The Acropolis at golden hour, Athens
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History and Culture of the Mediterranean

From the Phoenicians to the present day: the history, arts, cooking and heritage of every country around the sea.

By country →The guides →
The Acropolis at golden hour, Athens · Photo: Constantinos Kollias / Unsplash

History and culture

Five thousand years around one sea

Around the Mediterranean, the Phoenicians spread the alphabet, the Greeks invented theatre and philosophy, Rome built an empire with the sea at its centre, and Byzantium, the Islamic world, Venice and the Ottomans each left cities, palaces and ways of life that still shape a journey today.

These pages tell that story country by country: a short history and timeline, the great figures and the arts, the cooking and the finest tables, and the highlights of the UNESCO World Heritage List, with links to our travel pages and real estate guides. They are written for the traveller who likes to know what they are looking at.

The Greek theatre, Syracuse
The Greek theatre, Syracuse · Photo: Antonio Sessa / Unsplash
The Tower of Belém, Lisbon
The Tower of Belém, Lisbon · Photo: Hongbin / Unsplash
The Koutoubia, Marrakech
The Koutoubia, Marrakech · Photo: Paul Macallan / Unsplash

Country by country

The history and culture of each country

Twenty-three countries and territories, from Portugal to Morocco.

PortugalRoman, Moorish and Manueline · Fado and azulejos · Port and the DouroHistory and cultureSpainAl-Andalus and the Alhambra · Velázquez to Picasso · Flamenco and tapasHistory and cultureGibraltarGorham's Cave Complex · The Moorish Castle · The Great Siege TunnelsHistory and cultureFranceRoman Provence · The painters of the Riviera · Bouillabaisse and roséHistory and cultureMonacoThe Grimaldis since 1297 · The Opéra de Monte-Carlo · The Oceanographic MuseumHistory and cultureItalyAncient Rome · The Renaissance · Opera and regional cookingHistory and cultureMaltaMegalithic temples · The Knights of St John · Caravaggio in VallettaHistory and cultureSloveniaVenetian Piran · Plečnik's Ljubljana · Lipizzaner horsesHistory and cultureCroatiaDiocletian's Palace · The Republic of Ragusa · Klapa and trufflesHistory and cultureBosnia and HerzegovinaThe Old Bridge of Mostar · Ottoman Sarajevo · Sevdalinka and coffeeHistory and cultureMontenegroVenetian Kotor · Royal Cetinje · Njeguši and VranacHistory and cultureAlbaniaButrint · Berat and Gjirokastër · Iso-polyphonyHistory and cultureGreeceMinoan Crete · Classical Athens · Byzantium and the islandsHistory and cultureTürkiyeTroy and Ephesus · Hagia Sophia · Sinan and IznikHistory and cultureCyprusThe Paphos mosaics · The painted churches · Commandaria wineHistory and cultureSyriaPalmyra, Damascus and AleppoHistory and cultureLebanonBaalbek, Byblos and the CedarsHistory and cultureIsraelCaesarea and Masada · Crusader Acre · The White CityHistory and cultureEgyptThe Pyramids of Giza · Thebes and Abu Simbel · Islamic CairoHistory and cultureLibyaLeptis Magna, Sabratha and CyreneHistory and cultureTunisiaCarthage · El Jem and Dougga · The Bardo mosaicsHistory and cultureAlgeriaAlgiers, its Casbah and the Roman citiesHistory and cultureMoroccoThe imperial cities · Zellige and riads · Tagine and mint teaHistory and culture

Across the Mediterranean

The guides

UNESCO World HeritageThe finest World Heritage Sites, country by countrySee the sitesA timelineFrom the Phoenicians to todayRead the timelineRoyal housesReigning and former royal families, and the palaces you can visitMeet the housesCuisineThe cooking of every country, and where to taste it at its finestRead the guideLanguagesThe languages of the Mediterranean and a few polite phrasesLearn a few wordsCustoms and etiquetteGreetings, dress, dining and tipping, country by countryRead the customs

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.