10-night A Journey from Athens to Barcelona Cruise

Piraeus: The Ancient City of Athens - 8 Hours

Dominated by the remarkable Parthenon, which has stood for over 2,000 years, Athens is a city of major architectural and archaeological treasures. At Piraeus Port you will receive a warm welcome from your guide and driver who provides a captivating insight into the city’s history and culture during your full day tour.

For most, the highlight of a visit to Athens is the world famous Acropolis and the Parthenon. Dedicated to the Goddess Athena, it is one of the most important ancient monuments in the Western world. This afternoon, delight in the mesmerising display of eclectic Greek and Oriental art at the Benaki Museum. Complete your day with a drive past the Panethenaic Stadium, the pure marble masterpiece that served as the original site for the modern Olympics. At the end of the tour you are privately transferred back to your cruise ship.

Highlights:

• Ascend the Acropolis to the Parthenon, one of the most important ancient monuments in the Western world
• Tour the Benaki Museum

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
  All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Piraeus: Cape Sounion - 5 hours

Meet your guide as you disembark your cruise ship in Piraeus and venture along the scenic coast to Cape Sounion where you visit the ancient ruined Temple of Poseidon. This temple is believed to date from the 5th century BC and was built to honour Poseidon, who ranked second only to Athena herself in terms of power. The Temple enjoys an impressive position, high on the cliffs, and has, over the centuries, been marked by many travellers’ carved signatures, including that of Lord Byron. After touring the site, you return to your cruise ship in Piraeus.

Highlights:

• Venture along the coast to Cape Sounion to the ancient ruins of the Temple of Poseidon

Crete: Knossos - Archanes - Heraklion Museum -5 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

We will first visit the Archaeological Museum in the town centre and then continue with the exploration of the ruins of Knossos Palace. The palace is one of the major must-see archaeological sites in Greece, presenting visitors with a rare glimpse into Minoan civilization. Accompanied by a knowledgeable, qualified archaeological guide who will offer in-depth personal attention, you will browse through the restored palace. By examining the structures the Minoans lived in, you will have the best avenue for piecing together the threads of the Great Minoan civilization. After a walk through the award winning historically restored village of Archanes, you can enjoy lunch in its picturesque main square, before returning back to the pier.

Duration: approx. 5 hours

Notes:
Because of the extensive walk in Knossos, comfortable shoes and a hat are required.

Knossos Palace and Historical Heraklion

Highlights/Description:

• Knossos Palace
• Heraklion

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from departure port 

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Introduction to the Cretan Diet & Cooking- 5 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Tasting of traditional delicacies and local drinks
• Walk in the fields and the olive groves and introduction to the local flora
• Introduction to the Mediterranean and Cretan diet
• Info booklet and Recipe Book
• Hands-on cooking class
• Outdoor lunch paired with wine and raki
• Visit to the chef’s nuno felt, mosaic and beeswax workshop
• Recipe book

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from port of Heraklion

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Looking for the Muses (Crete) - 5 hours

Highlights/Description:
 

• Visit to the oldest olive tree in the world
• Visit to 2 traditional wineries and their vineyards
• Visit to a traditional Cretan musical workshop
• Information about the unique viticulture and the indigenous grape varietals
• Two wine tasting sessions with 10 different types and styles of wines
• Visit to a Minoan farm and a Medieval wine press
• A traditional lunch in the picturesque village of Archanes
• Info booklet and wine certificate

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from port of Heraklion

• Meals, unless otherwise noted

Wine Tasting and Cooking in Crete - 5 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Visit to a traditional winery and its vineyard
• Tour around the scenic area of Peza
• Information about the unique viticulture and the indigenous grape varietals
• A wine tasting session with 5 different types and styles of wines
• Visit to a Minoan farm and a Medieval wine press
• Hands on cooking class
• Outdoor lunch paired with wine and raki
• Info booklet, wine certificate and recipe book

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from port of Heraklion

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Civitavecchia: Imperial Rome & The Vatican City - 8 hours

• Tour some of Rome's most iconic sites including the Colosseum and the Roman Forum
• Explore the impressive museum collections in the Vatican City and the breath-taking masterpiece that is Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel
• Spend time in the Basilica of St. Paul, the largest church in the world

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to Colosseum, Imperial Forum and Vatican Museums
• All taxes

Civitavecchia: Rome for Repeat Visitors - 8 hours

• Visit the church of San Clemente and discover its fascinating history
• Explore the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a majestic royal residence of one of Rome’s most illustrious families, which houses a vast private art collection

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to San Clemente and Doria Pamphilij
• All taxes

Civitavecchia: Gastronomic Rome and Time at Leisure - 8 hours

• Uncover Rome's bohemian quarter, along with tastings of Italy's best loved delicacies 
• Car and driver at your disposal to discover Rome

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert local guide (3 hours)
• Entrance fees
• All taxes
• Food and wine tastings

Civitavecchia: Museums of Rome - Capitoline and Borghese - 8 hours

• Travel out to Capitoline Hill and visit one of the oldest museum complexes in the world
• Visit Villa Borghese, home to a collection of sculptures and paintings that are among the most important in Italy

