Islands of Mediterranean – Barcelona to Valletta

Futbol Club Barcelona, commonly referred to as Barcelona and colloquially known as Barça, is a Spanish professional football club based in Barcelona, that competes in La Liga, the top flight of Spanish football.

Mahón, or Maó, is the capital of the Spanish island of Menorca. It’s known for its British-style Georgian houses and sheltered harbor. Santa María Church, with an ornate 19th-century organ, sits on central Plaça de la Constitució. Next to the church, the city hall has a Renaissance facade and a clock donated by the island’s first British governor. The Menorca Museum displays art and exhibits on the island’s history.

Bonifacio is a town on the southern tip of the French island of Corsica. It’s known for its lively marina and medieval clifftop citadel. The 13th-century Bastion de l’Etendard houses a small museum with exhibits on the town’s history. L’Escalier du Roi d’Aragon is 187 ancient steps carved into the cliff face. To the southeast, the uninhabited Lavezzi Islands, a nature reserve, have granite boulders and sandy beaches.

Alghero is a city on the northwest coast of Sardinia, Italy. Encircled by ancient walls, it’s known for its cobblestoned old center. Its Catalan Gothic buildings include the Cattedrale di Santa Maria, with an imposing bell tower, Palazzo Guillot and Chiesa di San Francesco, a 14th-century church. The nearby Chiesa San Michele has a colorful tiled dome. The Museo del Corallo di Alghero contains red coral displays.

Cagliari is the capital city of the Italian island of Sardinia. It’s known for the hilltop Castello, a medieval walled quarter situated high over the rest of the town. Architectural highlights include the 13th-century Cagliari Cathedral. Housed in a former arsenal, the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Cagliari displays bronze objects, Roman ceramics and artifacts from the Nuragic age to the Byzantine era