Enjoy an enlightening tour of Naples and folded pizza, a classic Neapolitan treat. Your panoramic drive will present views from affluent Posillipo Hill and of the imposing Castle Nuovo. The castle’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 somewhat dividing 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. To delve even deeper 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 for an espresso and portafoglio or folded pizza, as the dish was invented in Naples.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Drive through Naples taking in the panoramic views and passing key landmarks. • See two castles and several churches among the architectural highlights. • Walk through Old Town and pause to enjoy folded pizza, a treat invented in Naples.

Discover the best of Corfu on this tour. You’ll tour the island, visit a stunning palace and enjoy a traditional lunch with live entertainment at a local taverna. Drive through Corfu and arrive at Mon Repos Palace built by order of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and completed in 1891. The empress had fallen in love with the natural beauty of the island during her 1861 visit and also developed a great appreciation for Greek history and mythology.

After a guided visit of the grounds and palace, you’ll continue to the traditional village of Kinopiastes. Enjoy a rich and traditional lunch at the famous Tripas Tavern accompanied by live Greek music and dancers. Board your coach for the drive back to the Old Town of Corfu where you’ll have the opportunity to either be dropped off, to walk through the narrow lanes and browse on your own, or return with the coach directly to your ship.

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 a rural farm and tour the fields with the owners, who will be quite willing to discuss how farming and life has changed since Latvia’s independence from the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, collective farming was practiced, in which government-owned farms banded together to grow crops. When Latvia gained its independence in 1991, farms could be privately owned again. The farm that you will visit grows an abundance of raspberries and strawberries, as the conditions in this part of Latvia are quite favorable for both crops. Growing berries became even more widespread following the Soviet era because the farmers could directly reap the benefits. You may have the opportunity to pick some berries (if available) in the fields and enjoy homemade seasonal pie while lingering over a cup of tea with the owners of the farm. Feel free to ask them about their lives before and after Soviet rule. It is sure to be an eye-opening experience. Gain an understanding of how farming has changed since Soviet rule ended in 1991. Tour a berry farm with the owners and learn more about its challenges and development. Enjoy some berries (if available) and homemade seasonal pie and a cup of tea with the owners as they discuss post-Soviet rural life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain an understanding of how farming has changed since Soviet rule ended in 1991.
• our a berry farm with the owners and pick your own raspberries and strawberries.
• Enjoy the berries and a cup of tea with the owners as they discuss post-Soviet rural life.

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.

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.

The Ottomans and Byzantines ruled this city for centuries, and testament to these great empires stand the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, opposite each other in Sultanahmet Square. You’ll see these two impressive of Istanbul as well as the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Start with a visit to one of the most recognized landmarks in the world, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, better known as the Blue Mosque. Continue to the Hippodrome, to see the remains of what was once the scene for political struggles in the capital city of the Byzantine Empire. See the Hagia Sophia Mosque from outside a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It served as a church for hundreds of years during the Byzantine Empire and was converted to a Mosque when the city was conquered by the Ottomans in 1453. Continue to the great Byzantine Basilica Cistern, located across from Hagia Sophia. Next stop is the Grand Bazaar. You’ll have a short time to experience the exotic atmosphere of the covered part.

Experience local life by exploring food markets and a shopping mall, sampling Finnish cuisine and then strolling a serene waterfront park. As you meander about the historical market Vanha Kaupahalli, you will gain an understanding of daily life in Helsinki. Similarly, after a short tram ride to the Kamppi Shopping Centre, you will get a feel for other types of merchandise available to the residents, mainly fashions and jewelry. You will then ride the metro to Hakaniemi Market, a shopping area that specializes in gourmet foods and delicacies. To see if the local cuisine suits your palate, you will sample traditional snacks such as cold smoked reindeer with marinated red onion, Finnish archipelago bread with lemon crème fraiche and salmon, and non-alcoholic rhubarb soda. To become further immersed in local life, you will stroll through waterfront Kaivopuisto Park, which is on the southernmost tip of Helsinki and surrounded by embassies and extravagant homes.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Observe local life while browsing the merchandise at several popular shopping areas.
• Recognize the vast range of stores available in urban Helsinki.
• Sample traditional Norwegian snacks and stroll a waterfront park.

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.

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.

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.

Meet a Nordic assistant designer and discover how she upcycles discarded waste materials to create green fashions. The venue for this enlightening experience will be the Telliskivi Creative City, a former industrial complex that has been converted into the largest creative center in Estonia, which is also a member of the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network. Of all the studios and galleries, the one that Reet Aus owns may be the most inspiring. She is committed to ending the fashion industry’s throwaway culture by creating clothing with excess textiles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. By upcycling or turning old garments into higher-quality sustainable ones, she helps to reduce Estonia’s carbon footprint. You will find a similar environmentally conscious atmosphere at the photography museum Fotografiska. After browsing the exhibits, you will enjoy lunch at a zero-waste restaurant, where the dishes are as creative as the photography. Views of Tallinn’s World Heritage site, Old Town, will enhance the dining experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Meet an assistant designer that upcycles discarded textiles to create sustainable fashions.
• See stylish high-quality clothing made with materials once earmarked for the landfill.
• Browse a photography museum and dine in its zero-waste restaurant.

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