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Capitoline Museums and Villa Borghese
• All taxes

Livorno: Cycling Lucca's Medieval Walls - 5 hours

• Walking tour through the streets of Lucca, a beautifully preserved Tuscan town
• Cycle along the city walls, admiring the incredible views 

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Lucca (3 hours)
• Bicycle rental
• All taxes

Livorno: Chianti Countryside & Wine Tasting - 8 hours

Meet your guide and driver at the pier side of Livorno for a full day of discovery in the Chianti region of Tuscany.  Hill-towns gaze across the countryside from on high, many encircled by Etruscan walls and slender cypress trees. As you travel along the winding roads, soak up the rich panorama comprising beautiful rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. Admire the charming hamlets and farmhouses as well as fortified villas and castles that symbolise colourful history of the region during the Middle Ages. Travel through San Casciano, Badia a Passignano, Montefioralle, Greve and Castellina on your way to the Casanova Winery.  Here you will be met by your guide for a tour of the vineyards and, of course, tastings of their fine red wines.
After lunch at your leisure, continue to the picturesque medieval town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its surviving towers where you may wish to see the Collegiata containing 15th-century frescoes, the Palazzo del Popolo containing Renaissance paintings or simply wander the narrow cobbled streets. 

Highlights:

Casanova Winery
San Gimignano

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at disposal during the tour
• An English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the Casanova winery

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Livorno: Best of Florence & Pisa - 8 hours

Your English-speaking driver will meet your at Livorno pier today for the journey through Tuscany to Florence where your expert local guide will be waiting for you. As you stroll through the narrow streets, take in the lovely piazzas, churches and palaces before visiting Florence’s most famous landmark; the splendid Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore).

At the Galleria dell' Accademia, the world’s most celebrated statue awaits you. Marvel at Michelangelo's exquisite David; a colossal 17-foot nude inspired by the biblical hero renowned for heroically killing the giant Goliath. Wander along the enchanting medieval streets until you emerge out onto the open Piazza della Signoria; the centre of political life in Florence since the 14th-century.

After lunch at leisure, return to Livorno stopping briefly in Pisa to admire the famous Leaning Tower.

Highlights:

• Florence's Duomo
• Galleria dell'Accademia
• Piazza della Signoria
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Florence (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Galleria dell'Accademia

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Monaco: Glamorous Cote d’Azur – 8 hours

Spend a day exploring the principality of Monte Carlo and the mountains and coast that surround it. Start with a drive along the famous Corniche road to Eze, a medieval village perched dramatically on the clifftop, 1,400 feet above the Mediterranean Sea and affording splendid panoramic views along the coast. Learn more about Eze and you wander through narrow winding streets, hidden courtyards, archways and tiny boutiques.

Afterwards, drop back down to sea level and the peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat to walk around the beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, set in stunning private gardens. Béatrice de Rothschild commissioned the villa and filled it with a breath-taking collection of porcelain, artwork and furniture during her life. After your tour you will be privately transferred back to your cruise ship.

Highlights:

• Take in panoramic views of the Riviera from the medieval clifftop village of Eze
• Admire the breath-taking private gardens and porcelain collection at the beautiful Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local driver-guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes
   

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Monaco & Eze - Full Day Tour - 8 hours

Monaco & Eze Shore Excursion

9:00 am: Be met at the pier of your boat.

Enjoy a walking tour of Monaco to view the Prince’s palace, the cathedral, Princess Grace's tomb, and to learn more about the history of this mythical city. Afterwards, visit the heart of Monte-Carlo with its Casino and the Hôtel de Paris. This tiny capital (nicknamed “the Rock”) is built into the mountainside and spreads down to the shores of the Riviera. There are sumptuous boutiques with the latest fashions, palatial luxury hotels, and very chic restaurants. You can visit the Prince's Palace, which was built on the site of a 13th-century Genovese fortress. Admire the splendor of the 16th-century Italian Gallery, the Louis XV lounge, and the 17th-century Palatine Chapel. Time permitting you could also visit the Oceanographic Museum that was inaugurated by Prince Albert I in 1910. Inside you will discover an amazing collection of marine life.

Drive on to the perched, medieval village of Eze that overlooks the Mediterranean Sea. The fortified castle’s ruins, sitting on a narrow, rocky peak, still crown this ancient village. The beach in the "baie d'Eze" is easily accessible and is shaded by pine-trees that grow down almost to the water's edge. To reach the entrance, take the small, rocky path and admire the splendid view of the gardens that surround the Château de la Chèvre d'Or. You will be seduced by the marvels of Eze: Small, narrow roads, archways and superbly restored stone houses, shady squares and refreshing ancient fountains. The numerous artisans’ boutiques are hard to resist. The two lookout towers at the entrance, the doorway and the gunboat are all listed as historic monuments.

5:00 pm: Return to your hotel.
Tour Duration: 8 hours.

Tour can operate: Any Day

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes.

Physical Activity Level: Moderate.

Included:
Deluxe minivan that can carry up to 6 passengers
Professional English-speaking guide-driver who will chauffeur you on your sightseeing-tour and is licensed to guide and accompany you on walking tours as well as into museums and monuments.
24-hour assistance available during your stay
All taxes

Not Included:
Tips
Lunch or dinner

 

Monaco & Nice - Full Day Tour - 8 hours

Monaco & Nice Shore Excursion. This excursion is perfect for those who wish to discover the chic French Riviera: in Monte-Carlo, you will get a glimpse of the glamorous Riviera and get closer to the myth of the Actress-Princess: Grace Kelly! Pursue this excursion with the beautiful city of Nice on the Riviera. You will be impressed by the colors of its market and during this afternoon you could visit Matisse Museum showing an important collection of the painter.
 

Marseille Shore Excursion - Marseille - 8 hours

Marseille Shore Excrusion - Alpilles - 8 hours

Marseille Shore Excursion - Chateauneuf du Pape - 8 hours

Marseille - Shore Excursion - Green Provence Tour - 8 hours -

Marseille - Shore excursion Aix en Provence - 8 hours

Meet your private English speaking driver guide at the main exit of your ship and depart for Aix en Provence.
 
Aix is surrounded by countryside full of authentic Provencal houses and traditional French style gardens. The name Aix comes from the source discovered when the city was founded in 123b.c. by the Romans. Aix was the capitol of Provence in the 15th century, wealthy merchants and local dignitaries helped turn this city into the Florence of Provence as we know it today. One can find all the beauty of the noble Provence of the17th and 18th centuries that include handsome houses and private mansions of the upper class, city squares’ bursting with flowers, ancient fountains and shaded narrow streets.
 
Discerning shoppers might instead choose the elegant boutiques in the quartier Mazarin, richest and most exclusive quarter of what is a considerably wealthy town.
 
Lunch is at your leisure; your guide will suggest the best place to have lunch depending on your taste and requirements.
 
End of the tour at your ship 

Tour Duration: 8 hours
Wheelchair Accessible: NO
Physical Activity Level: Light

Package Include
-  Transportation: pick up/drop off at the Port
-  English speaking licensed driver guide with a deluxe car with AC at disposal
- Entrance fee to Cézanne workshop
- All tax and Vat
 
Does not include
- Lunch
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance and personal expenses
 
Departure dates
All day, all year - except  during French Bank holidays - rate on request  for those dates
 

Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours

Your chauffeur and your guide will
be waiting for you at the port. They will be at disposal for 8 hours. Your chauffeur will drive you to the city center of Barcelona.

A Walk Through Barcelona
You will start your day by an exciting 2-hour walking tour of the oldest parts of Barcelona: the Barri Gothic and Born neighborhoods. You will follow your guide as he/she leads you into the small, narrow streets to discover the vibrant, trendy ambiance of Born and the historical atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter. You will see the Santa Maria Del Mar church, the Royal Palace and the world famous “Las Ramblas” avenue. The fun facts and stories
told by our guide will keep your children highly engaged. The children will each get a game booklet to keep them engaged and entertained. After this tour, you will enjoy a
lunch break. Your guide will be there to give recommendations depending on your taste.

Included: 

• A Walk Through Barcelona:
• Private certified guide
• 2 hour walking tour
• Game booklet for
• each child
• 2-hour experience

• Park Güell:
• Private certified guide
• Skip-the-line tickets to
• Sagrada Familia and
• Park Güell
• Transfer in a private
• mini van
• Game booklet for
• each child
• 3-hour experience

Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)

Highlights:
An architectural delight awaits you today in Barcelona, one of the most exciting cities in Europe.  Receive a warm greeting at the port by your private guide and driver and commence your full-day tour with a visit to Gaudi's masterpiece, the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia.  Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be complete until 2028! 

Next, visit Parc Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi's most colourful creations.  Continue along Passeig de Gracia, to view Gaudi's Casa Batlló and Casa Mila from the outside, with its brilliant wave-like façade.

After lunch, lose yourself in the narrow streets of the true heart of the city - the medieval Gothic Quarter.  Here you will visit the magnificent 13th-century Cathedral, and the Picasso Museum, where some of the painter's earliest works are housed. At the end of your tour you are transferred back to the port.

• Walk the labyrinthine alleys of the medieval Gothic Quarter to find architectural gems like the Church of Santa Maria del Mar
• Admire the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso Museum, where some of the artist's earliest works are housed.

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)

Highlights:
Receive a warm greeting at the port from your private guide and driver and commence your half-day tour with a visit to Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece; the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be completed until 2028!

Continue on to Parc Guell, a beautiful municipal garden with a superb panoramic view over the city; the focal point is a colourful sea-serpent-shaped central terrace. Visit the gatehouse where Gaudi lived during his later years which is now a museum dedicated to him. Transfer back to the port at the end of your tour.

• Visit the impressive, but still unfinished Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of the Catalan architect
• Wander through Parc Guell, the UNESCO World Heritage Site considered Gaudi's most colourful creation

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities