Eastern Mediterranean from Piraeus (Athens)

Named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world -- built around its namesake deity's temple, the Parthenon, which still stands today. But Athens feels far from an ancient city. While it has done an excellent job at preserving sites like the Acropolis (where the Parthenon is located) and Greek Orthodox churches, it has evolved into a hip and modern metropolis and homeport for ships sailing the Greek Islands. The city's recently overhauled Metro system also provides a cheap, safe and easy way to get around for sightseeing if you have extra time before or after your cruise. Aside from major landmarks, even once-dingy neighbourhoods like Plaka and Thissio have been restored, boasting fresh pastel-coloured painted facades and chic restaurants, bars and shops. Syntagma Square -- Athens' central square -- also has been reborn as a tree-filled haven from which to take in the city's gorgeous neoclassical Parliament building and catch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (Yes, that means you get to watch those men in frilly skirts, elaborate waistcoats and bobbled shoes do their high-kicking thing.) Athens, once (in some parts, still) one of the most frenetic and traffic-polluted cities in the world, now owns a real buzz and is well worth spending a few days in if your cruise starts or ends there.

Nearly 20 years ago when we first sailed to Kuşadası, our gulet, a traditional Turkish sailing vessel, docked in a modest marina across from a row of open-air shops. We came to explore nearby Ephesus, one of the Mediterranean's most impressive ancient sites whose ruins detail life in the once-powerful Greek and later Roman city. Upon returning to Kuşadası, our guide herded us into what he swore was "the best carpet shop in Turkey." In between sips of thick Turkish coffee, we haggled with the owner, eventually settling on a blue Hereke, which we stowed in the yacht before dining at the simple dockside eatery.

Remarkably, our rug's much the same, but everything else has changed. Now the former seaside village's population hovers around 50,000, streets bustle with tourists, rug shops bloom in high-rise buildings, and an air-conditioned shopping mall with sleek jewellery stores and European fashion boutiques anchors the modern port.

What Kuşadası lacks in charm it makes up for in locale. At Ephesus, about nine miles from town, you'll travel back thousands of years. The Terrace Houses, now open to the public, make the centuries-old city even more enthralling.

Despite Kuşadası's crowds, you can still find an outdoor cafe to sip Turkish wine, savour just-caught fish and enjoy the sea breezes.

A geographic and metaphoric melding of East and West, Istanbul is the world's only city covering two continents. The Bosporus runs through the centre; Europe lies to the west, Asia to the east.

For nearly 2,000 years, the ideally situated metropolis has been the keystone of some of the world's great empires, serving as the capital city for the Romans (under the name Constantinople, as noted by the informative "They Might Be Giants" tune), Byzantines and Ottomans.

Inside the sprawling city, the secular and the sacred mingle -- minarets with nightclubs and dusty prayer rugs with designer digs. The idea of Istanbul as a collision between East and West reveals itself immediately, with monumental churches cum mosques (the Hagia Sophia), Roman ruins (the Hippodrome, where horse and chariot races were held in Roman times) and unadulterated symbols of consumerism (the Grand Bazaar with its thousands of shops).

Even if these iconic attractions are what draw many of its tourists to this vast (second only in size to Shanghai) city of 17 million inhabitants, visitors, dutifully plodding through them, may easily miss what makes this city one of the world's most vibrant right now.

Increasingly prosperous, Istanbul has exciting neighbourhoods, upscale shops (not just the usual international brands like Prada but also fashion designs by Turkish clothiers) and a thriving restaurant scene that ranges from classic fare to newer, Mediterranean-infused interpretations of local standards. Its Museum of Modern Art -- handily located pierside, where ships dock -- is new and offers both rotating internationally-minded exhibitions and works from Turkish artists.

Istanbul is increasingly popular as a port of embarkation (or disembarkation) for a range of itineraries, from the Black Sea and Eastern Mediterranean Greek Isles trips to the migration, twice a year, of ships between Europe and Asia. You can find as many as six ships a day docking there. This noisy place, in which the magical call to prayer several times a day manages to overcome the sound of honking cars, is a great place to add a pre- or post-cruise stay.

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Dream up a wish list of everything you'd want from a Greek holiday: talcum-soft beaches, spectacular subtropical forests, tasty cuisine and a beautiful, historic Old Town to explore. Add wall-to-wall sunshine, and you'll find Corfu ticks pretty much every box.

This small Ionian island (only 40 miles long and 20 wide) is a highlight of many Mediterranean cruise itineraries, and it's not hard to see why. Corfu (known to the local Corfiots as Kerkyra) is one of Greece's most verdant and picturesque islands.

Its lush interior, well-watered by winter rains and smothered in fragrant pine forests and dense olive groves, is studded with charmingly old-fashioned rural villages, where the sleepy routine is occasionally enlivened by summer religious festivals (panegyria).

At such times, tempting food and craft stalls appear, a fairground atmosphere prevails and brass bands, known locally (and rather confusingly) as philharmonic orchestras, toot out foot-tapping tunes. The main festivals take place in July and August and, of course, over Easter. And if religion's not your thing, perhaps the two Corfu beer festivals, in July and October, will grab your attention.

Most time-strapped cruise visitors confine their visits to exploring Corfu Town on the island's east coast, and this delightful medieval enclave, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, certainly deserves the attention. You'll find historic fortresses and the vast Spianada Square (esplanade), which is the largest public square in the Balkans, as well as intriguing alleyways and spectacular statues and fountains (not to mention excellent shops and lively restaurants).

If your cruise schedule allows, or you've visited Corfu Town before, you'll find it very rewarding to venture farther afield. In its long history, Corfu has "belonged" to many invaders -- Byzantines, Venetians, France, Russia and Britain -- before returning to Greek rule in 1864, and all have left their cultural stamp. You'll see it in the esplanade's cricket pitch and the island's Byzantine churches, Italianate mansions and the elegant French Liston arcade.

It all blends into the fascinating jumble, which makes Corfu one of the best-known and best-loved islands of the Ionian archipelago.

Bari, which lies in the Puglia, or Apulia, region of southern Italy (around the heel of the country's "boot" shape) is the kind of port cruise passengers dream about. It boasts a delightfully sunny, palm-lined promenade and broad boulevards with designer shops and top-quality restaurants. And, its lovely medieval Old Town is so atmospheric it could be the set for a particularly romantic version of "Romeo and Juliet" with its balconied houses, pretty courtyards, Baroque and Romanesque churches, chapels, shops and courtyards.

Beyond the city itself lies beautiful Puglia, which is endowed with a sandy coastline, 60 million olive trees, Roman ruins, vast golden wheat fields and the distinctive whitewashed, grey, conical-roofed houses known as the Trulli.

Bari is growing in popularity as a cruise port. Big-ship lines -- including P&O, Costa, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises -- are now visiting there, in addition to the small, upmarket ships of Seabourn, Silversea, Azamara and Oceania Cruises.

This is one port guaranteed to deliver a memorable day ashore -- and even have you planning to come back for a longer visit.

Trieste is a historic seaside city near Italy's border with Slovenia, and as such boasts a culture all its own. Throughout, there are lovely historic buildings, scenic beaches, cafes, restaurants and bars. Visitors are sure to notice the marriage of both Eastern European and Italian cultures as they explore the city streets, museums and even religious sites. --By Shayne Thompson, Cruise Critic contributor

The first thing that strikes you on arrival in Split, Croatia, is how very busy it is. The quayside is lined with local ferry boats -- some wood-trimmed and charmingly old fashioned, with room for no more than about 12 passengers -- and there are hordes of young backpackers embarking or disembarking as they make their way around one of Europe's most beautiful regions. Bigger ferries and cruise ships come into the main terminal, and from there it's a short but uphill walk to the Old Town with its market and the world-famous jewel that lies at Split's heart, the magnificent Palace of Diocletian. En route you'll encounter plenty of those gap-year kids, some toting backpacks or wheeling cases, others sitting -- rapt in young love -- on the many wooden, sea-facing benches that line the harbour front. Split's youthful buzz arises partly from its status as a university town and partly from its position as a jumping-off point for exploring Dalmatia's lovely coast and islands. So it's hardly surprising that it has such a young population -- and the affordable bars and lively nightlife that go with it. But older travellers arriving by cruise ship should not feel left out, for there is much to enjoy in this delightful port, from elegant pastel-coloured tea shops and great restaurants to even better shops. There's also a museum featuring the works of Ivan Mestrovic, one of Croatia's greatest sculptors. And, of course, there's that magnificent palace, built by a Roman emperor around 2,000 years ago.
  

Relax and enjoy the facilities and entertainment onboard your ship. If the weather is good take some sun and sunbathe on the pool deck. Otherwise explore below deck the wide range of activities that will be available during the day. Perhaps you prefer to find a quiet spot and catch up on your reading.

Named after Athena, the goddess of wisdom, Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world -- built around its namesake deity's temple, the Parthenon, which still stands today. But Athens feels far from an ancient city. While it has done an excellent job at preserving sites like the Acropolis (where the Parthenon is located) and Greek Orthodox churches, it has evolved into a hip and modern metropolis and homeport for ships sailing the Greek Islands. The city's recently overhauled Metro system also provides a cheap, safe and easy way to get around for sightseeing if you have extra time before or after your cruise. Aside from major landmarks, even once-dingy neighbourhoods like Plaka and Thissio have been restored, boasting fresh pastel-coloured painted facades and chic restaurants, bars and shops. Syntagma Square -- Athens' central square -- also has been reborn as a tree-filled haven from which to take in the city's gorgeous neoclassical Parliament building and catch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. (Yes, that means you get to watch those men in frilly skirts, elaborate waistcoats and bobbled shoes do their high-kicking thing.) Athens, once (in some parts, still) one of the most frenetic and traffic-polluted cities in the world, now owns a real buzz and is well worth spending a few days in if your cruise starts or ends there.