Havens of History - London to Valletta Cruise

Day 1 - Southampton

Arrive: Sun 22 September 2024 / Depart: Sun 22 September 2024 at 18:00

Take a trip up to London and get a bird’s eye view of the city from the London Eye. See sights like Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Piccadilly. Stroll along Lower Regent Street or visit the British Museum.

Day 2 - Cruising the Bay of Biscay

Day 3 - Bordeaux

Arrive: Tue 24 September 2024 at 13:00

Enjoy the city's visual feast of wonderful ornate buildings, broad avenues, marvelous squares and the Cathedral of St. André, where Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII. Stroll through Old Bordeaux. Then visit the area's fabulous vineyards and magnificent châteaux and delight in tasting their superb wines.

Day 4 - Bordeaux

Depart: Wed 25 September 2024 at 13:00

Enjoy the city's visual feast of wonderful ornate buildings, broad avenues, marvelous squares and the Cathedral of St. André, where Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII. Stroll through Old Bordeaux. Then visit the area's fabulous vineyards and magnificent châteaux and delight in tasting their superb wines.

Day 5 - Bilbao

Arrive: Thu 26 September 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 26 September 2024 at 17:00

Bilbao is a charming city both modern and dynamic while at the same time, with its 700 years of history, it is quite traditional as well. Enjoy a walk around the Old Quarter, the most popular area of the city. Here you will see the Teatro Arriaga; el Arenal, the old stevedoring port and today one of the favorite promenades of the citizens of Bilbao; the San Nicholas Church; and the Cathedral of Santiago along with its cloister, Plaza Nueva. No visit to Bilbao would be complete without a visit to the architecturally stunning Guggenheim Museum, which is in and of itself a work of art.

Day 6 - La Coruna, Spain

Arrive: Fri 27 September 2024 at 09:00 / Depart: Fri 27 September 2024 at 19:00

See the famed Tower of Hercules, the still working 2nd century Roman lighthouse, and wander through this historic town of fine churches, old palaces, cobbled streets and unique fishermen's houses. Or spend the day in beautiful Santiago de Compostela, an important pilgrimage site renowned for its magnificent cathedral and superb architectural and cultural heritage.

Day 7 - Porto, Portugal

Arrive: Sat 28 September 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 28 September 2024 at 17:00

Explore picturesque, historic Oporto and the Vila Nova de Gaia quarter, home of its famed port wine industry. Or discover Portugal's scenic countryside and visit Guimaraes with its impressive medieval castle and beautiful Braga with its Bom Jesus Shrine and superb cathedral.

Day 8 - Lisbon

Arrive: Sun 29 September 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 29 September 2024 at 17:00

Visit the ornate Belem Tower and Jeronimos Monastery and stroll the narrow, winding streets of the charming Alfama district. Enjoy marvelous old Sintra, a royal country retreat, and Cascais, a beautiful seaside resort. Explore medieval Obidos or make a pilgrimage to Fatima, where the Virgin Mary appeared repeatedly to three shepherd children in 1917.

Day 9 - Cruising the Alboran Sea

Day 10 - Valencia

Arrive: Tue 01 October 2024 at 10:00 / Depart: Tue 01 October 2024 at 19:00

The City of Arts and Sciences is an impressive collection of attractions, including an opera house and performing arts center, IMAX cinema, planetarium, science museum and oceanographic park. Visit the Gothic city of Requena, featuring perfectly preserved 100-year-old wine cellars. In Lladró's City of Porcelain museum, explore the production facilities, or nearby visit the National Ceramics Museum, located in the former palace of nobility.

Day 11 - Barcelona

Arrive: Wed 02 October 2024 at 06:00 / Depart: Wed 02 October 2024 at 18:00

Visit the magnificent Gothic cathedral and the amazing La Sagrada Familia, Antoni Gaudí's unfinished masterpiece. Enjoy the lovely Montjuic Gardens, Gaudí's other fabulous structures, the charming squares of the old Gothic Quarter and the Ramblas, Barcelona's famed downtown promenade. Or visit beautiful Montserrat and its monastery in a breathtaking setting high in the mountains.

Day 12 - Toulon

Arrive: Thu 03 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 03 October 2024 at 18:00

Lying on a natural harbor on the French Riviera, Toulon is France's principal naval base, and the waterfront is always full of life. Designed around stately fountains and small squares, the Old City is tucked between the harbor and boulevard de Strasbourg, and its Cathédrale Saint-Marie-Majeure is noteworthy for its Romanesque architecture. The city is also rich in history, much of it on display in the marine museum and the Museum of Toulon, celebrated for its Provençal paintings. For the ultimate view of Toulon, ride the cable car to Mount Faron.

