Solar Eclipse Cruise: Greece, Turkey & Italy

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 02 August 2026 / Depart: Sun 02 August 2026 at 18:00

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 03 August 2026 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 03 August 2026 at 18:00

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 - Heraklion

Arrive: Tue 04 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 04 August 2026 at 22:00

History is very much alive in Iraklion. The Fountain of the Lions, built by Morozini in 1628 during the Venetian occupation of Crete, dominates the central square. Today, the city's Town Hall is located in the Venetian Loggia, a building from the same era. Stroll among the shops and cafes surrounding the central square, or follow the old Venetian walls to Koules, a bastion overlooking the old harbor. Explore the archaeological site at Knossos and walk among Minoan findings displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Iraklion. Don't miss the Historical Museum of Iraklion, which houses findings from the early era of the Christian religion.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Taormina

Arrive: Thu 06 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 06 August 2026 at 17:00

This island off the tip of the Italian boot is the largest in the Mediterranean. Mountainous and rugged, its highest point is the tip of that infamous firebrand, the still active Mt Etna at 10,900 feet. Farmland, enriched by volcanic soil produces lush crops of olives, citrus, and grapes. Climbing higher you’d find forests, the scars left by old lava flows, and eventually the crater where smoke and simmering lava is sometimes visible. Taormina, is a lovely small medieval town perched on high cliffs, with spectacular views over the bay and rugged coastline below.

Day 6 - Sorrento

Arrive: Fri 07 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 07 August 2026 at 18:30

A warming sun and gentle sea breezes have been attracting visitors to this fair spot for two millennia. Its reputation as a playground of the ancient rich and famous resulted in the building of lavish villas and palaces, an emperor relocated to the Isle of Capri nearby, and over the centuries it has been a haven for artists and artisans, writers and poets, politicians and philosophers, and all manner of aristocrats. You will be a welcome addition. The massive eruption of nearby Vesuvius in 79 AD caused considerable damage, but the resulting volcanic ash is responsible for Sorrento’s modern day fertility, thriving olive orchards, and excellent wine.

Day 7 - Rome

Arrive: Sat 08 August 2026 at 07:30 / Depart: Sat 08 August 2026 at 19:30

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 8 - Florence/Pisa

Arrive: Sun 09 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 09 August 2026 at 19:00

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 9 - Nice (Villefranche)

Arrive: Mon 10 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 10 August 2026 at 22:00

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 10 - Toulon

Arrive: Tue 11 August 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 11 August 2026 at 17:00

Prepare to be blown away by Toulon—both literally (the climate is distinctive for more than 30 different types of wind that blow in from all points) and figuratively (by the many charms of this ancient port). Toulon is the capital of Provençe, so you can find specialties like lavender, wine and fine herbs at one of the best markets in all of southern France, the Cours Lafayette. Indulge in plenty of fresh seafood and tasty treats like chichi frégi, a type of donut, and cade toulonnaise, a savory pancake made from chickpea flour.

Day 11 - At Sea Eclipse Viewing

Day 12 - Barcelona

Arrive: Thu 13 August 2026 at 06:30 / Depart: Thu 13 August 2026

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.