From Magna Graecia to Greece

Arrive in Palermo, relax, and spend the overnight here preparing for your adventure.

*Pre/Post hotels and flights are always subject to change until the Travel Documents are provided.

A feast for the senses, Sicily’s capital is an intoxicating and chaotic melting pot. Bustling street markets, ancient buildings, opulent palaces, and millennia of history await those ready to embrace Palermo for all that it offers. Palermo’s history is complex, to say the least. Middle Eastern, Northern African, and European influences are all melded together here. The Greeks, Romans, Carthaginians, Arabs, Goths, and Vandals have come and gone through the ages, leaving countless treasures in their wake. 

The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari is typically Mediterranean in its landscape. The island’s lava quarries, low-lying shrubbery, and precipitous cliffs feel familiar yet unchartered. Lipari Town is a busy little port with pretty pastel-colored buildings lining the harbor and plenty of cafes and restaurants where visitors can watch the world go by. Above the harbor is the fortified citadel and castle, built by the Spaniards in the 16th century. 

Excursions: 

LIPARI ISLAND TOUR AND WINERY
Optional

• Work up an appetite with a sightseeing tour of the island’s most panoramic viewpoints
• Visit the underground barrique cellar, built in the traditional style of the region
• Learn about the windcatcher’s thermal labyrinth and chimney used to create a natural air-conditioning system

LIPARI ISLAND TOUR
Included

• Take a moment to appreciate the unique mining practice of the volcanic materials pumice and obsidian
• Enjoy stunning views of the sparkling sea, red and grey volcanoes, and lush green vegetation
• Stop by the Church of San Bartolomeo for pictures of its beautiful facade

Stromboli is a small island in the Aeolian archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is one of the world's most active volcanoes and has erupted almost continuously since 1932. The island also has beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters.

Giardini Naxos is a seaside town on the eastern coast of Sicily known for its beautiful beaches and crystal-clear waters. The city also has a rich history and culture, with many ancient ruins and historic sites to explore. Some popular attractions include the ancient Greek city of Naxos, the Church of San Pancrazio, and the Museum of Archaeology.

Excursions: 

TAORMINA HIGHLIGHTS
Included

• Take in the incredible views of Mount Etna and the surrounding waters
• Pay homage to the ancient art of performance at the Roman Theatre Corso Umberto
• Visit one of the many local handicraft shops that populate the small lanes, the Viuzze

THE GODFATHER TOUR - AFTERNOON DEPARTURE
Optional

• Visit the Cappuccini Church, whose crypt houses the so-called catacombs with 37 mummified bodies of friars and noble people who lived there in the 18th and 19th centuries
• Stop in at several remarkable churches of the 15th and 16th centuries like Chiesa Madre, Santa Lucia and San Michele
• Head to the village of Forza d’Agrò, overlooking the Arab-Norman castle of Capo Sant’Alessio and the coastline

Cruise along the Calabrian coast and enjoy the scenery of rugged cliffs and sandy beaches. As we pull into the port town of Crotone, notice the 16th-century fortress, Castle of Charles V. Inside its museum is a golden tiara, found nearby in the Capo Colonna Archaeological Park named for its column that stands proud on a promontory. Crotone itself is a delightful mix of old and new, from the ancient city walls to the cathedral notable for its icon of the Black Madonna alongside Calabrese restaurants serving traditional pasta and sausage dishes.

Excursions: 

SANTA SEVERINA & FARMHOUSE
Included

• Clinging to a tuff buttress overlooking the Neto River Valley, this charming town will instantly captivate you with its fairytale-like appearance
• See the magnificent stucco decorations and Baroque paintings by Francesco Giordano at the Carafa Castle
• Your excursion will also include a visit to the cathedral, the beautiful Byzantine baptistery, and the Diocesan Museum

CIRÒ WINE: THE DRINK OF THE GREEK GODS
Optional

• Visit the small village of Ciro, known for its wine production
• At the wine estate discover the secret of this wine and taste delicious local food

HIGHLIGHTS OF MAGNA GRECIA
Optional

• Drive along the coast to Le Castella, to visit the fortress, built by the Aragons around an existing Anjou fortification
• Discover Capo Colonna Archaeological Park, made up of roughly 7½ acres of excavation terrain

Otranto is a town in the province of Lecce in the Puglia region of Italy. It is located on the Adriatic Sea and is famous for its rich history and culture, with many ancient ruins and historic sites to explore. Some popular attractions include the Otranto Cathedral, the Aragonese Castle, and the Church of San Pietro.

