Libya’s largest and most cosmopolitan city is set on one of North Africa’s best natural harbours. The city has a distinctive Mediterranean charm infused with a decidedly Arab/Islamic flavour.

Built in consultation with Unesco at enormous cost, it is extremely well designed and provides a comprehensive overview of all periods of Libyan history. The Jamahiriya Museum houses one of the finest collections of classical art in the Mediterranean.

Sabratha lies west of Tripoli and was once a Roman center for trade in African animals and ivory, its former wealth is still evident in its ruins. During the first century A.D., a violent earthquake shook the city which was rebuilt under the Roman influence. The most notable remains are the Forum, the theatre and the temples of Iber Pater, Sirabis, Isis and Hercules.

A pleasant town east of Tripoli, Al Khoms is the closest town to Leptis Magna and therefore makes a great base for exploring these ruins.

Leptis Magna, is an ancient city along the Mediterranean Sea, located near the modern-day city of Al Khoms. The city began as a trading port for the ancient people of Phoenicia around 1000 BC and then became part of the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. The city grew as a prosperous trading center, but raids by desert tribes began in the 4th century AD and the city was virtually abandoned by the 8th century. Leptis Magna was associated with the Roman Empire for more than 600 years beginning in the 2nd century BC. During that time many buildings were constructed using Roman architectural styles. These Roman structures, well preserved under sand for centuries, have made the city an important area for archaeological study since the 1920s. Leptis Magna was also known as the birthplace of Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus (AD 146-211).

Libya’s third largest city has a very different feel to the others. In ancient times, Misrata was an important port for the trade in goods and people from the Sahara. Its carpet industry is one of the longest standing in Libya.

This is Libya’s second city and the principal city of eastern Libya. It makes a good base for exploring the Greek cities of Tocra, Tolmeita and, at a stretch, Cyrene and Apollonia.

One of the five cities of the Pentapolis, Tocra was founded in 510BC and was one of the first ports settle from Cyrene. Its ruins include remains of Roman tombs, a compact and attractive fort, the Eastern Basilica, Greek Gymnasium, the necropolis and the remains of the city walls.

Founded in the 4th century BC, Tolmeita was one of the five cities of the Pentapolis which continued under Roman rule. Here, as well as an excellent museum, is a spectacular collection of Hellenistic, Roman and Byzantine ruins, including the Roman “Villa of the Four Seasons”, named after the beautiful Four Seasons mosaic that was found here and is now housed in the museum.

The ancient city of Cyrene was the premier city of the Greek Pentapolis and its glorious remains are an enduring testament to the great civilizations that flourished along the northern Libyan coast. The agora was the heart of ancient Cyrene, serving as a public square, a forum for orators, a market and a magnet for the powerful people of the day. Many civic and religious buildings were clustered around the agora. The sanctuary of Apollo comprises a rich collection of temples, baths and other public buildings and sits on a ledge overlooking the plain. Further uphill lies the famed temple of Zeus, reflecting the importance of Cyrene in the Greek world, the Temple of Zeus is larger than the Parthenon in Athens.

Appolonia was the harbour for Cyrene, and because of this it played a critical role in the prosperity of Cyrene and the other cities of the Pentapolis. Most of what remains today dates from the Byzantine era when Apollonia was known as the “City of churches”. It has five basilicas and 19 towers.

This city is situated around the outlet of an attractive wadi. The valley’s steep sides are filled with lush vegetation, although most of it has been consumed by Derna’s urban sprawl. The city’s main attraction is Shallal Derna, a waterfall at the top of the wadi.

Is the scene of some of the most important WWII battles and is known mainly for its well maintained WWII cemeteries. There are cemeteries for most of the participating nations. Cemetery registers are kept at the gates of the two Commonwealth cemeteries (Knightsbridge and Tobruk); these list the names of the fallen soldiers, in alphabetical order, with a corresponding row number and letter to assist in finding a specific grave.

This city is a fascinating mixture of Arab and French, traditional and modern, old and new. The Ville Nouvelle (new city) exits side by side with the old medina of Tunis, the parallel grid street system contrasts interestingly with the winding alleyways of the medina.

Classed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Medina of Tunis is full of winding alleyways, ancient palaces, mosques, medersas and of course souks. This is the best place to hone your bartering skills as you haggle prices in the typical Arab markets surrounding the Zitouna Mosque.

This ancient city founded in 814 BC by Phoenician colonizers, was once one of the greatest cities of the ancient world. Today it ruins lay scattered amongst the more modern city of Carthage. The highlights are the remains of the impressive Antonine Baths, the Punic Ports, the Sanctuary of Tophet, Byrsa Hill and the Carthage Museum.

This pretty blue and white village is perched on top of the cliffs overlooking the Gulf of Tunis. The village is named after a 13th century sufi holy man who settled there on return from his pilgrimage to Mecca. The center of activity is the lively main square which is lined with souvenir stalls and cafes where one can experience the local mint tea.

Occupying the former residence of the Husseinite Beys, the Bardo Museum is spectacular architecturally and well as its exhibits. Housing a collection of priceless Roman mosaics that is unrivaled, the Bardo Museum also contains many other interesting artifacts.

