Mediterranean Sea

Genova, city of history

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genova
Genova is a city in Italy most associated with the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.

The port city is the capital of Liguria in Italy and is the sixth largest city in the peninsula. The city is one of the largest on the Mediterranean Sea and also one of the largest seaports in Italy. Much of the city is surrounded by an ancient wall, parts of which still exist today.

It has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is important for its art, history, ,music, architecture, and food.

Among the city’s main sights are the San Matteo Square, San Lorenzo Cathedral, the city’s Lanterna or lighthouse, the fountain in the Piazza de Ferrari, the Doge’s Palace, and the Royal Palace of Genoa.

The city also has a number of parks that are suitable for relaxing such as the Villa Durazzo Pallavicini while the old harbour is one of the most ancient in Europe.

The city is famous for also its artwork and several important European artists such as Ruben Van Wyck and Strozzi had bases in Genoa.

The Genovese cuisine, like that of much of Italy is special and pesto sauce originated there. Some fish dishes are also unique to the city such as pansoti. Places to try Genovese cuisine in the city include the Gran Ristora and Profuma di Roso.

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Valencia, the sea of ​​Spain

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valencia
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain and is its third largest city in Spain behind Madrid and Barcelona.

The city is on the Mediterranean Sea and the banks of the Turia River.

Major monuments in Valencia include the Valencia Cathedral, Torres de Serranos, Torres Quart, Llotja de la Seda which is a Unesco World Heritage Site, Museu de Belles Arts de Valencia, Ciutat de les Arts i la Ciences, and the Valencian Institute of Modern Art.

The city is well known for the Falles local festival, the La Tomatina tomato fight, and several other catholic festivals held each year. The city is also host of the European Grand Prix Formula One race.

Valencia has a subtropical climate with mild winters and long warm to hot summers.

Valencia is home of one of the traditional Spanish dishes the paella and the cuisine is also world renowned in the city. Other specialties include the fartons, bunuelos, Spanish omelettes, rosquilettas, and squid.

Places to eat include the Raco de Turia which is close to the city’s river banks and is ranked among the top fifty restaurants for Spanish cuisine in the city.

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Crete, ancient isle

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crete (1)
Crete is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and is the fifth largest of the Greek isles forming a large part of the country’s economy.

It is the centre of the Minoan civilisation which is known as the oldest in Europe and as such history is a big part of the island’s culture. It has also retained some of its own culture such as great poetry and music. The country’s name first appeared in Homer’s Odyssey.

The island is quite mountainous with a high range running from east to west while there are also great valleys including the Amari Valley. The climate is primarily temperate with a humid atmosphere and mild winters.

Among the things to do and places to visit in Crete is the Aquaworld Aquarium. Sea life is big in Crete which is an island and therefore surrounded by water. There are several species specific to the island such as crustaceans (crabs).

Equine life is also important and there are several stables including the Arion Stables that can be visited. See also the Lychnostatis Open Air Museum and the Balos Lagoon.

There are over 2000 restaurants on the island with over 1300 serving native Greek cuisine.

Among the lower range are the Spyros Taverna in Gouves and The Alchemist in Koutouloufari. On the higher end are the Kapetan Dimitris and Lotus Eaters. The island has two main international airports as well as a ferry service with transport to Athens on mainland Greece.

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Monaco, mountain state

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monaco

The principality of Monaco is a city state on the French Riviera bordering France and theMediterranean Sea. Monaco is the second smallest but the most densely populated country in the world.

The country is very mountainous and rocky and the highest point sits on the slopes of Mont Agel. Its most popular quartier is Monte Carlo and the Monte Carlo Casino is one of the most famous landmarks not only in the country, but in the world. It is possible to eat at restaurants and cafes just outside of the Casino.

Monaco is quite small and it is possible to walk through the entire country in less than one hour.

There are very high-end shops. The city is served by a heliport with connections to the Cote d’AzurInternational Airport in Nice and SNCF railway system makes it possible to take a train into nearby France.

The Grimaldi Palace in Fontvielle is a good place to visit and from there it is possible to see the Monaco harbour. There are numerous sidewalk cafes and gift shops to purchase souvenirs in this quartier.

Sport is very popular in Monaco which is home of the track and field governing body the IAAF and the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix, the Monte Carlo Rally, and the Monaco football team. A track and field meeting is held at theStade Louis II stadium in Monaco every year.

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Barcelona, cultural capital of Europe

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Barcelona
Barcelona is one of the largest cities in Spain and the capital of Catalonia. The city is the largest on the Mediterranean Sea and sits between the mouths of the Llobregat and Besos Rivers.

The city was founded as a Roman city and has a rich cultural heritage making it a rich cultural centre and an important tourist destination. The architectural works of Gaudi and Domenech i Montaner have been designated Unesco World Heritage Sites.

Among the city’s main sites are the Sagrada Familia church, Palau Guell, the Columbus Monument, and the Arc de Triomf. Barcelona has many small hills and boasts a Mediterranean climate with mild humid winters and warm dry summers.

The National Museum of Art of Catalonia has a well-known collection of Romanesque art while several other museums exist, which cover architecture. There are also 68 municipal parks. The Camp Nou football stadium, home of FC Barcelona, is the largest in Europe.

The Barcelona International Airport is one of the busiest in the world. The city also has an extensive road and rail network connecting it to parts of Europe. 

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Sardinia, very nice

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sardinia

Sardinia is the second largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the geologically oldest in Europe. It’s a close neighbour of Corsica to the north, Italy, and Sicily. Its capital city is Cagliari.

The island is mountainous with high rocky coasts and several bays, inlets, and rias. The island has a Mediterranean climate on its coasts, plains, and lowlands while a continental climate exists in the centre.

The island has come under influence from Romans, Byzantines, Italians, Austrians and theSpanish and some of their traditions are still practised in Sardinia today. Sardinian and Italian are the main languages spoken on the island. It is also site of several megalithic structures and aUnesco World Heritage Site.

The Sardinian diet relies heavily on meat, dairy products, grains, and vegetables. Sardinians also drink more beer per capita than anywhere else in Italy.

Sardinia has three international airports connecting it to the mainland of Italy and other parts of Europe. There are ferry companies which operate between Sardinia and cities in France and there is a rail network which connects towns across the island.

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Corsica, Napoleon’s birthplace

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corsica

Somewhere in the Mediterranean Sea, west of Italy, southeast of France, and north of Sardinia is the French island of Corsica.

The island, an departement outre-mer or overseas region of France, is dominated by amountain chain which comprises two-thirds of the territory. Corsica is the most mountainous of the Mediterranean islands.It has three separate climatic zones – hot coastal zone, temperatemountains, and an alpine zone.

For the nature lover there is the Parc Naturel Regional de Corse which boasts several protected species while the Scandola Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.Ajaccio, the capital is in Corse du Sud while the second largest city Bastia is in Haute Corse. The Corsican culture is a unique blend of French and Italian.

The French general and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Corsica and his home is currently a museum while the town of Calvi claims to be the birth place of the explorerChristopher Columbus.

Along with French, Corsica has its own language which is recognised as an official language by the French government.

Corsica has interesting cuisine which includes wild boar, seafood and river fish, ficatellu coppa, lonzu made from Corsican pork and cheeses such as brocciu, casgiu merzu, casgiuand veghju made from goat or sheep milk.

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Crete, cradle of European civilisation

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The island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea is the largest of the Greek isles and the most populous.

The second largest island in the Mediterranean after Cyprus- Crete is teeming with history. It was once the centre of Minoan civilisation which is recorded as the earliest known European civilisation.

The culture is rich. Known for Mantinades poetry and music, and dances the most notable being the Pentozali. Crete is also rich with archaeological sites such as Knossos and Phaistos and there are also Minoan, Roman, and World War II ruins.

Crete is mountainous and has three different groups of mountains forming part of a range running from east to west. The island is plush with fertile plateaux, valleys, caves, and gorges. The climate is primarily temperate and there is snowfall in the mountains between November and May.

Heraklion is the largest city and capital, with more than a fifth of the island’s 600,000 people.

Crete has a road network larger than that of Britain and is well-served by ferries from the mainland city of Athens.

Crete is a veritable den of flora and fauna not seen anywhere else in Greece or other parts of Europe. There are no large or dangerous mammals or snakes on the island.

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Cyprus, Mediterranean paradise

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Cyprus
Very mild winters and warm dry summers make the island of Cyprus in the Mediterranean Sea a hotspot for tourists. The island gets almost twice the sunshine of cities in Northern Europe with as many as 12-13 hours of sun during the summertime.

Cyprus sits south of Turkey and east of Greece and is the third largest island in the Mediterranean. The island of Cyprus is divided into Greek and Turkish rule and is unique in that it is the only one which has a divided capital city – Nicosia. Nicosia is divided by a “green line” with part in Turkish Cyprus and part in Greek Cyprus. The city is surrounded by a Venetian wall.

International flights arrive at Larnaca International Airport in the south of the island. The island is mountainous in the north and south with plains in the centre while there are also plains on the island’s southern coast.

There are many archaeological sites scattered across Cyprus that date from the Stone Age through the Roman Empire and the island also boasts a beautiful coastline.

Cyprus is a great place to buy leather goods including shoes and handbags, jewellery, lacework from the village of Lefkara, and Cypriot wine. It boasts interesting cuisine and meze, a dish that can be made from meat or fish, is a must try.

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Malta, where centuries of history live

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malta
One of the most densely populated countries in the world, the small Mediterranean island of Malta remains popular among British tourists. The island sits south of the island of Sicily and just north of Libya in the Mediterranean Sea.

The island has a warm climate and many recreational areas which makes it a tourist favourite.There are three Unesco World Heritage Sites on the island which is filled with architectural and historical monuments.

Among them are the Megalithic Temples which are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. The island has a strong historical background having once been a base for Phoenicians, Hapsburg Spain, Romans, Aragonese, Arabs, Norman, French, and British.

Carnival has had a strong place in Maltan culture and it also has a strong Christian legacy. The architecture has been highly influenced by its Roman culture with classical and marble structures. Mosaic floors and Christian frescos decorate catacombs and Romanesque as well as Southern Gothic movements also have a place in Maltan culture.

The Italian artist Caravaggio painted seven of his works in Malta, two of the most notable being on display on the island.  

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