Italy Intensive Cruise: Taranto, Sicily & Amalfi

The “Mosaic City” of Ravenna is renowned for its 1,500-year-old churches, decorated with exquisite Byzantine mosaics of brilliant color, and is also a gateway to other spots with claims to historical fame.

Ancona, a city steeped in more than 2,400 years of history, is yours to discover. Visit towering marble arches, churches built atop ancient temples, and coastal paths that rise above the breathtaking beauty of the Adriatic Sea.

One of Europe’s best-preserved cities of medieval or Renaissance vintage, Kotor’s walls were constructed right into the slopes of the mountain behind it, making it an amazing sight on approach from the sea.

Founded by the Spartans in 706 BC, and known as “the city of the two seas”, Taranto’s long and proud history is set against a countryside of gentle hills and valleys, beautiful stretches of beaches, rocky cliffs, and sapphire-blue waters.

As one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world in 5th century BC, Siracusa is known for the archaeological and historical sights (like the tomb of Archimedes and Ear of Dionysus) that define its grand past.

Few reminders exist of Trapani’s ancient history, but from Phoenician days it was an international trading port, and currently the Middle Ages is the era most evident in its old town, now a pedestrian zone.

Wedged ravine, encircled by sheer cliffs, into the mouth of a facing blue waters and where terraced hillsides support lemon groves (and of course limoncello), Amalfi requires a camera with lots of memory.

A warming sun and gentle sea breezes have been attracting visitors to Sorrento for two millennia, and its reputation as a playground of the ancient rich and famous have resulted in lavish villas and palaces.

Whether it’s tossing a coin in a fabled fountain or being awestruck by the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s masterpieces, Rome seems to live up to its sobriquet, the Eternal City.