History Archaeology and Literature

Each voyage included in this History, Archaeology and Literature Circle of Interest will have three excursions on shore, depending on the itinerary. As a participant, during shore excursions you will receive private group transportation, priority dispatch and one lunch hosted by Sandra Bowern, your Circle of Interest host. On board you will also have the opportunity to participate in a Circle of Interest welcome cocktail reception, private lecture and dinner with a master challenge quiz with Ms. Bowern.

EXCURSIONS:

Livorno: Siena and San Gimignano  (LIV-968)
- Sept 16, Oct 7 and Oct 21 sailings -
The beautiful city of Siena, with its narrow streets and medieval buildings of rose-colored bricks, is the natural starting place for exploring the heart of Tuscany. Your local guide will help you discover some of the highlights of Siena including: the church of San Domenico, a gothic church with an exquisite chapel surrounded by frescoes Piazza del Duomo, with its huge cathedral, considered to be one of the most spectacular in Italy; Piazza del Campo, which is bordered by elegant palaces and has an elaborate fountain as its focal point; the Fonte Gaia, a rectangular marble basin decorated by statues; and the remarkable Palazzo Pubblico which still serves as the town hall and is situated on the same square where the famous and unique horse race called Palio, takes place twice a year. After the tour you will have some free time for shopping, browsing and lunch on your own.

After your free time you will depart to San Gimignano for a guided visit. The distinctive skyline of San Gimignano, with its many towers, must have been a welcome sight for the faithful in the Middle Ages, for the town lay on the main pilgrim route from Northern Europe to Rome. The plague of 1348, and later the diversion of the pilgrim route led to its economic decline. However, since WWII it has been recovering rapidly thanks to tourism and local wine production. For a small town, San Gimignano is rich in works of art, good shops and restaurants.

Please note: This tour involves an extensive amount of walking (approximately 1 mile), sometimes uphill, on uneven surfaces in Siena, and this should be taken into consideration.

Naxos: Taormina and Greco Roman Theater  (NAX-3756)
- Sept 16, Sept 23, Sept 30, and Oct 14 sailings -
Begin your tour with the 6-mile drive from the port of Giardini Naxos to Taormina. A hilly road will lead to the coach parking area where your guided walking tour of this storybook setting commences. This beautiful and renowned tourist resort is a small, medieval town on top of a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea and dominating Mount Etna. During the tour you will visit the Greek Theater, known for its stunning location. With a diameter of 358 feet, it is the second largest theater in Sicily, after the one in Siracusa. From the upper tiers a spectacular view reveals majestic Mount Etna, Europe's largest active volcano. Other major highlights include viewing the Palazzo Corvaia (from the exterior) with its fine 15th-century facade; the Odeon (from the exterior) a small imperial age theater, probably used for rehearsals and the public gardens blossoming with flowers and color.

Enjoy free time wandering along Corso Umberto, Taormina's busy main street. See its many shops or have coffee at the old Dominican monastery, now the deluxe Hotel San Domenico. It is surrounded by beautiful gardens filled with exotic foliage. At the appointed time, you will meet and return to the coach for the drive back to Giardini Naxos where the ship's tender awaits you.

Please note: Extensive walking is required in Taormina, including uphill climbs, steps, and uneven terrain in the Greek Theater.

Sorrento: Ancient Pompeii  (SOR-1765)
- Sept 16, Sept 23, Sept 30, Oct 14 and Oct 21 sailings -
You'll transfer from the port to the main square of Sorrento.  There, you'll begin your drive along the coast of Sorrento and the Bay of Naples, then on to the remarkable ruins of Pompeii at the foot of Mount Vesuvius.

Pompeii is considered to be the world's finest example of an ancient Roman town. You'll see the huge forum and great temples and peek inside homes and shops suspended in time by the devastation of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.  From Pompeii, you'll return to the coast along the lovely panoramic road, which passes the seaside resorts of Castellamare and Sorrento.  The coach will drop you off at the Porta di Parsano.  Here, you'll enjoy a complimentary glass of limoncello (the local lemon liqueur) served on trays of inlaid wood typical in Sorrento.  After this refreshment stop, you'll head back to the pier.

Please note: This tour is not suggested for guests with walking difficulties.

Kusadasi: Ephesus and Sirince Village  (KUS-6325)
- Sept 23, Sept 30, Oct 14 and Oct 21 sailings -
Depart the pier for the 30-minute drive to the ancient ruins at the magnificent site of Ephesus, including the beautifully restored Celsus Library and Grand Theater, built during the Hellenistic age to hold 24,000 spectators and where St. Paul preached.

Next, you will visit Sirince, an old Orthodox village. You'll have the unique opportunity to observe the local village life and purchase some local souvenirs and handicrafts. The village is also famous for its local grape and other fruit wines. You'll enjoy lunch in the home of a village family, then a cup of traditional Turkish coffee at the village's main coffee house. Depending on the number of guests, a gypsy fortune-teller may be available. At the end of the tour, return to Kusadasi and enjoy some free time for shopping or return directly to the ship.

Please note: The tour involves extensive walking.

