The capital of the Dutch part of Saint-Martin, in the south of the island, Philipsburg is bordered by a 3-km (1.9-mile) long expanse of sand. Following a stroll along Front Street and Back Street, the lively streets edged with houses with colourful facades, take a break on a lounger opposite the calm and turquoise sea of Great Bay. Sint Maarten Museum will immerse you in the past of the Arawaks, an indigenous people of the West Indies. You will also be able to admire the view from Fort Amsterdam, the first fort constructed by the Dutch in the 17th century.

Located 5 miles north of Anguilla, the twin islands of Prickly Pear East and West are separated by a narrow channel. Prickly Pear East consists of a huge white sandy beach and rocky outcrops offering excellent snorkelling possibilities. Behind the main beach, there is a small pool where the black-necked stilt comes to feed. The harder-to-access Prickly Pear West has a small beach of low limestone cliffs dotted with bushes. The waters surrounding the cays of Prickly Pear are protected by the Anguilla Marine Park. Green and Hawksbill sea turtles, endangered species, nest on these beaches. The island is also home to an indigenous iguana population as well as a colony of Anguilla laughing gulls. As you sail around Prickly Pear West, it will be easy to observe many birds along the cliffs, including red-billed tropicbirds, brown noddies, brown boobies and little terns. This is also where the only colony of brown pelicans nesting in Anguilla can be found: it is a species of regional importance.

2 available excursions

Exploring the island with the anguilla National Trust, Beach on prickley Pear cays

Lovers of this island call it Saint-Barth. This French island in the Lesser Antilles was discovered by Christopher Columbus in 1493. Ever since, this tiny mountainous volcanic gem with its unspoilt nature has been enchanting visitors. You will enjoy the beauty of its large paradisiacal beaches, plus the charm and refinement of its old wooden houses and its sumptuous colonial manors. Although, as you saunter through the rues de Gustavia or Saint-Jean, you’ll come across jewellers, top fashion boutiques and fine restaurants, there is also a simplicity that money can’t buy…

2 available excursions

Ernest's island tour, Boat & snorkelling tour

Opposite Saint-Christopher island, Nevis will win you over by its more easy-going rhythm than its neighbour, and by its tranquil atmosphere. Go ahead and explore the rich history of this island, admire its Georgian architecture in Charlestown and smell the wonderful scent of the tropical flowers in Nevis’s botanical garden. The sumptuous landscapes that adorn this volcanic island offer you pleasant hiking opportunities at the foot of Nevis peak. And to cool down, you’ll enjoy taking a dive into the turquoise waters, so characteristic of the Caribbean...

2 available excursions

Museums and gardens on Nevis, Relax on Pinney's beach

Located to the south of the island of Antigua and Barbuda, Falmouth Bay is home to a marina that is the perfect starting point for visiting Nelson’s Dockyard, where the former naval base and former home of the British Admiral Horatio Nelson can be found. This village was built in 1725 to act as a base for the squadrons of ships that used to patrol the waters of the West Indies to ensure British naval supremacy. It is the last naval dockyard of the Georgian period to be so well preserved and still active. This UNESCO World Heritage Site includes a collection of buildings and port facilities surrounded by a fortified compound.

3 available excursions

Sunset at Nelson's Dockyard, Snorkeling from the beach at Pigeon Point Beach, Zodiac cruise at Pillars of Hercule

During your port of call in Barbuda, an island influenced by British culture in the north of the Lesser Antilles, you’ll discover idyllic beaches of white powder-like sand bathed by turquoise waters of striking intensity. The very British colonial atmosphere of English Harbour, a former Royal Navy base, mixes with creole culture in a happy union. This Eden, which has managed to stay calm and intimate, is brimming with very wild fauna and flora. Arts and crafts are present in the markets and shops, where you’ll find wooden statuettes, printed fabrics and very good rum produced in the island’s distilleries.

1 available excursions

The frigatebirds of Barbuda

During the feast of All Saints in 1493, Christopher Columbus discovered this archipelago of nine islands that he named "The Saints". Today, only two of them are inhabited. Terre de Haut, in the east, is dominated by the Morne Mire hill; at the summit stands Fort Napoleon, paying homage to the islands' history. In the heart of the botanical garden, shared by iguanas and cacti, there is an exceptional view of the Baie des Saintes, one of the most beautiful in the world. The long shady beach of Pompierre, where it is forbidden to drop anchor, is a peaceful place for a swim, while Pain de Sucre Beach offers wonderful opportunities for snorkelling. On the island, don’t forget to taste the local speciality, the “tourment d’amour”, a cake made with coconut.

At the crossroads of cultures, where European influence mingles with the richness of the Caribbean and the diversity of indigenous traditions, Pointe-à-Pitre promises a unique experience. Here, nestled on the southern coast of the island of Grande-Terre in Guadeloupe, in the heart of the Caribbean Sea, you will fall in love with the heavenly landscapes that reveal themselves to you, including white-sand beaches, verdant mountains, and lush tropical forests. Along the bustling streets of the city, you will discover Creole authenticity through the colourful markets, the traditional wooden houses, and the warm hospitality of the locals.

The whole of the Maltese capital Valletta is UNESCO World Heritage listed and occupies a peninsula in the north-east of the island. From the fountain of Tritons to Saint-Elme fort, there are as many majestic streets as there are narrow staircase vennels to explore. The painted loggia and carved corbels on the tall houses will accompany you in your explorations, and you’ll rarely be bothered by traffic. You can visit the Grandmasters palace decorated with coats of arms and frescoes. Saint-John’s cathedral and the ramparts which have guarded the city since the 16th century are also among the most emblematic sites of the city. Arranged in terraces, the Barrakka Gardens will punctuate your promenade with a green and floral experience.

