Azure water, endless beaches, blue skies, and sunshine - no wonder the Mediterranean is the leading tourist destination in the world! The rising standards of life and income have made available more time and money to devote to relaxation and leisure, and the growth of rapid transportation systems has made them much cheaper, allowing large masses to reach in a short while and at relatively low costs vacation places once available only to the world's elite.

Its name comes from the Mediterranean Sea, the world's largest inland sea, that lies between the continents of Europe and Africa. The name is derived from the Latin medius (middle) and terra (earth or land), indicating that the sea was once believed to be at the center of the world.

Northern Coast: Inland from what is commonly called the Turquoise Coast are some beautiful hill-top villages that time seems to have forgotten. The Maritime Alps provide a windbreak to these coastal towns, as well as an exquisite vista. You don't have to be rich to explore the charms that this area has in abundance. With moderate breezes, multiple anchorages, various landscapes, and guaranteed sunshine, it is a privileged navigational zone bursting with ports, towns, villages and islands.

Gibraltar is more than just a rock guarding the entrance to the Sea; a narrow coastal lowland borders the 426 meter landmark. This miniscule colony of only six and one-half square kilometers (about 11 times the size of the Mall in Washington, DC) is a British dependency with a strategically important location.

Perhaps because of the benign climate and the long hours of sunshine in Spain, Spaniards tend to get up later in the morning and stay out later at night than the rest of their European neighbors. Shops and businesses are usually opened from 9 or 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 4:30 or 5 pm to 8 or 8:30 pm, although it has become more common for businesses to stay open through the traditional "siesta" hours.

The Mediterranean means much more than simply France's Cote d'Azur (French Riviera), although the seaside resort town of Saint Tropez is still very popular with the tourists. Set on the lovely blue water of the Bay of Saint-Tropez, this modern version of a medieval town is most popular for the line of yachts along the quay and the facing line of terrace cafes. Behind the cafes, the small streets and old buildings are picturesque, but they're more popular for the multitude of shops and restaurants than historical significance.

Monaco is an ancient principality steeped in a rich and colorful history. Many consider it to be Europe's most fascinating country. For over 700 years the Grimaldi dynasty has governed this one-square-mile Principality. The rugged terrain falls from Mont Agel (140 meters) to the Port of Hercules. Monaco and its glittering Monte-Carlo district are memorable and without equal.

Ah, Corsica, that splendid mountain in the sea! Corsica is in the Tyrrhenian Sea in the western Mediterranean, 160 kilometers southwest of the French Riviera and 82 kilometers west of the coast of Tuscany. Its highest point is Monte Cintu at 2,710 meters, but it has twenty other mountains of over two thousand meters in height, and the average altitude is 560 meters. Corsica has the highest mountains and the most rivers of any Mediterranean island. The coast has amazing cliffs, long sandy beaches and many hidden coves. It is almost certainly the least 'spoiled' coastline of France. Why on earth did Napoleon want to leave?

The miracle of Italy is that all its treasures come packaged in a gorgeous country of majestic mountains, placid lakes, idyllic islands, splendid cities and wonderful walled villages. An ideal climate plus warm and gracious people make Italy a perfect destination for an active vacation. Italy's island of Sicily is where the mountains meet the sea. Sicilia, the island in the sun, is home to heavenly beaches, majestic mountains and Europe's greatest natural wonder, Mount Etna. Its coastshttp://www.bestofsicily.com/history1.htm are gold with citrus orchards. The northeast is deep green with lush forests. Rugged land and rolling hills occupy the central regions. Dignified vineyards, ancient olive groves, hardy almond orchards and endless wheat fields complete the picture. Summer is amber land under a sky of blue. Winter finds palm trees dusted with snow creating a surreal landscape. Spring is a rainbow of wild flowers set against greenest fields.

Greece is composed of the continental segment and the islands within the Aegean and Ionian Sea, some of conserve their authentic island habitat and tradition -- one which has remained the same over the centuries. The vegetation and climate go hand in hand with the geographic diversity of Greece: the variety of vegetation is extraordinary. More than 6,000 indigenous plants have been found, of which 250 are in Crete. This impressive quantity is a result of the geographic positioning of Greece, located between the continents of Europe and Africa. Trees are of medium size with various species of pins, oaks, olive, fruit and palms in abundance.

Tucked away in the eastern most corner of the Mediterranean Sea lies Cyprus, an island of spectacular beauty with sandy beaches enclosed by rugged cliffs and cool cedar forests. An historic island, it is the third largest in the Mediterranean. There are truly worlds to discover in this eminently accessible island, where the service is extraordinary and the people (often English-speaking!) are as warm as the Mediterranean sun.

Southern Coast: Winter on the Mediterranean coast of Egypt can be cold and blustery, so spring and fall are the best times to visit here. The second largest city and the main port of Egypt is Alexandria, built by the Greek architect Dinocrates on the site of an old village by orders of Alexander the Great. The city, immortalizing Alexander's name, quickly flourished into a prominent cultural, intellectual, political, and economic metropolis, the remains of which are still evident. This renowned capital of the Ptolemies was the site of the Lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, as well as the Great Library. It was along these shores that history took a tragic turn at the time of Cleopatra, Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, and Octavian. Alexandria lies northwest of the Nile Delta and stretches along a narrow land strip between the Mediterranean Sea and Lake Mariut (Mareotis). It is linked to Cairo by two major highways and a railroad line, and is one of the most notable summer resorts in the Middle East: Its beaches, with white sands and magnificent scenery, stretch for 140 kilometers along the Mediterranean Sea.

Morocco has been a popular tourist destination for more than two centuries, motivated by the fascinating cultures of the country and the spectacular natural beauty. Although impoverished, this monarchy is a stable, safe country in which to travel. Short distances from the modern city centers are areas where ancient customs remain intact. Agadir is a modern city, but only an hour away is an town with the most complete city walls of the entire nation.