The Adriatic leads you to the Ionian Sea, the Aegean to the fringes of the Black Sea. Along the way, centuries of history are brought to life with cities such as Venice, still holding back the tide of time. We'll visit Slovenia's ancient port of Koper, Croatian cities reborn after the conflict of recent years, and walled Dubrovnik, the gem of the Dalmatian coast. To these, we'll add even older treasures around the islands of Greece. There are tiny hill-top villages unchanged for generations and places where it's as good today to stop and sample retsina and other local flavors as it ever was. Concluding our exploration is the unmistakable skyline of bustling Istanbul where Europe and Asia meet up.