MEDITERRANEAN 51 SYROS, GREECE MARMARIS, TURKEY PUERTO BANÚS, SPAIN FEATURED New Ports of Call IZMIR, TURKEY Curled around a cerulean bay, Izmir buzzes with a remarkably cosmopolitan vibe considering its estimated 4,000 years of history. Soak up the sublime Mediterranean atmosphere along a café-laden waterfront, savouring boyoz, kumru, kokoreç and lokma (‘king of desserts’) over Turkish coffee. Haggle at historic Kemeralti Bazaar, visit Izmir’s archaeological museum and ride a teleferic (cable car) for panoramic views of the ‘Pearl of the Aegean’. MARMARIS, TURKEY With an azure-blue sea lapping golden beaches, a multitude of wood-hulled yachts bobbing in marinas and pine-covered hillsides framing it all, Marmaris earns its stripes as a popular resort town. Take in the views along the walls and ramparts of Marmaris Castle before stopping off at its artefact-rich museum, then head to the waterfront for dizzying varieties of Greek and Turkish food – and maybe a sip of ouzo. PUERTO BANÚS, SPAIN Simply put, the most glamorous marina on Spain’s Costa del Sol. Built by a local property developer in 1970, Puerto Banús today draws five million visitors annually to its high-end shopping malls, bars and restaurants. Put on your best celebrity sunglasses and promenade along Muelle de Ribera, the epicentre of exclusive boutiques and designer fashion shops. SYROS, GREECE If Santorini and Mykonos are the superstars of the Cyclade Islands, Syros is its bastion of authentic Greek life. Founded during the Greek Revolution in the 1820s, the capital city of Ermoupoli is a dreamscape of pastel-coloured neoclassical buildings and grand churches. Savour the ‘Duchess of the Aegean’ with visits to Plateia Miaouli, Ermoupoli’s marble-paved square; St. George’s (Grenada) Cathedral atop the medieval hilltop settlement of Ano Syros; and Vaporia, the city’s most picturesque quarter.