12 nights. Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Croatia

Day 1

ancona, italy

Departure: 20:30

Ancona is a municipality and port brands (Marche), a region of Central Italy, with a population of 102.521 inhabitants (2009). It is located on the West coast of the Adriatic Sea in the Bay of Ancona. It is the center of the homonymous province and the capital of the region. The city is located 210 km northeast of Rome. It is just between the slopes of the mountains Conero, Astagno (occupied by the Citadel) and Guasco, on which rises the Duomo (150 m). The latter, dedicated to San Ciriaco, occupies the former site of a temple of Venus, who is mentioned by Catullus and Juvenal as the deity tutelary of the place.

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Day 2

venice, italy

Arrival: 07:00 - Departure: 20:00

Perhaps no city is as fabulous as Venice, a metropolis built upon pilings, a labyrinth poised over a lagoon. Venice has been called the drawing room of Europe, and indeed for centuries the city was a sanctuary for ideas and idealists, a crossroad of the Byzantine and Roman worlds. Today Venice is a different kind of drawing room. Wealthy visitors clamber into gondolas to gawk at the Byzantine palaces while being serenaded by accordionists and art appreciators stand on tiptoe for a glimpse of Renaissance masterpieces. No monument is as memorable as the city itself, so use the major sights only as an excuse for wandering. Venice revolves around piazza San Marco. The best feature of the mosaic-covered Basilica di San Marco is the Pala D’Oro, a glittering gold Byzantine bas-relief. The Torre dell’Orologio, left of San Marco, is a beautifully embellished clock tower. For culture vultures check the Accademia for the best of Venetian paintings. Some say that the tourist Venice is indeed Venice, but there are other Venices as well. To find them, wander away from the major sights and into the quieter outlying residential neighbourhoods, you won’t be disappointed, this maze of stone and colour exudes enchantment from every brick.

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Day 4

katakolon, greece

Arrival: 10:00 - Departure: 17:00

Olympia is a town in Peloponnese. This was the site of the original Olympic Games. The games, held every four years in honor of the Greek god Zeus, lasted through the entire Classical Age. The central sanctuary or Altis included temples, altars, shrines, and public buildings for both religious and profane purposes. The flame for each modern Olympic Games is still lit in the town, by a reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror, and carried by torch to the place where the games are to be held.

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Day 5

heraklion (iraklion), crete

Arrival: 11:00 - Departure: 18:00

Heraklion is the capital of Crete and usually the starting point for holiday visitors wishing to explore the island. With about 130 000 inhabitants, it is the fifth largest town in Greece. The city is marked by different influences of Venetians, Saracens and Greeks. History is very much alive in Heraklion just like in most Greek cities. All around the old part of the city, a visitor can walk following the old Venetian walls that meet at a bastion, called Koules Fortress that dominates the old harbour of the city. The Venetians began the construction of the city walls in 1462 and they took more than a century to complete. The walls are about 4km in length and of a triangular shape with seven bastions and is now one of the icons of the city. The central square, surrounded by stores, cafes, and restaurants, is dominated by the fountain of the Lions, built by a Venetian governor in the 17th century. The Archaeological Museum at Heraklion is impressive and it is the pride and joy of the city. The displays are satisfyingly thorough and well laid out, all aspects of life in Crete from prehistory through to the Roman period is covered in a series of spacious galleries. The Palace at Knossos is the second most popular tourist site in all of Greece, second only to the Acropolis, the site is in incredible shape and there is much to see. It is also in a beautiful setting with great views over the countryside. Heraklion offers a vast array of historic and archaeological holiday attractions, including its world-famous museum and the nearby site of Knossos, heart of the ancient Minoan civilisation. The shoreline in the city, Amoudara, is a three kilometre strip of sandy beach, lots of cafes, bars and hotels and the site of Technopolis, a modern multiplex cinema and open-air theatre. The most beautiful beaches outside the city are found in Kartero and Malia.

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Day 6

rhodes, greece

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 17:00

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of land area and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the South Aegean region. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Rhodes. It is located northeast of Crete, southeast of Athens and just off the Anatolian coast of Turkey. Rhodes' nickname is The Island of the Knights. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Asklipio Inland from Kiotari. In the little church there are fascinating displays, honoring the continuity of the cult of healing from ancient times to a modern midwife and nurse. • Cape Prasonisi. The southern-most tip of Rhodes. There is a peninsular connected to the main island by a sand bar. • Castle with acropolis over Lindos • Castle of Kastellos. • Castle of Monolithos. • Epta Piges. • Filerimos Hill. Medieval remains, a monastery and chapel. • Kamiros. Ancient ruins. • Tsambika Peak. • Rhodes Old Town - Palace of the Prince Grand Master. - Street of Knights. - Fortifications. • Valley of the Butterflies.

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Day 7

limassol, cyprus

Arrival: 10:00 - Departure: 17:00

Limassol is the second largest city of Cyprus. After the Turkish invasion in 1974, it became the principal sea port and has also developed into a significant tourist destination. Limassol Castle occupies a dominant position in the landmark and tourist attractions in the city. In Limassol, shore excursions offer a unique experience of exploring the city's various monuments and landmarks amidst the elaborate luxury of a cruise. Shore excursions take tourists to places and attractions in and nearby Limassol, including Kolossi Castle, Troodos Mountains, Omodos Village, Larnaka and Lefkara, Paphos and Nicosia.

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Day 8

port said, egypt

Arrival: 07:00 - Departure: 21:00

Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 kilometres (19 mi) along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal. Port Said's twin city is Port Fuad, which lies on the eastern bank of the canal. The two cities coexist, to the extent that there is hardly any town centre in Port Fuad. The cities are connected by free ferries running all through the day, and together they form a metropolitan area with over a million residents that extends both on the African and the Asian sides of the Suez Canal.

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Day 9

alexandria, egypt

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 22:00

Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city, its largest seaport and the country's window onto the Mediterranean Sea. It's a faded shade of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions and still-palpable glimpses of its past. The most important sites to see in Alexandria are: • Qaitbay Citadel, Ras el-Tin: One of the icons of the city, the fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the city itself. This citadel was built in 1480 by Sultan Qaitbay on the site of the Pharos lighthouse, to protect the city from the crusaders who used to attack the city by sea. It was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria. • Mostafa Kamel Cemetery: The cemetery includes four tombs dating from the second century BC, which are in excellent condition and very well decorated. • Kom el-Shouqafa, Karmou: Kom el-Shouqafa is the Arabic translation of ancient Greek name, Lofus Kiramaikos, which means "mound of fragments" or "pots". • Pompey's Pillar, Karmouz: An ancient monument, this column of 25 meters of granite was built in honor of Emperor Diocletian in the year 297. The confined area where the column is, has also other ruins and sculptures as the oracle Serapium. • Roman Theatre, Kom El-Dikka: Built in the second century AD. In Ptolemaic times this area was the Park of Pan, a garden of pleasure surrounded by Roman villas and baths. • Montazah Palace: Built in 1892 by Abbas II of Egypt Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last Khedive of Egypt. One of the palace buildings, the Haramlek, now contains a casino on the ground floor and a museum of royal relics on the upper levels. • Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Mansheya: Egypt has a Tomb of this Unknown Soldier. • Presidential Palace, Montazah. • Alexandria National Museum: historical museum with more than 1,800 archaeological pieces. • Greco-Roman Museum: A history museum with a vast collection mostly dating from the 3rd century BC, spanning the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.

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Day 12

split croatia

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 18:00

Split is the second-largest city of Croatia and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia, with about 250,000 people living in its urban area. It lies on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea and is spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings. An intraregional transport hub and popular tourist destination, the city is linked to the Adriatic islands and the Apennine peninsula.

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Day 13

venice, italy

Arrival: 09:00

Perhaps no city is as fabulous as Venice, a metropolis built upon pilings, a labyrinth poised over a lagoon. Venice has been called the drawing room of Europe, and indeed for centuries the city was a sanctuary for ideas and idealists, a crossroad of the Byzantine and Roman worlds. Today Venice is a different kind of drawing room. Wealthy visitors clamber into gondolas to gawk at the Byzantine palaces while being serenaded by accordionists and art appreciators stand on tiptoe for a glimpse of Renaissance masterpieces. No monument is as memorable as the city itself, so use the major sights only as an excuse for wandering. Venice revolves around piazza San Marco. The best feature of the mosaic-covered Basilica di San Marco is the Pala D’Oro, a glittering gold Byzantine bas-relief. The Torre dell’Orologio, left of San Marco, is a beautifully embellished clock tower. For culture vultures check the Accademia for the best of Venetian paintings. Some say that the tourist Venice is indeed Venice, but there are other Venices as well. To find them, wander away from the major sights and into the quieter outlying residential neighbourhoods, you won’t be disappointed, this maze of stone and colour exudes enchantment from every brick.

Read more

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