However small it appears on a map of the earth, Nosy Be is bustling with mysteries and natural wonders. The magnificent beaches of this island are the playing grounds of lemurs, the emblematic mammals of the Malagasy archipelago. Its forests, palms, sugar cane plantations, and luxuriant vegetation delight its visitors. Lesser known than Madagascar, and further south, Nosy Be Island is a rugged beauty. Only the most curious can (...)

Mauritius is the most cosmopolitan and the most traditional of the islands of the Indian Ocean. The influence of the country’s colonial past is still manifest in the island’s culture and architecture, while today’s multi-cultural population congregates in the Chinese and Hindu temples of Port Louis and Grand Bassin. From the Bois Cheri tea plantations, to the Flic en Flac market, the colourful Creole names alone seem to be luring visitors to this exotic isle. Admire a reproduction of the « HMS Bounty » in a ship model  (...)

Discovered in 1493 by Christopher Columbus, Saint Barthelemy was named in honour of his brother Bartolomeo. Saint Barts, as it is more commonly known, is a popular destination for rich Americans, particularly from the east coast of the United States. The island’s history has been marked by both French and Swedish influences ( it was ceded to Sweden for almost a century), the port is still neatly lined by small red-roofed maisonettes.

The Seychelles, formerly a pirate stronghold and stop-over for silk traders, has now developed into one of the world’s premier destinations for luxury tourism. As well as the white beaches lined with coconut palms, turquoise waters and lush green landscapes, the islands have also managed to retain their authentic identity. The diversity of the country is due not only to the wide range of landscapes that can be found from one island to another, but also to the people that inhabit them. Mahé is the largest of the islands (...)

Cuba : Discovering Havana

Bubbling, open, gay, atypical, are some of the words that could describe Havana, or the “City of Columns”… initiated by the Spanish conquistadors, its rich history is a game of colonisations and revolutions. Founded in 1514 on Cuba’s southern coast by Diego Velazquez, the Spanish conquistador, it is displaced five years later and moved up north, where it is named “Havana”. In 1762, the British army, led by the count of Albermarle, attacks Havana and the island’s centre. This starts the seven year  (...)

Stepping foot in Havana is like taking a historic tour; from the great stories of buccaneering and the colonial era, through to the turbulence of recent years, brandished by the fever of Revolution. From the 1950s, Havana has retained both the beautiful American cars which parade along the Malecon, and its memories of Ernest Hemingway. You can still visit his favourite bars (La Floridita, la Bodeguita Del Medio), his boat, the Pilar, his room at the hotel Ambos Mundos, and his house ‘La Finca Vigia’ which  (...)

With its perfect climate and magnificent landscapes, the Maldives is as a unique treasure lost in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Maldives is home to one of the largest coral formations in the world. So small that on a map they might be mistaken for a few dots of ink left by a conscientious cartographer, the Maldive Islands spread across the Indian Ocean from the South-western tip of the Indian sub-continent right down to the Equator.

Bali deserves its nickname of “island of the gods”. This paradise is a succession of idyllic beaches, volcanic landscapes and cascading rice-fields. Located between the Java islands and Lombok, Bali is part of the Indonesian archipelago.With its exquisite natural environment, Bali delights its many visitors. But tourism has not affected its natural charm or grace.
Its nickname, “island of the gods” is also due to its culture, mainly Hindu and distinguishing itself from the Islamic tradition of Indonesia.

Cyprus 1: The island of Aphrodite

Nicosia is the only capital city in the world which continues to be divided in two, as it has been since the Turkish invasion in 1974. Some of the magnificent Venetian walls of the city have been preserved. Inside visitors wander through a picturesque network of medieval lanes, stopping to visit the Museum of Byzantine art. Paphos, situated on the eastern side of the island, was consecrated, in ancient times, to the Goddess Aphrodite.

Cyprus 2: At the gates of the Orient

Legend has it that Aphrodite was born on Cyprus, « The Island of Love ». 
The island is scattered with monuments that give evidence to its rich and varied history, orthodox monasteries stand beside byzantine churches, and Greek and Roman relics. Limassol is the main town and Port on the South side of the island. The port here has taken over as Cyprus’ principal port since Famagouste was abandoned it lies within the occupied zone.

It is difficult not to succumb to the charms of this small archipelago, floating between Orient and Occident. Malta owes a great deal of its architectural heritage to the Knights of Saint Jean, buildings such as the Auberge de Provence, which has since been converted into the National Museum. Nevertheless, this maritime crossroads, has always remained open to the influx of Mediterranean culture. The capital, La Valette, is a surprising mixture of baroque architecture and military construction,  (...)

From Palermo to Syracuse, Princess Carine DI GANGI takes us on a tour of the most beautiful palaces of the island, and gives us a glimpse into the lives of the great Sicilian families. Our tour of the Island starts in the capital, with the Gangi Palace, referred to as the « Versailles  » of Sicily. It was here that Claudia CARDINALE and Burt LANCASTER danced a waltz during the shooting of Lucchino VISCONTI’s « The Leopard ». Next, we meet with Princess RAFFADALI I in her 15th century palace,  (...)

Corsica, France : Isle of Beauty

The isle of beauty more than merits its name; red mountains, pine forests, chestnut groves, and rock formations tumble down into the turquoise blue sea, giving you a hint of the many glorious sites to be discovered. Calvi has become the tourism and finance capital of the Balagne, in the North of Corsica.The special charm of Lumio lies in the small pedestrian lanes that make up the village centre. The road skirts around the village, passing through the square, which is the central meeting place for local residents.

Just off the coast of Tanzania, the archipelago of Zanzibar is bathed in the turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean. Clear blue lagoons, lines of palm and coconut trees, lush vegetation, plantations of spices and tropical trees as far as the eye can see, its easy to understand the attraction of this collection of paradise islands. At the crossroad of many cultures, Zanzibar is coloured by the histories of the immigrants, explorers and colonisers who have made it their home.

After its discovery by James Cook, the archipelago of the « New-Hebrides » slowly submitted to the colonial powers, leading to a conflict of interests between the French and British, which was eventually resolved in 1904 with the creation of a joint administration. These distant isles became the only Colony in history jointly managed by two world powers.