Excursions:

OTRANTO CITY TOUR
Included

• Visit the inside of the mysterious Skull Cathedral and pay your respects to the Martyrs of Otranto
• Be fascinated by the rich history of the Aragonese Castle
• Enjoy a typical Italian Ice cream

OTRANTO COASTAL DRIVE & WINE TASTING
Optional

• Enjoy one of the most spectacular panoramic routes of Apulia
• Visit the wine cellar and the underground oil mill
• enjoy a wine tasting and typical Apulian products before returning to the ship

LECCE - FLORENCE OF SOUTHERN ITALY
Optional

• Admire the Roman Amphitheater dating back to the second century A.D. and could hold up to 20,000 spectators
• Discover a remarkable architectural style known as the “Barocco Leccese”
• Visit Piazza Duomo, where the Cathedral as well as the Archbishop’s Palace are located

The Albanian Riviera stretches along a beautiful section of the Ionian coastline, packed with stunning beaches and ancient history. Once overlooked as a result of Albania’s political isolation from the rest of Europe, the area is now being rediscovered. Sarandë is its unofficial capital, whose original settlers were said to be the descendants of the ancient Greek hero Achilles. Today crowds flock to Sarandë in the summer months to enjoy the beaches and bustling nightlife. 

Excursions: 

THE ANCIENT CITY OF BUTRINT
Included

• Visit the archaeological site of Butrini. Inhabited since prehistoric times
• Enjoy the special atmosphere created by a combination of archaeology, monuments, and nature in the Mediterranean
• Be surprised by the authenticity of the World Heritage property Butrint related to its excellent preservation on a site

JEEP SAFARI ADVENTURE
Optional

• Admire the blue waters of the Borsh Waterfalls
• Discover the village of Piluri and the breathtaking views
• Visit the ruins of Ali Pasha castle

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE, MEDIEVAL CITY, REACH ARCHITECTURE
Optional

• Visit the fortress of Gjirokastra, one of the biggest in the Balkans
• Discover the Medieval City, today UNESCO world heritage
• Admire the architecture while walking around

Located at the mouth of Amvrakikos Gulf in Western Greece, Preveza is a charming city with bundles of character. The yacht-filled marina and carless seafront offer the perfect setting for a pleasant stroll. Sit and watch the world go by at the many restaurants and tavernas, or indulge in some retail therapy in the many interesting shops. Further afield you’ll find the ancient city of Nikopolis, founded by the Roman Emperor Octavian. During the Roman and early Byzantine periods, the city flourished as the capital of Old Epirus. 

Excursions:

TRADITIONAL ARTA
Optional

• Visit Arta's Bridge to learn the history of its construction and myth
• Admire the church of the Panayia Parigoritissa, dating back to the 13th c. is dedicated to the Annunciation

NIKOPOLIS ARCH. SITE & MUSEUM
Included

• Visit Nikopolis, the amazing largest ancient city in Greece, built in the 1st c. AD
• Learn why the impressive theatre isn’t like the other ancient Greek ones
• Take some time to listen to the stories of the different basilicas

An important historical place, the harbour town sits below Mount Parnassus, home to the mythical Muses, and is near the ancient Greek sanctuary of Delphi, where Pythia, the Oracle, prophesied the words of Apollo to those who sought divine advice for the future. Parnassus was also home to the winged horse Pegasus of Bellerophon. More recently, Itea was the site of the Battle of Agali during the Greek War of Independence where Greece defeated the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet on 29/30 September 1827. 

Excursions:

MYTHICAL DELPHI
Included

• Visit the sanctuary of Delphi, which had the most famous oracle of ancient Greece
• Discover the Archaeological Museum, one of the most important in Greece with its rich collections

OSSIOS LOUKAS MONASTERY
Optional

• Discover the beautiful Monastery of Ossios Loukas adorned with the mosaics and frescoes of the Great Church
• Breathtaking mountain scenery passing by the village of Arachova

GALAXIDI WALKING TOUR
Optional

• Walking tour of the town of the Golf of Corinth
• Visit the Naval Museum of Galaxidi which exhibits models of the ship
• Admire a mountainous landscape and discover the impressive church of Agios Nikolaos

The Corinth Canal connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. It cuts through the narrow Isthmus of Corinth and separates the Peloponnese from the Greek mainland. The canal is 6.4 kilometers long and only 21.3 meters wide at its base, making it impassable for most modern ships.

Greece’s buzzing cosmopolitan capital is served by Piraeus port and is an exciting mix of ancient and modern. Walk the Grand Promenade that winds beneath the city’s most famous landmark, the Acropolis. This walkway, built during the 2004 Olympic Games, links the city’s main archaeological sites. No visit to Athens is complete without seeing the Acropolis itself of course. Start with the Acropolis Museum for some informative context and then walk the marble path up Filopappou Hill for majestic views of the ‘high city’ with the iconic Parthenon.