Cannes, with its glamorous charm, embodies the quintessential Mediterranean getaway. Originally favored by affluent English aristocrats seeking refuge from the chilly British winters, its lavish lifestyle has drawn both celebrities and infamous figures alike. Each year, the Cannes Film Festival brings together stars from around the globe at the grand Palais des Festivals.

Monaco, known for its association with royalty and celebrities, exudes an aura of grandeur. The impressive Palais du Prince and luxurious casinos evoke a sense of elegance reminiscent of a bygone era. Despite its small size, Monaco boasts immense wealth, maintaining its prestigious allure.

Portofino is a fishing village on the Italian Riveria coastline. Its pastel-colored houses, luxury boutiques, and seafood restaurants surround its Piazzetta, a small cobbled square overlooking the harbor, which is lined with super-yachts. A short walk takes you up to the Church of St. George, a church with a cool, plain interior, dramatically situated on the narrow neck of the Portofino headland. As a lookout point, and probably as a site of religious significance, the spot goes back thousands of years.

It was in the Villa Magni near Lerici that Percy Bysshe Shelley spent his last happy days before sailing his small boat on its stormy fatal voyage on July 8, 1822. Lord Byron, another Lerici literary resident, once swam across what is now called the “Golfo dei Poeti.” The small fishing villages of San Terenzo, Tellaro, and Fiascherino, and Montemarcello are similar to the more famous Cinque Terre.

From his villa in Portoferraio, Napoleon, the exiled Emperor of France, looked out over the waiting ships in the harbor and dreamed of returning to glory. Enjoy a local vineyard tour, and near Portoferraio, discover the remains of an ancient Etruscan civilization.

St. Peter's, with its breathtaking Sistine Chapel, newly restored to its former glory- the Spanish Steps, where all of Rome passes by the Colosseum, where gladiators fought to the death, and the Pantheon, considered to be the most perfect architectural statement of the ages. Disembark this morning after breakfast.