Western Mediterranean Mosaic

The great period of “the Discoveries” accounted for phenomenal wealth brought back from India, Africa and Brazil by the great Portuguese navigators. Gold, jewels, ivory, porcelain and spices helped finance grand new buildings and impressive monuments in Lisbon, the country’s capital city. As you sail up the Tagus River, be on deck to admire Lisbon’s panorama and see some of the great monuments lining the river. Lisbon is one of Europe’s smallest capital cities but considered by many visitors to be one of the most likeable. Spread over a string of seven hills, the city offers a variety of faces, including a refreshing no-frills simplicity reflected in the people as they go unhurriedly through their day enjoying a hearty and delicious cuisine accompanied by the country’s excellent wines.

Portugal’s southeast coast is a ruggedly beautiful region, crowned by Cape St. Vincent, the southeastern-most point in Europe. At nearby Sagres, Henry the Navigator had his school where the most knowledgeable seamen in the world learned their craft. Standing on the high bluff overlooking the windy sea, one can imagine Columbus staring off to the west, pondering what lay beyond that blue horizon.

With Spain to the north and Morocco to the south, Gibraltar is the famous promontory dominating the narrow entrance to the Mediterranean. Its position led to its seizure by the Moors in 711 as a prelude to the conquest of Spain. The Moorish influence includes the name Gibraltar, a corruption of “Jebel Tariq” (Tariq’s Mountain), named after the Moorish commander Tariq who built the first fortification. In ancient times Gibraltar was regarded as one of the two Pillars of Hercules, which marked the western limits of the known world. Known commonly as “The Rock,” Gibraltar is full of natural caves and manmade tunnels. The Rock itself, composed of limestone and gray marble, is geographically part of the Iberian Peninsula. Politically, the British have controlled Gibraltar for over two centuries. This tiny self-governing British Colony welcomes you to enjoy its historical sites, magnificent views, beautiful beaches and duty free shops.

The scented isle of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon, was controlled for centuries by Genoa and did not become a region of France until 1768. As late as the last century, the rugged island was still a haven for bands of brigands. Today, the island’s inviting beaches and scenic beauty attract an increasing number of tourists hoping to escape the much more hectic pace of the Riviera. Bonifacio, perched at the top of towering white cliffs, is a striking sight from the sea. Watch for the 15th-century staircase carved into the cliff face which runs right down to the water’s edge as you approach the harbor.

Livorno is the gateway to the region of Tuscany, which as Goethe once observed, looks like Italy should. Fortunately for today’s visitor not much has changed in the two centuries since the German poet was himself a tourist in Toscana. The remarkable wealth of beauty here mellowed to a golden patina by history and tempered by the hand of man, awaits. Everywhere there is history, from the Etruscan stronghold of Fiesole, to the Roman colony of Volterra to the Renaissance splendor of Florence, Pisa, Sienna and San Gimignano. If the landscape evokes a sense of the familiar it is because the great masters have used it as a backdrop for their great works. Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci were archtypal Tuscans and Renaissance men who headed an extensive list of geniuses who lived, worked and created within a single period of time.

Despite its small size, the island of Elba has been known since the beginning of recorded history. Called Ilva by the Ligurians and Aethalia by the Greeks, Elba passed to the Etruscans and later the Romans. It was ruled by Pisa in the Middle Ages, was a haven for Barbary pirates in the 16th century and then privately owned by the powerful Medici family. The island’s most famous resident was Napoleon Bonaparte, whose first exile from France and short reign over Elba lasted from May 1814 to February 1815. During that time, Napoleon was able to improve the island by altering street plans, building new roads, modernizing agriculture and developing the iron mines.
Iron ore is still mined above the Rio Marina and then shipped from Portoferraio (Port of Iron). With a population of just over 11,000, the town is the largest of the eight on the island and is considered its capital. Geologists and gem stone collectors find Elba a treasure trove with over 150 minerals and semiprecious stones found here due to the seismic turmoil that created the island. The rich soil also produces an astonishing range of foliage and flowers aided by sun that shines almost every day of the year. Despite summer tourism, the island is largely agricultural and the ambience is quiet and relaxed, allowing the visitor to enjoy Elba’s natural charm, peaceful abundance and timeless beauty.

Originally built by Emperor Trajan who had a villa here, Civitavecchia has flourished as a major port for Rome since the 13th century. Today it is an important ferry terminal and for many travelers the gateway to the Eternal City, Rome. The Renaissance fortifications that surround the harbor area were begun by Bramante and completed by Michelangelo in 1535.