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Planning a route using ferries in the Mediterranean is not easy. Firstly, because there are so many possibilities, and secondly because the possibilities (the actual services) may be cancelled or changed at any time. Generally, however, there are enough services to make a holiday or travel in the region a memorable and hassle-free experience. The least frequent services tend to be those that travel the furthest, where services may be limited to a single weekly or monthly boat, which makes checking in advance the golden rule of ferry travel.

If time is limited, certain regions are more advisable than others. Top of these is the Aegean, which has frequent services year-round, with the height of summer sometimes seeing bizarre gridlocks in harbour entrances. Also good for regular boats is the Adriatic, particularly the Croatian coast, and the Western Med between Morocco and Spain and to/from the Balearics.

To help you plan your Mediterranean journey, the following provides the briefest of outline to each of the five regions (which, as explained in the introduction, correspond roughly to the Med's five ‘interior seas�). For further details of each region and some suggested two- or three-week itineraries, turn to the relevant part later on in the book; while for more extensive information on the ferry services see the appendix on p438.

WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN
For the purposes of this guide, the Western Mediterranean has been divided into two regions, with Barcelona and the Balearics to the north and the Andalucian�Moroccan coasts to the south. The two are connected by frequent air, bus and train services but, unfortunately, not by ferry. Likewise, the North African coast is regrettably devoid of ferries travelling east�west or vice versa these days.

Nevertheless, the existing ferry services do make it easy to bounce back and forth between the ports of Spain and Morocco. The southern coast of Spain and the northern coast of Morocco form a historical and geological bridge between the northern and southern shores of the Med and for centuries have seen armies, traders and migrants passing back and forth.

Nowadays the Western Med's northern coast is a major tourist destination, with the beaches of the Costa del Sol among the first in the world to see the development of mass tourism. This makes it a mecca for mainly north European holidaymakers along the coast, while inland the cities of Granada, Cordoba and Seville are major World Heritage sites. Andaluc�a has an ambience all its own, too, home of the flamenco and the classic Spanish sol y sombre, the light and shadow of burning hot days in dusty, whitewashed villages.

Across the water from the British colony of Gibraltar, the Moroccan city of Tangier is a major draw, with its international past and its memorable Medina. Beyond, the Rif Mountains mark a coastal ridge before the rest of the country, the westernmost land of Islam, and the desert beyond. Also along the coast are the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla, remnants of Spain's long role on the southern shores of the Mediterranean.

Further north, the Mediterranean curves gently to the Gulf of Lions and the coast of Proven�al France, passing by the Balearic Islands, like the Costa del Sol a byword for mass tourism, and the port city of Barcelona, one of the sea's greatest venues. Barcelona is also the link to the Tyrrhenian Sea through its ferry connection to another great northern Mediterranean maritime city, Genoa.

TYRRHENIAN SEA
With no shortage of fast, regular ferry services, the Tyrrhenian Sea is an easy place to explore and an area that possesses great variety since its shoreline includes four different countries, each of which contains many different regions. Access by air is fairly straightforward to any of the major cities, while road and rail links to France and Italy are also excellent from the rest of Europe.

The long peninsula of Italy, paralleled by the islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Sicily, is a natural geological and cultural dividing line, separating the eastern and western halves of the Mediterranean. Yet it's also a natural pathway from north to south, Europe to North Africa, a factor which leaves the sea between Malta, Tunis, Sicily and southern Italy something of a crossroads. Unsurprisingly, therefore, the region contains some of Western Europe's most important historical ports, including Columbus’ home town of Genoa, the French industrial harbour of Marseille, Naples with its nearby volcano of Vesuvius, Civitavecchia, the main port for the Eternal City, Rome, and the vibrant North African capital and port of Tunis, situated on the site of historic Carthage. Yet just as compelling are the islands of the Tyrrhenian, each rich in history, from the rough-edged yet starkly beautiful Corsica and Sardinia to Sicily, home to the Med's most spectacular volcanoes – particularly in the Aeolian Islands. It also has brilliant beaches and, despite a certain infamy as the home of the mafia, friendly people. And finally there's Malta, a real gem, a self-contained world of wonderful architecture, history and industrious organization.

ADRIATIC SEA
In many ways one of the Mediterranean's most under-visited areas, the Adriatic offers one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere, with its picture-postcard towns and offshore islands. On its western side, the Italian peninsula runs down from the medieval powerhouse and tourism mecca of Venice to the eastern Calabrian coast. On the other side of the water, most of the Adriatic coast belongs to Croatia, one of the most determinedly European of Yugoslavia's former territories, including the walled delights of Dubrovnik and Korcula and well-preserved Porec and Rovinj. There is, however, one blip along the way, the tiny Bosnian enclave at Neum and, further south, Montenegro, an ancient kingdom increasingly at odds with Serbia, its partner in what is now left of Yugoslavia. After that comes Albania, a much-maligned yet deeply fascinating country. With many warned off the place, you'll receive one of the warmest welcomes in the Med. The capital, Tirana, is the main sight here. Also within the boundaries of the Adriatic are the western ports of Greece and the intriguing island of Corfu.

AEGEAN SEA
The Mediterranean contains many of the world's most spectacular ancient sites, as well as many of its most significant. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Aegean, with the colossal Roman city of Ephesus, near Ku�adas�, a clear winner for sheer size. In that region, too, you'll find almost every island has a clutch of temples, every harbour an astonishing past. For beauty, the headland temple of Sounion near Athens is well known, but the temple to Athena at Assos, north of Ayval�k, is also in that league. Near here, too, lies Troy, a ruin now none-too spectacular but infused with some of the greatest myths of all time. In fact, touring down the Anatolian side of the Aegean gives credence to the oft-stated belief that most of ancient Greece's best ruins are in Turkey. And many of ancient Rome's best are there too. So, if it's rubble you're after, come to the Aegean.

The Aegean is also, of course, a great place simply to relax and have some fun. Brilliant beaches, rocky coves, crystal-clear waters and a jumping nightlife are here, with well developed bar and club scenes in �stanbul and Athens, on some of the larger islands such as Rhodes and Crete and in the larger resorts.

The number of ferry services in the Aegean means there's a vast choice of routes. One international route and one domestic (ie within Greece) are suggested (p281) but it's worth reading the Aegean section and looking at the route possibilities in the appendix (pp453-60) to get an idea of what's available.

EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
With the Turkish coast to the north, Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Syria and Lebanon to the east, Egypt to the south and Cyprus in the middle, the Eastern Mediterranean holds a fascinating range of cultures and peoples. Whether it's the faded glory of places such as Alexandria or the hectic nightlife of Beirut, it's a region encompassing a wide range of possibilities.

In terms of ferry routes Cyprus is the focal point; today, its old strategic importance as the gateway between Europe and the Middle East is nowhere more evident than at sea. Divided since 1974, the southern Greek/Cypriot part has until recently acted as the entry point from Rhodes and the Aegean – and it is hoped that it will do so again very soon – while the northern Turkish/Cypriot section remains isolated except from Turkey. Yet, limited though the ferry services may be, there are ways of travelling overland through the Eastern Med, and though you'd need a long sabbatical to really explore the region's vast history and cultural variety, it would be an inspiring yet humbling experience to do so.

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