| | | | | Arrive | Depart |
| 29th29 | SepSep | 202121 | Civitavecchia, Italy, embark on the Wind Surf | | 17:00 |
| Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully. For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here. Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness. Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza. In this enchanting city the past and present intersect in perfect harmony. Casually intermingled among ancient ruins and majestic cathedrals are the trappings of a modern metropolis: Skyscrapers,cafes, boutiques selling designer footwear. But of course what you seek first in the heart of Rome is its breathtaking history. A good place to begin is the Vatican, with its Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Works by Bernini, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Raphael are just a few of those on display, any one of which is worth hours of contemplation. Then the ancient ruins—Colosseum, Forum, Circus Maximus. And of course the Trevi Fountain for the obligatory coins promising your return to the Eternal City. |
| 30th30 | SepSep | 202121 | At Sea | | |
| 1st01 | OctOct | 202121 | Catania, Italy | 08:00 | 18:00 |
| In this fascinating city nestled at the foot of Mount Etna you'll find a thriving downtown that is not only the active city center, but a historic UNESCO World Heritage Site, combining the best of ancient and modern city style. Your options are as wide as your imagination. Explore the temperamental volcano that has reshaped the city many times, visit the beautiful setting of Taormina where stunning views and beautiful antiquities vie for your attention or the UNESCO site of Tantalica. If you prefer, explore the ancient city of Syracuse, called by Cicero himself "the most beautiful of all," and another UNESCO site. |
| 2nd02 | OctOct | 202121 | Valletta, Malta | 08:00 | 23:59 |
| Malta's capital, the minicity of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped. Valletta's compactness makes it ideal to explore on foot. City Gate and the upper part of Valletta are experiencing vast redevelopment that includes a new Parliament Building and open-air performance venue. The complex, completed mid-2013, has numerous pedestrian detours in place along with building noise and dust. Before setting out along Republic Street, stop at the tourist information office on Merchant Street for maps and brochures. Malta's capital city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is among the world's smallest, yet definitely most charming. Graced with the paintings of Caravaggio and kissed by beautiful shorelines, you'll find photographic icons at almost every turn. Not to be missed is a visit to the stately Palazzo Parisio to glimpse the enchanting lifestyle of Malta's nobility. Our stay here also allows the exquisite romance of an evening walk through the beautiful lanes of Mdina, Malta's enigmatic "Silent City." |
| 3rd03 | OctOct | 202121 | Gozo Island, Malta | 07:00 | 18:00 |
| Malta is situated approximately 58 miles (about 93 kilometres) south of Sicily, and approximately 179 miles (about 288 kilometres) north of Africa. The Maltese Archipelago lies at the centre of the Mediterranean. Gozo, the ‘Isle of Calypso’, is a unique island that forms a part of the Maltese Archipelago, and is famous for its mythical legends, folklore and crafts. Some parts of Gozo are still undiscovered and unspoilt. The southern part of the island facing Malta is low-lying, but it rises near the coast and forms the vertical cliffs of Ta’ Cenc that jut out like a bastion into the sea. Several narrow valleys cut through and dissect the plateau; the best-known being Xlendi. Pretty Xlendi Bay lies on the west coast of Gozo, an island long thought to be the mythical Ogygia of Homer's Odyssey. In the story, Calypso fell in love with Odysseus and held him captive for seven years.. The reputed Calypso Cave is just one of several intriguing caves on the island. There's also Caroline's Cave, a natural grotto that was once a private swimming hole for nuns. Surprisingly for such a small island, Gozo is home to the oldest freestanding temples in the world, the Ggantija Temples, nestled among the rolling green hills. You should also visit the Citadella, a small, fortified town that houses the island's Cathedral, the Museum of Archaeology, the Folklore Museum, and the Old Prisons. |
| 4th04 | OctOct | 202121 | Porto Empedocle, Italy | 08:00 | 17:00 |
| Here you'll find what are widely acclaimed as the best, ancient ruins in the entire Mediterranean. Imagine the wonders of Athens, of Ephesus, of legendary Olympia itself. Then imagine them all in one place, at Agrigento, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As you wander the verdant ridge overlooking the Mediterranean you will be transported to the 5th and 6th centuries. The irresistible scent of olive, almond, and eucalyptus trees will entice you back to the present. This is one of the world's most beautiful sites. |
| 5th05 | OctOct | 202121 | Trapani, Sicily, Italy | 08:00 | 16:00 |
| Trapani, the most important town on Sicily’s west coast, lies below the headland of Mount Erice and offers stunning views of the Egadi Islands on a clear day. Trapani’s Old District occupies a scimitarshaped promontory between the open sea on the north and the salt marshes to the south. The ancient industry of extracting salt from the marshes has recently been revived, and it is documented in the Museo delle Saline. In addition to the salt marshes,Trapani’s other interesting environs include the beautiful little hill town of Erice, the promontory of Capo San Vito stretching north beyond the splendid headland of Monte Cofano, the lovely island of Motya and the town of Marsala. Trips farther afield will take you to the magnificent site of Segesta or the Egadi Islands, reached by boat or hydrofoil from Trapani Port. At once ancient and contemporary, Trapani is a city of contrasts. From the salt marshes that produce much of the Mediterranean's signature colored salts, to the intricate mosaics of Mozia and the famous wines of Marsala, to the best view in all of Sicily from the medieval hill town of Erice where the colorful gardens are rivaled only by the cannolis for pure sensory delight. The line of 17th century windmills, still hard at work in ancient Phoenician salt marshes beckons you to return to Trapani again and again. |
