11-night Sicilian Splendors Cruise

Your driver will meet you at Civitavecchia today to transfer into Rome where you will be met by your expert local guide.
 

Begin your tour with a visit to the imposing Colosseum. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, the stadium could accommodate up to 50,000 spectators who came to view the gladiatorial battles that lasted up to 100 days! Adjacent is the Arc of Constantine which, dating from AD 315, is a forerunner to many other Triumphal Arches around the world. Possibly even more impressive are the excavations of the vast Roman Forum where the remains of temples, streetscapes, palaces and homes can be found.
 

After lunch, travel across the Tiber River to the Vatican City. Visit the Vatican Museums, part of the Papal Residence which is estimated to contain 1400 rooms, chapels and galleries. The Museums contain an extraordinarily rich collection of precious arts, maps, sculptures and antiquities but surely the most breath-taking masterpiece is Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. At the centre of the Vatican lies the vast Basilica of St. Paul, the world’s largest church where the colourfully dressed Swiss Guard can be found. The present Cathedral is a beautiful mix of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, formed under the hands of masters such as Michelangelo. The stunning interior is an elaborate and detailed display of marble, mosaic, gilt and bronze.

Your tour includes express entry to the Vatican Museums, past the regular lines. The Vatican requires visitors to cover upper arms and legs to below the knee.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

A tour designed for those who have visited Rome before, but would like to discover more of this fascinating city. Your driver will meet you at the port and bring you into Rome where your expert guide will be waiting for you.
 

Take a journey back in time at the church of San Clemente as you descend down three levels and through two thousand years of history. The medieval church was built over the remains of a 4th-century basilica which, in its turn, covers older buildings from the time of the emperor Nero and a sanctuary dedicated to the oriental divinity Mithras.

In the afternoon discover how Rome evolved through the 18th-century and visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a majestic royal residence of one of Rome’s most illustrious families. Believed to be the largest privately owned Palace in Rome, the Doria Pamphilj’s vast private art collection is still held here.
 

Your guide will also be delighted to make additional suggestions for your tour depending on your own personal interests. Alternatively, you may like to revisit some of your favourite places from your previous visit to Rome.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Travel with your driver to Rome this morning to meet a food expert for a gastronomic walking tour of the Trastevere District, so called because it lies across the River Tiber. Trastevere was once the bohemian quarter of Rome and still retains its arty edge today. Explore the bustling market and ancient maze of streets whilst discovering the essence of Italy’s best loved food with tastings of gelato, Sicilian pastries, Jewish delicacies, meats and wine.
 

The remainder of the day can be spent as you wish, your vehicle and driver will remain at your disposal in Rome before returning you to Civitavecchia.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low 

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Your driver will meet you at the port and bring you into Rome where your expert guide will meet you. Begin your tour on Capitoline Hill and visit one of the oldest museum complexes in the world; the Capitoline Museums, originally founded by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471. Capitoline Hill has been a seat of religious or political power throughout the centuries, making it the most important of the “seven hills” of Rome. It was here that the most important temple in town, dedicated to Jupiter, the king of the gods, was built. See the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter and marvel at the magnificent bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius at Campidoglio Square.
 

Afterwards, explore the museums, extended over two buildings; the Palazzo dei Conservatori, where you can view splendid frescoes portraying the history of Rome and the Pinacoteca (Picture gallery), and Palazzo Nuovo, where you can admire the wonderful sculptures. Finally visit the ancient Tabularium whose monumental arches overlook the Forum.  

Continue up along the Via Veneto to the elegant Villa Borghese, accompanied by your local expert guide and private vehicle. Surrounded by a leafy parkland, the villa was originally designed as a palace of pleasure and entertainment to house Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s incredible collection of antiquities, paintings and custom pieces. Today the collections of sculpture and paintings are among the most important in Italy. Admire the stunning Caravaggio canvases, Titian's enigmatic ‘Sacred and Profane Love’ and the striking sculptures by Bernini and Canova during this fabulous visit. Return to Civitavecchia from here.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Meet your expert local guide today for the ascent up to the wonderful town of Taormina which has overlooked Mount Etna since Greek times. Perched atop a high cliff, Taormina seems to float above the azure waters of the Bay of Naxos. The air in Sicily’s most glamorous spot is perfumed with the scent of orange and lemon blossom, and here you’ll find narrow streets full of local colours and flavour.
 

