13 nights. Italy, Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, Malta

Day 1

genoa, italy

Departure: 18:00

Genova is a city of contrasts: it's a city of art as well as an industrial city. It has glass skyscrapers and medieval towers, business centres and unspoiled historic sites. Genoa is one of Italy’s most important ports that now accommodates Europe’s largest aquarium and the largest maritime history museum in the Mediterranean. Strolling down its narrow, twisting lanes, known as caruggi, visitors will discover architectural gems, some excellent museums and art galleries. Porta Soprana, the best known gate in the ancient Genoa city walls, gives way to the Piazza de Ferrari, with its Palace of the Doges and the Opera House. Along the Strade Nuove, a stunning avenue listed as a World Heritage Site, is where we find the Palazzi dei Rolli, a roster of aristocratic homes that are a reminder of the city’s imperial past. Genoa is an elusive and secretive city, it will take you to great bars, share its cuisine and give you a glimpse of culture, but it’ll have to get to know you first.

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Day 2

Civitavecchia (Rome), italy

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 18:00

Modern and old, past and present go hand in hand, all the time. Whether you're in Rome for 3 days, 3 weeks or 3 months, be ready to step into the world’s largest open air museum. Rome will charm you and it will hardly leave you unmoved. It will surprise you, as it has so much to offer to any visitor, and its beauty has merely been slightly obscured by the passage of time. Rome is one of the world's most photogenic cities - not surprising when you remember what's here - The Vatican, the Trevi Fountain, St Peter's Square, Spanish Steps, Colosseum... Whether you spend your time sightseeing, or lounging in cafés watching the world go by, it will be your turn to star in your very own Roman Holiday. If you can plan to stay for as long as a week, you won't run out of things to do and you'll still feel like you're leaving too soon.

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Day 4

katakolon, greece

Arrival: 10:00 - Departure: 17:00

Olympia is a town in Peloponnese. This was the location of the original Olympic Games. The games, held every four years in honour of the Greek god Zeus, lasted throughout the entire Classical Age. The central sanctuary or Altis included temples, altars, shrines, and public buildings for both religious and secular purposes. The flame for each modern Olympic Games is still lit in the town, by a reflection of sunlight in a parabolic mirror, and carried by torch to the place where the games are to be held.

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Day 5

heraklion (iraklion), crete

Arrival: 10:00 - Departure: 18:00

Heraklion is the capital of Crete and usually the starting point for holiday visitors wishing to explore the island. With about 130,000 inhabitants, it is the fifth largest town in Greece. The city is marked by different influences of Venetians, Saracens, and Greeks. History is very much alive in Heraklion, just like in most Greek cities. All around the old part of the city, a visitor can walk following the old Venetian walls that meet at a bastion called Koules Fortress, which dominates the old harbour of the city. The Venetians began the construction of the city walls in 1462, and they took more than a century to complete. The walls are about 4 km in length and of a triangular shape with seven bastions and are now one of the icons of the city. The central square, surrounded by stores, cafes, and restaurants, is dominated by the fountain of the Lions, built by a Venetian governor in the 17th century. The Archaeological Museum at Heraklion is impressive, and it is the pride and joy of the city. The displays are satisfyingly thorough and well laid out; all aspects of life in Crete from prehistory through to the Roman period are covered in a series of spacious galleries. The Palace at Knossos is the second most popular tourist site in all of Greece, second only to the Acropolis. The site is in incredible shape, and there is much to see. It is also in a beautiful setting with great views over the countryside. Heraklion offers a vast array of historic and archaeological holiday attractions, including its world-famous museum and the nearby site of Knossos, the heart of the ancient Minoan civilisation. The shoreline in the city, Amoudara, is a three-kilometre strip of sandy beach, with lots of cafes, bars, and hotels, and the site of Technopolis, a modern multiplex cinema and open-air theatre. The most beautiful beaches outside the city are found in Kartero and Malia.

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Day 6

rhodes, greece

Arrival: 07:00 - Departure: 16:00

Rhodes is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of land area and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Rhodes regional unit, which is part of the South Aegean region. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Rhodes. It is located northeast of Crete, southeast of Athens and just off the Anatolian coast of Turkey. Rhodes' nickname is The Island of the Knights. MAIN TOURIST ATTRACTIONS • Asklipio Inland from Kiotari. In the little church there are fascinating displays, honouring the continuity of the cult of healing from ancient times to a modern midwife and nurse. • Cape Prasonisi. The southern-most tip of Rhodes. There is a peninsula connected to the main island by a sand bar. • Castle with acropolis over Lindos • Castle of Kastellos. • Castle of Monolithos. • Epta Piges. • Filerimos Hill. Medieval remains, a monastery and chapel. • Kamiros. Ancient ruins. • Tsambika Peak. • Rhodes Old Town - Palace of the Prince Grand Master. - Street of Knights. - Fortifications. • Valley of the Butterflies.

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Day 7

limassol, cyprus

Arrival: 10:00 - Departure: 19:00

Limassol is the second largest city in Cyprus. After the Turkish invasion in 1974, it became the main sea port and has also developed into a significant tourist destination. Limassol Castle holds a dominant position among the landmarks and tourist attractions in the city. In Limassol, shore excursions offer a unique experience of exploring the city's various monuments and landmarks amidst the elaborate luxury of a cruise. Shore excursions bring tourists to places and attractions in and around Limassol, including Kolossi Castle, the Troodos Mountains, Omodos Village, Larnaka and Lefkara, Paphos and Nicosia.

