Suez Canal passage Cruise - from Sokhna - 121928

Aqaba is the only city in Jordan located by the sea. It was once the most important port at the Red Sea and connected the region with the Middle and Far-East. For seafarers this ancient city has been the gateway to South Arabia, Egypt, India and China since time immemorial. Aqaba is famous for its pink-coloured gravestones and temples, hewn straight from the sandstone cliffs. Other sights include the 12th century fort and the region's unique underwater world.

Until not long ago, Sharm El Sheikh at the southern tip of the Sinai peninsula was a simple fishing village in a romantic bay. Today it is a luxurious, modern holiday resort. The area surrounding the town consists of numerous bays and unusual coral reefs. The main activities are watersports and diving, but the Sinai desert is also the perfect place for an exciting and fascinating excursion on a dirt bike or by jeep. A journey through the desert astride a camel or on horseback is another truly unforgettable experience .

Its harbour and the small tourist village surrounding it are what give Safaga, around 53 km South of Hurghada, its unique charm. A special feature are the black sand dunes, an excellent spot for any sun-worshipper! The very salty water here is also said to have a particularly positive effect on the skin. Safaga is also considered to be a paradise for divers. The village itself has some small but excellent fish restaurants and lovely little souvenir shops.

Ashdod is Israel's second-largest port and lies 70 km from Jerusalem. As a holy place for three world religions, the city is unrivalled and could not be more unique, since it is not only an important industrial city but has a fascinating history: in Biblical times it was the "city of the giants". Important sights include Dagon's temple, built by the Philistines, which was where the Ark of the Covenant seized from the Israelites was kept.

The city was founded in the year 158 B.C. by Atalos, the King of Pergamon. Today, Antalya is the capital of the southern Turkish province of the same name. The city's landmarks are: the Yivli Minaret (dating from the 13th century) and the clock tower at the entranceway to the old part of the city with a city wall and the Hadrian's Gate (built in 130 A.D. to commemorate a visit by the Roman emperor Hadrian). There are lots of little winding streets, old buildings and mosques. The Bazaar in particular is the perfect place to take a stroll and maybe buy some gold or silver jewellery or a carpet. In the new town of Antalya you will find the bus station (Otogar), from where you can travel at little expense to all parts of Turkey.

Rhodes, the island of the Sun God Helios, is the largest and most popular island in the south-eastern Aegean. Due to its favourable geographic position it was once an important link between the Orient and the Occident. The 220 km long coastline is a mix between coves with beautiful flat sandy beaches and steep cliffs. The landscape inland is dominated by mountains, valleys and plateaus. Rhodes' history goes back more than 3,000 years. There are many archaeological excavation sites of ancient buildings, bearing witness to Rhodes' eventful past. Sights include: ruins from the Mycaean era, the ancient theatre, the gothic buildings, the round fort dating from the time of the Knights of St. John, the Turkish mosque and the Turkish baths.

The town at the North coast of Crete impresses tourists with its beautiful harbour, which lies in front of the old town. Aghios Nikolaos is characterised by its countless winding alleyways, filled with hoardes of little shops, taverns, rustic pubs, cafés and restaurants.

Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Greek Aegean. This unique, craggy island was created by a volcanic eruption. Today, its inhabitants live on the edge of the crater of the volcano. White villages lie at dizzying heights close to the edge. The most beautiful of the Cyclades combines blue sea, breathtaking views and a bizarre landscape. The typical architecture of the cyclades consists of cube-shaped houses with coloured window frames and lots of small chapels with blue domes. Sights include: the excavations at Akrotiri, the beach at Mavro Rachidi with its impressive black and red-coloured cliffs, the beach of Perissa with finest black sand, the rock massif of Mesa Vuno, Dorf Pyrgos.

Die Hafenstadt beherbergt den größten Teil der ca. 3.500 Einwohner der griechischen Insel Mykonos. Die Altstadt ist am besten vom Ufer aus zu betreten. Im Zentrum der Stadt befindet sich der Drei-Brunnen-Platz "Platia Tria Pigadia" mit drei Ziehbrunnen, die noch bis in die Fünfzigerjahre des 20. Jh. hinein die Altstadt mit Wasser versorgen. Sehenswürdigkeiten: "Nautiko Moussío", eines der reizvollsten Museen aus dem 19. Jh. zum Thema Seefahrt in Griechenland mit schönem schattigen Garten, das "Haus der Lena", das ca. 200 Jahre alt, mit Möbeln und Kunst ausgestattet ist und einen Einblick in ein Bürgerhaus des 19. Jh. gibt, die kleine "Agios-Nikolaos-Kirche", das Rathaus mit rotem Ziegeldach.

Piraeus, today a modern port town, has been Athens' port since ancient times and used to be connected with the capital by means of city walls. Only remnants of these wall remain. Piraeus has made a name for itself primarily on account of its appealing nightlife and the romantic fish restaruants by the sea. Sights include: the ancient harbour Zea Marina, the remnants of the long walls (5th century B.C.), the Archaeological Museum with ancient shipwrecks, statues of Apollo and Athena, the Hellenic Marine Museum and the Veakio Theatre.