MEDD

It’s not surprising that Graham Greene, Max Ernst and Pablo Picasso loved Antibes. What better place for creative inspiration than this spectacular setting on the Côte d’Azur? Half of the world’s biggest yachts anchor for at least part of the year at “Billionaires’ Quay,” where the sound of summer is the clink of champagne flutes. But celebrity sighting isn't the only draw. The Grimaldi Castle is the home of the famous Picasso Museum, which includes many works donated by the artist himself, including his famous La Joie de Vivre.

Located east of Marseille on the southern coast of France, Cassis is a quaint Mediterranean fishing village that has become a popular destination thanks to its lovely beaches and the nearby Calanques, narrow coastal inlets framed by scenic limestone cliffs. Hikers can take the well-marked trails to Cap Canaille, a rocky headland with panoramic sea views. In town visitors will find narrow streets bordered by the colorful homes of local fishermen. Numerous restaurants and sidewalk cafés offer the wonderfully fresh catch of the day.

Tall hotels rise up from the golden beaches in Málaga, the historic enclave on the Costa del Sol. While the Mediterranean bathes its coastline, Málaga's mountains back the city to form a cocoon that ensures mild weather. Málaga is among the world's oldest cities, founded 2,800 years ago and settled by Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Visigoths and Christians. Looming over the skyline are the citadels Alcazaba and Castle of Gibralfaro, remnants of Moorish rule. Málaga was revitalized in recent years, now featuring some 30 museums and an edgy urban art community.

Las Palmas, the capital city of Gran Canaria island, is a bustling city that weaves the vibe of the Spanish mainland into a unique tapestry of life informed by world cultures including African, Chinese and Indian. A city of superlatives, it's one of Europe's biggest ports with one of the world's best climates and the cleanest air of any Spanish city according to a WHO study. Many also believe that the long, wide stretch of Las Canteras is one of the world's great urban beaches.

Athens is the cradle of the Western democratic tradition, home to a civilization as radiant as any before or since. Feel the pulse of history as you climb to the hilltop Acropolis, home to some of the city’s most renowned ancient sites. Gaze in amazement at the massive columns of the Parthenon, Pericles' greatest monument. Admire the little Temple of Nike and the fantastic carvings of the caryatids that support a porch of the Erechtheion. At the bottom of the hill, the Acropolis Museum includes original statues of the maidens and numerous other artifacts unearthed here.

The Venetians left their mark in Nafplio. Perched on a cliff jutting into the sea, their impregnable fortress is an elegant display of Venetian might. Walk through the Old Town with its handsome neoclassical buildings and balconies dripping with bougainvillea. One of the most beautiful towns in Greece, Nafplio is also one of the most historic; its cultural roots date back to both the Argonautic expedition and the Trojan War. From here you can drive across the Peloponnese where tales from Homer’s Iliad come alive.