Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Chioggia is a charming fishing community located at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon and steeped in age-old seafaring traditions. Its combination of canals, bridges and fishing boats have lent it the nickname “Little Venice.” Lined with shops, bars and restaurants, the main pedestrian street of Corso del Popolo exudes a lively atmosphere amid the aroma of delicious fresh seafood dishes. Chioggia shares a long history of cultural and economic ties with Venice, dating back to the Middle Ages, and is a scenic journey by water taxi from the capital of the Veneto region.

The Venetian Republic ruled Adriatic waves for a millennium. During the 8th century as the Roman Empire began to decline, many Europeans fled to Venice and its neighboring towns, including Chioggia. Merchants put their skills to use, and the city-state was soon thriving. The Venetian Lagoon’s canal banks feature buildings influenced by Byzantine and Islamic architecture, reflecting Venice’s powerful trading network. The first vaporetto traversed the Grand Canal in 1881; alongside the gondolas, these iconic Venetian water buses are at the heart of Venice’s transport network.

Built around the Roman Palace of Emperor Diocletian, Split is one of Croatia’s oldest cities. Its promenade commands majestic views over a bay and the Adriatic Sea. Despite evidence of Split’s origins in the 6th century BC, the city is traditionally considered over 1,700 years old—counting from the construction of the palace. Its well-preserved remains have been seamlessly assimilated into the modern city. An Ethnographic Museum is found at the palace’s heart and shops line the passageways of its ancient basement. Diocletian’s ancient mausoleum is now a stunning cathedral.

Dubrovnik is a historic jewel, with its spectacular Adriatic setting, 12th-century medieval streets and incredibly preserved structures. So stunning is its Old Town, the playwright George Bernard Shaw famously called it “paradise on Earth.” It is all spectacularly surrounded by a towering medieval wall. Inside, the ancient city’s Stradun is lined with authentic stone houses. The peaceful 14th-century Franciscan Monastery and Apothecary, housing the world’s oldest working pharmacy and a fine collection of Renaissance paintings, provide insight into the ages.

Kotor is Montenegro's picturesque capital set amid glorious mountains and dramatic scenery. Towering cliffs soar above the narrow Kotor ria—a submerged river canyon often called Europe’s southernmost fjord. Kotor is also home to one of the Adriatic’s best-preserved medieval Old Towns. The charms of this red-roofed city are endless, from the mismatched towers of its Romanesque cathedral to its narrow streets. Its stunning Venetian walls were built in 1420, remnants from Kotor’s nearly 300 years as a province of the Venetian Republic.

Corfu has a rich history shaped by conquerors and by royalty seeking tranquility. Corfu’s Old Town and Fortress—fashioned by the once powerful Venetian Republic—constitute a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its narrow warrens lead to one of Europe’s largest public squares and a lovely promenade once exclusively reserved for the local aristocracy. Everywhere, magnificent coastal views unfold and scenic byways lead to history-rich enclaves, from the archaeological site of Paleopolis and the stunning Old Fortress to a former Greek royal villa.

Katakolon is huddled around a pretty little harbor dotted with colorful fishing boats. Nearby, the fertile valleys of the western Peloponnese are a bounty of olive groves, vineyards and orchards, and lead to the legendary city of Olympia. The well-kept ruins here transport visitors back to the days of the earliest athletes who competed for nothing less than the favor of the gods. The remains evoke the glory of the Games, and the Olympia Archaeological Museum features statues that once overlooked the site.

Athens has been called the “birthplace of democracy.” Its legacy looms large from atop Acropolis Hill, the pinnacle of ancient Greece. This open air museum is an astonishing repository of once-mighty structures. From its colonnaded Parthenon—built more than 2,600 years ago—revered Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle formulated new ideas of government and debated its role in civic life to captivated audiences. Remnants of spiritual life are also here in the several temples to Athena and Zeus.

For a more intimate experience of Athens, the charming Plaka District invites guests with its labyrinth of cobblestone lanes. Neoclassical architecture lines the narrow streets of the “Neighborhood of the Gods,” so named for its location. Browsing its shops or simply perusing its nooks and crannies are pastimes favored by visitors and locals alike. This historic area is the ideal setting in which to enjoy traditional small plates of meze and a sip of ouzo.

Crete’s capital, Heraklion, grew from the riches of the Venetian Empire, which ruled here for four centuries. A Renaissance-era building boom made Heraklion the region’s most heavily fortified city; beyond its walls, the generous beaches, soaring mountains and coursing rivers of Crete unfold. Steeped in ancient history, this island haven was once home to the Minoans, Europe’s earliest recorded civilization. The legendary Palace of Knossos recalls its long heritage; its ruins were first discovered during the late 19th century and excavation took more than 35 years.

Rhodes is home to the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, a remarkable fortification. Its historic quarter is Europe’s largest active medieval town. Outside the city, forests of pine and cypress blanket mountain slopes; vineyards and groves of citrus and olives soak up the Aegean sun. The Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem conquered the island in the 14th century, bringing great wealth from the Holy Land. Under their rule, the city was reconstructed to mirror the medieval ideal. Many of the buildings from this era remain and make for rewarding strolls.

One of antiquity’s best-preserved cities, Ephesus offers an unparalleled look into the lives of the ancients. Many of its ruins have endured from the time Ephesus was one of the largest metropolises of the ancient world. Excavations reach back to the 10th century BC, when this city hosted one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—the Temple of Artemis. Today, Ephesus is still full of wonders: the towering facade of the Library of Celsus, the massive amphitheater that once sat 25,000 spectators and residences adorned with frescoes.

Çanakkale was an object of desire dating back to the ancient Greeks. Today, the nearby ruins of Troy, once a powerhouse of Asia Minor, provide a glimpse of the region’s former glory. The remarkably preserved structures of this UNESCO World Heritage Site offer hints of life here in the days of Alexander the Great and the later Roman Emperor Augustus. But it is the fabled Trojan Horse that is most prominent here. In Homer’s Iliad, the wooden steed gave ancient Greeks entry to the city during the Trojan War, and its legend is still very much alive today.

Istanbul exudes a fascinating mix of Western and Eastern cultures. Its strategic locale led to its role as a significant center of trade—eventually becoming a cultural crossroads along the world-famous Silk Road. One of the city’s stunning centerpieces is Hagia Sophia, founded as a basilica, converted to a mosque, then a museum; it is now a mosque again and features exquisite mosaics and frescoes. The city’s Grand Bazaar offers a rich taste of Turkish culture, from a vast selection of carpets and fabric to luscious dates and the local sweet favorite, Turkish Delight.