Day
Port
Arrive
Depart
-
4:00 PM
Sicily (Messina), Italy
08:00 AM
7:00 PM
3.
Valletta, Malta
10:00 AM
4:00 PM
4.
At Sea
-
-
5.
Rhodes, Greece
08:00 AM
5:00 PM
6.
Mykonos, Greece
07:00 AM
6:00 PM
7.
Santorini, Greece
07:00 AM
6:00 PM
8.
Athens (Piraeus), Greece
06:00 AM
6:00 PM
9.
At Sea
-
-
10.
Naples, Italy
07:00 AM
6:30 PM
11.
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
05:00 AM
-
1.
Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy
2.
Number of Nights: 10
SEPT 29-OCT 9 2017 Inside Cabins start at $1905 USD - Deposit $590 USD Outside Cabins Start at $2835 USD - Deposit $850 USD Balconies start at $3920 USD - Deposit $1160 USD Deposit Required on Booking Balance Due July 1/17
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ROME ITALY The Eternal City of Rome, in whose name the Caesars sought to claim the world, opens for the visitor like a living museum, liberally dotted with fascinating ruins, surviving relics and archaeological sites. The centuries peel back with each new vista in this great city of gladiators, lunatic drivers and sumptuous pasta dishes. Vespas, nippy little Fiats and red sports cars speed past trendy sidewalk bistros and nightclubs, revealing the Rome of Fellini's La Dolce Vita; while the chillingly stark facades of the Stadio Olimpico complex remind visitors of Mussolini's attempts to reinvent the architecture of the Caesars. For a taste of the Baroque, visitors need only climb the famous Spanish Steps, walk through the Piazza Navona or toss a coin into the beautiful Trevi Fountain. Renaissance splendour is perhaps best revealed in the Pope's residence, the Vatican Palace, or in Michelangelo's efforts on the roof of the Sistine Chapel. From early Christian Basilicas to the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and the Pantheon, the sequence of history trails back to the height of the Roman Empire. It may sound like a city of contrasts, but Rome's timeless magic lies in its ability to blend the old with the new. Empires have risen and fallen, old gods have been replaced with new ones, but Rome remains.
MESSINA SICILY Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, may be just a short hop from the Italian mainland, across the narrow strait of Messina, but it is a world apart in atmosphere and attitude. Everything Italian seems a little more appetising here - not only the food, but the history and culture as well. For a long time, Sicily was ignored as a holiday destination, largely because of the Mafia stranglehold and because of the poverty of the people. Today, however, the island is experiencing a tourism boom and a surge in development as the destructive influences of the Mafia wane. Visitors discover that the Sicilian people are gracious, noble and welcoming, and that the island itself offers natural and historic attractions of great beauty and enormous interest. The main cities of Palermo and Catania feature some of the most exquisite architecture in the world, a legacy of the many great civilisations that have vied for control of this strategically-situated island over the centuries, from the Greeks and Romans, to the Arabs and Normans, to (more recently) the French, Spanish and Italians. There are massive Romanesque cathedrals, the best-preserved Greek temples in the world, Roman amphitheatres and magnificent Baroque palaces. The continuous blue skies and temperate climate, lush vegetation and rich marine life all add to the island's appeal. Nature has given Sicily Mount Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, a dramatic coastline and fertile soil that gives forth much of the bounty on which the island's unique and delicious cuisine is based. Sicily has a coastal Mediterranean climate of mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers. The mountainous interior has cooler temperatures, with snowfall during winter; while along the coast, winter temperatures average about 50°F (10°C), and summer temperatures about 84°F (28°C).
VALLETTA MALTA Valletta, which is the capital of Malta, has the charm of an Italian city with its many Baroque palaces set on narrow steep streets that form a grid pattern. The city was carefully planned by its founder, Grand Master Fra Jean de la Vallette and the Knights of the Order of St John. The city was 'built by gentlemen for gentlemen' with the first stone being ceremonially laid in 1566 after Ottoman forces withdrew their siege of the Maltese Islands and the Knights of St John took over. The purpose of the city, built in a short span of 15 years on a plateau between two harbours on Malta's northeast coast, was primarily to fortify the island and secondly to provide palaces, Auberges (lodgings) for the eight Knight's groupings, churches for worship, and gardens for recreation. These grand remnants of the Knight's occupation still adorn Valletta in the form of some splendid Baroque buildings and fortifications, but the majestic architecture manages not to overwhelm the island's carefree personality. Valletta balances its sombre grandeur and religious tone with colour and jollity, and the city has a fun if not raucous nightlife and some great restaurants as well as magnificent sightseeing opportunities. It is a very safe and friendly city, welcoming of tourists and well-equipped to host them.
