Best Trips Along the Mediterranean from National Geographic

National Geographic has named some destinations that are the best trips to take along the Mediterranean Sea. Here is a selection of three places they selected:

Marseille

Marseille is reemerging as a flourishing pan-Mediterranean hub, with a new museum, the National Museum of European and Mediterranean Civilizations set to open in May. It is France's second largest city, which has suffered recently from a reputation as a drug and crime addled area, something that is changing. "There is a new energy in the city, especially in music, theater, and museums," says MuCEM director Bruno Suzzarelli. Major renovations have cleaned up many of the city's museums, and the old sites, such as the Panier Quarter and the fjord like inlets called calangues are still there. The best time to go is from June-August for the beaches and April-May and September-October. A food to try is bouillabaisse.

Thessaloniki, Greece

This city is one of the last urban areas along the sea in southern Europe that is not crowded out by a large marina, leaving an open waterfront with footpaths. Thessaloniki is Greece's second largest city, located 320 miles north of Athens. There are street markets that have existed here for centuries and are filled with fruit and fresh cheeses. There are also art galleries, nightvlubs, and culinary hot spots that are part of a grassroots vision resulting from a youthful do-it-yourself culture. "We are driven by our optimism and positive energy for a new way of living that embraces our heritage," said Vicky Papadimitou, who helped Thessaloniki gain official status as the 2014 European Youth Capital. The city is great to explore on foot, walking from the ruins at Ano Poli across to Aristotle Square alongside the water. The best time to go is during June and September, when the weather is nice and the crowds are less. Foods to try are soutzoukakia, which is a spiced meatball and mithopilafo, which is mussels with rice. Thessaloniki also serves trigona, which is a signature, sweet dessert that consists of a syrup-soaked baklava stuffed with cream.