The bustling fishing village of Palamós is one of the loveliest spots on the Costa Brava, surrounded by beautiful beaches and rugged coves. You can also use your stop here as a jumping off point for exploring nearby medieval villages, the historic city of Girona or the fantastic Salvador Dalí museum in Figueres.

The pretty Provençal fishing village of Sanary-sur-Mer is an agreeable place to spend a day, with a clutch of historic buildings and a lively open-air market. Sanary also has a fine literary heritage, home to a number of exiled German writers during the 1930s, and it was here that Aldous Huxley wrote ‘Brave New World’.

Renowned for its casino, its Grand Prix and its oligarch-friendly tax policies, Monte Carlo is glamour and hedonism personified, with a price tag to match. This little principality enjoys a lovely setting, the villas and penthouses tumbling down the hillside towards the sweeping blue expanse of the Mediterranean.

Few ports conjure up images of glitz and movie star glamour quite so readily as Cannes. May is when the glitterati roll into town for the Film Festival, but there’s still plenty to divert you the rest of the year, including the old quarter, Le Suquet, and the dazzling Croisette.

This tiny village on the Ligurian coast must be one of the most photographed spots in Italy, and no wonder; brightly coloured houses cling to the hillside overlooking a delightfully picturesque little harbour, where fishing boats gently bob alongside luxury yachts.

The island of Elba, just off the Tuscan coast, is where Napoleon Bonaparte was famously forced to live in exile between 1814-15. It’s hard to feel too sorry for him, though; the views from his plush Villa dei Mulini, situated high above the town of Portoferraio, are quite spectacular.

One of the world’s great cities, Rome continues to dazzle and delight visitors with a potent mix of architectural marvels, continent-defining history and buzzing nightlife. The Colosseum, the Vatican and the Forum are among the big ticket items, with the crowds to match, though in truth you will find history around almost every corner.

The picturesque little town of Amalfi was once a major Mediterranean naval power, but a devastating earthquake in 1343 cut the city down in its prime and destroyed most of its historic buildings. These days, of course, Amalfi is best known for the eponymous stretch of stunning coastline on which it sits.

The province of Vibo Valentia, in the heart of Calabria in Italy’s far south, is something of an undiscovered gem. The coastline is characterised by dramatic cliffs, vivid blue waters and white sand beaches, while laid-back Vibo Valentia town has an impressive Norman castle and an attractive medieval centre.

Reggio Calabria is the main transport hub for travel to Sicily, and the seafront Lungomare promenade has great views across to Mount Etna. The city’s main attraction is the Museo Nazionale with its stunning Ancient Greek bronze statues, while the picturesque nearby town of Scilla is well worth a day trip.

Otranto sits at the end of the ‘heel’ of Italy, and has borne the brunt of many invasions and attacks over the years, most notably by the Turks in 1480. If you only have a day here we'd recommend visiting nearby Lecce, a true baroque masterpiece that has been described as the ‘Florence of the South’.

The island of Rab is a popular summer destination thanks to its many sandy beaches, something of a rarity on the Croatian coast. The southwest shore of the island is thick with forest, while the medieval centre of Rab Town is notable for its four elegant bell towers.