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Istanbul
An overnight visit to “The Gateway to the East” provides ample time to explore Suleymaniye Mosque, Santa Sophia, the Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque. Be sure to shop amid the vaulted ceilings of the Grand Bazaar.

Sochi
At the foot of the Caucasus Mountains, Sochi basks in a pleasant, sub-tropical climate. Enjoy the warm seas, lush vegetation and the curative powers of its springs. Visit the botanical gardens and look out for the resort’s signature “Trees of Friendship”.

Yalta
A favourite escape of Russian Tsars, the city is now best known as the venue for the historic conference that brought together Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt
in 1945.

Sevastopol
Situated on the tip of the Crimean Peninsula, the city is remembered for the notorious 349-day siege. Nearby, the valleys that witnessed the Charge of the Light Brigade provide one excursion option, while the ancient Greek city of Chersonesus, founded in 422 BC, takes us further back in time.

Nesebur
Beautifully set on a peninsula linked to the mainland by a narrow causeway, Bulgarian Nesebur is a maze of narrow cobbled streets. Distinctive houses with their stone basements are topped by pretty wooden upper storeys, flower-decked balconies and narrow flights of panelled stairs.

Canakkale
Sitting on the Dardanelles, this is Discovery’s gateway
to landmarks of the First World War campaign. Headed by Anzac Cove and the Lone Pine Australian Monument, you’ll have time to reflect and learn all about the Gallipoli campaign from our experts guides.

Kusadasi
A short drive from this lively port is Ephesus, once home to a quarter of a million people. Finest of the Graeco-Roman remains are the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre where St. Paul once preached to the early Christians.

Heraklion
Take time to enjoy the capital of Greece’s largest island. The Archaeological museum is a little like London’s Tate Modern – built within a disused power station. Not far are the Minoan ruins of Knossos, the palace-city unearthed and restored by British archaeologist Arthur Evans.

Santorini
Perched high atop the island is Thera which visitors can climb to on foot, by donkey, or by taking an easier funicular ride. The trip is worth it for the views alone. The whitewashed village houses are typical of the Aegean and a great place to sip retsina.

Mykonos
Thread a passage through the narrow streets of Kástro, a maze designed to stop the winds from whistling through and to exasperate visiting pirates. Linger on the beaches or stroll the harbour in search of colourful mementoes.

Piraeus
Hub of Greece’s maritime legacy and a thriving port since ancient times, Piraeus is our gateway to Athens. You’ll have time to climb the Acropolis and to dine in the neighbouring Plaka district on endless, mouth-watering mezes.

Valletta
Head for the Upper Barraca Gardens for some of the best views of Malta’s capital. A jumble of creamy stone houses and more stately edifices crowd the city’s streets, built on a grid pattern within the ramparts. Be sure to visit the Grand Master’s Palace and the Co-Cathedral of St. John.

Messina
Across from the “toe” of Italy lies Sicilian Messina, overlooking the straits where Odysseus faced Scylla and Carybdis. A staging post for mariners in the Middle Ages making for the Holy Land, Messina has risen from the ashes of earthquakes and WWII action.

Sorrento
With its cliff setting that overlooks Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples, elegant Sorrento gathers around lively Tasso Square. Sit back with an espresso to survey the scene and shop in the narrow streets behind the Corso Italia or, spend the day tracing the remains of nearby Pompeii.

Civitavecchia
The port of Rome welcomes Discovery. Spend the day ticking off the well-known landmarks, from the Trevi Fountain to the Vatican, from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum. Sample gelati on Piazza Navona or go window-shopping along Via Condotti.

Ajaccio
There are plenty of Napoleonic echoes around Bonaparte’s birthplace. A Mediterranean sea port par excellence, streets and squares feature pastel walls and weathered shutters keeping out the sun. One of the best places to sample the atmosphere is Place Foch.

Almeria
A drive through orange and lemon groves will lead the visitor to Granada, site of the spectacular Alhambra. Wander through the many ornamental gardens and elegant courtyards that reflect in glassy pools. Inside, interiors are even more dazzling, reflecting the whims of successive generations of Moorish sultans.

Gibraltar
Ride the cable car that climbs the “Rock”, stopping halfway to meet the quizzical Barbary apes. On clear day, the view across the straits takes in the shores of Africa as ships slip in between, bound for Suez or the Americas. In town, visit the Gibraltar Museum and look out for familiar sights such as bobbies and red pillar boxes.

Cadiz
Our on-board guests will enlighten you about the blockade of Cadiz and the events that led up to the famous sea battle that made a household name of nearby Cape Trafalgar.

Lisbon
Celebrating an age when pioneering seamen set out to chart the globe, the giant Monument to the Discoverers features effigies of Henry the Navigator and a cast of great explorers around the prow of a symbolic caravel. Elsewhere along the Tagus, take in the delicate Manueline architecture of Belem and the picturesque streets of the Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest quarter.