MSC Cruises Ocean Cruises: 26 nights from Venice with MSC Opera
Nov 2, 2025

Split

Split (in Croatian Split, in Dalmatian Spalatro, in Ancient Greek Ασπάλαθος Aspálathos) is a city in Croatia, capital of Split-Dalmatian region, the principle center of Dalmatia and, with its population of 178,192 inhabitants (in 2011), is the second largest city of the country. Split is also an university and religious center.
The name of the city derives from the thorny broom, a very common shrub in the region, that in ancient Greek was called Aspálathos (Aσπάλαθος). Under the Roman Empire, the city was called 'Spalatum' and in the Middle Ages 'Spalatro' in the Dalmatian language. In the Slavic language it is called 'Split' while in italian 'Spalato'. In the early XIX century, the name became 'Spljet' and then returned to the form 'Split' again.

Heraklion

Heraklion is the capital of Cray. It is the largest port and economic center of the island and the third largest city in Greece. This city hosts the archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church and has religious buildings of great interest.

Heraklion is located in the center of the northern coast of the Greek Islands. With more than 100,00 inhabitants, the city is the capital of Crete, a Venetian fortress during the Middle Ages. The ancient city, with its squares and wide cobbled streets, balconies with wonderful view on the sea, mantains numerous fortifications. In particular there are important and magnificent monuments such as the Church of Agia Ekaterini, dated back to 1555, where the Museum of Sacred Art is hosted. The Archaeological Museum, home to ceramic sculptures, jewellery and frescoes on the Minoan culture. The Historical Museum, home to the only exhibited work of the painter Domenico Theotokopoulos (The Greek), and where you can have a view of Mount Sinai. The Cathedral of St Mena, the patron saint of the city, built between 1862 and 1895 is one of the largest buildings in the area.

Heraklion has an important port and a considerable center for the coastal trade of oil, soap, wine and hides. It has ferry boats and ships with regular itineraries to the islands of Santorini, Ios, Paros, Mykonos, Rhodes, Karpathos and Syros. There are also several daily ferry bgoats to Piraeus, south-west of Athens. The Venetian fortress, still in perfect condition, protects the entrance to the port.

The large combination of reality and mythology, tradition and modernity, make Herklion a cosmopolitan center and one of the most important tourist destination in the Mediterranean. Great beaches, lively nightlife, sunny people, excellent cuisine and the strange "interplay" between the old and the new, guarantees to tourists an unforgettable holiday.

Rhodes

Suez Canal

Suez Canal

Aqaba

Sharm El Sheik

Safaga

Safaga, also known as Port Safaga, is a city in Egypt located on the coast of the Red Sea where natural beauty, historical depth, and modern attractions are perfectly mixed together making the city a multifaceted destination for visitors. Safaga's economy benefits from its port activities. It has always played an important role for the city thanks to its import and export of goods. Historically, Safaga has served as an important port city since ancient times. It has been a trading hub, linking the African interior with the Arabian Peninsula and beyond. The ancient port of Myos Hormos, which was a vital center for trade between the Roman Empire and India, is located nearby.

Not only is the port important for its economy but it is also important for tourism. Safaga is an important hub for both regional and non-regional cruise tourism. The port is a departure point for ships traveling to Saudi Arabia, making it a key link in regional transportation. It also serves as a gateway to various inland destinations in Egypt, including Luxor. Safaga is a popular destination for tourists who love the sea and the beach, in fact the city is renowned for its crystal-clear waters, abundant marine life, and stunning coral reefs. The black sand of Safaga's beaches is reputed to have healing properties, particularly for those suffering from conditions like psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. This has led to the development of health tourism in the area.

Safaga is a popular destination for those interested in water sports such as windsurfing, kitesurfing, and scuba diving. The city is famous among divers for sites such as Panorama Reef, Middle Reef, and Abu Kafan. These spots offer breathtaking underwater landscapes, teeming with diverse marine species, making them popular for both beginner and advanced divers.

Victoria

Antsiranana

Port Louis

Located beneath towering mountain peaks, Port Louis makes an impression seen from the plateau with its frenetic center on the ocean in a frieze that seems to defy perspective. A wonderful experience. Despite being the national capital, the main economic center and the country's largest city, Port Louis occupies a rather strange place in the psyche of local people. The wealthier classes have traditionally lived outside the city, especially in the towns of Rose Hill, Quatre Bornes, Moka and Vacoas. This trend still continues nowadays, and Port Louis (the final s is usually silent) can sometimes seem like a city with no middle class, no centre and a ghost town after dark. This impression is totally false, however - Port Louis has a lot to offer, those who only visit the fantastic Caudan Waterfront will get a very bland impression of the national capital. The hustle and bustle of the streets, the city's famous market, Chinatown, collection of museums and wonderfully preserved colonial buildings make Port Louis much more than a place to shop away from the beach.

La Possession

Durban

Stretching along a strip of yellow-blue sand, Durban is the third most populous city in South Africa. The waterfront, with its expanse of hotels, skyscrapers and bars, remains a symbol of the city, and the city center, with some grand colonial buildings and charming Art Deco architecture, perfectly represent the typical African style. The city is famous for being a place with the largest concentration of people of Indian descent in the country.

For this reason, Durban also boasts sights, sounds and smells typical of the subcontinent. Even though the beach is always the favorite spot, many visitors visit the suburbs, chock-full of housing, shopping malls, funky bars and elegant restaurants and they describe these areas as beautiful and not to be missed.