Spain, France, Italy, Malta

Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia region. It lies along the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Besós and Llobregat. In the Northwest a set of hills run parallel to the coast. In the Southwest the old town lies along the port and is divided by the famous “La Rambla”. Today Barcelona is Spain's second biggest city as far as population is concerned and it is the main industrial centre of the country. Barcelona hosts two universities, several museums and libraries and has been a cultural and artistic centre since the Middle Ages.

MARSEILLE The second city of France and the capital of the Provence-Costa Azzurra region. Marseille lies on the southeastern coast of France. The strong mistral wind blows away all traces of pollution and thus provides clarity of air so pure that many famous artists have been attracted to the city: Cézanne; Braque; Derain; Dufy and Marquet. Although Marseille is the economic and industrial capital of France, it manages to remain true to its own traditions and culture, reflected in the Marsillian way of life and its numerous museums, theatres and opera houses.

GENOA cradled between land and sea, living and working in the port, breathing its past in her palaces, passionately fond of the terraced hills that embrace the city, Genoa has many different faces. A modern metropolis and a severe custodian of artistic heritage, an industrious marketplace that also has century-old parks to relax in. Genoa hides her riches in an historical centre that looks traditionally seaward yet at the same time exhibits a new beauty achieved by restoring the splendour of ages past. Youthfulness springs from the new urban fabric that has restored works of arts and architecture.

Naples It is said that when one thinks of Naples, one thinks of music and moonlight. While Milan may have its chic, Florence its art and Rome its historical grandeur, Naples can outdo them all on one count – its sheer napoletanità. This is a mixture of heart-stopping beauty, life-threatening chaos and a strong sense of life being lived to its limits. Squeezed in between Europe's second-largest active volcano on one side and the sulphurous springs and boiling mud pools of the Flegrean fields on the other, all hemmed in by the blue bay around which the city clusters, Naples is a city to discover…

MESSINA is a pleasant town located with the best harbour on the Strait of Messina between the Tyrrenian and Ionian Seas, in northeast Sicily on the lower slopes of the Peloritani Mountains. A port city opposite the Italian mainland, Messina has industries producing silks, muslins, linens, and chemicals. As it is only five kilometres from the mainland, it is a common port for ferries and a frequent stop on Mediterranean trade routes.

Barcelona is the capital of the Catalonia region. It lies along the Mediterranean coast between the mouths of the rivers Besós and Llobregat. In the Northwest a set of hills run parallel to the coast. In the Southwest the old town lies along the port and is divided by the famous “La Rambla”. Today Barcelona is Spain's second biggest city as far as population is concerned and it is the main industrial centre of the country. Barcelona hosts two universities, several museums and libraries and has been a cultural and artistic centre since the Middle Ages.