Its undulating rocky coastline, the endless sandy beaches, the menacing form of Mount Etna which surveys its island like a patriarch, the flowery gardens on the hillside... Sicily lays out its varied landscapes like a shopkeeper displays his wares. Described by Cicero as “the most beautiful city in the world”, Syracuse was one of the most prestigious cities in Sicily and at her height was even a rival for Athens. A central city of Ancient Greece, it was home to a succession of civilisations, each of which has left their mark. The blend of Arabic, Roman, Norman, Byzantine and Spanish cultures makes Syracuse a town that is extraordinarily rich in fragrances, colours and flavours.

2 available excursions

Archaeological site & Ortygia, Noto, Baroque Town

Huddled on the south-western coast of Sicily, Porto Empedocles bears the name of the philosopher Empedocles, who lived in the region in the 5th century BC. An age-old city offered up to sun and sea, this is your doorway to the exceptional archaeological site of Temple Valley, a high place of Greek civilisation listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can admire the remains of many temples dedicated to Zeus, his wife Hera and Hephaestus. Make sure you take in the magnificent Italian countryside, with its olive orchards that cover the hillsides.

1 available excursions

Valley of the Temples and Casa Barbadoro

At the crossroads of civilisations, the capital of Tunisia is rich in cultural discoveries. The ruins of Ancient Carthage, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and particularly well preserved, testify to the splendour of this city that was once Rome’s great rival. The hill of Byrsa, the former fortified citadel of the Phoenician port and one of the presumed burial places of Saint Louis who died there during the Eighth Crusade, offers spectacular views over the Gulf of Tunis. In the Bardo National Museum, you will be able to admire one of the world’s finest Roman mosaic collections, including the magnificent portrait of the poet Virgil.

Annaba, a coastal town in eastern Algeria, is the country's fourth largest city. It contains many heritage treasures, including the ancient site of Hippo, the largest Roman forum in Africa. From the Cap de Garde lighthouse, you get a splendid and varied panoramic view with mountains and sea, while the basilica of Saint Augustine, the bishop of Hippo in the 4th century, overlooks the city with its majestic white dome. A stroll along the Corniche and the Cours de la Révolution will introduce you to the lively, elegant town that inspired numerous artists and writers.

The beauty of the Bay of Algiers offers travellers arriving by sea an unforgettable view. The Casbah houses cascade down to the Haussmann-style buildings and the hustle and bustle of the Mediterranean city creates a unique atmosphere. Algiers the White proudly bears the traces of its history with its magnificent Casbah, listed as UNESCO World Heritage, its tropical garden called Jardin d’Essai, its Martyr’s Memorial, its imposing Basilica of Our Lady of Africa, and its lively city centre with its Grande Poste (main post office) and French quarter. Seventy kilometres (43 miles) away, you will have the possibility of visiting Tipaza, one of the most extraordinary archaeological complexes of the Maghreb, listed as World Heritage by UNESCO. Once a trading post of the Carthaginians and later the Romans, the ancient city is home to the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, a funerary monument providing precious evidence of what was once the Punic world.

Surrounded by hills, the natural site of the Bay of Carthagena presided over the fate of this former fortress which has been home to the greatest European civilisations. Today, these Phoenician, Roman, Carthaginian, Moorish and Christian influences form a rich architectural heritage. Its Roman theatre is one of the most significant and best conserved in Spain. You will also be able to cross the landscapes of vines and citrus groves stretching endlessly towards Murcia, to visit this dynamic regional capital.

1 available excursions

Horses of Spain, Cartagena & Roman theater

On the Mediterranean shore, the easternmost Andalusian capital, the legendary Almería (from the Arab Al-Mariy-yat, meaning watchtower), has a coastline of preserved beaches with an interior characterised by its typical desert ecosystem. In the past an important port for the Caliphate of Córdoba, Almería has a remarkable citadel and a cathedral whose imperious structure stands in the very centre of the old town. This old town, with its narrow streets, will charm you with its lime washed walls and its rich historical and cultural heritage.

An autonomous city of Spain on the North African coast, Melilla and its citadel sit on the edge of Cape Three Forks, between Morocco and the Mediterranean Sea, offering breathtaking views of this blue expanse. A perfect blend of history and modernity, the city boasts charming cobbled streets, imposing ramparts and a number of historic sites that are well worth a visit, including the Baluarte de la Concepción and the Hospital del Rey. In contrast to these vestiges of the city's military past, the Art Nouveau curves of the Palacio de la Asamblea, Casa Melul, the Reconquista building and Plaza Menéndez Pelayo reflect the influence of Gaudi's student Enrique Nieto, who lived here, and the great Catalan Modernist period. After Barcelona, Melilla has the largest number of buildings in this style.

On the shores of the Mediterranean, Motril enjoys a special place on the Costa Tropical. Sheltered from the cold northerly winds thanks to the mountains that surround this Andalusian city, the city benefits from an ideal micro-climate.

A historical and festive town, Malaga is located in Andalusia, on the Costa del Sol. Between the marina and the beaches, the seaside promenade of La Farola offers an ideal setting for strolling and relaxing. Set slightly further back, the Malagueta bullring is one of the emblematic sites of the city. From the hill overlooking the old town, one can see Gibralfaro castle and the Alcazaba, two fortified ensembles rising out from the cypresses and maritime pines. To visit Pablo Picasso’s birthplace, you will go first to the courtly plaza de la Merced. A few streets back from here, you can explore the museum dedicated to the artist, in the Buenavista palace.