Marsala is a coastal city in western Sicily with a long history shaped by trade, conquest, and winemaking. Founded by the Phoenicians in the 4th century BCE, it later passed through Roman, Arab, Norman, and Spanish hands, each leaving traces in the city’s layout and culture.
Through the city is a big boulevard with the municipal theatre at the north end and the city hall at the south end. The theatre was built in the 19:th century and is a very beautiful building. The city hall was built in the 18th century in a late Gustavian design.
Syros, the capital of the Cyclades, stands apart from its island neighbors with its blend of neoclassical architecture, Orthodox and Catholic traditions, and year-round local life. Ermoupoli, the main town, was once a thriving 19th-century port and still displays its legacy through grand mansions, marble-paved squares, and the imposing Apollo Theater which was designed by an Italian architect and often referred to as a miniature La Scala.
The capital of French Polynesia, Papeete is a veritable island paradise with bright cerulean waters, iconic overwater bungalows, and palm trees galore.