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 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.

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.

Enjoy a combination of Slovenia’s best known sites the capital city of Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Both are a wonderful gateway to Slovenian heritage. After a guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore on your own. Following your approximate two hour drive to the Alpine town of Lake Bled, you’ll have different options to enjoy from a walk around the picturesque lake to visiting a medieval castle visit, all during your free time and at your own expense. After World War II, this was one of the most appealing state residences and drew many people who were attracted by the beauty of this town. Today new pilgrims have been discovering this tranquil and lovely place.

After a guided walk through Ljubljana, a medium sized European city, you’ll have time to explore your own pace. It offers all the friendliness of a small town and at the same time has everything that a capital should. This city of culture boasts one of the oldest philharmonic halls in the world. Every year it hosts more than 10,000 cultural events ranging from prestigious concerts, theater performances and fine art exhibitions.

The old port of Mandraki, where this tour begins, is believed to be the site of the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Historic sites abound in Rhodes, as you will soon discover after enjoying a panoramic view of the city and Rhodes Bay from atop Monte Smith.

Visit the fully restored 14th-century Grand Masters Palace, which contains beautiful alabaster windows, French and Venetian furniture, and floor mosaics with scenes from Greek mythology. It served as a fortress in times of war, and a residence for the Grand Master and a meeting place for senior knights during times of peace. As you continue down the Avenue of the Knights, where the knights lived, the cobblestoned street seems to exude a noble and somewhat forbidden aura, as its lofty buildings stretch in an unbroken wall of honey-colored stone, punctuated by huge doorways and arched windows. At the conclusion of this tour, you can either return to ship, or remain in the old town to explore further on your own.

Discover the allure of the UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Santiago de Compostela on this full day tour.

Traveling by coach, it's a comfortable ride of just over 1 hour to this charming town that offers visitors a magical glimpse into the past. Upon arrival, you will disembark your coach for a ten-minute walk to the center of the city where you will find the famous cathedral at Plaza del Obradoiro. Here, you can appreciate the great Romanesque architecture of the Cathedral and surrounding buildings. Positioned to one side of the Cathedral is the well-known Hostal de Los Reyes Catolicos, a former hospital which is now a luxurious hotel. Directly opposite the Cathedral is the Palacio de Rajoy. Built in the 18th century, the Palace today serves as the Town Hall and also the parliament building for the regional government.

Making your way to the Hostal de Los Reyes Católicos, you will be treated to a leisurely lunch of local favorites accompanied by a glass of rosé wine. Following lunch, your guide will provide you with plenty of information from the exterior of the Cathedral. Afterwards, those who wish may enter the Cathedral independently during the free time you will be provided. For those who choose to enter, you will find a unique gamut of architectural styles. Romanesque, Baroque and Ogival Gothic styles are all combined with the most elegant Plateresque throughout the vast confines of the cathedral. There is also a silver urn containing the ashes of St. James, the Apostle of Santiago. The urn is kept in a small crypt situated immediately under the ornate high altar dominated by the carved image of the Patron Saint of Spain.

Your guided tour resumes with a walk through the Old Town of Santiago de Compostela. Before rejoining your coach for the transfer back to the ship, free time will be provided to explore on your own or do some souvenir shopping.

Venture into the beautiful Thingvellir national park - a UNESCO World Heritage Site only about 30 miles from Reykjavik, and ranking at the top of Iceland’s attractions. This national park offers outstanding sceneries of mountains surrounding a vast lava plain covered in green moss and wild flowers. Head to the Geyser area where you’ll see hissing springs, bubbling pools and other geothermal phenomena. Lunch will be served nearby, amongst these scenic surroundings.

Another highlight of your day is the Gullfoss waterfall. The ‘Golden Waterfall’ is the most famous of the country’s many waterfalls. Here, the river Hvita drops 96 feet in two falls, creating an awesome spectacle. Being located on an old magma chamber, Hveragerdi is notorious not only for its abundance of hot springs, which heat the community’s greenhouse industry, but also for its earthquakes.

Discover the cultural heritage and natural beauty of Gran Canaria and its colorful towns. Discover the cultural heritage and natural beauty of Gran Canaria and its colorful towns. Drive to one of the most important agricultural centers, Arucas, known as the banana capital of the island. Here you’ll visit a Banana Plantation and learn everything about this important and typical crop of Canary Island. You will also have the chance to taste one together with some local specialities! Next you will visit Jardin de la Marquesa. It originated as a small garden surrounding the summer residence of the marquis of Arucas and expanded to the lush gardens you’ll find today. This botanical garden has hundreds of species of tropical and subtropical flora. Flower lined lanes and ponds enhance the beauty of this place, where you may also encounter wandering peacocks. Taste a banana liquor at the Gardens, before rejoining the bus and head to the picturesque village of Teror, where colonial buildings grace the town's boulevard. Enjoy a walking tour and some free time before the drive back to pier.

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Walk through Lungotevere, one of the oldest sections of Rome, and sample a multitude of classic Italian treats. Your culinary immersion will begin at Campo de Fiori, where you will meander a bustling outdoor marketplace with stalls full of colorful produce, aromatic spices and classic Italian condiments. Crudites will be offered, allowing you to see just how tasty raw vegetables can be, especially when dipped in seasoned fresh-pressed olive oil. You will then walk to a bakery for a pizza tasting, on to a chocolate shop to sample confections and then to Sant’ Eustachio, a coffee shop that makes its espresso with water from an ancient aqueduct. The proprietors will explain how they ensure the freshest ingredients and highest quality. A refreshing dessert follows at Giolitti, which may be Rome’s oldest, if not finest, gelato shop. You will then enjoy free time around Navona Square, a wonderfully atmospheric area built over a stadium from the 1st century.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Taste an array of classic Italian treats in one of the Rome’s oldest sections.
• Expect to sample crudites, pizza, chocolate confections, coffee and gelato.
• Spend free time exploring atmospheric Navona Square.

Learn to play Gaelic football and hurling, two decidedly Irish and wildly popular games that share similarities to sports you may be more familiar with.

After departing from the pier, you will enjoy a scenic drive to a sporting club that is ideal for the Gaelic games that you will be playing. The Gaelic Athletic Association promotes many of these traditional games throughout Ireland, the history of which you will learn during an introduction to the organization. You will also gain an understanding for how dominant sports such as hurling and Gaelic football came about and the basic rules of both.

Then, the fun will begin. With a hurling stick in hand, you will practice driving the ball through the goal. A coach will be standing by to offer tips to increase your chances of scoring. The sport of hurling is more than 3,000 years old and is considered the world’s fastest field game. If you’re good in lacrosse, field hockey and baseball, you will likely be a skilled hurler.

You will also have the chance to try Gaelic football. It is played with a round ball that is somewhat smaller than a soccer ball. The ball can be caught, kicked and passed, but with certain conditions that the coach will explain. For instance, if you carry the ball, you can only take four steps.

Following your invigorating immersion into Gaelic sports, you will enjoy a drink at the club.

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.

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.