Explore this little corner of paradise today with your guide. A stroll through Taormina’s main street, Corso Umberto, reveals numerous chic stores and a wealth of historic interest. Visit the Greek Theatre, whose unparalleled position offers spectacular views of Mt. Etna and the surrounding landscape.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 3 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light 

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

The city of Syracuse, birthplace of Archimedes, was once described by Cicero as: "the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all." What began as a small Greek outpost would eventually become one of the most prosperous and powerful states in the entire ancient world.

From here take a short drive to the Neapolis to visit the Greek theatre, one of the most important examples of ancient theatre architecture in the world and once the centre of Siracusan life. Testament to its stature, it is said that famous Greek playwright Aeschylus once premiered works here. Sights also include the Roman Amphitheatre and the Latonia del Paradiso, the impressive ancient stone quarries and caves - the most famous of which was named "the Ear of Dionysius" by Caravaggio for its peculiar acoustic qualities.
 

A highlight of your day will be exploring the island of Ortigia, one of Sicily's most picture-perfect destinations and known for its beautiful white baroque architecture and the 5th century BC Temple of Athena.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Enjoy two sides of Sicily today: modern life and ancient history. First stop of the day is the city of Catania, which sits at the foot of Mount Etna. Discover the very vibrant morning fish market and the many baroque buildings in the city built using the lava stones of Etna.

From here, continue into the beautiful, rural landscapes of central Sicily and the town of Piazza Armerina. Here you will visit the site of Villa Romana del Casale, considered to be one of the finest examples of aristocratic dwellings from the Western Roman Empire, both in terms of beauty and complexity. While little remains of the structure today, an unparalleled series of mosaics depict scenes from mythology, hunting and Roman domestic lifestyle in exquisite detail.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Travel outside along the coast today with your driver to the ancient site of Pompeii where your expert local guide will meet you to explore this most famous of places. The extensive and varied ruins of Pompeii now provide us with a rich history of life at the time of the Roman Empire. There are theatres, thermal baths, shops and lavish dwellings, many of which have been incredibly well preserved. After your visit you will have time at leisure for lunch before returning to your cruise ship in Sorrento.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 6 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Today meet your English-speaking driver-guide and private vehicle for a half-day excursion along the stunning Amalfi Coast taking in the villages of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. The Amalfi drive is the most romantic drive in Italy, following the road snaking along the edge of the rocky cliffs that plunge straight into the sea. Amalfi is the coast's largest town and home to the magnificent 10th-century Duomo fronted by a beautifully coloured 13th-century facade. Also be sure to admire the amazing views from Ravello’s Villa Ruffolo.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 6 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Explore the island of Capri in style today as you take a cruise in your skippered private motorboat. As you circle the Island of Capri you will be able to stop at Marina Piccola, a delightfully picturesque inlet that provides the Caprisi and other sun worshippers with their best beach – it is also safe for swimming. The entire cove is romantically lined with stabilimenti – elegant bathing lidos.

We suggest lunch at Al Gallo D’Oro (payable locally), which serves an excellent selection of local fare.

Travelling west, pass the beach of Marina Grande and of Bagni di Tiberio. Continue to the next stretch of coastline which consists of the high calcareous cliff with fissures and grottoes covered by lush, indigenous vegetation.

Enjoy time at leisure for shopping or perhaps a lazy swim from the boat before cruising back to Sorrento.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Your driver will meet you at Civitavecchia today to transfer into Rome where you will be met by your expert local guide.
 

