EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

OVERVIEW

Venture into the Provençal countryside with a truffle hunter and a truffle-hunting dog for a demonstration of how to find these coveted fungi, after which you will sample them with several local wines. Your adventure will take place near Rognes, a village known its wine, quarried stone and the cultivation of black truffles. These delectable fungi delicacies, sometimes called Provençal black diamonds, grow underground near the roots of specific host trees. Their locations are closely guarded, as the truffles are highly prized for their pleasant aroma and earthy flavor. Accompanied by a truffle hunter and a specially trained truffle-hunting dog, you will head into the vines in search of black truffles. Once the dog sniffs out a truffle, the hunter will show you how to extract it from the soil without damage. It is a slow, methodical process that reflects the value of these black fungi. After truffle-hunting, you will enjoy a tasting of truffles paired with local wines.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Hunt for black truffles in the Provençal countryside with a guide and truffle-hunting dog.
• See how to methodically extract the truffles from beneath the soil without damaging them.
• Enjoy a sampling of black truffles thoughtfully paired with local wines.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Visit several of Old Town’s most iconic sites, which gained even greater fame after serving as locations for the fictional capital King’s Landing in “Game of Thrones.”

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive in the oldest section of Dubrovnik, a revered UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fans of the TV series “Game of Thrones,” which is based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels, will recognize this part of Dubrovnik as King’s Landing, the fictional capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Your first stop will be imposing Lovrijenac Fortress, located just outside the medieval walls that encircle Old Town. Known as Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar, the 11th-century fortress perches atop a craggy rock overlooking the sea, which represented Blackwater Bay in the books.

Continuing on, you will enter Old Town and make your way to the defensive walls to the south. After climbing the steps, you will walk along the stone battlements, which afford extraordinary views of the sea and the inner city. These walls appeared in numerous scenes in "Game of Thrones"; they were particularly prominent in the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Later, you will enjoy free time within Old Town, where you may explore other sites that you may recognize from the series. For instance, the Jesuit Staircase was where Cersei Lannister began her Walk of Shame in Season Five, and many of the show's market scenes were filmed along St. Dominic Street. Following free time, you will return to the pier.

Enjoy a glass of sherry while learning to make authentic tapas at the Bodega Casa del Marques, a 19th-century palace built for a wine merchant. The elegant residence is decorated with period furnishings that lend it an ambiance so authentic that it feels as if you were transported to another time. While there, you will learn to make tapas, some traditional and others topped with surprisingly inventive ingredients. These small-plate snacks reflect the local cuisine and are typically served with a glass of sherry, especially in Jerez, which has been producing the fortified wine for more than 175 years. The exact tapas that you will prepare will depend on which ingredients are freshest and most flavorful. They might include fried fish, meatballs or something a bit more unusual such as stewed ox tail. Be sure to add favorite ingredients, as you will dine on the tapas afterwards.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Participate in a hands-on culinary class at a 19th-century palace built for a wine merchant.
• Learn to prepare authentic, small-plate tapas with traditional and unusual ingredients.
• Dine on the finished tapas and enjoy a glass of sherry as an accompaniment.

See the icons of Monaco and Monte Carlo and then explore further on your own, admiring the majestic architecture and elegance of these two gems on the French Riviera.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a leisurely drive along the gorgeous French Riviera to Monaco. During the walking tour that follows, you will see highlights such as the monumental Oceanographic Museum, which rises out of a sheer cliff overlooking the sea. Prince Albert I founded the museum in 1910 and its aquarium is among the best in Europe.

The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is another icon. Prince Rainer III and Grace Kelly were married here in 1956 and both are buried in the church. The cream-colored facade was constructed with Italian granite starting in 1875 and it took more than 10 years to finish the entire cathedral, which is the largest in Monaco. Interior visits may not be possible if activities are taking place in the cathedral.

After free time to explore a bit further, you will continue on to Monte Carlo, driving along a section of road where the annual Monaco Grand Prix race has been held since 1929. You will notice the road is winding with hairpin turns, a signature of this Formula One race.

You will also see the grand Monte Carlo Casino, which opened in 1863. Designed by Charles Garnier, the architect behind the Paris Opera, the casino is an architectural masterpiece that may well be the most recognized building in Monte Carlo. Free time follows, after which you will rejoin your coach and return to Villefranche.

Become familiar with the efforts of local fishermen to improve their methods and increase the industry's sustainability. While following a seasoned fisherman around the Old Port of Marseille, you will learn some of the issues affecting the profession. The challenges include water pollution, climate change, over-fishing and even poachers taking endangered species from no-fishing zones. Fishing nets create another problem, as they are often lost, discarded, or abandoned at sea, yet they still continue to unintentionally trap marine creatures in a practice known as ghost fishing. As the fisherman will explain, using biodegradable nets is just one way the industry can protect the marine environment and improve the profession. Feel free to ask questions about what's being done to raise awareness of the issues and provide acceptable solutions. As a memento, you will receive a cube of green diver's soap made with olive oil in an eco-responsible way and wrapped in biodegradable packaging.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover some of ecological issues that fishermen face and how they are being addressed.
• Follow a veteran fisherman around the Old Port for a candid look at the profession.
• Receive a bar of diver’s soap made in an eco-friendly way as a memento.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Drive through the beautiful Andalucia region to an acclaimed cheese-producing village for an insider's look at the artisanal process and to sample the most representative cheeses. Your host will be a farmer that tends payoya goats and Grazalemeña sheep, whose milk is used to produce the cheeses. The most well-known and award-winning cheese is El Bosqueño, a smooth textured, light-colored cheese. The farmer will lead you through the fields where the goats and sheep graze and walk you through the cheese-making process step by step. You will also browse a cheese museum with displays of cheese-making hand tools and exhibits detailing the history of cheese production in the area. Afterwards, you will enjoy a sampling that may include an emborrado cheese cured in olive oil and wheat bran. Other cheeses produced here are cured with fresh spices such as rosemary and paprika. To complement the experience, you will be served a glass of locally produced wine.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• See how several award-winning cheeses are produced at a farm in the town of El Bosque.
• Browse a cheese museum with displays that trace the importance of cheese in this region.
• Sample various cheeses made with milk from payoya goats and Grazalemeña sheep.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Naples and Sorrento, many of them iconic attractions that define the cities. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie expert guide will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Your pictures will be ideal for posting on social media and sharing in other ways.

As you walk and ride through Naples and Sorrento, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include::
• Sorrento viewpoint
• Villa Comunale Park
• Naples pizzeria
• Galleria Umberto I shopping mall
• Francesco da Paola church
• BCastel Nuovo

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Naples and Sorrento.
• Follow tips from your selfie expert guide to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Spend free time in Sorrento’s large leafy park Villa Comunale.
• Enjoy a slice of pizza at a pizzeria in Naples, the town that invented it.
• Gaze upon historical landmarks in Naples, including the 13th-century fortress Castel Nuovo.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Snap selfies at the most photogenic spots in and around Santorini, many of them iconic attractions that define the city. To ensure the best possible results, a selfie expert guide will offer tips so you can capture just the right angle, lighting and composition for every shot. Selfie sticks are available and complemented by a convenient photo frame, enabling you to capture, share, and post the best pictures in the future.

As you walk and ride through Santorini, you will pause at designated selfie stops that include:
• Aroma Avlis restaurant
• Oia’s Blue-Domed churches
• Three Bells of Fira church

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Santorini.
• Follow tips from your selfie expert guide to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Sample local specialties at Aroma Avlis, a hilltop restaurant with panoramic views.
• Pose in front of the blue-domed churches in Oia and explore the coastal town.
• Stand above the Three Bells Fira Church and capture the ultimate shot of the city Fira.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.
• Be sure your phone or camera is fully charged.

Harás un paseo turístico por la campiña hasta llegar a la magnífica ciudad de Florencia. Detente en la Plaza de la Catedral para admirar el exterior de la Catedral (Duomo) de Santa María del Fiore, cuya fachada gótica ornamentada está cubierta con una mezcla de mármol rosado y verde.

Mira las estatuas de la Piazza della Signoria en tu camino hacia el Ponte Vecchio, el puente de piedra medieval que fue el primer puente en atravesar el río Arno y ha sido conocido por sus orfebres y joyeros desde el siglo 16. Se incluye el almuerzo en un restaurante local y, luego de comer, tendrás tiempo libre para recorrer por tu cuenta o hacer compras, antes de que el tour continúe hacia la histórica ciudad de Pisa. Aquí harás una breve parada para sacar fotos en la Plaza de los Milagros y ver la famosa Torre Inclinada desde afuera. Fue construida en el siglo 12 y comenzó a inclinarse poco tiempo después, pero ahora se ha estabilizado.

La isla de Míconos es conocida en todo el mundo por su impresionante belleza natural repleta de molinos de viento, bahías llamativas, playas bellísimas y las casas blancas e iglesias con sus coloridas cúpulas azules y rojas. Pasarás por la playa de Ornos, una de las playas más cosmopolitas de la isla, con gran cantidad de hoteles lujosos, tabernas y yates que atracan en alta mar.

Realizarás una breve parada para tomar fotos en la playa de Kalafatis para que puedas conocer una de las playas más hermosas de la isla y disfrutar de una vista imponente. Al acercarte al centro de la isla, visitarás la aldea de Ano Mera y el Monasterio Panayia Tourliani. Además, tendrás la oportunidad de probar ouzo y aperitivos griegos en una pequeña y apacible plaza de la aldea.

Enjoy an enlightening tour of Naples by visiting Spaccanapoli, the street that divides the city, and by savoring folded pizza, a classic Neapolitan treat.

After departing from the pier, you will begin a panoramic drive around Naples, taking in the views from locales such as Posillipo Hill in one of the city's most affluent areas. Along the way, you will pass the imposing Castle Nuovo.

While parts of it date to the 13th century, it is still known as the new castle to distinguish it from the famed Egg Castle, which began as a 1st-century Roman villa. Castle Nuovo's five towers make it one of Naples' most recognizable landmarks. You will also see the Egg Castle, which holds a commanding position on the sea.

In time, you will reach Spaccanapoli, a long street whose name means "Naples splitter," a reference to it seeming to divide the city in two. Here, you will visit the Jesuit church Gesú Nuovo and the Church of Santa Chiara, which was founded in 1310 and features an austere Provencal-Gothic style. Much of Santa Chiara had to be rebuilt after World War II.

For an even more authentic glimpse into daily life, you will walk through the narrow streets of Old Town, which UNESCO has declared a Cultural Heritage site. As you will discover, there is no better setting to eat portafoglio or folded pizza, as the dish was invented in Naples. A cup of fresh espresso at a nearby café standing at the counter as Neapolitan does will top off the experience.

This interesting tour allows you to appreciate the turbulent history of this amazing Fortress that is Gibraltar.

Meeting your guide at the pier, you will transfer directly to the Cable Car Base station where modern technology does all the hard work for you as you are transported to the Top Station, perched at the very summit of "The Rock". The magnificent panorama that will open out before you is sufficiently breathtaking to make you forget that you are suspended in mid-air.

In the company of an experienced and knowledgeable guide, you will learn of the momentous events that took place over the centuries that have made this small outpost famous throughout the world.

The Top Station is located on the site of an old gun emplacement last used during the Second World War.

Here your guide will walk you around the terraces and introduce you to the geography of this British colony at the entrance to the Mediterranean. You may also take the opportunity to use the restrooms, look around the Souvenir shop and Restaurant or simply wander around the former anti-craft battery site. Your guide will now accompany you back to the Cable Car for a short ride to the Middle Station and the sanctuary of Gibraltar's oldest inhabitants, The Rock Apes. These tail-less monkeys (macaca sylvanus) are roaming free. Many legends surround these monkeys and your guide will brief you as to their origin. Keep your possessions close. Remember they are wild animals. Please do not touch or feed them.

After enjoying your encounter with the Apes and their enchanting antics you will again board you coach for a five minute drive north until we reach Princess Caroline's Battery and the entrance to the Upper Galleries, or the Great Siege Tunnels.These are a system of tunnels carved out of solid limestone. The works were commenced on the 25th of May 1782 by the forerunners of the Royal Engineers and today they stand as a monument to their ingenuity and engineering. We shall walk through Windsor Gallery, to St. George's Hall. This is a fascinating experience ignored by most visitors to the Rock. As you leave the Great Siege Tunnels you will see the runway built during the Second World War with rocks hewn out of these and other tunnels inside the Rock.

A short drive will then take you to see the first buildings ever constructed by the British in Gibraltar which now house the Gibraltar "A City Under Siege" exhibition. Here the visitor will see the hardship endured by the inhabitants of the Rock in times of great need when the relentless sieges failed to re-conquer Gibraltar - The Gateway to the Mediterranean. A short distance away you will pass by the Moorish Castle built in 1333 by the Moors, who spearheaded their invasion of the Iberian Peninsula from Gibraltar in 711 AD. This impressive Tower still bears the scars of Battle.

From here your tour proceeds to the Gibraltar Museum, entrance is included in your program. Opened on the site of the old Moorish Baths it will amaze you with the enormous amount of artefacts that are on display. Available to all, there is an optional 15-minute Film show depicting the evolution that has taken place in Gibraltar over the past 200 thousand years.

Your tour is now coming to its end and the choice of leaving you in the busy town center or returning back to the vessel is completely yours. Should you wish to remain in town you will be responsible in making your own way back to the ship.