The port of Civitavecchia was founded in 108 AD by Emperor Trajan, on the site of earlier Etruscan settlements, to provide the Empire's capital with a safe sea haven. Since then, through the centuries of papal Rome up to the present day, it has continued to perform the function for which it was created - providing the safest door to the city of Rome. Civitavecchia is situated only a few kilometres by motorway from the Eternal City and its international airport at Fiumicino. Disembarking at Civitavecchia means entering the heart of the mysterious Etruscan civilisation with its fascinating and enchanting tourist venues. The dreamlike Tuscania, Tarquinia, Vulci, Viterbo, Cerveteri and many others await discovery. Well aware of the natural artistic and historical treasures to which Civitavecchia holds the key, the Port Authority has decided to invest a considerable sum in redesigning the port. On the brink of the third millenium, Holy Year takes on a historic meaning for the port of Civitavecchia - its strategic vicinity to Rome makes it one of the capital's natural points of access. Through its chairman Francesco Nerli and its secretary general Giovanni Moscherini, the Port Authority has drawn up a three year operations plan (already well underway) in order to achieve the objective it has set itself. In short, this is a marketing mix concentrating human resources, technology and investment. There will be the construction of a further 537 metres of cruise liner wharves and the lengthening of the harbour arm. On the threshold of the Jubilee, Civitavecchia has been earmarked as the third point of arrival, together with Termini station and Fiumicino airport, for the tourists and pilgrims that will be visiting the Holy City. Fully aware of the importance of this event, there are plans for the renovation of the ancient walls, the Vanvitelli fountain, the Roman dock and the Lazaretto. The ancient harbour will be the mooring for both cruise liners and the vessels serving the islands (Sicily and Sardinia). Furthermore, there will be a new 500,000 square metre trading wharf of which 25,000 square metres will be destined for new services and offices. The operations plan foresees the investment of over 500,000 million lire with 300,000 million earmarked for the construction and development of the commercial and tourist port, while the remaining 200,000 million will go toward the reconstruction of Darsena Petroli. At present, Civitavecchia is Italy's second busiest passenger port, boasting two million two hundred thousand passengers a year. It is also the largest port for national coastal trade. Its railway system includes the State Railway's ferries to nearby Sardinia. Civitavecchia is prepared for the challenge of the third millenium by not only becoming one of the Mediterranean's most important cruise ports, but also one of the best equipped commercial docks in Italy.

Istanbul is an international art and cultural center. The International Arts and Cultural Festival is held each year in June and July with famous artists coming from all over the world. These performances are held mostly at the Ataturk Cultural Center. Those who enjoy classical music can hear it at the Cemal Resit Rey Hall. Operas, operettas, ballets, films, concerts, exhibitions and conferences all contribute to the cultural palette of the city. Istanbul also has a rich program of light entertainment. Nightclubs provide splendid entertainment throughout dinner, ranging from a selection of Turkish songs to belly-dancing. Istanbul is a preffered city in terms of international art activities . This is because the art-lovers of Istanbul are respectful to the art and the artist. The famous performance artists feel themselves very comfortable in Istanbul concerts. Because the audience is very well aware of "the rituel of watching an artistic performance." The artist knows that he or she will not come across with impudent or disrespectful behavviours. It is the same for the international picture galleries, biennials, and visual activities. Neither the spectator nor the critic leave their "respectful attitude aganist the artist. " Hence the myths of traditional pop-rock genres, giants of jazz contempoporarylegends of classical western music are always in Istanbul, on the stage. To sum up; Istanbul is a city that can add compassion next to its giant size in terms of living area and population, and siling to assimilate the universal culture while "welcoming" it with utmost hospitality: a "world city" ... In this case, it deserves to be called "universal culture capital"

Lisbon is a lovely, very livable city. It is one town that has been able to preserve all the charm of its old city and the traditions and history that go along with it. It is also a modern city in terms of its infrastructure and public services.As far as history is concerned, 3000 years ago, the Phoenicians were attracted to the site for its exceptional strategic location.The city was then successively invaded by the Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, and the Moors, etcThere is so much to discover in Lisbon! The charm of its tramways, the magnificent praça do Comercio, formerly considered the entrance to the city, Sao Jorge Castle perched on a hill, in the Rossio district, one of the greener parts of town.Not far from there you can admire the Santa Justa Elevator, and once you're at the top, you'll get a great view of Lisbon. And then there's the Chiado Museum, the enchanting Botanical Garden, the praça do Restauradores, the site of the 1998 world's fair and its incredible Oceanarium, the biggest in Europe.. ... the mythic Tower of Belem, and last but not least, a visit to the Frigate Fernando II e Gloria, the last sail-powered ship in the Portuguese fleet to have traveled the route to India.

