Venice to Athens

Embark from Venice on this special musical cruise with the Budapest gypsy Symphony orchestra. Join musical masters for special performances on board while cruising the turquoise coastline.

The unspoiled beauty of this rugged coastline bleached by the salt and bordered by crystal clear blue sea transforms Sibenik into a giant aquarium. The nearby thousandyear- old town of Krka was founded by Croatian princes in the 9th and 10th centuries, and today is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Along the Dalmatian coast, this ancient cosmopolitan city and former imperial residence reveals all: fortified walls, towers, temples, palaces and baths. A museum in itself Split (Croatia) is a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to Diocletian’s famous Palace. Pharaonic egypt, Ancient Rome, the Renaissance and the present exist side by side in perfect harmony.

A mild sunny climate has earned Hvar (Croatia) the epithet “Croatia’s Madeira”, and is one of the most beautiful islands in the Adriatic. The old town cradled in the bay boasts many remarkable monuments such as the cathedral, a former Arsenal and noble palaces, all bearing witness to a rich history influenced by Gothic and Renaissance art.

The walled city of Dubrovnik (Croatia) built on a rock battered by the waves has preserved all its Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque monuments. Its palaces, monuments and white stone churches are in perfect harmony. Long considered as a rival to Venice, traces of its illustrious past are to be found throughout the city which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The lovely fortified town of Kotor (Montenegro) is located at the end of a complex series of bays surrounded by limestone massifs in a magnificent region of Montenegro. An impressive city wall conceals the alleyways and palaces of a well preserved medieval centre. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the town is equally famous for its colourful folk festivals.

In the heart of a sheltered cove on the north western shores of Greece in the Epirus province, Parga was Venetian from the 15th to the end of the 18th century. During that period it belonged to Ali Pacha, a high official of Soliman the Magnificent. Its imposing Venetian citadel built on a steep rocky promontory dominates the town, the port and the sweet smelling pines which surround it. Today it is a lovely seaside resort.

From Itea enter the immaculately preserved sacred site of the Delphi valley. Clinging to the precipitous slopes of the mountain, the white ruins of Apollo’s famous sanctuary rise up out of the pines, olive trees and cypresses. In total harmony with nature, it was a symbol of the unity of the Greek world in the 6th Century BC. the stadium and theatre offer a wonderful viewpoint across the Pleistos Valley.

Then, a grandiose impressive work of art linking the Ionian and Aegean Seas, the Corinth Canal is the fruit of a dream dating back to ancient times. the Emperor Nero had at one time envisaged its creation.

Disembark for your continued journey home.