Venice and Athens

Day 1 Embark the Tere Moana in Venice, Italy

The romantic “City of Canals” and capital of the Veneto region of northeast Italy, Venice was also once the capital of the Republic of Venice, a major power during the medieval and Renaissance eras. Embark the Tere Moana here, and be sure to behold the beauty of Venice from the perspective of the sea as your ship sets sail this evening.

Day 2 Zadar, Croatia

The former capital of Dalmatia, Zadar showcases centuries of history in its charming city streets. An important educational and literary center, it is best known for its Romanesque churches and the pre-Romanesque Church of St. Donat.

Day 3 Dubrovnik, Croatia

Nicknamed the “Pearl of the Adriatic” by George Bernard Shaw, Dubrovnik is Europe’s best-preserved walled city. The heart of the city is the Stradun (also known as the Plaka), the gleaming, wide, marble-paved thoroughfare that dates to the 13th century, and the Stari Grad—the extraordinarily well-preserved old city—has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is helping to restore the city’s beautiful Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains.

Day 4 Kotor, Montenegro

Situated on the only natural fjord of its kind in the world—one of the most beautiful bays in the world—spectacular Kotor captures the spirit of Montenegro with its blend of exuberant youth and ancient traditions. Explore the Old Town, which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its amazingly well-preserved medieval architecture.

Day 5 Corfu, Greece

One of the most popular Greek islands, Corfu is revered for its lush mountainous landscape, golden beaches, traditional villages, Venetian fortresses, and some of the most beautiful beaches on the Ionian Sea. In Corfu Town, admire a charming mix of architectural styles, as well as welcoming French-designed city squares.

Day 6 Delphi (Itea), Greece

In ancient times, Delphi was considered the center of the world: the place where heaven and Earth met. Today, this town in the valley of Phocis in central Greece, built on terraces in the foothills of Mount Parnassus, is one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece: home of the Temple of Apollo, where the oracle prophesied, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other magnificent ruins here include a 4th-century amphitheater, the Treasury of Athens, the stadium, the Tholos (a circular building), and the Sacred Way leading to the temple.

Day 7 Transit the Corinth Canal, Hydra, Greece

Built between 1881 and 1893, the Corinth Canal cuts through the Isthmus of Corinth, effectively separating the Peloponnesian Peninsula from mainland Greece. Although not completed until the late 19th century, the canal was first attempted as early as the 7th century BC, by the Corinthian tyrant Periander, and the Roman emperors Julius Caesar (44 BC), Caligula (37 BC), and Nero (AD 67) also made the attempt. Less than four miles long and less than 70 feet wide, it is too narrow for a modern freighter to navigate. You, however, will have an up-close look during today’s transit of this marvel of engineering.

Tere Moana will then continue on to Hydra, a small, picturesque island where motorized traffic is banned and donkeys are the primary means of transportation. Admire the red-tiled homes and narrow stone-paved alleyways of this thriving artists’ colony.

Day 8 Disembark in Athens (Piraeus), Greece

Your European idyll draws to a close in the port city of Piraeus, where you’ll enjoy breakfast before bidding your captain and crew a fond farewell. If you choose to stay on in Greece after your cruise, it’s only a short distance to one of the world’s great cultural centers: mighty Athens, heart of the ancient Greek civilization and capital of modern Greece.