Egypt, Italy & France Cruise: Alexandria, Amalfi Coast & Nice

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 21 November 2027 / Depart: Sun 21 November 2027 at 17:00

You could spend a lifetime in Europe’s oldest city and still not see everything it has to offer. Settled over 3,500 years ago, Athens is like a mythological crossroads of the past and present, where modern buildings share the skyline with spectacular ruins like the Parthenon. To see a veritable “greatest hits” line-up, make your way to Vasilissis Amalias Street for the archaeological walk. Winding through the heart of the ancient city, the route leads to landmarks like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora, Arch of Hadrian, and of course, the Acropolis.

Day 2 - Ephesus

Arrive: Mon 22 November 2027 at 09:30 / Depart: Mon 22 November 2027 at 20:00

Sure, we could chat about the resort town of Kusadasi and its beaches and restaurants, or nearby places like Dilek Peninsula National Park, but let’s talk Turkey: The star attraction in this neck of the woods is Ephesus. Once the second largest city in the Roman Empire, eclipsed only by Rome, here are just a few of the incredible sights just waiting to be gobbled up! (Sorry, we couldn’t resist.) There’s the Library of Celsus, still magnificent almost 2,000 years later; the Odeon, home of our “Ephesus: Back to Ancient Times” AzAmazing Evenings eventSM; and the 24,000-capacity Great Theatre, where St. Paul used to preach. Stretching from this jaw-dropping amphitheatre to the harbor is the marble-made Arcadian Street. Stroll past the marketplaces, colonnades, and fields of wild fennel, and into bath complexes that once offered piped-in hot water and a sauna.

Day 3 - Bodrum

Arrive: Tue 23 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 23 November 2027 at 22:00

As the site of the ancient city of Halikarnassus (and its famous Mausoleum of Halikarnassus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, destroyed in the Middle Ages), Bodrum’s ties to the past are everywhere. There’s the Bodrum Amphitheater that dates back to 4th century BC and Myndos Gate, where Alexander the Great staged one of his greatest battles during his siege of the city. And there’s even the Castle of St. Peter, one of the best-preserved medieval monuments in the world and home to the outstanding Museum of Underwater Archaeology.

Day 4 - Agios Nikolaos, Greece

Arrive: Wed 24 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 24 November 2027 at 18:00

Known for having “three faces to the sea”, this port on Crete’s east coast seamlessly blends the charm of a small fishing village with the glamor of a chic resort town. With a diverse range of dining, shopping, and nightlife options, you can find your own personal paradise in Agios Nikolaos. At the center of town sits Lake Voulismeni, the deep waters of which have inspired many a local folk tale. Here you’ll find residents and visitors chatting over coffee, sipping ouzo at authentic tarvernas, or savoring lunch at a fine dining restaurant. For a taste of the beach life, you wont have to travel far. Several beaches are just a short walk from the town center and they are popular hangouts for fashionable young Greeks.

Day 5 - At Sea

Day 6 - Alexandria, Egypt

Arrive: Fri 26 November 2027 at 06:00

Alexandria is Egypt's second-largest city and its largest seaport. Known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean," it's found by many to have an atmosphere and culture that is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern. In ancient times, Alexandria was the capital of Greco-Roman Egypt; today, its a city synonymous with commerce and sophistication.

Day 7 - Alexandria, Egypt

Depart: Sat 27 November 2027 at 20:00

Alexandria is Egypt's second-largest city and its largest seaport. Known as "The Pearl of the Mediterranean," it's found by many to have an atmosphere and culture that is more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern. In ancient times, Alexandria was the capital of Greco-Roman Egypt; today, its a city synonymous with commerce and sophistication.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Syracuse, Italy

Arrive: Tue 30 November 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 30 November 2027 at 22:00

Siracusa is known for the archaeological and historical sights that define its grand past, as one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world in the 5th century BC. They include a Greek theater, still in use, where Aeschylus produced some of his plays; a dramatic necropolis with burial niches cut into the rock that include the tomb of Archimedes, famous mathematician, engineer, and inventor; and the Ear of Dionysus, a cave with amazing acoustical properties. The “modern” city was rebuilt in Sicilian Baroque style after the devastating earthquake of 1693.

Day 11 - Catania, Sicily

Arrive: Wed 01 December 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 01 December 2027 at 16:00

Between the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna lies the beautiful city of Catania, where it’s “if it ain’t Baroque don’t fix it” architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Along with flamboyantly designed buildings, Catania is home to many ancient sites, like the Odeon and Amphitheatre—unearthed from under Mount Etna’s lava that covered the city at least seven times. These ruins can be viewed in the archaeological park, in the compact (AKA great for walking) city center.

Day 12 - Salerno

Arrive: Thu 02 December 2027 at 08:00

Day 13 - Salerno

Depart: Fri 03 December 2027 at 16:00

Day 14 - Rome

Arrive: Sat 04 December 2027 at 06:30 / Depart: Sat 04 December 2027 at 17:00

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome's seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications. Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome's Bohemian Quarter. Rome has been a magnet luring the world's greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.

Day 15 - Florence/Pisa

Arrive: Sun 05 December 2027 at 08:00

Ah, Florence—sublime birthplace of the Renaissance, its historic center full to bursting with elegant squares, imposing palaces, magnificent churches, and museums with such an abundance of riches it could make an art lover weep for joy. The list of illustrious names connected with this city is mind-boggling: Botticelli, Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo. Other colorful and fascinating characters were of dubious reputation: Machiavelli, and the religious extremist Savonarola, with his bonfire of the vanities. For many years the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family, patrons of the arts and bankers to the papacy, whose line included six kings and two popes.

Day 16 - Florence/Pisa

Depart: Mon 06 December 2027 at 20:00

Ah, Florence—sublime birthplace of the Renaissance, its historic center full to bursting with elegant squares, imposing palaces, magnificent churches, and museums with such an abundance of riches it could make an art lover weep for joy. The list of illustrious names connected with this city is mind-boggling: Botticelli, Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo. Other colorful and fascinating characters were of dubious reputation: Machiavelli, and the religious extremist Savonarola, with his bonfire of the vanities. For many years the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family, patrons of the arts and bankers to the papacy, whose line included six kings and two popes.

Day 17 - Nice (Villefranche)

Arrive: Tue 07 December 2027 at 08:00

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Day 18 - Nice (Villefranche)

Depart: Wed 08 December 2027 at 20:00

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Day 19 - Marseille, France

Arrive: Thu 09 December 2027 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 09 December 2027 at 18:00

Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Greeks circa 600 B.C. At its heart is the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their catch along the boat-lined quay. Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde is a Romanesque-Byzantine church. Modern landmarks include Le Corbusier’s influential Cité Radieuse complex and Zaha Hadid’s CMA CGM Tower.

Day 20 - Barcelona

Arrive: Fri 10 December 2027 at 09:00

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.

Day 21 - Barcelona

Depart: Sat 11 December 2027

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.