The port of Sfax is Tunisia’s second largest city and its major commercial center, known for its very well preserved medina. Much of the market district was used as a stand in for Cairo in the filming of the movie The English Patient.

This city was one of the richest towns in Roman Africa. Today it is known mainly for its impressive Roman amphitheatre. This World Heritage listed coliseum was the third largest in the Roman world.

The capital of the Sahel, one of the most important regions to the Phoenicians and Romans, Sousse is the third largest town in Tunisia. Sousse has an impressive fortified medina that houses 24 mosques and a wealth of historical landmarks.

The birthplace of the ex-president Habib Bourgibba. Bourgibba lived here till his death in 2000, his mausoleum is one of the main sights. The town also boasts one of the oldest and best preserved ribats (fortified Islamic monastery) in Tunisia, it was built in AD796 as a coastal defensive fortress. The great mosque, just south of the ribat, dates from the 9th century.

One of the seven holy cities of Islam, its great mosque is North Africa’s holiest Islamic site. Other sites worth mentioning are the Aghlabid basins built in the 9th century to hold the water delivered to Kairouan from the hills by means of an aqueduct, and the Mosque of the Barber. The “barber” was Abu Zama el-Belaoui, a companion of the Prophet Mohammed, he was known as the barber because he always carried three hairs from the Prophets beard with him.

Is a luxury marina complex located north of Sousse, complete with hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and beaches.

Famous mainly as the center of henna production and for its impressive palmeraie, the oasis town of Gabes is the gateway to Tunisia’s south. The Grand Jarra market is a great place to purchase henna, tea, spices, ceramics and natural sponges collected from the Gulf of Gabes.

This city featured in the original Star Wars movie as the home planet of Luke Skywalker. Surrounded by a barren, eroded landscape of fissures and craters, the Berbers of Matmata went underground centuries ago to escape the summer heat. The town still boasts hundreds of these fascinating troglodyte pit homes. The hotel Sidi Driss is spread over five pit courtyards, all connected by underground tunnels, and still boasts bits of the set from the original Star Wars movie.

The Great Eastern Erg (sand sea) of the Sahara starts south of Douz. This is the Sahara as you have always imagined it, with golden sand dunes and oasis towns producing the finest dates in Tunisia.

This city, also known as Rabat, is the capital city of Gozo. The main attraction here is the Citadel on top of the hill, commending great views from it ramparts of most of the island and beyond. The Citadel, also known as Il-Kastell or Cittadella, also houses the Cathedral of the Assumption as well as a few small museums and the old prisons.

The Maltese Islands’ oldest monuments are the beautifully preserved megalithic temples built between 3600 and 2500 BC, the oldest surviving freestanding structures in the world. The remains of around a dozen such temples survive today, and some of them are remarkably well preserved, in particular Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples south of Siggiewi, Tarxien Temples and Ggantija Temples in Gozo.

Geology and the sea have conspired to produce some of Gozo’s most spectacular coastal scenery at Dwejra. To large, underground caverns collapsed to create two circular depressions now occupied by Dwejra Bay and the Inland Sea. The Inland Sea is a cliff bound lagoon connected to the sea by a cave that runs for 100m through the headland of Dwejra point. The cave is big enough for fishermen to pass though with their boats, making the inland sea the perfect haven. Close to the Inland Sea is a huge natural arch in the sea cliffs known as the Azure Window and right in front of it is another geological anomaly known as the Blue Hole. This looks like a pool of water but is a natural vertical chimney that connects with the open sea through an underwater arch.

This Unesco World Heritage site was built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th and 17th centuries and named after its founder, Grand Master of the order, Jean Parisot de la Vallette. Valletta contains many historical gems including The Grand Master’s Palace and St. John’s Co-Cathedral.

Built between 1573 and 1578 as a place of communal worship for the knights of St. John, this cathedral was designed by the architect Girolamo Cassar. Apart from housing the tombs of many knights and grand masters of the order, St. Johns also contains much art by Mattia Preti and boasts two impressive Caravaggio pieces, the most famous being The Beheading of St. John.

Originally the residence of the Grand Master of the order of St. John, the Grand Master’s Palace is currently the seat of Maltese Parliament. When Parliament is not taking place some rooms of the State Apartments are open to the general public. Here one can admire the remarkable collection of Gobelins tapestries gifted to the order by Grand Master Ramon Perellos in 1710.

The citadel of Mdina during medieval times was the favored residence of the Maltese aristocracy and the seat of the universita or governing council and was known as Citta Nobile – The Noble City. Today it is largely referred to as The Silent City due to it peaceful and shady streets, unaffected by cars and traffic.

Echoing St. John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, the floor of St. Paul’s is covered in Marble tombstones of Maltese nobles and clergymen, while the vault is painted with scenes of the life of St. Paul, particularly his shipwreck on the Maltese Islands.

The Maltese Islands’ oldest monuments are the beautifully preserved megalithic temples built between 3600 and 2500 BC, the oldest surviving freestanding structures in the world. The remains of around a dozen such temples survive today, and some of them are remarkably well preserved, in particular Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Temples South of Siggiewi, Tarxien Temples and Ggantija Temples in Gozo.