and Mount Lycavittos, the city’s highest points, are used as orientation since they are visible from most places in the Plaka, the old historical neighborhood. The Plaka is under the Acropolis and stretches almost to Syntagma, home of to the Greek Parliament. For a taste of the hedonistic Athenian lifestyle one should visit Monastiraki, where locals go to eat, drink and mingle. The night time belongs to Psirri, a vibrant neighbourhood known for its bars, live music venues and exciting nightclubs. Southeast of the city centre, a glorious stretch of coast affords dreamy views over the glistening blue Aegean Sea. Surely few European capitals can claim sandy beaches and clean water for swimming within such easy access. Athens therefore offers the best of both worlds – a fantastic city break as well as a lazy beach holiday. Athenians are surprisingly friendly and outgoing and their enthusiasm for life’s pleasurable pursuits is so infectious that even the stiffest traveler will take time out for endless coffees and evening strolls, dine out until late and enjoy the city’s nightlife, long after the rest of Europe has gone to bed.

About the destination: Formed by the massive volcanic eruption which gave rise to the Atlantis legend, Santorini is the most striking island in the Aegean. The island is actually the outer rim of a sunken volcano, its entire eastern coast is a succession of small towns perched on high hills. Fira is the island’s dramatically situated capital. Perched on the cliffs, overlooking the sea, the town of Fira shares with the Parthenon the fame of the best known images of Greece. The narrow streets are filled with souvenir shops, lovely boutiques and a lot of jewellery shops. It has two beautiful churches, the Greek Orthodox and the Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist. It also has a small local museum. Nightlife in Fira is also quite lively with good restaurants and bars, plus a few nightclubs. The city is a spectacle in itself, with a climax at sunset. Another great place to enjoy the sunset is the town of Ia, a small village clinging to the rocky point of land at the northern tip of the island, 300m above the sea. The beaches in Santorini are much different than other beaches in Greece due to their special geographical features. Red and black volcanic pebbles lay the shores of Santorini beaches and steep cliffs provide a picturesque ambience. The most famous of Santorini beaches is the Red beach, while particularly popular are Perissa, Kamari and Perivolos. Santorini is a truly wonderful destination. The siting of some of its major towns along the clifftop rim of the caldera is one of the most spectacularly lovely sights in the world. The buildings seem to defy gravity in the way they cling to the cliffs and are stacked one on top of the other like so many sugar cubes. The sandy, multicoloured beaches are simply the icing on the cake.

About the destination: Istanbul owes its historic importance and its amazing cultural and architectural heritage to its perfect strategic location, straddling the Bosphorus straits which separate Europe and Asia Minor. Through most of its 2,500-year-long history, the city (first known as Byzantium, then as Constantinople and since 1930 as Istanbul) was a cultural melting pot. Today, its population of more than 13 million is almost exclusively Turkish, and many of its people are recent migrants from provincial Turkey, lured by the promise of jobs and careers in this vibrant, fast-growing city. Istanbul is no longer the nation's capital, but is Turkey's economic and cultural powerhouse - a status underlined by its role as a European City of Culture in 2010 and the award of UNESCO World Heritage listing to many of its most important landmarks, which range from stunning Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches and catacombs to the columns of Hellenistic temples and the remains of massive medieval city walls. But there's more to Istanbul than Byzantine and Ottoman heritage. A fast-growing economy contributed to a flourishing arts and music scene, with a plethora of new bars, clubs, private art galleries, restaurants and designer fashion outlets.