Best Of The Mediterranean Cruise: Crete, Sicily & Florence

Day 1 - Athens

Arrive: Sun 10 May 2026 / Depart: Sun 10 May 2026 at 17:00

You could spend a lifetime in Europe’s oldest city and still not see everything it has to offer. Settled over 3,500 years ago, Athens is like a mythological crossroads of the past and present, where modern buildings share the skyline with spectacular ruins like the Parthenon. To see a veritable “greatest hits” line-up, make your way to Vasilissis Amalias Street for the archaeological walk. Winding through the heart of the ancient city, the route leads to landmarks like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora, Arch of Hadrian, and of course, the Acropolis.

Day 2 - Cesme

Arrive: Mon 11 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 11 May 2026 at 17:00

Çe?me (Turkish pronunciation: [?t?e?me]) is a coastal town and the administrative centre of the district of the same name in Turkey's westernmost end, on a promontory on the tip of the peninsula that also carries the same name and that extends inland to form a whole with the wider Karaburun Peninsula. It is a popular holiday resort and the district center, where two thirds of the district population is concentrated. Çe?me is located 85 km west of ?zmir, the largest metropolitan center in Turkey's Aegean Region. There is a six-lane highway connecting the two cities (Otoyol 32). Çe?me district has two neighboring districts, Karaburun to the north and Urla to the east, both of which are also part of ?zmir Province. The name "Çe?me" means "fountain" and possibly draws reference from the many Ottoman fountains that are scattered across the city.

Day 3 - Heraklion

Arrive: Tue 12 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 12 May 2026 at 22:00

History is very much alive in Iraklion. The Fountain of the Lions, built by Morozini in 1628 during the Venetian occupation of Crete, dominates the central square. Today, the city's Town Hall is located in the Venetian Loggia, a building from the same era. Stroll among the shops and cafes surrounding the central square, or follow the old Venetian walls to Koules, a bastion overlooking the old harbor. Explore the archaeological site at Knossos and walk among Minoan findings displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Iraklion. Don't miss the Historical Museum of Iraklion, which houses findings from the early era of the Christian religion.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Catania, Sicily

Arrive: Thu 14 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 14 May 2026 at 18:00

Between the Mediterranean Sea and Mount Etna lies the beautiful city of Catania, where it’s “if it ain’t Baroque don’t fix it” architecture has earned it UNESCO World Heritage status. Along with flamboyantly designed buildings, Catania is home to many ancient sites, like the Odeon and Amphitheatre—unearthed from under Mount Etna’s lava that covered the city at least seven times. These ruins can be viewed in the archaeological park, in the compact (AKA great for walking) city center.

Day 6 - Sorrento

Arrive: Fri 15 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 15 May 2026 at 18:30

A warming sun and gentle sea breezes have been attracting visitors to this fair spot for two millennia. Its reputation as a playground of the ancient rich and famous resulted in the building of lavish villas and palaces, an emperor relocated to the Isle of Capri nearby, and over the centuries it has been a haven for artists and artisans, writers and poets, politicians and philosophers, and all manner of aristocrats. You will be a welcome addition. The massive eruption of nearby Vesuvius in 79 AD caused considerable damage, but the resulting volcanic ash is responsible for Sorrento’s modern day fertility, thriving olive orchards, and excellent wine.

Day 7 - Rome

Arrive: Sat 16 May 2026 at 07:30 / Depart: Sat 16 May 2026 at 19:30

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 8 - Florence/Pisa

Arrive: Sun 17 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 17 May 2026 at 20:00

Ah, Florence—sublime birthplace of the Renaissance, its historic center full to bursting with elegant squares, imposing palaces, magnificent churches, and museums with such an abundance of riches it could make an art lover weep for joy. The list of illustrious names connected with this city is mind-boggling: Botticelli, Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo. Other colorful and fascinating characters were of dubious reputation: Machiavelli, and the religious extremist Savonarola, with his bonfire of the vanities. For many years the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family, patrons of the arts and bankers to the papacy, whose line included six kings and two popes.

Day 9 - Nice (Villefranche)

Arrive: Mon 18 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 18 May 2026 at 20:00

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Day 10 - Marseille, France

Arrive: Tue 19 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 19 May 2026 at 20:00

Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Greeks circa 600 B.C. At its heart is the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their catch along the boat-lined quay. Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde is a Romanesque-Byzantine church. Modern landmarks include Le Corbusier’s influential Cité Radieuse complex and Zaha Hadid’s CMA CGM Tower.

Day 11 - Palamos

Arrive: Wed 20 May 2026 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 20 May 2026 at 18:00

Palamos sits right in the heart of the Costa Brava, the Wild Coast, deriving its name from the rugged, rocky shoreline, punctuated by excellent beaches and picturesque fishing villages.

Day 12 - Barcelona

Arrive: Thu 21 May 2026 at 06:30 / Depart: Thu 21 May 2026

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.