21-Day French Yacht Harbors, Montenegro, Italy & Greece Cruise

Day 1 - Barcelona

Arrive: Sat 07 October 2028 / Depart: Sat 07 October 2028 at 17:00

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is said to have been founded by the Phoenicians, and was once the rival of the powerful states of Venice and Genoa for control of the Mediterranean trade. Today, it is Spain's second largest city and has long rivaled, even surpassed Madrid in industry and commerce. The medieval atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter and the elegant boulevards combine to make the city one of Europe's most beautiful. Barcelona's active cultural life and heritage brought forth such greats as the architect Antonio Gaudi, the painter Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso, who spent his formative years here. Other famous native Catalan artists include cellist Pau Casals, surrealist Salvador Dali, and opera singers Montserrat Caballe and Josep Carreras. Barcelona accomplished a long-cherished goal with the opportunity to host the Olympics in 1992. This big event prompted a massive building program and created a focal point of the world's attention.

Day 2 - Sete, France

Arrive: Sun 08 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Sun 08 October 2028 at 18:00

The port town of Sete hugs the tiny Mont St. Clair, and is caught between the Mediterranean and the Bassin de Thau, a salt lake directly behind it. It is crisscrossed by numerous canals which link the lake to the sea, and connected by 12 bridges. Along the quay, renovated buildings provide a multitude of architectural details from the 18th and 19th centuries. The life of the town is found in its squares: Place Leon Blum, with its fountain and Wednesday morning flower market; Place Aristide, with its old fashioned bandstand; and Place de la Republique, with its huge retaining walls and vaulted loggias. Sete retains its historic purpose as a fishing boat haven for North African trade; the old harbor dates from the time of Louis XIV.

Day 3 - Saint-Tropez, France

Arrive: Mon 09 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Mon 09 October 2028 at 18:00

On the southern shore of one of the most beautiful bays of the Riviera, the little port of St. Tropez has become one of the best known resorts in Europe, a crossroads where journalists, photographers, writers, artists and celebrities meet. Guy de Maupassant discovered the town, but it was the painters who made it more widely known - Signac, Matisse, Bonnard, Marquet, Camoin - who all stayed for varying amounts of time. The harbor teems with life. Fishing boats, excursion craft and hundreds of yachts share the harbor. On the waterfront are old pink and yellow houses, which have been converted into cafes, cabarets and restaurants, luxury boutiques, galleries and antique shops. A picturesque and cosmopolitan crowd strolls the streets in season.

Day 4 - At Sea

Day 5 - Olbia/Sardinia

Arrive: Wed 11 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 11 October 2028 at 18:00

The rugged Italian island of Sardinia is blessed with a rocky coastline interrupted by soft sand beaches and washed by limpid seas. Olbia is a very ancient town. It was founded by Phoenicians, and later occupied by Greeks and Romans in their turns. The church of San Simplicio dates from the 11th or 12th century, and that dedicated to St. Paul the Apostle is medieval. The town’s Museum of Archaeology can help you visualize the timeline. Everything changed dramatically in the 1960s, when the Prince Karim Aga Khan selected a 20-kilometer stretch of the nearby coastline to develop an exclusive resort complex he called the Costa Smeralda. Today this enchanting shoreline is encrusted with jewel-like resorts and hotels, private villas and beach facilities, yacht marinas and heliports. It is reputedly the most expensive real estate per square meter in Europe. Without doubt it is beautiful, and it is not necessarily that expensive to just look.

Day 6 - Bastia, Corsica

Arrive: Thu 12 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Thu 12 October 2028 at 18:00

Corsica’s most important port is nestled at the base of the northward-pointing finger of Cap Corse, between a looming mountain and the sea. The oldest part of town is dominated by the honey-colored Genoese citadel, which today holds the museum of history. The busy, 19th Century Place St-Nicolas is bordered in plane trees and pleasant cafes. There are a number of interesting churches, including the twin-steepled St. Jean-Batiste and the church of St.-Croix, which has a gilded ceiling and a curious black oak cross recovered from the sea in 1428. Climb the winding stairway from the waterfront to the Jardin Romieu for wonderful views over the town and the Vieux Port.

Day 7 - Calvi

Arrive: Fri 13 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 13 October 2028 at 18:00

Settled first by the Romans, then ruled by Genoans for nearly half a millennium, Calvi was freed by Corsica's native son Napoleon in 1791. In 1982 it was given special status and now enjoys a uniquely autonomous position within the realm of France. Ringed with alternating precipitous cliffs and fine sand beaches, the island resembles a mountain thrust up out of the water, but its ruggedness is tempered by brilliant sunlight and groves of olive and orange trees. Napoleon once said that he could recognize Corsica with his eyes closed - by its perfume alone. While touring Corsica, be advised that the roads about this mountainous island are quite winding with many curves.