| 6th06 | OctOct | 202121 | Lipari, Italy | 08:00 | 16:00 |
| The largest and most developed of the Aeolians, Lipari welcomes you with distinctive pastel-color houses. Fields of spiky agaves dot the northernmost tip of the island, Acquacalda, indented with pumice and obsidian quarries. In the west is San Calogero, where you can explore hot springs and mud baths. From the red-lava base of the island rises a plateau crowned with a 16th-century castle and a 17th-century cathedral. Take time on shore to explore the beautiful village and enjoy the exclusive access that only a small ship can provide in a port large cruise ships cannot reach. An optional tour will introduce you to the highlights of the largest of the seven Aeolian Islands, well-known for its mythological connections and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. |
| 7th07 | OctOct | 202121 | Sorrento, Italy | 08:00 | 23:59 |
| Sorrento may have become a jumping-off point for visitors to Pompeii, Capri, and Amalfi, but you can find countless reasons to love it for itself. The Sorrentine people are fair-minded and hardworking, bubbling with life and warmth. The tuff cliff on which the town rests is spread over the bay, absorbing sunlight, while orange and lemon trees waft their perfume in spring. Winding along a cliff above a small beach and two harbors, the town is split in two by a narrow ravine formed by a former mountain stream. To the east, dozens of hotels line busy Via Correale along the cliff—many have "grand" included in their names, and some indeed still are. To the west, however, is the historic sector, which still enchants. It's a relatively flat area, with winding, stone-paved lanes bordered by balconied buildings, some joined by medieval stone arches. The central piazza is named after the poet Torquato Tasso, born here in 1544. This part of town is a delightful place to walk through. Craftspeople are often at work in their stalls and shops and are happy to let you watch; in fact, that's the point. Music spots and bars cluster in the side streets near Piazza Tasso. UNESCO World Heritage Sites abound in Sorrento. Optional tours will take you to the archaeological areas of Pompeii and Torre Annunziata, or the 4th century B.C. city of Herculaneum. Perhaps your choice will be a boat ride to Positano, the legendary home of the Sirens. Perched on a terrace on the spectacular Amalfi Coast, Sorrento offers exceptional views of the Bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. |
| 8th08 | OctOct | 202121 | Amalfi, Italy | 07:00 | 14:00 |
| At first glance, it's hard to imagine that this resort destination was one of the world's great naval powers, and a sturdy rival of Genoa and Pisa for control of the Mediterranean in the 11th and 12th centuries. Once the seat of the Amalfi Maritime Republic, the town is set in a verdant valley of the Lattari Mountains, with cream-colored and pastel-hued buildings tightly packing a gorge on the Bay of Salerno. The harbor, which once launched the greatest fleet in Italy, now bobs with ferries and blue-and-white fishing boats. The main street, lined with shops and pasticcerie, has replaced a raging mountain torrent, and terraced hills flaunt the green and gold of lemon groves. Bearing testimony to its great trade with Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers, Amalfi remains honeycombed with Arab-Sicilian cloisters and covered passages. In a way Amalfi has become great again, showing off its medieval glory days with sea pageants, convents-turned-hotels, ancient paper mills, covered streets, and its glimmering cathedral. The town of Amalfi lies at the mouth of a deep ravine surrounded by dramatic cliffs and coastal scenery. As part of the Amalfi Coast, it has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is an important tourist destination. The whole region is famed for its lemons, which are about double the size of other lemons, and the production of the limoncello liqueur. An optional tour can take you to the UNESCO archaeological areas of Pompeii, Positano and Ravello. |
| 9th09 | OctOct | 202121 | Civitavecchia, Italy, disembark the Wind Surf | 07:00 | |
| Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully. For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here. Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness. Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza. In this enchanting city the past and present intersect in perfect harmony. Casually intermingled among ancient ruins and majestic cathedrals are the trappings of a modern metropolis: Skyscrapers,cafes, boutiques selling designer footwear. But of course what you seek first in the heart of Rome is its breathtaking history. A good place to begin is the Vatican, with its Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. Works by Bernini, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, and Raphael are just a few of those on display, any one of which is worth hours of contemplation. Then the ancient ruins—Colosseum, Forum, Circus Maximus. And of course the Trevi Fountain for the obligatory coins promising your return to the Eternal City. |