Malaga is the major coastal city of Andalucia and is a genuine and typical Andaluz city with a gritty individualism untouched by tourism and, to a large extent, the passage of time. The Moors occupied the city until the mid fifteenth century, after which it grew to become one of the foremost merchant centres in the entire Iberian Peninsula. This illustrious past has left its imprint on the historic centre, particularly around La Alcazaba, a fortress which dates back to 1065 and is now a fascinating archaeological museum. Also worth a visit is the nearby castle which was rebuilt by the Moors and is today a traditional parador (state hotel) with superb panoramic views. During the nineteenth century, Malaga was a popular winter resort for the wealthy famed for its elegance and sophistication. The impressive park on Calle Alameda dates back to this era and is recognised as being one of the mostcelebrated botanical collections in Europe. During the winter, open air concerts are held here every Sunday which makes a refreshing change from the bucket and spade scenario on the coast. Pablo Picasso is the city’s famous son (not counting Antonio Banderas of course!) and there are several galleries showing his work, including the 16th century Museum of Fine Arts, adjacent to the Cathedral His birthplace in Plaza Merced is today an archive of his life and works and open tothe public; the entrance is absolutely free (so are all the services: Documentation Centre, exhibitions, museum, video projections...) Málaga's main theatre is the "Theatro Cervantes" where Antonio Banderas once trod the boards. He still visits. As well as being a cultural centre, Malaga is also a great place to eat out. The Malaguen´os love their food and the bars and restaurants here are where the real social life takes place. The choice in unlimited and, on the whole, reasonable with some bars offering a menu of the day with bread and wine for as little as 700 pesetas. Tapas, small portions of many different dishes is an Andalusian tradition and a wonderfully inexpensive way to try a variety of local food. The best known local fare in Malaga is pescaito frito, an assortment of fried fish, including small sardines and red mullet, best washed down with a glass of ice cold fino at one of the many old fashioned bodegas in town. But it is El Palo, to the east of the city which is a typical fisherman’s village and the place to go if you want that veritable ‘catch of the day’ freshness. In the centre try a tapas and a glass of Malaga wine at Malaga's oldest tapas bar called "Antigua Casa de la Guardia". Keep to the north side of the Alameda and find no. 16. Malaga is always closed for the siesta period, so this is a perfect time for a long relaxing lunch. These days, Malaga prides itself on being a modern city with the heart of commerce dominated by Calle Larios which is the local Bond Street equivalent. This is the recommended place to start exploring the city as it is surrounded by attractive small streets and plazas, as well as the magnificent cathedral (Renaissance cathedral with a Baroque façade and choir by Pedro de Mena) which offers daily guided tours. Garden lovers won't be disappointed in Malaga either. In the centre of the city is the beautiful Alameda Gardens, and just outside on the way to Antequera one finds the extensive Jardines de la Concepcion. Málaga airport is of course on of the major airports in Spain due to the number of tourist arrivals on charter flights from Northern Europe using Malaga airport as a gateway to the Costa del Sol.

Papeete is the major city of Tahiti and the capital of French Polynesia. This little city of 80,000 people is pretty recent as there was no buildings on its site when in 1769, Captain Cook first reached the Matavai Bay located 10 km away on the East Coast. Since the 18th century, sailors realized how safe was its bay for their ships. In 1797, the London Missionary Society (LMS) tried to send some missionaries to settle down in Papeete but they did not succeed until 1824 with the help of Queen Pomare IV. It is Governor Bruat who decided in 1843 that Papeete would become the administrative center of the newly born French Protectorate. At that time, the expansion of the city was going fast and the bay of Papeete had become a large harbour.In the 19th century, some Chinese started to settle down in Papeete that counted only 5,000 persons. During World War I, Papeete was bombed by the Germans and the Municipal Market was destroyed.