Fusina (Venice) → Piraeus (Athens) (14 nights)

Delve into ancient palaces, century-old galleries, and modern-day exhibits as you whirl through Venice. Walk through masterpieces, catch an opera, gaze at medieval buildings, blow Murano glass and drift down the Grand Canal by gondola to visit churches, convents and campi “squares” that vary in spirit and scale. Cross hump-backed bridges, reach teeming Piazza San Marco’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, or duck down passages to escape reality. From palazzos to perfumeries and the must-see Bridge of Sighs, you’re only moments from a place of beauty in this liquid-gold city of treasures.

Delve into an explosion of Slovene natural wonders packed with architecture, adventure and picture-perfect towns humming with Adriatic allure. Meander Koper’s medieval cobbled old-town lanes for fine Venetian architecture then tuck into lively Tito Square with its Bell Tower and beautiful Praetorian Palace. Head to underground wonderlands at the mystical Škocjan Caves to gasp at stalagmites and stalactites. Zag along the crazy cobalt-blue waters to nearby Piran for just-off-the-boat seafood. Stroll the stony streets and Tartini Square, climb the hill to walk amongst medieval walls then wander to the Church of St George for the most magnificent views.

Receive a warm welcome in carefree Hvar, with its smattering of historical monuments and Venetian-era stone houses that cling to hills above a palm and superyacht-lined harbour. Call into the Grand Piazza, complete with baroque cathedral and Venetian castle. Beyond the fortified capital, view an ocean-backdrop monastery and the legendary ‘Last Supper’ painting. Reach tiny pine-coated Pakleni islets for some secluded wellbeing, grasp glamour at sea-lapping Carpe Diem and set off through wafts of lavender to isolated Humac or Stari Grad. A warm welcome awaits in the historical elegance of carefree Hvar.

Marvel at this chic walled city paved with a wealth of aristocratic palazzi, ancient forts and epic Adriatic views. Enter grand Pile Gate to lose yourself in intricate alleys, stage-set squares, museums and baroque churches. Ease out of town to kayak around sturdy ramparts, taste Dalmatian wines in the Konavle countryside, and visit archaic Cavtat and history-packed Mostar. Escape the crowds to cacti-clad Lokrum for a spot of yoga and botanical walking, or join in to graze at trendy restaurants on the rocks. It’s no wonder the glitterati flock to the strength of this charming and inspiring medieval Dalmatian marvel.

Slow down to enjoy some whole-hearted peace and quiet. Rising high over the inky blue sea, Monemvasia is a mirage carved into the face of Peloponnese rock. Divided into a magical upper and lower sea-level town, the former is home to fallen streets, ancient Agia Sophia and Byzantine architecture. Wander through cobbled streets in the lower town amongst restaurants and residents. Listen to cicadas sing, watch black-clad grandmothers cook in divine tavernas and perhaps sample some Malvasia wine. This spectacular town sums up silence, sky and a sense of Mamma Mia.

Syros might be just across the water from Mykonos, but this snug island feels a world away from its hedonism. But this is no sleepy backwater: arrive at the capital Ermoupoli, once the mercantile heart of the Aegean, to find an elegant neo-classical enclave humming with real Greek hustle and bustle. Wander wide boulevards sparkling with Cyclades marble to Vaporia, a chic pocket with the best-preserved merchant palaces, the waterfront cafes of Little Venice and the Apollo Theatre, known as La Piccola Scala. Climb to Ano Syros, the scenic hilltop village settled by 13th-century Venetians and crowned by San Giorgio cathedral or seek the island’s fishing villages upon sandy shores and quiet coves cradled by forests.

Athenians don’t live in the past. Ahead of its time, Athens exudes glamour and a sense of possibility - housing galleries, gelaterias, bijoux boutiques alongside a plethora of museums. And you can’t help but marvel at the archaeological wonders of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Stroll through vibrant streets and markets, dance at buzzing bouzoukia, sing along in tavernas. At night, head to the harbour, where dimly lit bars serve the local ice cold beer. And, as you inhale the salty air and watch Greek fishing boats peacefully depart for their catch, reflect on this ancient city's progressive attitude.

One of 24 islands along an ancient trade route in the Aegean on Greece’s east coast, Skiathos is part of the Sporades, Greek for scattered. Known for its sandy beaches and scented pine forests that fall right down to the water, this is a Greek island idyll, with whitewashed townhouses with terracotta-tiled rooves, ancient monasteries clinging to the hillside, lagoons secreted in the trees and fish restaurants in beautiful bays. And oh that water – on a small boat explore the island’s inlets and capes, the sea caves and Lalaria, the picture-perfect rock arch only accessible from the water.

