ITINERARY
ITINERARY
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Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ancient city walls. Higgledy-piggledy red rooftops. Cobbled streets worn by time. That’s Dubrovnik, a heart-stealing city that you just know you’re going to love themoment…
Departs: 21:00
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Trieste, Italy
This Italian city showcases cobbled, café-lined piazzas, Baroque churches and an old town that’s packed with pastel-coloured buildings. It’s a great jumping-off point…
Time in port: 07:00 - 19:00Show Top Things to Do
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A Taste of Trieste
This day out pairs a sightseeing tour of Trieste with a taste of the olive oil and wine produced in the area. From the port, you’ll take a short stroll into the heart of Trieste, through the cobbled, café-lined squares this part of Italy does best. After you’ve got a feel for the city’s piazzas and cathedrals, you’ll hop onboard a bus for a drive through the Carso district. This region of picturesque highland extends across the border into Slovenia, and is separated from the sea by huge white cliffs. Thanks to its position on the globe, the area has a microclimate that lets plant and animal life thrive, creating a lovely contrast to the ruggedness of its coastline. Later on, you’ll visit a nearby factory that uses locally-sourced produce to bottle their own wines and olive oils, which you’ll get to sample alongside some tasty breads and cheeses.
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Aquileia & Wine Tasting
Travel back to toga-wearing days in Aquileia, an Ancient Roman town that dates back to 181 BC. Your guide will show you all the star sights of this riverside settlement, the highlight of which has to be the cathedral. Built in a Romanesque-Gothic style, it’s an unmissable landmark that comes wallpapered and carpeted with beautifully-preserved mosaics. You’ll also see open-air Roman ruins, believed to be the largest Roman city to be fully excavated. It’s then on to a local vineyard, where you’ll have a chance to try some of the region’s superb red and whites.
Trieste Walking Tour
This walking tour’s a great way to see Trieste's galaxy of sights. Some of the best bits can be seen from Capitol Hill, like the San Giusto Castle and the Roman theatre. But nothing beats getting up close. You'll wander the narrow alleyways of the old town and the wide avenues of the new town, seeking out all of Trieste's must-sees. There's the town's main square, Piazza dell'Unita, on the old harbour. The grandiose Neo-classical contours of the Old Exchange. The great curve of the Roman ampitheatre. And the Canal Grande, a waterway that echoes the shape of its Venetian sibling. Not to mention a clutch of religious buildings that would make even the most church-laden Italian town green with envy. Think Serb-Orthodox chapels, Greek-Orthodox sanctuaries, and a Catholic Cathedral - to name but a few.
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Zadar, Croatia
Zadar doesn’t put age before beauty, it offers them both at the same time. This Dalmatian city on the Adriatic Coast is one of the oldest in Europe, and its timelinecan…
Time in port: 08:00 - 17:00Show Top Things to Do
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Panoramic tuk-tuk tour of Zadar
This trip offers up a speedy way to see Zadar’s most-snapped sights. You’ll be picked up from the port in an eco-friendly tuk-tuk, and take a drive towards pebble-fronted Kolovare Beach. From there, you’ll follow the coast past the swanky Marina Borik before stopping for a snap of the Sphinx of Zadar – a concrete-and-stone structure that’s wrapped in a romantic history. From there, it’s on to the waterfront Sea Organ and Greeting to the Sun – the latter’s fitted with 300 solar panels which represent the solar system, while the organ is made up of 35 pipes which play out sounds powered by the waves. Then you’ll head back to your tuk-tuk, for a drive past the Roman Forum before a short walking tour of Zadar’s cobblestone streets. Once you’re done, your tuk-tuk will pick you back up and take you to the port.
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Plitvice National Park
The Plitvice Lakes National Park lives up to its UNESCO World Heritage Site status. Over thousands of years, the bright turquoise waters skimming over the limestone and chalk riverbeds have created a series of natural dams. The result is a collection of waterfalls, caves and lakes embedded among thick forests. You’ll get almost 3 hours at leisure here, so you can explore the park at your own pace – and since it’s the largest national park in Croatia, there’s plenty to see. Aside from the much-photographed falls, you’ll find clusters of lakes, wide river canyons and forest-blanketed mountain slopes. Wildlife-wise, everything from butterflies to brown bears roam the forests, plus it’s home to over 1,000 different species of plants.