Marseilles: Avignon and Les Baux  (MSL-6140)
- Oct 7 sailing -
Today the history of Provence beckons you as you explore the countryside. You will travel to nearby Avignon, a medieval walled city of Gothic towers, palaces, belfries and churches surrounding the town square. You will visit the famous Palace of the Popes, the "Vatican" of Europe during the 14th century, when the Papacy - finding Rome both immoral and unmanageable - packed up and moved to the more peaceful Avignon. From the palace you will descend to the famous Avignon Bridge over the Rhone River. Lunch is served in Avignon.

Continue to the amazing eagle-nest village of Les Baux de Provence, built on a rocky spur in the Alpilles range and offering great views of the countryside and vineyards. In the village of Les Baux de Provence, visit the 13th-century castle and have some free time to walk along the narrow and winding streets lined with local artisans who display and sell their works. After visiting Les Baux, return to Marseille and the ship.

Please note: This tour involves extensive walking on sloping streets.

Sete: Medieval Carcassonne & Abbey Fontfroide  (SET-4265)
- Oct 7 sailing -
A 1-hour drive from Sète will take you to Carcassonne, the loveliest fortified town in France. Narrow cobblestone streets take you back through time as your guide imparts the dramatic history of this richly historic region. Then you will pass through the ramparts to the towers of the Château Comtal. You will also make a short visit to the Basilica Saint Nazaire. Carcassonne has 52 towers, two concentric surrounding walls and nearly 3 miles of ramparts.

During your visit you will see the Narbonne Gate, with its two huge towers forming an impressive pointed buttress. The Narbonne Gate is the most important architectural feature of the medieval period.  A heavy chain, backed up by traps and portcullises providing a secure defensive system, barred access to the gate.

From the top of the ramparts, you can admire many views. The Ville Basse was built in the 12th century and is remarkable for its religious buildings, the remains of the ramparts, stately private homes, pedestrian precincts and green spaces. Lunch will be served in the Cité. En route back to Sète, stop at Fontfroide, a Cistercian abbey with a simple, 13th-century church and one of the finest cloisters in southern France.

Please note: This excursion involves a fair amount of walking over cobblestone streets and many steep steps.

Barcelona: Gothic Barcelona and Modernist Palau de la Musica  (BCN-5750)

- Nov 4 sailing -

Begin your tour with a panoramic drive to the mountain of Monjuich, home of many Olympic sites. Then continue to the town center and pause in front of the old city walls. Here you will disembark the motorcoach and visit the Barcelona Cathedral and its cloister in the Gothic area of the city. Then continue to Placa Sant Jaume, site of the Town Hall and Generalitat Buildings. Off then to Placa del Rei where the History Museum of the city is located.

Leave the Gothic Quarter for a guided tour of city sites before continuing on to Palau de la Musica. This is another Modernist building and a great example of the Catalan style. The Palau de la Musica is one of the world's leading concert halls and considered to be one of Modernism's chief exponents. In 1997, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site.

Cadiz: Seville's Cathedral and the Reales Alcazares  (CAD-2965)

- Nov 4 sailing -

You will enter Seville by way of the Avenida de las Palmeras, an avenue lined with most of the main pavilions that were built for the 1929 Ibero-American Exposition. Driving along Avenida de las Delicias you will pass San Telmo Palace and Gardens. Your first visit will be to the Reales Alcazares, the site of the Archive of Indies.Continue to the Gothic cathedral for a visit. It is the largest gothic church in Christendom, with its Patio de los Naranjos and the Giralda, an Arabic minaret that became a Christian church tower. In one of the naves of the cathedral lies Christopher Columbus' sepulcher. After visiting the Santa Cruz Quarter, walk to Robles Placentines for a tasty lunch.

After lunch, take a panoramic tour of the rest of the town. Departing from Christopher Columbus Avenue and continuing along the river, you will see the Torre del Oro. Further along is the 18th-century Maestranza Bullring, the site of great successes and tragedies in the history of the torero. At the end of the panoramic tour and before heading back to Cádiz, a photo stop will be made to admire the beauty of the Plaza de España, where all Spanish provinces are represented. From here you will make the return drive to Cádiz and your ship.

Please note: There is approximately 4 hours of extensive walking or long periods of standing on this tour.  

Monte Carlo: St. Paul de Vence and The Maeght Foundation  (MON-3549)

- Nov 4 sailing -

As you depart Monaco, your tour starts with a scenic drive along the Middle Corniche, offering beautiful vistas along the shore to Nice. You will proceed inland past St. Laurent du Var and Cagnes to St. Paul de Vence. It is a typical fortress town which once guarded the Var frontier, set behind ramparts and is still more or less intact. After a walk in St. Paul de Vence, visit The Maeght Foundation Museum which is located just outside the village. Here you will find beautiful modern art pieces, including bronze works, stained glass, paintings and lithographs. You will then return to Monaco via the highway.

Price:  October 7 Sailing:  $425 per person*

Rest of Sailings:  $375 per person

Number of Guests:  Minimum 30/Maximum 50

*Pricing for the October 7 sailing is different because of the shore excursion only available on that cruise.