Dalmatian Coast & Jewels Of The Riviera Cruise

Day 1 - Venice, Italy

Arrive: Wed 22 May 2024 / Depart: Wed 22 May 2024 at 18:00

The first settlement of the marshy islands in the lagoon was for protection from barbarian tribes that terrorized mainland farms and villages. Island living quickly led to the development of skills in handling boats, then ships. Maritime trade conducted by shrewd merchants brought great wealth, which permitted the building of palaces, churches and monuments. The city became the center of the vast Venetian empire, its name forever summoning visions of grandeur, magnificence, richness, graciousness and beauty. Although later linked to the mainland, first by a railway bridge built in 1848 and then by a motor causeway in 1930, this island city will always be considered the "Queen of the Sea." There are no cars in Venice; all transportation is by boat or on foot along the time-worn, cobblestone streets and across some 400 bridges that span the city's 177 canals. Enchanting Venice truly offers an atmosphere that exists nowhere else.

Day 2 - Koper

Arrive: Thu 23 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 23 May 2024 at 18:00

Located on the tip of Istria, Slovenia's main port was an island until the 19th century, but local history goes back much further. Called Aegida by the Greeks, Capris by the Romans and Justinopolis in Byzantine times, Koper was the influential city in the Venetian Empire and five mayors sat on the throne of the Venetian doges. Today monuments of this Golden Age line the cobblestone streets of an Old Town that boasts a wealth of architecture, cultural monuments and intriguing shops.

Day 3 - Opatija

Arrive: Fri 24 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 24 May 2024 at 17:00

On the western peninsula of Croatia, just south west of the city of Rijeka Croatia, lies the beautiful town of Opatija. Anyone visiting the area will instantly understand why this small Croatian village of just 8,000 inhabitants is so popular. With its breathtaking views over the Adriatic towards the Kvarner Islands and up towards the Istrian mountains in the distance, Opatija really is a place of natural beauty. It is an ideal holiday resort, with its lovely mild climate, extensive beaches and 43-kilometre coastline. The European elite frequented the town for many centuries, earning it the well-deserved title, "The Adriatic Nice".

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Sun 26 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 26 May 2024 at 23:00

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.

Day 6 - Kotor

Arrive: Mon 27 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 27 May 2024 at 18:00

One of the best preserved medieval towns of the Adriatic, Kotor is protected by UNESCO. Between 1420 and 1797, the area was under the rule of the Republic of Venice and the Venetian influence can be seen in its architecture. The Gulf of Kotor is sometimes called the southernmost fjord in Europe, although it is actually a submerged river canyon. The overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen complete one of the Mediterranean's most beautiful landscapes.

Day 7 - Durres

Arrive: Tue 28 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 28 May 2024 at 18:00

Durres is a very ancient city, but today its antiquities are only visible intermittently. Originally a Greek colony, it has endured Roman and Byzantine rule and more recently a long, dark chapter under a severe Communist dictatorship. It is a busy port, located at the narrowest passage of the Adriatic Sea just across from Bari, Italy. Notable sites in Durres itself include a large, but only partially unearthed Roman amphitheater, built in the 2nd Century AD by the Emperor Trajan. It is a candidate for UNESCO World Heritage inscription, surrounded and in a few cases actually occupied by modern housing. Nearby, a colonnade of a 5th Century Byzantine marketplace is another surviving relic. From Durres, you can also visit the Albania’s capital, Tirana, a vibrant modern city flexing its muscles after its long enforced isolation. The large National History Museum has an extensive and fascinating collection, including a pavilion containing numerous Eastern Orthodox icons by the master of color Onufri, and another dedicated to the late Albanian nun Mother Teresa. East of Tirana, an Austrian-built cable car can carry visitors up the slopes to panoramic views at the Mt. Dajti National Park.

Day 8 - At Sea

Day 9 - Lipari Islands

Arrive: Thu 30 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 30 May 2024 at 17:00

Lipari is the largest of the seven major islands making up the Aeolian Islands. They were originally named after Aeolus, the mythical god of wind who the ancients believed made his home in a cave here. Recently renamed the Lipari Islands, they were created by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago and have a primitive rocky beauty accented by Mediterranean greenery. Their natural beauty and easy lifestyle have made the islands increasingly popular for those who wish to escape the modern world and its stresses. The crystal clear aqua-blue waters and the volcanic beaches are some of the most inviting in Italy. Many are inaccessible except by fishermens' boats. An abundance of fish and shell fish makes for some very good restaurants specializing in seafood.

