Monte Carlo is the playground of the rich and famous. Sleek yachts grace the harbor. Boutiques offer the latest fashions from the most prestigious couturiers in Europe. Cafés, cabarets and the elegant Casino throb with nightlife. Monte Carlo is also the modern district of the principality of Monaco. This Xanadu sits on a promontory above the old port of Monaco and its dazzling harbor. Monte Carlo sprang to life with the open- ing of the Casino, designed by Charles Garnier, whose credits include the Paris Opera.

Florence is the gateway to glorious Tuscany. Visit Florence - the cradle of the Renaissance - home to the Duomo, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio. Here the Medici fostered a city-state whose cultural legacy is as great as classical Athens. Giants like Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Galileo infused the West with a new creative spirit. Then there is Pisa, Florence's rival for political power. Pisa, a brash, commercial seafaring town rivaled the great maritime powers of Venice and Genoa. The city was a leader in art and architecture second only to Florence.

Naples, Italy's third-largest city, is a bustling me- tropolis famed for it stately buildings, crowded streets, pizza - and notoriously bad traffic. However, this beautiful city is rich in centuries-old culture and customs. Naples is also your gateway to the Isle of Capri, the fabled Amalfi Coast and the ruins of Pom- peii, buried in ash by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Santorini-Whether the Lost Continent of Atlantis is rooted in myth or reality, an undisputed fact remains. The eruption created a caldera - and one of the most dramatic land and seascapes in the entire Mediterranean. On Santorini, white- washed buildings cling to vertiginous cliffs that plunge to a turquoise sea. Part of the Cyclades Archipelago, the three- island group of Santorini, Thirasia and uninhabited Aspronisi present the trav- eler with unforgettable vistas.

Athens-The past maintains a vibrant presence in the cradle of Western civili- zation. Atop the Acropolis, the serene Parthenon sails above the commotion of the modern city. The tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides were performed in the Theater of Dionysus at the foot of the Acropolis. On Pnyx Hill, citizens of a fledgling democracy gathered to cast their votes on Athens' destiny. Then there is the hustle and bustle of the modern city, a metropolis of 4.5 million that spreads out from the foot of Mt. Lycabettus and across the plain. Packed with busy shops and lively tavernas, modern Athens is a colorful counterpoint to classical Greece.

Mykonos-Thanks to its proximity to the mainland, Mykonos was one of the first Greek islands to be- come an international travel destination. During the late '60s and early '70s, Mykonos was famed as a haunt for the rich. The island's nightlife - then and now - was a glittering whirl of colored lights, music, and parties. But there's another side to Mykonos - the neighboring island of Delos. In classical mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. Travelers to Delos can stroll among the island's vast ruins, which include three temples consecrated to the Sun God and the famed Lions Walk.

Olympia-Perched on the west coast of the Peloponnesus, Greece's largest peninsula, this sleepy fishing village of some 300 souls is your gateway to Olympia, site of the original Olympic Games. Held every four years between 776 B.C. and 393 A.D., when the Em- peror Theodosius banned pagan festivals, the Olym- pic Games celebrated the ideal harmony of mind and body. Every four years, the sacred flame of Altis is rekindled to light the torch for the Modern Games. Olympia's temples were destroyed after the games were banned. An earthquake in the 6th century compounded the destruction, and floods buried the site. Excavation of the ruins began in 1875, and Olympia was declared a National Park in 1976.

Corfu-The lush and verdant island of Corfu lies in the Ionian Sea, midway between Greece and Italy. The island has a long and colorful history. First colonized by the city-state of Corinth, Corfu has been ruled by the Romans, the Venetians, the French and the English. Corfu Town boasts fortresses bearing the insignia of the Venetian Republic, an esplanade lavishly planted by the French during the Napoleonic Wars, and an English cricket pitch. The island also offers some of the finest coastal scenery in the entire Mediterranean.

Venice-Rising from the waters of the Laguna Veneta, Venice has long - and rightly - been regarded as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Napoleon, who had an eye for acquisitions, once described St. Mark's Square as the fin- est drawing room in Europe. Certainly, no other site can quite match its superb campanile, Doge's Palace and recumbent lions. Just over two miles in length, the Grand Canal is lined with stunning buildings that reflect the city's unique heritage. Cruise through its winding canals on a gondola or watch the bronze Moors on the clock tower strike the passing hours as they have for 500 years - Venice is an unparalleled experience.