RHODES GREECE In the days of old, knights found the island of Rhodes, close to the Turkish shore at the merging of the Mediterranean and Aegean seas, and set it up as a fortress to protect the Christian west from the invasion of the 'heathens' from the east. Today the island, the main one of the 12 making up the Dodecanese group, is still subject to invasion but now the intruders are tourists; they come to revel in what is reputedly the sunniest Greek island, and to have fun in the medieval city the knights left behind. The town of Rhodes, on the northern point of the island, has preserved its picturesque walled old city as a playground for visitors. In ancient times the harbour here was guarded by the legendary Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but now some statues of deer have taken its place. Nevertheless the old part of the city has plenty of wonders still to offer and the modern part of the town is just as vibrant. The rest of the relatively large island offers miles of beaches, interesting archaeological sites and natural beauty spots. The best beaches are on the east coast, between Faliraki and Lindos. Lindos is renowned as a particularly picturesque town that has been designated a protected historic settlement; Faliraki, on the other hand, is a developed resort area bustling with young visitors.
MYKONOS GREECE This upmarket Greek island is a sophisticated, fashionable favourite, particularly for the gay traveller, and probably because of its popularity it has become reputedly the most expensive of all the islands. Its designer shops, colourful tavernas and throbbing dance clubs are doing a roaring trade, but despite the trendy crowds and a couple of well-attended nudist beaches, the island retains its traditional flavour with its trademark thatched windmills turning slowly on the hill. Tourists to Mykonos who would like to do some serious sightseeing can visit the archaeological museum on the island, which displays some finds from the necropolis on nearby Rhenia. It is also possible to take a trip across to the uninhabited island of Delos (just six nautical miles away), which is an important UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site, having been the religious centre of the Aegean in ancient times, and associated with some captivating ancient myths and a history almost as interesting. Explore the temples and the Avenue of the Lions, and see some stunning archaic sculptures in the museum. Mykonos has really lovely beaches, the most famous of which is the aptly named Paradise Beach. Super Paradise next door is also very popular, as are Platis Gialos, Paraga and Agios Ioannis (which is a good option if you prefer to avoid crowds).
SANTORINI GREECE Not only is Santorini one of the most beautiful islands in the world, it is also geologically and archaeologically one of the most dramatic. The island, which is also called Thira, is shaped like an enormous pair of jaws encircling a lake filled with pure blue water. This is the core of an ancient volcano, which according to legend destroyed the lost continent of Atlantis when it blew its top about 3,600 years ago, burying the ancient city of Akrotiri (now being excavated) under tons of ash and sending out tidal waves that inundated other landmasses. The island's two towns, Fira and Ia, are perched on the cliff tops of the highest part of the island. Ferries arrive and depart in the harbour below, and visitors walk or ride donkeys up the steep winding path to the towns. The towns are equipped with hotels, good restaurants, bars and plenty of nightlife to keep tourists happy while they relax between visiting the archaeological remains of ancient Thira, dating back to the 9th century BC, on the east side of the island. Other attractions include the excavations at Akrotiri, an archaeological museum, and an 18th-century monastery. Santorini has two swimming beaches, Perissa and Kamari, both characterised by their volcanic black sand.
ATHENS GREECE Athens exudes a unique charm; its lively character wins over tens of thousands of visitors every year. Street markets, vine-covered tavernas, souvenir stalls and ancient monuments are dotted among high-rise buildings in this capital city, which one out of four Greeks calls home. For tourists the greatest advantage is that most attractions are accessible on foot in the central area around the landmark Acropolis. Athens was named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, who according to mythology won the city as prize after a duel against Poseidon. The city can chart its history back thousands of years and is regarded as the cradle of western civilisation; the place where democracy was invented and philosophy, art and architecture were refined. After a classical golden age when it was home to Socrates, Plato and Aristotle, the city declined in the Middle Ages, dwindling to nothing but a town with a few thousand residents gathered in the colourful area that is now known as the Plaka, until its rebirth as capital of an independent Greece in 1834. Nowadays the city is busy and bustling. While the pollution, frantic gridlock and dingy buildings are a striking contrast to the open beauty of Greece's coast and islands, Athens is truly the heartbeat of the country, and ancient wonders like the Acropolis, the Parthenon, and the Temples of Zeus and Hephaesus ensure that Athens will always lure travellers.
NAPLES ITALY Italy's third-largest city thrives on the chaos that prevails amid its busy streets. This is the place where pizza was invented, and its restaurants continue to serve some of Italy's finest cuisine. Sheltered by the Bay of Naples and dominated by the slopes of Mount Vesuvius, Naples is imbued with the best of nature's bounty. The city is somewhat schizophrenic in its juxtaposition of superb museums and Renaissance and Baroque churches alongside crumbling tenement blocks and squalor. Noisy markets sell a collection of items, from high-quality fresh produce to fake designer goods. Roads are characteristically hectic with gung-ho moped drivers weaving wildly through the streets and frustrating traffic jams clogging the city's arteries. Despite these less refined elements, Naples is a fascinating destination and a great base from which to explore popular attractions like the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Herculaneum. The city's transport hub is located around the immense Piazza Garibaldi, on the east side of Naples. The area's growing African population has imbued the streets with the flavours of its immigrants. Southwest from here is the Piazza Bovio, and branching to the left of it, the Piazza Municipio and nearby Piazza del Plebiscito. On the watery edges are the Molo Beverollo and the Stazione Marittima, the point of departure for ferries. From the reaches of Spaccanapoli one can explore the historic part of Naples with its numerous palaces and churches.
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