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Zadar by Foot
Zadar is one of the oldest towns on the Dalmatian Coast, having passed through the hands of the Romans, Crusaders, Croatians and Venetians. As you’ll see on this walking tour, it’s the last two who visibly made their mark – a mix of Croatian and Venetian architecture makes for a scene of pastel-pale buildings with terracotta roofs. The Old City is separated from its modern counterpart thanks to its spot on a protruding tongue of land. Your guide will lead you around this ancient part of town, which is still clutched by well-preserved walls. A jumble of Croatian monuments, archives, museums and libraries can be found here. Unsurprisingly, it’s also home to Croatia’s first university. A few more firsts were conjured up within its walls – the first Croatian novel and the first Croatian-language newspapers. Other highlights include the imposing Church of St. Donatus and the artefact-filled Museum of Antique Glass. After the tour, you’ll have the chance to explore the city in your own time before heading back to the ship.
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Ancona, Italy
As you drift into Ancona’s bustling harbour, you’ll have front-row views of the town’s historic landmarks. The waterfront’s backed by crumbling defensive fortifications,…
Time in port: 09:00 - 18:00Show Top Things to Do
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Ancona Walking Tour
Pretty Ancona’s been an under-the-radar tourist spot for a few years now, hiding age-old landmarks and striking architecture behind its front of a bustling harbour. Today you can peel back the layers of this central Italian seaport, discovering a history that stretches back to 400 BC. Your guided walking tour will take in the must-sees, like the Arch of Trajan – an 18-metre-high Roman arch made from Turkish marble – and the impressive Ancona Cathedral – AKA the Cathedral of San Ciriaco. It sits on a hilltop which was once the site of a Greek acropolis, and shows off an interesting mix of Byzantine and Gothic architecture. You’ll also take in the photo-perfect Mole Vanvitelliana – a pentagon-shaped, 18th-century artificial island, which was built for Pope Clementine. After your tour you can head back to the ship with your guide, or choose to spend some more time in the city.
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A Picture Perfect Bayside Duo - Porto Novo and Sirolo
Calling all budding photographers – sandy beaches and plunging cliff faces are your models today, as you make a beeline for the coastal villages of Portonovo and Sirolo. A half-hour drive will land you on a hilltop above Portonovo, a bay that’s part of the Conero National Park – it’s an unmissable photo opportunity thanks to the Blue Flag beach that sits below. Catch a snap of Italy’s trademark turquoise water lapping at the shore, as well as the fortress-turned-hotel that’s nestled on the sand. Next you’ll call in at Sirolo, to pay a visit to the local church. This village also shows off plenty of camera-friendly angles – think sea views and tree-shrouded hilltops. Take some free time to explore the village, too – there’s a Medieval town centre and a bevy of restaurants and bars.
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Frasassi Caves
Take a journey below the surface today, as you head deep into some of Italy’s most famous caves. A 90-minute drive away from Ancona is where you’ll find the Frasassi Caves – two huge grottos that lead to a labyrinth of underground rooms. The rooms follow on from one another for more than 13 kilometres, and have names like the ‘Great Cave of the Wind’ and the ‘Room of the Candles’. They were discovered in 1971, and are brimming with striking stalagmites and stalactites. You’ll have two hours to take a tour of the caves.
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Split, Croatia
Over the past few years, Split has been staking its claim on the city-break map of Europe. Right in the heart of the Dalmatia region, this heart-stealer of a city has…
Time in port: 08:00 - 17:00Show Top Things to Do
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Walking Split
What better way to explore the picturesque city of Split than on foot! Split, Dalmatia’s largest city, has a lot to offer the visitor, from cultural and historical monuments to a rich choice of shops and elegant sea-front cafes. You will walk with your guide from the pier towards the old part of Split, where you will find the impressive 3rd century Diocletian’s Palace. Here you will visit the cellars, the Peristyle, the Golden and Silver Gates, the Cathedral (Mausoleum of Emperor Diocletian), the Temple of Jupiter and other interesting and historic sights. Following that you will walk around the ‘heart’ of the Old Town and finally you will be given free time to shop and take pictures. Just so you know... At the end of your tour you can choose to stay in the city centre if you wish to do so OR walk back to the ship with your guide.
