| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 6th06 | DecDec | 202121 | Larnaca, Cyprus, embark on the La Belle de L'Adriatique | 18:00 | |
| Passengers are welcome to board our ship at 6:00 p.m. After comfortably settling into your cabins, we'll introduce our crew at a welcome cocktail before dinner. The evening is free to do as you please. |
| 7th07 | DecDec | 202121 | Larnaca, Cyprus | | 16:00 |
| This morning, join us for an optional excursion to Nicosia. The Cypriot capital has two faces and symbolizes two contrasting cultures united by a shared history. Brimming with gems to discover, Nicosia stands as the last officially divided European city. This afternoon, enjoy some free time to discover Larnaca on your own. We'll start sailing towards Israel at the end of the day. |
| 8th08 | DecDec | 202121 | Haifa, Israel | 07:30 | |
| Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces. The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill are some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling.Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly.You don't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union. Full-day excursion through Galilee including the Sea of Galilee (lunch included; approx. 9 hours total, including 4 hours round trip). The Sea of Galilee, a freshwater lake also known as Lake Tiberias or Kinneret in Hebrew, is the main water source in Israel and crystallizes for Christians the place where many of the events described in the Bible occurred. Our excursion will first take you to Cana (or Kafr Cana), where Jesus performed the miracle of transforming water into wine. We'll continue on to the Mount of Beatitudes, from where there are wonderful views of Lake Tiberias. This is the hill where Jesus is believed to have delivered his Sermon on the Mount. We'll next head for Tabgha, believed to be the most beautiful and peaceful of holy Christian sites and which was the scene of many Gospel stories, before moving on to Capernaum, the base camp for Jesus during his Galilean ministry. |
| 9th09 | DecDec | 202121 | Haifa, Israel | | |
| Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces. The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill are some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling.Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly.You don't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union. Full-day excursion to Jerusalem and Bethlehem (lunch included; approx. 12 hours total, including 4 hours round trip). In Bethlehem, we'll visit the Church of the Nativity, which contains the grotto where many Christians believe Jesus was born. We'll continue on to Jerusalem, considered holy ground by three religionsChristianity, Judaism, and Islam. The old city contains over 200 historic sites, including the Wailing Wall and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which encompasses the hill where Jesus was crucified and his tomb. We will also visit the colorful market where the three main religions live side by side. |
| 10th10 | DecDec | 202121 | Haifa, Israel | | |
| Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces. The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill are some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling.Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly.You don't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union. Full-day excursion including Masada and the Dead Sea (lunch included; approx. 12 hours total, incl. 5 hours round trip). Masada is one of Israel's most popular tourist destinations. The breathtaking, strategic location is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a symbol of heroism and importance within Jewish culture. Masada was built in 30 BC by King Herod. When Israel began its great revolt against Rome in 68 AD, the site became a stronghold for Jewish rebels. The Romans besieged Masada in the year 72. Rather than be taken alive by their adversaries, the population of Masada chose to die by suicide. After our stirring visit to this important historical site, we will continue to the Dead Sea for lunch and an afternoon at the side of the pool or in the sea's beneficial waters and muds. |
| 11th11 | DecDec | 202121 | Haifa, Israel | | 15:00 |
| Spilling down from the pine-covered heights of Mount Carmel, Haifa is a city with a vertiginous setting that has led to comparisons with San Francisco. The most striking landmark on the mountainside is the gleaming golden dome of the Baha'i Shrine, set amid utterly beautiful garden terraces. The city is the world center for the Baha'i faith, and its members provide informative walking tours of the flower-edged 100-acre spot, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At the top of the hill are some small but interesting museums, the larger hotels, and two major universities. At the bottom is the lovingly restored German Colony, a perfect area for strolling.Israel's largest port and third-largest city, Haifa was ruled for four centuries by the Ottomans and gradually spread its tendrils up the mountainside into a cosmopolitan city whose port served the entire Middle East. The climate is gentle, the beaches beautiful, and the locals friendly.You don't see the religious garb of Jerusalem or the tattoos and piercings of Tel Aviv in this diverse but fairly conservative city. In fact, you can't always tell at a glance who is part of an Arab or Jewish Israeli family, or if someone is a more recent immigrant from the former Soviet Union. This morning, included guided tour of Nazareth. We'll set off for our discovery tour of Nazareth, travelling through the lovely hills of Upper Galilee and the historic Jezreel Valley until we reach the spot where the Angel Gabriel told the Virgin Mary that she would give birth to the Messiah. We'll visit the Church of the Annunciation, the largest Catholic church in the Middle East and one of the holiest shrines in the Christian world. Then, we'll continue to the Greek Orthodox Church of St Gabriel, where the water from an underground spring flows through the apse and into the adjacent Mary's Well. Finally, we will visit St Joseph's Church, built in 1914 on the very spot believed to be the workshop of Joseph the carpenter. We'll spend all afternoon sailing towards Limassol. |
| 12th12 | DecDec | 202121 | Limassol, Cyprus | 07:30 | 18:00 |
| A major commercial port, cruise ship port of call, and wine-making center on the south coast, Limassol, 75 km (47 miles) from Nicosia, is a bustling, cosmopolitan town, with some of the liveliest nightlife on the island. Luxury hotels, apartments, and guesthouses stretch along 12 km (7 miles) of seafront, with the most luxurious ones just to the north of town. In the center, the elegant, modern shops of Makarios Avenue (where you'll mainly find clothes and shoes) contrast with those of pedestrian-only Agiou Andreou in the old part of town, where local handicrafts such as lace, embroidery, and basketware prevail; make sure you avoid shopping on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons, when many shops close at 2 pm. A luxurious marina that will hold 650 yachts as well as house apartments, shops, and restaurants should further boost the town's lively appeal. This morning, optional excursion to Paphos Archaeological Park. Listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1980, this exceptional site features the Tombs of the Kings, a mysterious underground necropolis located amidst an almost deserted landscape. We'll then visit the houses of Dionysos, Theseus and Aion whose splendid mosaics were discovered by chance in 1962. A few kilometers further on, we will stop in the village of Yeroskipou to visit a small workshop where Loukoum (Cyprus Delight) is made, followed by a tasting session. The afternoon will be spent sailing towards Larnaca. Tonight's our gala dinner and evening. |
| 13th13 | DecDec | 202121 | Larnaca, Cyprus, disembark the La Belle de L'Adriatique | 07:00 | |
| Enjoy one last buffet breakfast on board before disembarking at 9:00 a.m. End of our services. |
