Solar Eclipse: France, Italy & Tunisia Cruise

Day 1 - Monte Carlo

Arrive: Fri 23 July 2027 / Depart: Fri 23 July 2027

The Principality of Monaco is the epitome of Riviera chic. This tiny enclave of 370 acres surrounds a sheltered harbor that draws yachts from around the world to enjoy the beautiful scenery, mild weather and elegant casino. Glamorous Monte Carlo is one of Monaco's four quarters, which also include La Condamine, the business district; Monaco-ville, the capital; and Fontvieille, an area built on reclaimed land. Ruled by Prince Albert II, Monaco has a population of over 32,000, of which about 16 percent are citizens, or Monégasques.

Day 2 - Portofino

Arrive: Sat 24 July 2027 / Depart: Sat 24 July 2027

Portofino is a charming, popular resort village on the Italian Riviera, a favorite with artists and seasoned travelers. Situated on a beautiful bay, the surrounding mountains covered with dense vegetation of olive and cypress trees, form a unique setting of incomparable beauty. The ship will anchor in the bay and tenders will transport you to this tiny resort village, which is closed to vehicle traffic. Everything is concentrated around a small square offering an opportunity to stroll around on foot, shop, or just relax at one of the many open-air cafes.

Day 3 - Calvi

Arrive: Sun 25 July 2027 / Depart: Sun 25 July 2027

Settled first by the Romans, then ruled by Genoans for nearly half a millennium, Calvi was freed by Corsica's native son Napoleon in 1791. In 1982 it was given special status and now enjoys a uniquely autonomous position within the realm of France. Ringed with alternating precipitous cliffs and fine sand beaches, the island resembles a mountain thrust up out of the water, but its ruggedness is tempered by brilliant sunlight and groves of olive and orange trees. Napoleon once said that he could recognize Corsica with his eyes closed - by its perfume alone. While touring Corsica, be advised that the roads about this mountainous island are quite winding with many curves.

Day 4 - Ajaccio

Arrive: Mon 26 July 2027 / Depart: Mon 26 July 2027

Corsica, the "scented isle," was the birthplace of Napoleon, and as late as the last century bands of brigands controlled his mountainous and rugged homeland. The beaches of Ajaccio, ranging from narrow crescents to broad, golden expanses help to account for the city's rise as a popular resort. Such scenic attractions as the Calanches of Piana, those red granite mountains with their spectacular slopes and formations add an additional element of interest.

Day 5 - Bonifacio

Arrive: Tue 27 July 2027 / Depart: Tue 27 July 2027

The scented isle of Corsica, birthplace of Napoleon, was controlled for centuries by Genoa and did not become a region of France until 1768. As late as the last century, the rugged island was still a haven for bands of brigands. Today, the island's inviting beaches and scenic beauty attract an increasing number of tourists hoping to escape the much more hectic pace of the Riviera. Bonifacio, perched at the top of towering white cliffs, is a striking sight from the sea. Watch for the 15th-century staircase carved into the cliff face which runs right down to the water's edge as you approach the harbor.

Day 6 - Olbia/Sardinia

Arrive: Wed 28 July 2027 / Depart: Wed 28 July 2027

The rugged Italian island of Sardinia is blessed with a rocky coastline interrupted by soft sand beaches and washed by limpid seas. Olbia is a very ancient town. It was founded by Phoenicians, and later occupied by Greeks and Romans in their turns. The church of San Simplicio dates from the 11th or 12th century, and that dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle is medieval. The town’s Museum of Archaeology can help you visualize the timeline. Everything changed dramatically in the 1960s, when the Prince Karim Aga Khan selected a 20-kilometer stretch of the nearby coastline to develop an exclusive resort complex he called the Costa Smeralda. Today this enchanting shoreline is encrusted with jewel-like resorts and hotels, private villas and beach facilities, yacht marinas and heliports. It is reputedly the most expensive real estate per square meter in Europe. Without doubt it is beautiful, and it is not necessarily that expensive to just look.

Day 7 - Rome

Arrive: Thu 29 July 2027 / Depart: Thu 29 July 2027

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 - Amalfi, Italy

Arrive: Fri 30 July 2027 / Depart: Fri 30 July 2027

The Amalfi Coast has been called the greatest meeting of land and sea on earth. Situated in the Campania region between Sorrento and Salerno, Amalfi and Positano are the two main towns on the world-famous Amalfi Drive - renowned as the most scenic and romantic road in Italy. The road is carved into the side of rocky cliffs plunging into the sparkling sea. Erosion has sculpted the rocky slopes into gargoyle shapes and hollowed out fairy grottoes where the air is tinted turquoise by the glowing blue water below. During the Middle Ages, Amalfi was an independent maritime state with a population of 50,000. The ship compass was invented here in 1302. Approximately 10 miles away from Amalfi is the village of Ravello. An enchanting village with wonderful views and quiet lanes, Ravello boasts romantic gardens surrounding medieval ruins, affording magnificent views of the entire Bay of Salerno.

Day 9 - Taormina

Arrive: Sat 31 July 2027 / Depart: Sat 31 July 2027

This harbor on the eastern shore of Sicily near Messina gives us close access to the fabulous Greco-Roman ruins of Taormina, as well as the active volcano Mt. Etna. The temples, streets and large amphitheater of Taormina make it one of Italy’s premier ancient sites. Its location overlooking the sea and with the backdrop of snow-capped Etna complete the package and make it among the most famous attractions in the Mediterranean region. Giardini Naxos itself boasts a lovely beach at Lido Europa, and intrepid visitors can climb Mt. Etna to see a volcano close up

Day 10 - Malta

Arrive: Sun 01 August 2027 / Depart: Sun 01 August 2027

Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors.

Day 11 - Solar Eclipse

Day 12 - At Sea

Day 13 - Sarande, Albanien

Arrive: Wed 04 August 2027 / Depart: Wed 04 August 2027

This important port on Southern Albania curls around a superb natural harbor, dominated by the hilltop 16th century Lekuresi Castle with distinctive round towers. In the town center are the ruins of a 5th century synagogue, later a Christian basilica, with remnant mosaic floors. Another picturesque ruin is the Forty Saints Monastery from the 6th century, which is thought to have been an important pilgrimage site. But the main attraction in southern Albania is the archaeological site of Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extensive ruins of communities dating from prehistory, though the Greek and Roman eras, as well as the Byzantine period, until the medieval period.

Day 14 - Bari

Arrive: Thu 05 August 2027 / Depart: Thu 05 August 2027

Bari, with a population of over half a million, is comprised of an old town clustered on a promontory, and a modern town with wide avenues. It was, for a time, capital for Byzantium's possessions in Italy and a very prosperous port in the Middle Ages serving as a port of embarkation for the Crusader's and as a pilgrimage destination for the shrine of St. Nicholas. Bari is the capital of Apulia, one of the three regions that cover the foot of the Italian "boot". The region is located on the Adriatic coast and produces cereal crops, almonds, grapes and olives. Apulian production of olive oil represents 10% of the world's production. Bari itself is a port, industrial and commercial center, which enjoys trade links with other Adriatic and Mediterranean countries as well as the Middle East. The country to the south of Bari has an almost oriental aspect with strange customs and unique buildings called "truilli".

Day 15 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Fri 06 August 2027 / Depart: Fri 06 August 2027

Founded in the 7th century, Dubrovnik rose to greatness as a merchant state, independent republic and cultural crossroads. The traffic-free Old Town has been called a Croatian Athens. This UNESCO designated World Heritage Site is a living museum of the ages with fortifications, chapels, monastic cloisters and Europe's second-oldest synagogue crowded into its ancient walls. Relax at a sidewalk café, listen to the chimes of the 14th-century bell tower or join the promenade down the palace-lined avenue known as the Stradun.