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Day 8

port said, egypt

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 21:30

Port Said is a city in north-eastern Egypt that stretches for about 30 kilometres (19 miles) along the Mediterranean coast, just north of the Suez Canal. Its twin city is Port Fuad, on the eastern bank of the canal. The two cities are so closely linked that Port Fuad barely has a distinct town centre. They are connected by free ferries operating throughout the day, and together they form a metropolitan area of over one million people, spanning both the African and Asian sides of the Suez Canal.

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Day 9

alexandria, egypt

Arrival: 09:00 - Departure: 22:00

Alexandria is Egypt's second largest city, its largest seaport and the country's window onto the Mediterranean Sea. It's a faded shade of its former glorious cosmopolitan self, but still worth a visit for its many cultural attractions and still-palpable glimpses of its past. The most important sites to see in Alexandria are: • Qaitbay Citadel, Ras el-Tin: One of the icons of the city, the fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea and the city itself. This citadel was built in 1480 by Sultan Qaitbay on the site of the Pharos lighthouse, to protect the city from the crusaders who used to attack the city by sea. It was erected on the exact site of the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria. • Mostafa Kamel Cemetery: The cemetery includes four tombs dating from the second century BC, which are in excellent condition and very well decorated. • Kom el-Shouqafa, Karmou: Kom el-Shouqafa is the Arabic translation of ancient Greek name, Lofus Kiramaikos, which means "mound of fragments" or "pots". • Pompey's Pillar, Karmouz: An ancient monument, this column of 25 meters of granite was built in honour of Emperor Diocletian in the year 297. The confined area where the column is, has also other ruins and sculptures as the oracle Serapium. • Roman Theatre, Kom El-Dikka: Built in the second century AD. In Ptolemaic times this area was the Park of Pan, a garden of pleasure surrounded by Roman villas and baths. • Montazah Palace: Built in 1892 by Abbas II of Egypt Abbas Hilmi Pasha, the last Khedive of Egypt. One of the palace buildings, the Haramlek, now contains a casino on the ground floor and a museum of royal relics on the upper levels. • Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Mansheya: Egypt has a Tomb of this Unknown Soldier. • Presidential Palace, Montazah. • Alexandria National Museum: historical museum with more than 1,800 archaeological pieces. • Greco-Roman Museum: A history museum with a vast collection mostly dating from the 3rd century BC, spanning the Ptolemaic and Roman periods.

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Day 12

valletta, malta

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 18:00

The wee capital of Malta, the city is less than 1 sq km in size, but has loads to offer visitors. Valletta is known as one of the most densely packed historic areas in the world, with its 7,000 years of history. It's no surprise then, that the City of Valletta was officially recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. Built by the knights of St John in the 16th and 17th centuries for military and strategic reasons, Valletta was later spruced up into a fine example of baroque decorative art – most notably in the magnificent interiors of St John’s Co-Cathedral in the heart of the city. Shady atmospheric alleyways link grand squares, and grand palazzi sit alongside pubs and shops. Recently, the city has seen some major changes to create a more vibrant urbanity, with the renovation of the main City Gate and the design of a new parliament building, as well as the renovation of the bombed-out Opera House. Valletta's natural deep water port, the Grand Harbour, is the biggest and the most impressive harbour in all the Mediterranean and was, for many thousands of years, the epicentre of Malta’s maritime activity. Evidence of this are the 19 historical warehouses still standing dating back 250 years and the historic Quay Wall, where the Knights of St John and European merchants used to unload their goods. The Valletta Waterfront is also the gateway to Malta’s capital city. In fact, as one of the most successful Mediterranean ports, the Port of Valletta welcomes more than half-a-million cruise passengers into this open air museum. Recently, the waterfront has been revitalised into an attractive and vibrant gateway of shops, pubs and restaurants. It’s particularly romantic at night when lit up. There are loads of outdoor pursuits to enjoy thanks to the city’s moderate climate. From diving to sailing, cycling to rock climbing, there are a number of different adrenalin-busting options to satisfy adventurous holidaymakers. Just don't expect Valletta to be buzzing all night, its tranquility is a large part of its charm.

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Day 14

genoa, italy

Arrival: 08:00

Genova is a city of contrasts: it's a city of art as well as an industrial city. It has glass skyscrapers and medieval towers, business centres and unspoiled historic sites. Genoa is one of Italy’s most important ports that now accommodates Europe’s largest aquarium and the largest maritime history museum in the Mediterranean. Strolling down its narrow, twisting lanes, known as caruggi, visitors will discover architectural gems, some excellent museums and art galleries. Porta Soprana, the best known gate in the ancient Genoa city walls, gives way to the Piazza de Ferrari, with its Palace of the Doges and the Opera House. Along the Strade Nuove, a stunning avenue listed as a World Heritage Site, is where we find the Palazzi dei Rolli, a roster of aristocratic homes that are a reminder of the city’s imperial past. Genoa is an elusive and secretive city, it will take you to great bars, share its cuisine and give you a glimpse of culture, but it’ll have to get to know you first.

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