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Salona & Trogir
If you have been to Split before, why not venture out of the city and see other places of interest the beautiful Croatian coast has to offer? On this lovely tour you will discover the Roman settlement of Salona, which supported a population of 60,000 in ancient times. Here you will walk with your guide around the ruins and take in the stunning views of the surrounding area before proceeding to Trogir. Trogir, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is an impressive, fortified, Medieval town, built on an island, connected to the mainland by a bridge. You will be given free time to explore on your own, wander around the quaint, narrow streets, view the fashionable and very picturesque marina or do some shopping in the many souvenir shops!
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Best of Split & its Countryside
You’ll get up close and personal with Croatia’s second-largest city on this day out. It begins with a walk around the old town, and you’ll take in the well-preserved cellars beneath the Diocletian’s Palace, a UNESCO-listed fortress from the Roman times. Gothic cathedrals, cobbled squares, and ancient city gates are all on the itinerary, too. Afterwards, you’ll take a drive along the coast into the mountains to visit Omiš, a small town on the banks of the Centina River. You’ll climb aboard a boat to set sail through the canyon, and head to a local restaurant where you'll get to sample local smoked ham, cheese and olives.
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Kotor, Montenegro
For years, the travel-savvy have kept Montenegro under their sunhats. But now the cat’s creeping out of the bag – and it’s hardly surprising. A tiny republic in southeast…
Time in port: 08:00 - 17:00 | Tender to shoreShow Top Things to Do
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Highlights of Montenegro
The port of Kotor finds a home on the world’s southernmost fjord - or the ‘Bride of the Adriatic’, as it’s also known. As places go, it’s beautiful. Think blue seas. A stony shore. Green mountains. All drenched in the heavenly scent of lemons, oranges, mimosas and camellias. And here’s your chance to explore this gorgeous part of the world. First you’ll stop at the mountain village of Njegusi to taste the region’s delicious smoked ham and cheese. Stomach full, you’re ready for Cetinje. Known as the ‘Valley of Gods’, it was once the smallest European capital and it’s filled to bursting with beautiful buildings. Here you'll visit the King Nikola's palace before having some free time to stroll around. Next you’re off to Budva - the most popular tourist destination on Montenegro’s map. And quite rightly so. Beautiful architecture meets seductive sandy beaches in this spot. Perhaps that’s why lots of millionaires decide to live here. Want to join them?
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Walking Tour of Kotor
When a town is two thousand years old like Kotor there are plenty of stories to tell. Its ancient Roman beginnings. Its Middle Ages struggle of ownership between Goths, Saracens and Serbians. Its Venetian past. With a history like this, it’s no surprise Kotor has got itself a place on the UNESCO World Heritage List. And what better way to explore it than with a guided walking tour? In every stone of its timeworn walls, on every fresco painting and every hidden alley, you’ll relive its glorious past. The old town centre is still really well preserved and the criss-crossed narrow streets and squares have monuments at every corner. From Prince’s Palace and Napoleon’s Theatre to the most recognisable symbol of the city - the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint Tryphon – you’ll be mesmerised from the word go. And how many towns in this part of the world have preserved their fortifications from the Middle Ages? Not many. But Kotor is one of the few. The chunky walls surrounding the old town are impressive to say the least - at some places they reach 20 metres in height and 16 metres in thickness. If you don’t believe us, you’ll have plenty of time to measure them in the free time you’ll get here. Have we given you enough reasons to join our guided visit to Kotor? We think so.
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Traditional Kotor
The olive farm starring on this trip is perched on the Bay of Kotor. Spectacular scenery comes as standard in these parts, thanks to the huge expanse of water mirroring the surrounding mountains. Pretty villages speckle the coastline and – after stopping to take a quick photo of the bay – we’ll reach a small peninsula called Luštica, home to a farm owned by the Moric family. A welcome drink in the 900-tree-strong olive grove marks the start of the tour, during which your guide will reveal all about the family’s artisan style of olive cultivation, harvest and production. We’ll then wander towards the village of Tići, checking out the old and new mills on the way. The best is saved for last – you’ll get to taste-test the family’s extra virgin olive oils alongside a spread of homemade breads, seasonal fruit and local brandy. To top things off, the day will finish with a whistle stop tour of Kotor.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Ancient city walls. Higgledy-piggledy red rooftops. Cobbled streets worn by time. That’s Dubrovnik, a heart-stealing city that you just know you’re going to love themoment…
Arrives: 04:00
