Mediterranean Cruise Holidays 2012

The Mediterranean sea borders many nations along Europe, Africa and even Asia. This allows you to sample three different continents in a single area, without having to go too far to get there. The options for a Mediterranean cruise holiday are as varied as the countries that it touches, and can be tailored to meet your own needs.

There are four main regions you'll see when you're on a cruise, Iberia, Northern Africa, the Balkans, and the Middle East.

Iberia

The Iberian Peninsula encompasses Andorra, Portugal, Spain and Gibraltar. Andorra is a tax haven so you can find all kinds of cheap goods in stops here; its winter and ski resorts shouldn't be missed in the early parts of the year. The best skiing can be found in Vallnord and Grandvalira. In Portugal, see Porto, or the invincible city.

Evora is the museum capital, and Coimbra is the ninth eldest university in the world. Portuguese beaches are worth the visit if you have the time. Check out Carnival in Spain, and Malaga's August Fair with its flamboyant flamenco dancing and bull fights. If visiting Gibraltar, see Europa Point, The Mediterranean Steps, and see the dolphins in the bay.

Northern Africa

Northern Africa can be exciting, and has much to see. Abu Simbel has ancient temples, Carthage in Tunisia has a great museum, and Leptis Magna is the remains of the Roman colony in Libya. Ghat features extensive trekking and ancient cave paintings that must be seen.

Balkans

Greece, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia make up the Balkan Peninsula. Great places to see here include Brasov with its fortresses and Dubrovnik. Ohrid is home of the former Czar's Fortress, along with centuries old churches. Prelip has much in the way of natural and architectural beauty, and Zlatibor is a great mountain and winter resort open year round.

Middle East

You may not think of the Middle East as a part of the Mediterranean, it is somewhere you should stop if you're able. Here you can see the Dead Sea, and the Empty Quarter, an empty expanse of desert where life seems to persist. Persepolis still stands as ruins and once was the seat of the Persian Empire. The Sea of Galilee is a popular destination for Christian pilgrims, along with Samarra, where you can see many tombs of Shi'a imams.