There’s little that Italy cruises can’t supply on the country’s Adriatic stretch. Venice – via the port of Marghera – is a focal point, boasting an embarrassment of architectural riches (particularly the Venetian Gothic-styled Doge’s Palace and the Byzantine-influenced St. Mark’s Basilica) and cosmopolitan restaurants.

Bari has an intimate feel, with a charming Old Town and classically handsome Piazza Mercantile. Explore Bari’s heritage on an excursion, featuring a train ride, a walking tour and tasting of regional specialities.

Trieste features more historical tales at Miramare Castle and a Roman amphitheatre, while part of Ancona’s story takes place below ground in the Frasassi Caves – or explore Ancona above ground on a walking tour that visits the city’s historical centre and a ‘tactile museum’, Museo Omero. Don’t miss Lecce on your Adriatic sea cruise, known as “the Florence of the south” and accessible via palm-fringed Brindisi.

A Croatia holiday delivers on all fronts. For starters, Dubrovnik is a bucket list destination thanks to its UNESCO-recognised Old Town. See the highlights on an excursion, including 16th-century Pile Gate and the city walls.

Or take a cultural deep dive on your Croatia cruise in Konavle, where you can hear traditional folk music. Split (the country’s second-largest city) provides a gateway to Krka National Park’s waterfalls, plus its own historical treasure: Diocletian’s Palace, built for a Roman Emperor.

Zadar, one of Croatia’s oldest continually inhabited cities, supplies more ancient history – including Roman ruins – and a route to Plitvice Lakes National Park.

Croatia’s third-largest city, Rijeka, perches over the Adriatic, offering access to the island of Krk for wine-tasting. Alternatively, get to know the storied churches and theatres of ancient coastal town Šibenik, or journey out to surrounding villages, such as Primošten and Burni to sip wine with locals.

A Montenegro cruise is a chance to explore natural wonders. Its position on the Balkan peninsula affords it dramatic mountain vistas and gorgeous beaches. Both can be enjoyed on a visit to Kotor, an atmospheric, Roman-founded city where the well-preserved medieval Old Town is backdropped by soaring peaks, with cosy beaches just minutes away. 

Get to know these seaside scenes on a coastal tour that visits Budva, another beachside city, featuring distinctive Venetian architecture. If you’re after a pure beach trip, a transfer to popular Jaz Beach and its sandy sprawl is also available, or you could get closer to the action on a boat trip from Kotor that visits the maritime stronghold of Perast.

Further down Montenegro’s coast is Bar. The fascinating Old Town here has been deserted since the late 19th century, but numerous buildings remain, including a cathedral and a Turkish bath house.

Paradisiacal beaches, world-famous monuments and traditional cuisine are all plentiful on Greece and Greek Island holidays. Storied capital Athens (accessible via the port city of Piraeus) is an informative starting point, with its iconic archaeological site, the Acropolis. Explore its temples on an excursion that also visits Plaka, a photogenic neighbourhood where neoclassical architecture lines colourful streets.

Greek Islands offer headspace, local tavernas and charming villages, such as those on Santorini, where an excursion leads to whitewashed houses and blue domes on Oia, and the clifftop-set capital, Fira.

Windmill-strewn Mykonos is another unmissable island. Discover the highlights on an excursion that visits a 16th-century monastery and serene, sandy Kalafatis Beach. Other enchanting islands reachable on Adriatic and Aegean cruises include Cephalonia, Corfu and Syros.