PONANT: L'Austral

Malaga is a popular holiday destination - known as the birthplace of Picasso and for sweet Malaga dessert wines from vineyards outside of town. Points of interest include impressive Gothic architecture, remains of a Moorish castle and interesting museums. Malaga is a popular starting point for trips to Granada and resorts along Costa del Sol. Splendid Granada and famed Alhambra are the region’s most outstanding attractions. Magnificent Moorish palaces and fortifications contrast sharply with Christian churches from Spain’s 1492 Reconquest era. Ronda's incredible location affording spectacular views over the valley and distant hills. Malaga Fine Arts Museum holds works by Spanish artists of the 16th to 20th centuries and by artists from Malaga, including Picasso. Marbella, which has been favored by the rich and famous, is a very popular holiday and yachting resort destination. One of the first resorts of the Costa del Sol, Torremolinos has luxury hotels, busy plazas and shopping streets, a lively art scene, a Wax Museum created by Madame Tussaud, and a glitzy casino.

Suggested Private Excursions

Spain: Malaga Walk & Taste Tour - 3 hours

Gibralfaro (4 hours)

Today Spain's major commercial port and naval base, Cartagena lies on the coast of Murcia, its great indented bay guarded by rocky promontories, each topped by a fort. The city contains the remains of old walls, a castle constructed probably in Carthaginian times, and a church that was formerly a 13th-century cathedral. Attractive promenades extend along the harbour, while to the northeast is the famous beach and watersports resort area of the lagoon-like Mar Menor.

Oran is a major mediterranean port city with a fascinating cultural past. The city has been influenced by traditional Spanish, French, and Islamic architecture, and is truly a city of blended cultures. Visitors may explore ethnographic and archeological exhibits at the Demaeght Museum or visit the beautiful Cathedral de Scare Coer, which is now a public library. There are also many Islamic influenced buildings and even some mosque's that visitors may explore. 

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The coastal area of Tunisia's capital, Tunis, at the western end of Lake Tunis, includes the ruins of ancient Carthage and the picturesque suburb Sidi Bou Said. The main focus of its ville nouvelle (new city) is the wide, tree-lined Avenue Habib Bourguiba, which becomes Avenue de France and ends in Place de la Victoire and the entrance to the medina. The medina is a place where traditions can be observed and where visitors get a feel for the local way of life. It features most of the city's points of interest and souvenir shops. Bardo Museum, which is housed in an old palace, is renowned as the best in the country and features an impressive display of artifacts covering Carthaginian, Roman, Palaeo-Christian and Arab-Islamic eras. The Roman mosaics are one of the finest collections in the world. The 13th-century Kasbah Mosque stands on an enormous open square beautifully paved with local granite. One of the best beaches is found at La Marsa - one of the most exclusive residential suburbs, with upscale cafes and restaurants. Others are at Amilcar and La Goulette.

Trapani was founded in antiquity on Sicily's western coast by the Sicanians. Trapani is an unusual Sicilian city for its westward position, which affords spectacular views of some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful sunsets. The oldest parts of the city have been modernized in many respects, but Trapani shows its medieval past. The Annunciation Sanctuary was built in the fourteenth century in Romanesque Gothic style and still retains splendid medieval elements such as the facade's portal and rose window, though the church's interior has been modified. The Pepoli Regional Museum is renowned for its medieval and modern collections, including articles from the Bourbon era, though it also houses ancient finds. Giudecca Palace is a Catalan Gothic structure built in the sixteenth century. The Church of Saint Mary of Jesus has a splendid Renaissance Gothic facade. The Church of Sant'Agostino is Romanesque Gothic with a beautiful rose window. The Cathedral and Collegio Church were built in Baroque style during the seventeenth century.

Valletta is the capital of Malta. This remarkable fortified city with its massive bastions followed the most advanced Renaissance ideas in town planning, with streets laid straight on a grid looking over the Grand Harbour. Outside the 'City Gate' is the famous Triton Fountain. 'City Gate' has public buses and vendors selling soft drinks and all sorts of traditional fresh Maltese bread and sweets. Freedom Square shows an extraordinary capital with buildings of fine architecture of different tastes and styles ranging from the Mannerism to Baroque to Rococo to Neoclassicism. Valletta is a fascinating city for wandering around looking at what used to be the Knight's own cathedrals and Auberges. The city's backbone is Republic Street, which runs straight through the city center to Fort St. Elmo. Valletta has several narrow, steep side streets decorated with traditional Maltese pastel colored balconies and a statue on almost every street corner. There are plenty of shops, cafes, and restaurants to choose from.