Day 1 – Dubrovnik, Croatia

Departs 11:00 pm.

Dubrovnik is a beautiful stone jewel hugging the Adriatic Sea. This picture-perfect medieval walled city offers ancient stone buildings, narrow cobbled streets and fortified ramparts rising above red-tiled rooftops. Stradun is the city’s focal point and main artery while Dubrovnik’s streets are blessedly free of vehicular traffic. Despite the heavy damage inflicted by shelling in the early ’90s, Dubrovnik has been restored to its pre-war beauty. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old city remains the pride of the Republic of Croatia.For six centuries Dubrovnik was an independent republic – an oligarchy ruled by patrician families. The Republic was overthrown by Napoleon in 1808.Note: All passengers must carry an original photo I.D. when going ashore: photocopies are not accepted.On occasion, Dubrovnik will be an anchorage port; passengers transfer to shore via ship’s tender.

Day 2 – Kotor, Montenegro

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Kotor lies at the head of Boka Bay. Bordered by towering limestone cliffs, the winding bay is actually Southern Europe’s longest and most dramatic fjord. The port itself is a medieval gem: its narrow, asymmetrical streets are lined with ancient stone houses, old palaces, and churches dating from the 12th century. Kotor is also your gateway to the cultural and scenic wonders of Montenegro, from the old royal capital at Cetinje to the marshes and wildlife of Lake Skadar National Park.Kotor is renowned for its nightlife: the streets of the old port are lined with pubs, taverns and cafés. The city is also host to a renowned summer carnival.Kotor is an anchorage port. Passengers transfer to shore via ship’s tender.

Day 3 – At Sea

Day 4 – Koper, Slovenia

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 5 – Rijeka, Croatia

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 6 – Hvar, Croatia

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 7 – Korcula, Croatia

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 8 – Dubrovnik, Croatia

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Dubrovnik is a beautiful stone jewel hugging the Adriatic Sea. This picture-perfect medieval walled city offers ancient stone buildings, narrow cobbled streets and fortified ramparts rising above red-tiled rooftops. Stradun is the city’s focal point and main artery while Dubrovnik’s streets are blessedly free of vehicular traffic. Despite the heavy damage inflicted by shelling in the early ’90s, Dubrovnik has been restored to its pre-war beauty. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the old city remains the pride of the Republic of Croatia.For six centuries Dubrovnik was an independent republic – an oligarchy ruled by patrician families. The Republic was overthrown by Napoleon in 1808.Note: All passengers must carry an original photo I.D. when going ashore: photocopies are not accepted.On occasion, Dubrovnik will be an anchorage port; passengers transfer to shore via ship’s tender.

Day 9 – Sarande, Albania

Arrives 09:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 10 – Taranto, Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Tucked into the instep of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula is the region’s second largest city, Taranto. Known as la Città dei Due Mari, or the City of the Two Seas, its heritage dates all the way back to the Spartans, who founded it in the 8th century BCE. Here, the past is always present. Walk in the footsteps of King Ferdinand II of Aragon with a visit to Castello Aragonese. Behold the otherworldly structures and UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Alberobello and Matera. And savor the flavors of southern Italy with visits to the Manduria wine region and Masseria, known for its centuries-old olive trees. Treasured history, architectural treasures, picturesque landscapes-this is what vacation is all about!

Day 11 – At Sea

Day 12 – Valletta, Malta

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Malta is the largest in a group of seven islands that occupy a strategic position between Europe and Africa. The island’s history is long and turbulent. Everyone from the Normans to the Nazis have vied for control of this small, honey-colored rock. For centuries the island was the possession of the knightly Order of St. John – the Knights Hospitaller. Valletta, Malta’s current capital, was planned by the Order’s Grandmaster Jean de la Valette to secure the island’s eastern coast from Turk incursions. Founded in 1566, Valletta’s bustling streets are lined with superb Baroque buildings and churches.Malta has a long history: the megalithic stone temples at Gozo may be the oldest freestanding structures on Earth. Malta has two official languages, Maltese (constitutionally the national language) and English. Malta was admitted to the European Union in 2004 and in 2008 became part of the eurozone.

Day 13 – Giardini Naxos (Taormina), Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 14 – Amalfi, Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 15 – Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

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 16 – Porto Santo Stefano, Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 17 – Passing Isola di Stromboli

Day 18 – Trapani, Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 19 – Sardinia (cagliari), Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

The views from the Terrazza Umberto I are panoramic: one looks out over Sardinia’s capital, a city ancient even in Roman times. Mountains frame the azure waters of the gulf. Nearby lagoons harbor flocks of flamingos and egrets. Welcome to one of the most intriguing ports in the Western Mediterranean. Founded by Phoenician traders in the 7th century B.C., Cagliari has been a Carthaginian colony and a Roman seaport. Those fine old walls supporting the Terrazza Umberto I were erected in the 13th century by the Italian city-state of Pisa. In addition to its fine old Italian architecture, Cagliari boasts superb light, inviting waters and excellent beaches.The city-state of Pisa and the Kings of Aragon vied for control of Sardinia for two centuries. The cathedral, built by Pisans in the 13th century, holds the mausoleum of a 15th century Aragonese prince.

Day 20 – Olbia, Sardinia, Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

Day 20 – Scenic cruising Bonifacio Strait

Day 21 – Corsica (Ajaccio), France

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

In 1811, Napoleon Bonaparte – then Napoleon I, Emperor of the French – made Corsica a department of France. He also moved the capital from Bastia to his hometown of Ajaccio.The capital of Corsica, Ajaccio is the island’s largest town (although we know that the capital of Corsica is Paris, and Ajaccio & Bastia are roughly the same size) – and the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. One can stroll past the cathedral where the future emperor was baptized–the Casa Bonaparte is a museum devoted to the imperial glory. But Corsica is also the “scented isle” – a place of dramatic shoreline cliffs, small coves, and golden beaches. The island interior consists of stony mountains carpeted in macchia, a low, thick, chaparral comprised of aromatic Corsican mint, rock roses, and myrtle. Everywhere you’ll discover traces of the island’s long and colorful history, from medieval walled towns to seaside villages guarded by 16th-century towers. Though the island has been part of France since the late 18th century, Corsica retains its own distinct culture and flavor.

Day 22 – Monte Carlo, Monaco

Arrives 07:00 am.