Day 8 - Monte Carlo

Arrive: Sat 14 October 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 14 October 2028 at 17:00

The Principality of Monaco is the epitome of Riviera chic. This tiny enclave of 370 acres surrounds a sheltered harbor that draws yachts from around the world to enjoy the beautiful scenery, mild weather and elegant casino. Glamorous Monte Carlo is one of Monaco's four quarters, which also include La Condamine, the business district; Monaco-ville, the capital; and Fontvieille, an area built on reclaimed land. Ruled by Prince Albert II, Monaco has a population of over 32,000, of which about 16 percent are citizens, or Monégasques.

Day 9 - Porto Santo Stefano, Italy

Arrive: Sun 15 October 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 15 October 2028 at 16:00

Day 10 - Salerno

Arrive: Mon 16 October 2028 at 09:00 / Depart: Mon 16 October 2028 at 18:00

Day 11 - Taormina

Arrive: Tue 17 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 17 October 2028 at 18:00

This harbor on the eastern shore of Sicily near Messina gives us close access to the fabulous Greco-Roman ruins of Taormina, as well as the active volcano Mt. Etna. The temples, streets and large amphitheater of Taormina make it one of Italy’s premier ancient sites. Its location overlooking the sea and with the backdrop of snow-capped Etna complete the package and make it among the most famous attractions in the Mediterranean region. Giardini Naxos itself boasts a lovely beach at Lido Europa, and intrepid visitors can climb Mt. Etna to see a volcano close up

Day 12 - Malta

Arrive: Wed 18 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 18 October 2028 at 18:00

Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors.

Day 13 - At Sea

Day 14 - Kotor, Montenegro

Arrive: Fri 20 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 20 October 2028 at 18:00

One of the best preserved medieval towns of the Adriatic, Kotor is protected by UNESCO. Between 1420 and 1797, the area was under the rule of the Republic of Venice and the Venetian influence can be seen in its architecture. The Gulf of Kotor is sometimes called the southernmost fjord in Europe, although it is actually a submerged river canyon. The overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen complete one of the Mediterranean's most beautiful landscapes.

Day 15 - Dubrovnik

Arrive: Sat 21 October 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 21 October 2028 at 23:00

Founded in the 7th century, Dubrovnik rose to greatness as a merchant state, independent republic and cultural crossroads. The traffic-free Old Town has been called a Croatian Athens. This UNESCO designated World Heritage Site is a living museum of the ages with fortifications, chapels, monastic cloisters and Europe's second-oldest synagogue crowded into its ancient walls. Relax at a sidewalk café, listen to the chimes of the 14th-century bell tower or join the promenade down the palace-lined avenue known as the Stradun.

Day 16 - Kotor, Montenegro

Arrive: Sun 22 October 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sun 22 October 2028 at 18:00

One of the best preserved medieval towns of the Adriatic, Kotor is protected by UNESCO. Between 1420 and 1797, the area was under the rule of the Republic of Venice and the Venetian influence can be seen in its architecture. The Gulf of Kotor is sometimes called the southernmost fjord in Europe, although it is actually a submerged river canyon. The overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen complete one of the Mediterranean's most beautiful landscapes.

Day 17 - Brindisi (Lecce), Italy

Day 18 - Corfu

Arrive: Tue 24 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Tue 24 October 2028 at 17:00

A scant few miles off the Albanian coast lies the island of Corfu, one of the most richly endowed of all the Greek Isles. Praised by Homer in "The Odyssey" and selected by Shakespeare as the setting for "The Tempest," the island retains evidence of cultural heritage from each of its past rulers - Byzantium, Venice, France, Russia and Great Britain. Rolling acres of olive groves, small orchards of lemon and orange trees, tall cypress, oleander, and myrtle bushes lend a lush, verdant look to the island. While the oldest part of Corfu Town has cobblestone lanes so narrow only pedestrian travel is possible, the modern sector has wide avenues. Residents boast that its "Spianada" is the largest and most beautiful square in all Greece.

Day 19 - Itea

Arrive: Wed 25 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Wed 25 October 2028 at 18:00

Itea is a small bathing resort and port at the end of a bay not too far from the ancient port of Delphi. The hills are covered with olive trees belonging to the sanctuary of Apollo in ancient times. Referred to as a "sea of olives," their production is now an important part of the local economy.

Day 20 - At Sea

Day 21 - Gythion

Arrive: Fri 27 October 2028 at 08:00 / Depart: Fri 27 October 2028 at 18:00

Gythion, the small port town for Sparta, edges its way up the hillside, which surrounds the harbor. According to Homer, Paris and Helen spent their first night together here, on a tiny islet in the bay. To commemorate the occasion, Paris erected a shrine to Aphrodite, goddess of love, only to have it torn down by the vengeful Menelaus after he recaptured Helen. In its place Menelaus erected statues honoring Praxidica (Punishment) and Themis (Justice). Not far away, at the tip of the Peloponnese, lies the Mani, a distinctive area unlike anything else in Greece. This desolate region of underground lakes and rivers and windswept landscapes is strangely beautiful. To the north of Gythion lie Sparta and Mystra, well worth a visit.

Day 22 - Athens

Arrive: Sat 28 October 2028 at 07:00 / Depart: Sat 28 October 2028

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.