Breeze into a beguiling mix of vintage and modern, awash with a thriving art, culture and history scene. Crowded with museums dedicated to the past plus an extraordinary 15 UNESCO sites – there’s much to learn. Admire ramparts built to last; the impressive Galerius Palace, the beautiful domed multi-serving Rotunda, a bevy of Byzantine churches and the curious 15th century White Tower. Dig deeper into the past to trace pre-historic times at the Archaeological Museum. Rove around Ladadika narrow streets and charming squares that emit a Parisian air, absorb Greek produce in the Market’s holy halls and soak up modern art on the lively waterfront. Raise hairs at Heptapyrgion, take coffee in Aristotelous Square or head out of town to peer at Alexander the Great’s birthplace in Pella and Vergina’s royal tombs. Perfectly poised on the placid Thermaic Gulf, Thessaloniki brings past and present together in remarkable harmony.

Embark on a European and Asian adventure packed with a wealth of charm and cultural diversity. Roam the ‘blue’ mosque of Sultan Ahmet, the Grand Bazaar, opulent Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia or sink into a serene Turkish Bath experience. Embrace the city’s vine-shaded homely district where ladies shop for butter-soaked baklava and freshly picked olives. Explore further to haggle for gold jewellery, linen and oriental antiques. Dine in the atmospheric old city or take a ferry to Asia for street-served food. Feast over rich platters of meze, moist grilled bluefish and succulent kebabs. Heighten your senses even further in the spice bazaar with enticing aromas and vibrant, colourful displays. After such a sensorial feast, indulge in a restorative raki, whichever continent you’re in. By night parties don’t start until late, but expect to dance till dawn. Join the late crowd spilling into the streets overlooking the Bosphorus. Sway at European rooftop bars, shimmer by ferry over to the Asian suburbs or remain ensconced in old-fashioned folk venues. An eclectic fusion of east and west, this city is conservative at heart with a truly modern soul.

Embark on a European and Asian adventure packed with a wealth of charm and cultural diversity. Roam the ‘blue’ mosque of Sultan Ahmet, the Grand Bazaar, opulent Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia or sink into a serene Turkish Bath experience. Embrace the city’s vine-shaded homely district where ladies shop for butter-soaked baklava and freshly picked olives. Explore further to haggle for gold jewellery, linen and oriental antiques. Dine in the atmospheric old city or take a ferry to Asia for street-served food. Feast over rich platters of meze, moist grilled bluefish and succulent kebabs. Heighten your senses even further in the spice bazaar with enticing aromas and vibrant, colourful displays. After such a sensorial feast, indulge in a restorative raki, whichever continent you’re in. By night parties don’t start until late, but expect to dance till dawn. Join the late crowd spilling into the streets overlooking the Bosphorus. Sway at European rooftop bars, shimmer by ferry over to the Asian suburbs or remain ensconced in old-fashioned folk venues. An eclectic fusion of east and west, this city is conservative at heart with a truly modern soul.

Lovely Lesbos is a lush, jade gem hidden in plain site — 10km (6 mi) from the Turkish coast — yet far from the maddening crowds. Life moves resplendently slow here and history hovers in millenniums. Step ashore and ponder where the poet and muse Sappho loved and sang; where Odysseus paused; and Homer’s Iliad stormed. Follow Mytilene’s cosy cobbled lanes to its fortified castle that presides like a sentinel over all. An island of fishermen, forests (some petrified) and a bevvy of birds singing praises to Orpheus, this Greek isle’s culture leans closer to Antonia and tilters on utter enjoyment.

This horseshoe-shaped island at the outer edge of the Cyclades is where Venus de Milo was unearthed in 1820 – the unexpected bounty of a local farmer that now sits in the Louvre and remains one of the world’s greatest antiquities. Visitors here might find the ruins of the Hellenistic marble amphitheatre and 1st-century catacombs just as compelling, whilst others will be drawn to the island’s wild and colourful landscape, from hot springs, mines and volcanoes to rocky hillsides coloured russet, pink and orange. Of the 78 beaches, Sarakiniko’s white rocks sculpted by wind and waves lend it a lunar quality, whilst others proffer volcanic sands, sea caves and rock arches, each home to crystalline waters. Climb to the castle ruins in the hilltop capital Plaka for sunset views.

Athenians don’t live in the past. Ahead of its time, Athens exudes glamour and a sense of possibility - housing galleries, gelaterias, bijoux boutiques alongside a plethora of museums. And you can’t help but marvel at the archaeological wonders of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Stroll through vibrant streets and markets, dance at buzzing bouzoukia, sing along in tavernas. At night, head to the harbour, where dimly lit bars serve the local ice cold beer. And, as you inhale the salty air and watch Greek fishing boats peacefully depart for their catch, reflect on this ancient city's progressive attitude.