Begin your tour with a visit to the imposing Colosseum. Commissioned by Emperor Vespasian, the stadium could accommodate up to 50,000 spectators who came to view the gladiatorial battles that lasted up to 100 days! Adjacent is the Arc of Constantine which, dating from AD 315, is a forerunner to many other Triumphal Arches around the world. Possibly even more impressive are the excavations of the vast Roman Forum where the remains of temples, streetscapes, palaces and homes can be found.
 

After lunch, travel across the Tiber River to the Vatican City. Visit the Vatican Museums, part of the Papal Residence which is estimated to contain 1400 rooms, chapels and galleries. The Museums contain an extraordinarily rich collection of precious arts, maps, sculptures and antiquities but surely the most breath-taking masterpiece is Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. At the centre of the Vatican lies the vast Basilica of St. Paul, the world’s largest church where the colourfully dressed Swiss Guard can be found. The present Cathedral is a beautiful mix of Renaissance and Baroque architecture, formed under the hands of masters such as Michelangelo. The stunning interior is an elaborate and detailed display of marble, mosaic, gilt and bronze.

Your tour includes express entry to the Vatican Museums, past the regular lines. The Vatican requires visitors to cover upper arms and legs to below the knee.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

A tour designed for those who have visited Rome before, but would like to discover more of this fascinating city. Your driver will meet you at the port and bring you into Rome where your expert guide will be waiting for you.
 

Take a journey back in time at the church of San Clemente as you descend down three levels and through two thousand years of history. The medieval church was built over the remains of a 4th-century basilica which, in its turn, covers older buildings from the time of the emperor Nero and a sanctuary dedicated to the oriental divinity Mithras.

In the afternoon discover how Rome evolved through the 18th-century and visit the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a majestic royal residence of one of Rome’s most illustrious families. Believed to be the largest privately owned Palace in Rome, the Doria Pamphilj’s vast private art collection is still held here.
 

Your guide will also be delighted to make additional suggestions for your tour depending on your own personal interests. Alternatively, you may like to revisit some of your favourite places from your previous visit to Rome.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Travel with your driver to Rome this morning to meet a food expert for a gastronomic walking tour of the Trastevere District, so called because it lies across the River Tiber. Trastevere was once the bohemian quarter of Rome and still retains its arty edge today. Explore the bustling market and ancient maze of streets whilst discovering the essence of Italy’s best loved food with tastings of gelato, Sicilian pastries, Jewish delicacies, meats and wine.
 

The remainder of the day can be spent as you wish, your vehicle and driver will remain at your disposal in Rome before returning you to Civitavecchia.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/ Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low 

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Your driver will meet you at the port and bring you into Rome where your expert guide will meet you. Begin your tour on Capitoline Hill and visit one of the oldest museum complexes in the world; the Capitoline Museums, originally founded by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471. Capitoline Hill has been a seat of religious or political power throughout the centuries, making it the most important of the “seven hills” of Rome. It was here that the most important temple in town, dedicated to Jupiter, the king of the gods, was built. See the ruins of the Temple of Jupiter and marvel at the magnificent bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius at Campidoglio Square.
 

Afterwards, explore the museums, extended over two buildings; the Palazzo dei Conservatori, where you can view splendid frescoes portraying the history of Rome and the Pinacoteca (Picture gallery), and Palazzo Nuovo, where you can admire the wonderful sculptures. Finally visit the ancient Tabularium whose monumental arches overlook the Forum.  

Continue up along the Via Veneto to the elegant Villa Borghese, accompanied by your local expert guide and private vehicle. Surrounded by a leafy parkland, the villa was originally designed as a palace of pleasure and entertainment to house Cardinal Scipione Borghese’s incredible collection of antiquities, paintings and custom pieces. Today the collections of sculpture and paintings are among the most important in Italy. Admire the stunning Caravaggio canvases, Titian's enigmatic ‘Sacred and Profane Love’ and the striking sculptures by Bernini and Canova during this fabulous visit. Return to Civitavecchia from here.

Highlights:

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning/Afternoon

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities