OVERVIEW

Watch a fascinating woodworking demonstration in Sorrento and wander through the ruins of Pompeii, which reveal ancient life in a surprisingly candid way. The craftsmen will demonstrate the art of intarsia or wood inlay, which has long been associated with Sorrento. During free time that follows you might browse the boutiques and dine on your own. If you stop for lunch, be sure try a glass of chilled Limoncello, a sweet lemon-flavored liquor that has been produced locally for more than a century. You will then head to Pompeii, a Roman town forever known for the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that buried it under ash and pumice in 79 AD. After watching artisans hand-carve classic cameos, you will meander through the excavated ruins. The buildings are largely intact, frescoes adorn the villas and everyday objects are scattered about, just as they were when the volcano erupted. Expect to see ancient baths, temples and residences with intricate mosaic floors.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch woodworkers demonstrate the art of intarsia or wood inlay, a specialty in Sorrento.
• Browse Sorrento’s museums and boutiques or dine on your own during free time.
• See the artistry behind the making of traditional cameos in Pompeii.
• Walk through the ruins of Pompeii for an eye-opening look into ancient life.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Stroll through the atmospheric streets of the Old Quarter on the way to a nightclub, where you will watch a mesmerizing flamenco performance that tells a passionate story. After walking from the pier, you will continue at a leisurely pace toward the narrow, cobbled streets of the Old Quarter, which the Phoenicians founded in the 12th century. Being the oldest continuously occupied city in Western Europe, Cadiz exudes history, as you will soon discover in the Plaza of San Juan de Dios, a square that originated in medieval times.

As you meander the labyrinthine streets of the Old Quarter, you will pass one architectural treasure after another. Highlights may include the Neoclassical-style Cadiz Cathedral, which boasts a tile dome that appears Moorish, and Calle Ancha, a wide boulevard that is considered the heart of the city. In time, you will arrive at Taberna Flamenco La Cava, a nightclub that showcases the art of flamenco. Before taking your seat, be sure to notice the photos on the wall of some of the most acclaimed flamenco performers in the past 50 years. UNESCO honored flamenco by recognizing it on its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Andalusia, especially Cadiz, is the heartland of flamenco, an electrifying art form that fuses expressive songs, passionate dancing and emotional music. To enhance your immersion into the local culture, you will be served traditional tapas that may include Serrano ham and Manchego cheese.

Snorkel the azure waters adjacent to the of Belize's Barrier Reef, the world’s largest living barrier reef. This is a shallow water entry, well suited for beginners and intermediate snorkelers. Depart from the Harvest Caye Marina on one of our comfortable snorkel vessels for the short scenic ride to a beautiful site along the reef. This location is teeming with multitudes of colorful reef fish, co-habiting among the beautiful hard and soft coral formations, intermingled with sponges, sea fans, and delicate sea anemones.

Possible sightings of spotted eagle rays and schools of larger fish are quite common, large starfish, queen conchs, and sea cucumbers also call this patch of the reef home. After snorkeling, re-board your boat and enjoy the return trip while listening to Caribbean rhythmic vibes. After returning to the pier, as you step off the boat, you can pick up your complimentary rum punch.

OVERVIEW

Travel by panoramic coach on a tour that offers fascinating insights on the lives of those who make the sometimes-harsh landscape of Iceland’s Westfjords their home. Beginning from the pier, you’ll drive through the streets of Isafjordur and out along the coastal road for a tour of wondrously remote Bolungarvik, a fishing village towered over by its surrounding mountains. Nearby, you’ll stop at the outdoor Ósvör Museum, where a century-old fisherman’s hut has been restored, complete with the tools of the trade – and the fisherman. On another leg of the journey, you’ll find yourself up amidst breathtaking views of the magnificent mountains of the Djup, largest of the West Fjords and the Buna River. Not far from that spot, you’ll stop to admire a beautiful, stepped waterfall in Tunguskogur and take an opportunity to taste the freshest, clearest mountain water you may ever have encountered. Back in Isafjordur, you’ll stop in at the Maritime and Folk Museum, which calls one of the town’s oldest and best-preserved houses its home. The museum presents an excellent collection of artifacts related to the region’s maritime history – as well as a sizable accordion collection. Gotta has something to do during those long winters.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore the remote Westfjords region by coach, stopping to absorb the local color in its many forms.
• Visit the remote fishing village of Bolungarvik and tour a century-old fisherman’s hut nearby in Ósvör.
• Behold stunning mountain vistas along the Djup fjord and taste clear mountain water from a waterfall in Tunguskogur.
• Tour a quirky Maritime and Folk Museum, filled with historic fishing artifacts – and accordions.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear weather-appropriate clothing including a water/wind proof jacket.
• Comfortable, flat walking shoes with a non-slip sole are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

OVERVIEW

Become immersed in the Dominican culture by experiencing the local cuisine, spirits and dances firsthand. While pausing for photos along the seaside boulevard El Malecon, you will discover a bit about the local history, which you will delve into more deeply at the engaging Confluence Ethnographic Gallery. Besides browsing the museum’s exhibits – which cover topics ranging from piracy to Carnival celebrations – you will enjoy a tasting of premium Dominican rum, most likely a selection from Ron Barceló, a brand made with 100% sugarcane juice. The restaurant La Catalina will serve as the venue for the remaining festivities, which begin with a performance of merengue, a lively dance so emblematic of the national identity that UNESCO recognized it on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. You will be encouraged to join the costumed dancers, who will be happy to show you the steps. A delightful lunch of traditional Dominican stew known as sancocho follows.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delve into the Dominican culture and history through immersive experiences.
• Browse an ethnographic museum and sample a popular premium Dominican rum.
• Watch costumed dancers perform the merengue and join in the fun if you wish.
• Dine on a traditional Dominican stew at the atmospheric restaurant La Catalina.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

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.

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.

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an unrivalled water perspective of the Boston skyline while cruising around the harbor and view many of the city’s most historical icons while driving through downtown. You will embark on the boat at the New England Aquarium and soon cruise pass the Charlestown Navy Yard, one of America’s oldest naval shipyards, having opened in 1800. It is home to the U.S.S. Constitution, better known as Old Ironsides. As you skirt along the coast of Castle Island, you can’t miss Fort Independence, the eighth iteration of a fort on this site. More historical landmarks will come into view back on land, many of them associated with the American Revolutionary War. Expect to see Boston Common – America’s oldest public park – the gold-domed Massachusetts State House, the Granary Burying Ground and the Old North Church steeple, where Paul Revere ordered two lanterns hung in the steeple to signal that the British were approaching by sea.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise around Boston Harbor and see icons such as Old Ironsides and Fort Independence.
• Settle in for a scenic drive around Boston that takes in its most historical attractions.
• Pause for photos at Copley Square, home to the Boston Public Library and Trinity Church.
• Be dropped off at Boston Logan International Airport in plenty of time for your flight.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

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.

Aquaventure, Atlantis Paradise Island’s Water Park, is a one-of-a-kind 141 acre waterscape. Aquaventure features over twenty million gallons of water, thrilling high-speed water slides like the Mayan Temple and the 7-story Power Tower, a mile long river ride with rolling rapids, a spectacular kids water-play fort, 20 swimming areas, refreshing pools, and access to the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean! Plus access to view the renowned Atlantis marine habitat, home to more than 50,000 fish representing 250 species and the Caribbean’s largest casino and stroll through Marina Village, a charming and vibrant marketplace featuring 20 retail shops, restaurants, and local entertainment for a distinctly Bahamian vacation experience.

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.

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. The most well-known and award-winning cheese is El Bosqueño, a smooth textured, light-colored cheese, manufactured in the most traditional way. This particular cheese, made from Grazalemeña sheep’s milk, is distributed nationally and exported to countries like the UK, USA, Japan, Italy, Sweden and Belgium. 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 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.