Day 9 - At Sea

Day 10 - Amalfi, Italy

Arrive: Fri 31 May 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 31 May 2024 at 17:00

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 11 - Rome

Arrive: Sat 01 June 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 01 June 2024 at 21:00

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 12 - Golfo Aranci, Sardinia

Arrive: Sun 02 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 02 June 2024 at 17:00

The Sardinian coastline is serrated by deep-cut coves of sparkling sea, surrounded by rocky prominences and edged in lovely strands of beach. The Aga Khan fell in love with the place, and dubbed it the Costa Smeralda, creating a magnet for the global glitterati. At Golfo Aranci, shining arcs of silvery sand are linked into a larger curve, encircled by a muscular peninsula that looms protectively between the town and the sea. It looks expensive, and it is.

Day 13 - Ajaccio

Arrive: Mon 03 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 03 June 2024 at 18:00

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 14 - Nice (Villefranche)

Arrive: Tue 04 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 04 June 2024 at 18:00

In 350 BCE Greeks from Marseilles founded Nice in honor of the goddess of victory, Nike. The Romans showed little interest in this town sheltered by an amphitheater of hills. In 1388 it was incorporated into the Duchy of Savoy, then united with Sardinia, passed to France in 1712, passed back to Sardinia in 1814, and finally returned to France in 1860. Today, Nice as it is now known, enjoys a popularity which stems from its charming setting, artistic treasures, wonderful climate and innumerable attractions.

Day 15 - St. Tropez, France

Arrive: Wed 05 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 05 June 2024 at 17:00

On the southern shore of one of the most beautiful bays of the Riviera, the little port of St. Tropez has become one of the best known resorts in Europe, a crossroads where journalists, photographers, writers, artists and celebrities meet. Guy de Maupassant discovered the town, but it was the painters who made it more widely known - Signac, Matisse, Bonnard, Marquet, Camoin - who all stayed for varying amounts of time. The harbor teems with life. Fishing boats, excursion craft and hundreds of yachts share the harbor. On the waterfront are old pink and yellow houses, which have been converted into cafes, cabarets and restaurants, luxury boutiques, galleries and antique shops. A picturesque and cosmopolitan crowd strolls the streets in season.

Day 16 - Sete, France

Arrive: Thu 06 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 06 June 2024 at 17:00

The port town of Sete hugs the tiny Mont St. Clair, and is caught between the Mediterranean and the Bassin de Thau, a salt lake directly behind it. It is crisscrossed by numerous canals which link the lake to the sea, and connected by 12 bridges. Along the quay, renovated buildings provide a multitude of architectural details from the 18th and 19th centuries. The life of the town is found in its squares: Place Leon Blum, with its fountain and Wednesday morning flower market; Place Aristide, with its old fashioned bandstand; and Place de la Republique, with its huge retaining walls and vaulted loggias. Sete retains its historic purpose as a fishing boat haven for North African trade; the old harbor dates from the time of Louis XIV.

Day 17 - At Sea

Day 18 - Almeria

Arrive: Sat 08 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sat 08 June 2024 at 18:00

Almeria is a seaside city in Andalucia in the province of the same name. The picturesque town is dominated by the hilltop Alcazaba fortress, originally built by the Caliph of Cordoba during the Moorish occupation and later expanded by Christian rulers. The cathedral dates from 1524, and replaces an earlier one lost in an earthquake in 1522. Its fortress-like structure bespeaks the continuing raids of pirates from North Africa at that time. Enjoy the town, the smaller villages of Mojacar or Roquetas del Mar, and the rugged coast of the Cabo de Gata.

Day 19 - Malaga

Arrive: Sun 09 June 2024 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 09 June 2024 at 22:00

Often little more than a gateway to the Costa del Sol for sun-seeking vacationers, Malaga is a most interesting city in its own right. First settled by the Phoenicians, Malaga was held by virtually every ruling power in the Mediterranean at one time or another. Two Moorish fortresses, the 11th-century Alcazaba and the 14th-century Castillo de Gibralfaro still stand sentry above the harbor. Malaga was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso as well as the Malaguena style of flamenco. During your time here, you may wish to sample some of the sweet Malaga wine and excellent tapas for which the city is noted.

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Lisbon

Arrive: Tue 11 June 2024 at 07:00 / Depart: Tue 11 June 2024

The great period of "the Discoveries" accounted for phenomenal wealth brought back from India, Africa and Brazil by the great Portuguese navigators. Gold, jewels, ivory, porcelain and spices helped finance grand new buildings and impressive monuments in Lisbon, the country's capital city. As you sail up the Tagus River, be on deck to admire Lisbon's panorama and see some of the great monuments lining the river. Lisbon is one of Europe's smallest capital cities but considered by many visitors to be one of the most likeable. Spread over a string of seven hills, the city offers a variety of faces, including a refreshing no-frills simplicity reflected in the people as they go unhurriedly through their day enjoying a hearty and delicious cuisine accompanied by the country's excellent wines.