The Italian Riviera begins in San Remo and stretches hundreds of miles down Italy's western shore as you visit picturesque Portofino then south to the Bay of Naples.

The Isle of Capri, the Blue Grotto, Ischia, the spectacular Amalfi Coast and the artist community of Positano all have their special allure. Superb food and fine wine are as abundant here as blue skies.

An overnight passage will bring you to Corsica with its fishing villages and unspoiled harbors interspersed along a dramatic western coastline that have changed little since the ancient Roman Empire.

Birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, Corsica remains largely undeveloped, with craggy mountains, inland forests, and rocky, dramatic coastline punctuated by splendid beaches.

Cross the Bonifacio Straits to Sardinia and the Costa Smeralda. This beautiful corner of the world was developed by the Aga Khan in the '50s as a jet-set haven. It has phenomenal beaches, hotels and restaurants.

A few miles away are the unspoiled, uninhabited Maddalena Islands - a perfect hideaway that has retained their rustic natural beauty with numerous protected anchorages.