Day 13 - Ajaccio

Arrive: Fri 04 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 04 October 2024 at 17:00

Stroll through the narrow streets of Napoleon's birthplace, visit the bustling, colorful market, browse in the shops and see the cathedral where he was baptized. Relax in shady Place Foch beside a bubbling fountain and Napoleon's statue. Or discover the stunning, rugged Corsican countryside and its famous aromatic maquis shrubs and oak trees. Admire the superb views and the impressive Prunelli Gorges.

Day 14 - Portofino

Arrive: Sat 05 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 05 October 2024 at 18:00

Stroll through picturesque Portofino and Santa Margherita. Be awed by the stunning scenery as you explore the beautiful coastal resorts of Ravello, Sestri Levante or San Fruttuoso by local boat and on foot.

Day 15 - Florence/Pisa

Arrive: Sun 06 October 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 06 October 2024 at 21:00

Spend a glorious day amidst the fabled architecture of this Renaissance city. See the Duomo with Brunelleschi's dome, the famous baptistry, Michelangelo's magnificent David, the bridge over the Arno and the astonishing Uffizi Gallery. Visit Pisa's superb Campo dei Miracoli and its beautiful cathedral and famed campanile. Or enjoy the Tuscan countryside, Siena and San Gimignano, renowned for its medieval towers. Shopping: Find leather goods, lingerie, gold jewelry, Florentine mosaic, lace, marbled paper items, antiques and fine art. Dining: Savor the prosciutto, pecorino cheese and infinite variety of breads, cakes and salamis.

Day 16 - Rome

Arrive: Mon 07 October 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Mon 07 October 2024 at 20:00

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 17 - Sorrento

Arrive: Tue 08 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 08 October 2024 at 18:00

Beautiful Capri, with its stunning panoramas, villages, charming piazzas and the Villa San Michele, makes a nice diversion. Visit the ruins at Pompeii, take a cooking lesson in Sorrento or travel to the frenetic city of Naples and learn to make pizzas as the Neapolitans do.

Day 18 - Sicily

Arrive: Wed 09 October 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Wed 09 October 2024 at 17:00

Visit beautiful Taormina and marvel at its famous Greek theater and the stunning view of Mount Etna. Explore lovely medieval Messina with its historic churches and the cathedral where it is rumored Richard the Lionheart worshipped in 1190. Or discover ancient Tyndaris, founded in 396 B.C., with its fine mosaics, Roman baths and impressive theater overlooking the sea.

Day 19 - Argostoli

Arrive: Thu 10 October 2024 at 11:00 / Depart: Thu 10 October 2024 at 18:00

This capital of the island of Cephalonia resides in a sheltered bay along Koutavos Lagoon, where you might catch a glimpse of a loggerhead turtle. The stone obelisk of the Drapano Bridge and the Lighthouse of Saint Theodore are two of the island's distinctive landmarks. Discover relics from the Mycenaean, Hellenistic and Roman periods in the city's archaeological museum.

Day 20 - Corfu

Arrive: Fri 11 October 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Fri 11 October 2024 at 17:00

Immerse yourself in this island of glorious scenery and beaches, serene monasteries, beautiful palaces, traditional mountain towns and Corfu's lovely old Venetian quarter. Or visit the ornate Achilleion Palace, built by Empress Sissi of Austria and filled with dramatic sculptures of the Greek hero Achilles.

Day 21 - Kotor

Arrive: Sat 12 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 12 October 2024 at 18:00

Kotor is a beautiful walled medieval city of twisting, pink-paved streets, markets and architecture reflecting Byzantine to Venetian influences. Stroll through the compact old town, admire the impressive walls and tour the imposing St. Tryphon Cathedral, consecrated in 1166.

Day 22 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Sun 13 October 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 13 October 2024 at 22:00

Enjoy a walk through this famous walled medieval city and its exquisite Venetian monuments. See the Franciscan monastery and explore the Rector's palace and the cathedral. Or explore the countryside with a visit to lovely Cavtat, an enchanting seaside resort that began life as a Greek and then Roman colony. Then visit a local family in a Konavle Valley village and enjoy their hospitality over a traditional welcome of brandy and figs with a serenade by local musicians.

Day 23 - Cruising the Adriatic Sea

Day 24 - Malta

Arrive: Tue 15 October 2024 at 08:00

Discover the myriad of cultural layers of Malta, from its amazing prehistoric temples at Tarxien to beautiful walled medieval Mdina, nearby Rabat, and Marsaxlokk, a colorful fishing village. Admire the stunning scenery and wander through imposing churches and down the streets of fortified towns where the Knights of St. John once held sway.

Day 25 - Malta

Depart: Wed 16 October 2024

Discover the myriad of cultural layers of Malta, from its amazing prehistoric temples at Tarxien to beautiful walled medieval Mdina, nearby Rabat, and Marsaxlokk, a colorful fishing village. Admire the stunning scenery and wander through imposing churches and down the streets of fortified towns where the Knights of St. John once held sway.