Six incredible cities you can visit on a fly-cruise around the Med

A vibrant and welcoming gateway between Europe and Asia, Istanbul is the only city in the world to span two continents. More than two millennia’s worth of international influence has resulted in a city with hugely varied architecture; the key sights include Byzantine Hagia Sophia, the magnificent Blue Mosque and Ottoman Topkapi Palace. On the more casual end of the scale – but still a must-see in Istanbul – is a trip to the Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest covered market. Be ready to haggle!

The feisty, fun-loving spirit of Napoli is apparent whether you’re tucking into world-renowned sourdough pizza, gazing up at its hilltop churches, or simply wandering the city’s buzzing backstreets. No visit to Naples is complete until you’ve spent a day in Pompeii, however, and the Roman city’s near-perfectly preserved market stalls and characterful graffiti suggest that the residents of this magnificent coastline have been mischievous for thousands of years. Perhaps it’s something in the volcanic soil?

Gardens, beaches and a medieval castle are all in a day’s exploring in Limassol, Cyprus’ elegant second city. Naturally you’ll want to spend a morning visiting the popular Temple of Apollo, which has been a site of worship since the 8th century BC, but the Old Town itself also offers picturesque buildings and moments of peace, all wrapped up in plenty of Cypriot charm. Finish off your sightseeing with a brandy sour in one of Limassol’s waterfront bars – the cocktail should be made with local brandy and is considered the country’s national drink.

A city that looks as grand from the sea as it does from the ground, Palma’s richly varied past – Romans, Moors and Spanish kings have all taken charge here – has left it with handsome buildings, charming piazzas and an extensive menu’s worth of delicious local delicacies. If you fancy a break from Palma and venture into Mallorca’s gorgeous countryside, be sure to visit the Caves of Drach, where you’ll see one of the world’s largest underground lakes.

Greece’s iconic capital city (easily accessible from the port of Piraeus) is, of course, rich with ancient treasures, but it has developed a vibrant modern culture in recent decades, too. Athens is a city where bucket list entries can be ticked off en masse: admire the unmissable grandeur of the Acropolis, stand in the Olympic stadium that gave rise to the Games as we know them, and wander through the Plaka, a quaint district that brims with delightful souvenir shops as well as restaurants where you can settle in for bountiful plates of souvlaki.

Walk the 13th-century city walls of this UNESCO World Heritage Site and you’ll be rewarded with a bird’s eye view of Dubrovnik’s winding cobbled streets, red-tiled rooftops and – the pièce de résistance – the glittering Adriatic Sea. Within Dubrovnik’s golden-hued Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque buildings you’ll find unexpected highlights; the 14th-century Franciscan Monastery contains one of Europe’s oldest pharmacies, for instance.