From Barcelona to Dubrovnik

Arrive in Barcelona and embark the Corinthian.

Your tour of Mahon, Menorca’s main port, reveals an unusual hybrid architectural style comprised of classical Georgian sash-windowed town houses and traditional Spanish homes lining its narrow streets and bustling waterfront. After visiting Fort Marlborough, the 18th-century British Fortification, continue to the site of Torralba d’en Salord, which contains the island’s largest and best-preserved prehistoric settlements.

Tour Alghero, the region’s major fishing port. Known as “Barcelonetta” because of its predominantly Catalan flavor, Alghero is graced with picturesque cobblestoned streets and flamboyantly decorated churches in its historic core. Also visit the nearby Anghelu Ruiu Necropolis—a pre-Nuraghic cave complex with more than 30 hypogea (underground temples or tombs) before returning to Alghero.

Call in Bonifacio, built on spectacular high cliffs on Corsica’s south coast. Stroll through the striking town, with its winding medieval lanes and brightly colored houses adorned with imaginative family crests. Admire the fine Gothic architecture and dramatic scenery from the limestone cliffs, facing the sea.

Drive up winding roads to the medieval town of Erice. The town was known for its temple to the fertility goddess, Astarte. Look around the 12th-century Venus Castle and continue to Segesta for a glimpse of its magnificent Doric temple, built in 420 b.c. and among the best-preserved ancient Greek sites.

Corinthian will anchor in Messina for your excursion to Taormina. Clinging to the edge of Mount Tauro, Taormina looks out to sea and the dramatic cone of Mount Etna. A Greek colony was founded here in 403 b.c. and prospered throughout the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Visit the magnificent Greek theater before spending time exploring on your own.

Enjoy the day at sea for lectures and relaxation.

Sail the deep, fjord-like Bay of Kotor to reach the port town of the same name, located at the head of the bay beneath towering mountains. One of the most striking towns along the Dalmatian coast, Kotor is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. The town’s fortifications and most of its monuments, which we will visit on a walking tour, date from the time of Venetian rule.

Dubrovnik is one of the most spectacular and best-preserved medieval towns in Europe. Once ruled by Venice, the city contains within its ramparts the Rector’s Palace, the Gothic cloister, the garden of the Dominican Monastery, and the baroque cathedral, which contains works by Renaissance painters Titian and Andrea del Sarto.

Disembark in Dubrovnik and transfer to the airport for your return flights home.