EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Meander through a fragrant herb garden in a 19th-century farm and then savor a delightful lunch of traditional Slovenian dishes. As an introduction to the country’s limestone karst region, you will pause to take in the sweeping views from a castle that overlooks the Gulf of Trieste. The culinary experience unfolds at a charming local family homestead, where a husband and wife grow and prepare herbs and dishes themselves. You'll discover the herbs they cultivate for culinary and medicinal purposes, such as sage, fennel, and balm mint. The karst terrain also nurtures the growth of fragrant lavender, adding to the region's aromatic allure. As you will discover during the lunch that follows, many of the herbs have been used in the dishes. To complement the meal, you will be served Teran wine, a dark-ruby wine sometimes called King of the Karst.

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

Explore a wetland nature reserve on reclaimed land that now supports an abundance of indigenous flora and fauna. Salt pans covered much of this area for centuries, and it wasn’t until about 50 years ago that the brackish wetlands became an important habitat for flora and fauna. As you walk through this wonderfully unique ecosystem, a naturalist will describe the transformation of the reserve and how environmentalists prevented it from becoming an industrial zone. Nearly 250 types of birds—more than half the species in the entire country of Slovenia—have been spotted there, including Eurasian reed warblers, black-winged stilts and squacco herons. You can also expect to see a huge variety of colorful butterflies flitting about. Halophytes are among the more intriguing plants found in the wetlands, as they thrive in salty ground. From a distance, these succulents appear to have ice on their leaves, but it is actually dried salt that the plants exude from their glands.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Gain insight into how former salt pans were transformed into a thriving wetland.
• Walk through a now-protected nature reserve with a naturalist guide.
• Observe abundant wildlife that includes more than half the bird species in Slovenia.

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

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 tutor 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
• Metropolitan Church of Ypapanti Thira

HIGHLIGHTS

• Take inspiring selfies at the most photogenic attractions in Santorini.
• Follow tips from your selfie tutor to ensure the very best pictures.
• Learn the historical significance of the locales while enjoying their dramatic settings.
• Sample a local glass of wine 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 Metropolitan Church of Ypapanti Thira 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.

Visit the site of the first Olympic Games and learn about its glorious history. Then head to the beach and spend the rest of the day basking in the sun and swimming in the warm, sparkling waters of the Ionian Sea. Even though the temples and monuments have disappeared and only the ruins are left, you can’t help but to envision the grandeur of the Temple of Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The site was a sanctuary even before the stadium was built and the games took place.

The famous stadium, the largest of its day, is entered through a long, tunnel-like passage constructed in Roman times. Today, you can stand at the starting line and imagine the roar of the spectators seated on the marble benches, as the athletes took their marks. Reboard your coach and head to the beach to bask in the sun and swim in the sparkling Ionian Sea. Enjoy use of a sun bed and umbrella at the main beach, as well as a complimentary refreshment. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

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. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you'll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you'll have free time in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.

Enjoy the serenity of several natural settings, including the Big City Park in Tivat, where you will plant a tree that will benefit the Earth for years to come. The urban park is a green oasis full of indigenous and exotic plants that include eucalyptuses, magnolias, Chilean firs and unusual herbs. By planting a small tree on the grounds, you will add to the botanical diversity and perhaps most important help the environment, as trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. A bit of free time in Porto Montenegro will follow, after which you will wander through Solila Reserve on the Bay of Tivat. Although salt was once produced in the pools along the shore, birdwatching is now the main activity in the protected wildlife reserve. Keep an eye out for auks, ibises and curlews. A leisurely and informative walk through Old Town Kotor will perfectly complement the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Plant a tree in a park known for its botanical diversity.
• Meander about a protected bayside reserve that supports abundant birdlife.
• Enjoy free time in architecturally important Porto Montenegro and Old Town Kotor.

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

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.

Race through Boka Bay in a speedboat. Although officially known as the Bay of Kotor, Boka – as it is called locally – is considered the southernmost fjord in Europe because of its wild landscape and precipitous cliffs that plummet into the sea. Zipping along its rocky coast in a speedboat will be an exhilarating experience, especially on the approach to the Blue Cave. After exciting speedboat ride we will get to the legendary Blue Cave, hidden maritime gem accessible only by boat. To fully preserve this natural wonder, a new local regulation keeps all motorized boat engines outside the cave. We will stop safely just 20 meters from the entrance and You will have the opportunity to swim just ouside the Cave, before zipping off to Žanjic Beach on the tip of the Lustica Peninsula. Sheltered by the surrounding mountains and forests, the water there is typically calm.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Zip through the typically calm waters of Boka Bay on a speedboat.
• Pause for a swim at Žanjic Beach yet another idyllic spot on the bay.

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

Become immersed in the Maltese culture by meeting locals that are engaged in traditional activities and by meandering about villages that practice different customs. At Vicky’s Place, a bakery in the village of Qormi, you will watch a popular sweet or perhaps a loaf of bread being prepared. Feel free to ask questions about the ingredients, how they are sourced or anything else that comes to mind. Later, you will get the chance to converse with the local residents s in a kazin, a Maltese social club that often features music and snooker, a game that was introduced when Malta was a crown colony of the United Kingdom. You will also mingle with the locals at the village center in Ghaxaq, a cultural experience that is sure to be enlightening. Sightseeing in the fortified city of Senglea, which lies just across the harbor from Valletta, will offer yet another perspective of daily life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain insight into Maltese culture by mingling with the locals as they work and socialize.
• Snack on baked goods and traditional Maltese delicacies while conversing with the locals.
• Visit several villages and come away with a multi-layered perspective of Maltese life.

Admire the city’s marquee attractions, stopping for photos at the key landmarks before visiting St. Demetrius Church and the Archaeological Museum.

After departing from the pier, you will soon enter the heart of Thessaloniki, a thriving metropolis that is the second largest city in Greece. Considering its size and the importance of Thessaloniki in the ancient world, there are plenty of fascinating attractions. The most recognizable is the White Tower, a 15th-century fortress that has become the city’s symbol.

Even older are the Arch and Rotunda of Galerius, which the emperor built in the 4th century to commemorate his victory over Persia. Although many of the supporting buildings have now crumbled, these two structures have stood the test of time. Similarly, the citadel and Thessaloniki’s defensive walls are reminders of its tumultuous history. The best views are from Upper or Old Town, one of the few areas that survived the great fire of 1917.

Of course, not all of the attractions are ancient. You will also pass the International Trade Fair grounds and the campus of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

Still, the tug of history is irresistible, especially as you meander through St. Demetrius Church admiring the Byzantine mosaics that depict the story of the saint. More historical artifacts await you at the Archaeological Museum, which includes exhibitions on subjects such as prehistoric Macedonia and the use of gold in jewelry, coins and clothing. After browsing the museum, you will return to the pier.