Western Mediterranean: Valencia - Nice

On one corner its centuries old and around the next totally modern - Valencia is everything all at once. Today the beautiful old town and the old silk market "La Lonja de la Seda", which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, still bear witness to the city's wealth in the Middle Ages. A brand new part of the city is situated in a drained river bed and has avant-garde buildings including a futuristic opera house, the largest aquarium in Europe, a botanical garden and a public park. Valencia is one of the few cities that has a heritage of over 2,000 years and is also so intriguingly combined with the future. And no other city in Europe can proudly make the claim that America's Cup has already taken place twice right on its front door.

Tarragona is the first large seaside town south of Barcelona. The town also offers a number of historical sites including churches from several different periods and a well-preserved Roman colosseum. The town itself has the usual Spanish assortment of plazas sprinkled with cafes and tapas bars. Tarragona is a good choice if you only have a day or two to get out of Barcelona, otherwise, the beaches further south or the remoter seaside villages to the north of Barcelona offer a more unique experience.

Barcelona revels in contrasts. Many enthuse over the beautiful elegant squares and boulevards, while others look for medieval romance in the Gothic quarter. Some love the artistic treasures in the Picasso Museum or the Joan Miró Foundation, but for most people Barcelona is the capital of Catalan Art Nouveau and its glory is epitomized in the spectacular Palau de la Música. At every turn you encounter the playfully opulent creations of architect Antonio Gaudi. His exuberant fantasies are evident in the numerous houses, idiosyncratic parks, and the famous uncompleted Sagrada Familia cathedral which he created.

Collioure is the merging of two nearby hamlets, either side of the castle which stands on high land between them. The town with 3000 habitants is a tourist town noted for the place fauvist art was founded by Matisse. There are 3 gravelly beaches, with lifeguards in High season, right by the promenades. Most of the town is pedestrianised, allowing strolls through the colourful shops.

The little fishing port, tucked between two exceptional natural sites (the celebrated Calanques and the majestic Cap Canaille) offers a concentrated version of Provence and the Mediterranean. The magic begins to work on the little road that leads to the village, winding between vineyards and pine trees. Walk along charming back roads lined with the brightly colored homes of fishermen. Cassis will be forever remembered by those who see its port, boats and welcoming terraces for the first time.

Nice lies in one of the world's most lavishly endowed natural landscapes. The sea glows azure and the mountains in the background rise picturesquely up into the sky. Castle Hill gives you a fantastic view over the rambling old town - a labyrinth of alleyways with Baroque churches, pastel-colored houses, and red-tiled roofs. The Promenade des Anglais, a sophisticated, five-kilometer- (3 miles)long walkway along the magnificent Baie des Anges and its long beach, lies at the heart of the elegant new town, with its splendid palaces and aristocratic hotels in the Belle-Époque and Art Deco styles.