This is the cradle of civilization, the oldest city in Europe. Not only is this city home to the Acropolis and some of the most important architectural structures and archaeological finds in the Western world, It is also a very modern city, an urban amalgam of extraordinary art, culture, cuisine and shopping. Explore more of Athens on a European cruise!

Enjoy a glass of wine from the Santo Winery after strolling Fira’s streets. Visit Akrotiri, where Minoan Pompey was excavated. Whitewashed buildings and fascinating archeological sites set the tone here.

Take a journey into the past in richly historic Ephesus. Once an ancient Greek city, Kusadasi was known for the famed Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Built, destroyed, and rebuilt again through several notably historical periods, Ephesus boasts abounding ruins and archaeological excavation sites. View what remains of the Roman Library of Celsus, the Gate of Augustus, the Tomb of John the Apostle, and the Basilica of St. John, among several other ancient remnants.

Asia, Europe, Christians, Moslems, Turks, Persians and Asians have all had a hand in shaping this amazing city. Bargain at the Grand Bazaar. See the 17th century Blue Mosque. Visit Topkapi Palace built during the Ottoman Empire.

Explore over 20 beaches or take a ferry to the tiny island of Delos. Mykonos is a classic Greek Island with white-washed houses, blue-domed churches and perfect beaches. Wander the Hora or main village, a maze of winding streets.

See the impressive Temple of Zeus and the Pryteneion. Site of the original Olympic games and the Temple of Zeus, Katakolon was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Visit the Stadium where spectators could meet, compete and worship.

The third largest city on the island of Sicily, Messina welcomes cruise ship visitors with its lovely harbour, extraordinary architecture (much of which miraculously survived a horrendous earthquake and tidal wave in 1908) and wonderful food. Stroll through Messina’s Piazza Cairoli taking in magnificent fountains and cathedrals, or sip Marsala wine at a sidewalk cafe. Explore more of Messina on a European cruise!

Explore the well-preserved, ancient city of Pompeii. This working port offers a modern skyline framed by Mount Vesuvius. Visit the town of Sorrento along the Amalfi Coast and the Isle of Capri.

The treasures of Tuscany are on Livorno’s doorstep, so will it be Florence with its red-roofed Duomo, Renaissance palaces and galleries? Or Pisa, where that Tower still leans over the ‘Field of Miracles’? Or, how about the Cinque Terre on the nearby Ligurian coast: five tiny, photogenic fishing villages linked by age-old cliff-side footpaths, mule tracks and ferry boats?

Civitavecchia is a coastal town northwest of Rome, in Italy. Built in the 2nd century, the Port of Civitavecchia still retains some of its original features, like the Roman Dock. The port area also includes the 16th-century Michelangelo Fort. Nearby, the National Archaeological Museum displays bronze and ceramic artifacts. Northeast of town are the Terme Taurine, the ruins of a Roman thermal bath complex.