Essentials

The Eastern Mediterranean is commonly thought of as the cradle of civilization and of three major world religions. It’s also the cradle of a number of younger states, overshadowing the region’s timeless legacy of blooming civilizations and withering empires with some of the most bitter international turmoil anywhere.
Most people, then, come here looking for the monuments of the pharaohs, the city of David, the footsteps of Christ and Muhammad, or the paths of the Romans or the Crusaders; others come to view firsthand the nations and conflicts of the present Both types may overlook some of the world’s most stunning natural scenery, from majestic deserts to the flamboyant underwater life in the Red Sea. They may also be surprised to discover that the relics of the past and heated politics of the present are usually eclipsed by the real concerns of life-the next vacation on the Mediterranean, the next cookout, the next soccer match, and the next Simpsons episode. Learn from the locals: don’t make your Middle Eastern voyage just a survey course in history. Have some fun.