Shores of the Mediterranean: Where History and Beauty Meet

• Stretching the length of the eastern Mediterranean, just east of Italy, is Croatia. Along its coast are a beautiful array of islands that will surely delight the senses. Throughout history, it has been on the outskirts of many empires. This is seen in the Roman, Napoleonic, Venetian, Viennese, and Slavic architectures in cities and towns. For those who love history, the UNESCO World Heritage sites contained within Croatia are many. The city of Dubrovnik’s 15^th-century Gothic and renaissance style Rector’s Palace. In Split, the famous and well-preserved fortress of Diocletian’s Palace built in the 4^th-century. Add in natural sites of splendor like lakes and waterfalls in Plitvice National Park, relaxing waters of the bluest blues, and the limestone cliffs of the Dalmatian Coast – and the traveler will get the best of what Croatia has to offer.

• No trip to the Mediterranean is complete without a stopover on the coasts and islands of Greece. With the same view of sapphire seas as the rest of the coasts and islands around the eastern Mediterranean, yet the history and sites date back to ages long gone. Athens, once the center of a great, progressive empire, has some of the most important sites in the history of Western civilizations. The Acropolis of Athens is one of these. Located on a flat rock 490 ft above the city, is a collection of ancient structures that were vital to the formation of modern politics and architecture. Among these buildings is the Parthenon, which was once a great temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Its columns stand to this day, while the sculptures contained within are representative of the pinnacle of Greek art.

• Then there is the romantic visions of southern Italy. Particularly the “boot” of Italy. Lecce, sometimes called the “Florence of the South”, is home to Baroque monuments that showcase intricate and magnificent designs. These include the Church of the Holy Cross, built in 1353, and the Leece Cathedral, built in 1144 – and many more. Near Leece is Locorotondo. This town is known for wines and the historical center from which it gets its name, “The Round Place” – where the white buildings are formed into a circle that contains slim alleys to wander. There are also trulli houses, circular formed houses with rounded steeple-like roofs. Also within the “boot” is the town of Martina Franca. Once a completely walled off town, only a few walls and the intricately carved four gates still exist. The atmosphere here is one of a gorgeous town still rooted in the aesthetic of times passed. Northern Italy may be the most visited, but southern Italy shines with its own sites and peace of mind.

Of course, this one article couldn’t begin to cover all of the magnificent sites located around the eastern Mediterranean. But Globus is ready to take the traveler on adventures full of cultural and natural sites. From cruises along ancient coasts, to guided tours of standing history, to the unbelievable and simple tastes of the food – the Eastern Mediterranean is a paradise. This is why Globus is offering up multiple itineraries that will take the traveler to unforgettable lands and memorable sites.