Europe Cruises: Excursions

Fall in love with the fortified city of Avignon, famous for its theater festival and remarkable history. Passing through any of the seven gates of the superbly preserved walls, discover the city of the Popes. You’ll have plenty of free time to do whatever you wish. Stroll through the enchanting pedestrian shopping area, enjoy lunch at one of its many great restaurants or perhaps visit the impressive Palace of the Popes, built in the 14th century. Aix en Provence was the capital of the Provence region and its attractions are many. Embark on a walking tour of the Cours Mirabeau. This wide avenue is shaded by trees and was built in the 1600s on the site of the city’s medieval ramparts. Its verdant tunnel of foliage protects pedestrians from the heat of the Provencal sun. Aristocratic facades of the old hotels line the Cours and their wrought iron balconies and finely carved doorways invite the visitor to explore. Enjoy the scenery of Provence on your drive back to Marseille Note: Tour involves walking for approximately 3 hours on uneven ground and cobblestone, with a few steps in Avignon. Not recommended for guests who are wheelchair confined. Public restrooms are available in both Avignon and Aix. less

Combine two of the most famous Tuscan towns: Lucca, with a colorful history that stretches back to the days of the ancient Etruscans, and Pisa with its famous Field of Miracles with the cathedral, baptistery, and of course, the Leaning Tower. Arriving in Lucca, take a guided walk through the old town, which retains its Renaissance-vintage fortified walls. Stroll from piazza to piazza and learn the city’s history through its architecture. The Duomo, Lucca’s Romanesque cathedral dates from the 12th century and features a facade with elaborate relieves and columns. The Gothic interior features an image of Christ on the cross, supposedly carved by Nicodemus, a purported witness of the crucifixion. The Duomo also boasts Tintoretto's magnificent painting of the Last Supper. You’ll have free time in Lucca to enjoy your activity of choice; explore, eat or shop! Once a powerful maritime republic and a rival to Genoa and Venice, Pisa offers Renaissance splendor of its own. A short guided walk leads to the Field of Miracles where you’ll receive a brief orientation on Pisan history. The Piazza is the site of Pisa’s Duomo, baptistery, Campo Santo, and of course, the campanile – the famous Leaning Tower. Galileo is said to have used the 180-foot campanile during his experiments with gravity. Today, the tower leans 14-degrees from perpendicular. Recently reopened, admittance to the tower is limited and is not included in the excursion. Pisa’s Duomo is a mixture of Tuscan and Romanesque styles and the black and white interior marble arches are thought to have been inspired by Islamic architecture. You’ll have plenty of photo and shopping opportunities on this tour. Note: Should religious services be taking place in the Duomo, the guide will conduct an explanation outside and guests will be free to enter individually. Guests who are planning to visit religious sites during free time or on tour, please dress appropriately; no bare shoulders or shorts are allowed. You’ll meet your guide in Lucca for your visit there and your other guide in Pisa for your visit to Pisa, however you’ll have an escort with you throughout the day. In Pisa, you’ll have to walk to and from the bus parking area approximately 15 minutes each way. less

In the morning your tour takes you outside of the city to the historical town of Pushkin. The drive will take you to the Egyptian Gates, the entrance to the Tsar’s Village in Pushkin. Catherine’s Palace in the Tsar’s Village ranks as one of the masterpieces of world art. Peter the Great presented the estate to his wife Catherine in 1710 and the architect Braunstein built a small palace here. From this time until the time of the last Russian Tsar, Pushkin was used as the summer residence of the Royal Family. In 1756, Bartelomeo Rastrelli expanded the palace in Baroque style. Its grandiose, white and gold facade stretches 978 feet. During World War II, the palace was damaged severely, but since then it has been restored and stands now in its original glory. The palace tour takes you through the series of magnificent rooms, including the famous Picture Gallery, the Great Hall and the world famous Amber Room.

The parks of the estate add to the splendor of the palace, and several of them are embellished with a number of charming pavilions. The town of Pushkin is famous not only for its remarkable palace and parks, but the man it was named after – Alexander Pushkin, the most celebrated poet in the country and a resident of this town at the beginning of the 19th century. The lyceum, where he studied, is connected to the palace by an arch. After the tour you’ll continue to one of the dining venues for lunch after which, you’ll drive back to the city for a tour of the Hermitage Museum, the largest art museum in Russia and the most prestigious museum in the world. The Hermitage Museum occupies the Winter Palace, the winter residence of the Russian Tsars, and four more buildings.

p>Take a short drive to the city center while your guide introduces you to the history of St. Petersburg. You’ll stop on the Spit of Vasilievsky Island for an opportunity to take in the views of the Neva River, the Rostral Columns, the Winter Palace and other buildings of the Hermitage Museum, as well as St. Peter and Paul Fortress, situated right across the river. The tour continues with a drive along the Neva River embankments, passing St. Peter and Paul Fortress. The tour will then take you to St. Isaac’s Cathedral for another photo opportunity and a tour of this remarkable building, one of the largest cathedrals in Europe and capable of accommodating 10,000 worshipers. The interior of the cathedral is richly decorated with different kinds of marble, malachite and other semiprecious stones. After, you’ll proceed to a dining venue for lunch.

In the afternoon your tour takes you outside of the city to the historical town of Pushkin. The drive will take you to the Egyptian Gates, the entrance to the Tsar’s Village. Catherine’s Palace in the Tsar’s Village ranks as one of the masterpieces of world art. From the time the palace was built until the time of the last Russian Tsar, Pushkin was used as the summer residence of the Royal Family. In 1756, Bartelomeo Rastrelli expanded Catherine’s Palace in Baroque style. The palace tour takes you through a series of magnificent rooms, including the famous Picture Gallery and, of course, the Great Hall. The parks of the estate add to the splendor of the palace, and several of them are embellished with a number of charming pavilions. The town of Pushkin is famous not only for its remarkable palace and parks, but the man it was named after. Since 1937, it has been named after Alexander Pushkin, the most celebrated poet in the country and a resident of this town at the beginning of the 19th century. The lyceum where he studied is connected to the palace by an arch.

This special tour is designed for guests who would like to look at the city from a different perspective, learn about the tragic death of one of the most mysterious figures in Russian history – Grigory Rasputin – and witness one of St. Petersburg’s masterpieces, also surrounded by the mystery of murder and intrigue – the amazing Cathedral of Our Savior on Spilled Blood. Your coach will bring you to the pier in the city center, where you’ll start your fascinating journey through the rivers and canals of St. Petersburg. You’ll see the city from the water, which surrounds its numerous squares, monuments and palaces. After an hour of touring the waterways, you’ll arrive near Yusupov Palace, where you’ll disembark to discover an intriguing story about the palace, its owners and the dramatic events which ended the life of the famous favorites of the last Romanovs. Yusupov Palace is located on the banks of the Moika River and is one of the 57 palaces in Russia, four of which are in St. Petersburg and were owned by Felix Yusupov – often said to be almost as wealthy as the Tsar himself. This palace was Yusupov’s favorite and exemplifies his wealth and very eccentric style. Among the palace's treasures are French tapestries and porcelain, and Venetian mirrors and woodcarvings. It was here in 1916 that the notorious Grigory Rasputin was assassinated. He was lured to Yusupov's palace by several influential figures of the time, given poison cakes, which for some reason had no effect on him, then shot several times and thrown into the river.

The tour will take you through the rooms of the palace, and after climbing down the narrow, winding staircase, you’ll see the very place where Felix Yusupov and his accomplices assassinated Grigory Rasputin. After lunch at a nearby restaurant, you’ll visit the magnificent Cathedral on Spilled Blood. This marvelous old Russian-style church was built on the spot where Emperor Alexander II was assassinated on March 1, 1881. The cathedral should not be perceived as simply a cult building; its idea is broader and deeper. The image of the Savior in this cathedral reflects not so much the cult aspect, but the political, historical, artistic, stylistic importance of the monument, and underscores its importance for the city. Built in 1883-1907, the church was designed in the spirit of 16th and 17th century Russian architecture, inspired particularly by St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square, Moscow. With its distinctive cupolas, the Muscovy design is unique to St. Petersburg and provides a dramatic contrast to the Neo-Classical architecture which dominates the city center. The interior of the church, a memorial to the late Emperor Alexander II, is decorated with different marbles and several thousand square yards of mosaics. These mosaics are far from being ordinary; their surfaces were left unpolished, so that they reflect sunlight, which impressed worshipers and visitors alike. The Cathedral of Resurrection, as it is also called, is the only surviving monument to Alexander II in the city.