EXCURSÕES EM TERRA

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.

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.

OVERVIEW

Hop aboard the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railway for an immensely picturesque train ride high into the mountains, following a path blasted out of the rocks in 1898, during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. As soon as the narrow-gauge train begins its ascent, you will understand why the beloved WP&YR is known as “The Scenic Railway of the World.” The train will climb almost 3,000 feet in just 20 miles and present one breathtaking view after another, from thundering Bridal Veil Falls to the rugged peaks at Inspiration Point. You will also pass over the soaring bridge that spans precipitous Dead Horse Gulch, named for pack animals loaded with prospecting gear that fell to the bottom of the gorge. It will be an exhilarating ride on a railway so ingeniously constructed that it is recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a narrow-gauge train on a route used during the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Climb high into the mountains and behold Alaska’s majestic scenery.
• Admire the ingenious engineering behind the railway’s construction.
• Receive a collectible magazine that details the railway’s history.

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.

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.

Savor a variety of traditional Madeira beverages and dishes in the mountain village Serra D’Agua and in a private home in the suburbs of Funchal. As an introduction to the island’s gastronomy, you will be served a glass of poncho in the village. This traditional drink of Madeira may have originated in India with the British then introducing it to the island. Although poncho is sometimes made with the juice of passion fruit or tangerines, it typically contains lemon juice, honey and alcohol distilled from cane sugar. Continuing on to a private home in the Funchal suburb of Santo António, you will delve into the local cuisine with a tasting of various delicacies. Chances are, the menu will include Carne Vinho e Alhos, a traditional dish of pork marinated in wine and garlic. Side dishes may include favorites such as artisanal bread, sweet potatoes, fried corn and local cheeses.

• Gain a remarkably in-depth understanding of Madeira’s cuisine and drinks through tastings.
• Sample poncho, a traditional citrus drink that made have originated in India.
• Imbibe and dine in a mountain village and in a suburb of Funchal, two representative settings.

Don’t miss a unique opportunity to visit the spectacular ‘City of Lights’, from two perspectives. After an approximately three-hour drive from Le Havre, you’ll arrive in Paris to discover the most important sights.

Your guide will point out Place de l’Etoile, its Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees Avenue at the end of which the Place de la Concorde offers to all visitors, its legendary obelisk. Continue to the Rive Gauche where the most impressive monuments of Paris are located. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, a glass-covered sightseeing riverboat awaits you for a scenic cruise on the Seine River. Enjoy a different perspective of this monumental city from the water while having lunch. See the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and much more. During your lunch cruise, you’ll not only discover the quays and the monuments of this enchanting city, but also the districts where the nobility and the Bourgeoisie live. Afterwards, before driving back to Le Havre, you’ll enjoy some free time in the city near the Trocadero.

Drive along the elegant Passeig de Gracia with its wrought-iron street lamps and fine array of Modernist buildings, including Gaudi’s Casa Mila, with its arches and spiral chimneys. It is known locally as “the stone quarry,” because of its wavy facade of rough stone. Originally designed as an apartment building, it now houses a cultural center. Stop for a photo of Gaudi’s controversial and towering masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) Church. Begun in 1883, it is still unfinished. A panoramic drive takes you through the memorial Arch of Triumph and Ciutadella Park, home to State of Catalona’s parliament, museums and a monumental fountain designed by a student of Gaudi. You’ll also enjoy spectacular views of the harbor and the Olympic Stadium from the top of Montjuic. Last but not least, stroll at your leisure the narrow streets and handsome squares of the old Quarter, lined with medieval buildings contemporary shops, bohemian artist workshops and cool bars and restaurants.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Split! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time.

Your tour begins with an orientation drive thru Split with designated selfie stops at: • Bacvice Beach
• Split National Theatre
• Vidilica Viewpoint
• S. Dominous Cathedral
• And MORE!

To make this experience even more fun you will be provided with a selfie stick to help catch your best pose. Your picture-perfect day includes a local snack of smoked ham, cheese and a glass of wine. End the day with some free time to explore on your own before returning to the ship.

Immerse yourself in the rich history of intriguing Portimão with an enlightening visit to a museum and a guided walk through its quaint Old Town, where you’ll discover intriguing landmarks that survived the ravages of the 1755 earthquake that leveled Lisbon. Meander through narrow streets and find the stalwart Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição, which still retains its original 15th-century Gothic doorway, buttresses and gargoyles. Note the equally magnificent later additions, including signature 17th-century azulejo tiles and a regal statue of Saint Peter the Apostle that is lavishly adorned with ivory and wood crucifixes.

You’ll explore the Convento do Colégio dos Jesuítas and the mausoleum of Diogo Gonçalves, a nobleman who funded the church’s construction a century before the quake, and revel in some free time to shop or further examine the city’s churches. Delve into a wealth of exhibits at the Museu de Portimão, housed in a former fish-canning factory on the picturesque Arade River, and learn how early settlements in the area were altered by Roman and Islamic occupations. You’ll long remember the treasures to be found in Portimão’s endlessly captivating Old Town.

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 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.