La Dolce Vita - Italy’s Wonders from Rome to Venice

Fly by scheduled flight. Arrive and transfer to our central hotel for an overnight stay. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Spend the morning in the Eternal City and choose to explore at your own pace or join a guided walking tour which will visit some of the iconic sites of the city including the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Navona Square and the Spanish Steps. This afternoon we will transfer to the port of Civitavecchia to embark the MS Island Sky and sail in the early evening.

Arriving in Naples we see the Norman castle that protects the port and the backdrop of Mount Vesuvius in the distance. There will be a choice of tours today and you may choose to visit Herculaneum, a wealthy Roman town which was completely submerged by volcanic mud following the 79 AD eruption of Vesuvius. Since its rediscovery in 1709, excavations have revealed beautiful public baths, villas and gardens of noble families, decorated with murals and floor mosaics, and the remains of a theatre. Alternatively explore Naples including the Piazza del Plebiscito with its range of buildings including the Galleria Umberto I, the Maschio Angioino and the Palazzo Reale. Inside the palace you will visit the Historical Apartment, which is accessed through the majestic Staircase of Honour, which Montesquieu described as the most beautiful in Europe. Also see the Teatro San Carlo which was built in 1737 and is the oldest opera house in Europe. The afternoon is free to explore at your own pace and you may wish to walk the bustling Via dei Tribunali in the historic centre or make your way to one of the city’s pizzerias to enjoy one of Naples’s most famous exports.

Overnight we will have sailed around the Amalfi coast to the ancient city of Salerno, our gateway to the Cilento region, a mix of small villages, coastal paths, archaeological sites, national parks and renowned as the home of the Mediterranean diet. Maybe choose to visit the site of Paestum, which was founded by Greeks in 600 BC. This well preserved and fascinating site was rediscovered in 1752 and during our time we will see the impressive Temple Poseidon, the Basilica, Amphitheatre and Aethenian before spending some time in the museum, adjacent to the site. Alternatively learn about one of the Cilento region’s main exports as we visit a farm to hear about the production of the local Mozzarella di Bufala.

From the nearby port of Messina, you can choose to visit Taormina, a walled town lying in the shadow of Mount Etna, Europe’s highest volcano. The town has been a popular tourist destination since the 19th century and our guided tour will include walking the characteristic alleys before visiting the 15th century Palazzo Corvaja and the impressive Greek Theatre from where there are marvellous views over the town and coast. Alternatively, join an excursion to Tindari a town which was founded by Syracusan merchants during the war against Carthage in 396 BC. The ruins of the ancient city are relatively well preserved and the structure that astounds above all others is the 4th century Greek Theatre which is a marvel of acoustic engineering. However, the foremost attraction is the Sanctuary of the Madonna Nera containing the sculpture of the Virgin and Child, in citron wood, and which is said to have reached Tindari in an attempt by the faithful to keep it safe from the 8th century Byzantine Iconoclast movement.

Syracuse was founded by the Greeks in 734 BC and by the 5th century was a political and military power throughout the Mediterranean, rivalling Athens as the largest and most beautiful city in the Greek world. This morning we visit the Neapolis Archaeological Park to discover the wellpreserved Greek theatre with seats carved from limestone. Paradise Quarry, now an attractive garden and orange grove, was the primary source of that limestone and is the site of the curious ‘Ear of Dionysius’, a vast grotto with an amplifying resonance. Returning to the ship for lunch we have a free afternoon to explore Ortigia, the historical centre of Syracuse where we find the Temple of Apollo, considered to be Sicily’s most ancient Doric temple and the Baroque Cathedral, erected over the remains of the Temple of Minerva. We meet this evening for a private concert in one of the town’s palazzos accompanied by local food and wine.

After a busy few days, spend a leisurely day on board allowing time to relax on deck and attend a lecture.

After breakfast we will drive to Lecce, often referred to as ‘The Florence of the South’ with its amazing collection of Baroque architecture. A guided walk will include a visit to the beautifully decorated Santa Croce Basilica and Piazza Duomo, considered one of the finest and most impressive squares in southern Italy. We return to the ship for lunch and a leisurely afternoon to explore Otranto independently, maybe walk the winding streets or along the seaside promenade. The highlight is the wonderful cathedral with its Medieval mosaic floor created by the monk, Pantaleone, between 1163 and 1165. You can also see the Chapel of the Dead which shows the bones and skulls of 813 martyrs killed by the invading Turks in 1480.

This morning there is a choice of excursions. You may choose to join the tour into the Puglian countryside which is scattered with ‘trulli’, limestone dwellings built with dome or conical roofs. We will enjoy a pleasant walk in Alberobello, a fairy-tale trulli village and a UNESCO World Heritage Site and see the St Anthony Church also built in trullo style. Alternatively, head to the ‘White City’ of Ostuni, so called due to the almost blinding sunlight reflecting on the walls of its whitewashed dwellings. Ostuni has a privileged position as it was built on three hills and from the top of the town you can enjoy a stunning view of the Adriatic coast from which Ostuni is separated by an ocean of centuries-old olive trees. The town has maintained its Medieval atmosphere which we will experience as we walk through the meandering, narrow and picturesque streets of the old town which lead to the impressive 15th century cathedral, a beautiful example of Apulian Romanesque style. After lunch on board you can enjoy a free afternoon in Monopoli to wander through the historic centre, visit the cathedral or see the Castello di Carlo V.

Arrive this morning at the busy port of Ancona, from where we will have a choice of excursions. We will head inland to the UNESCO city of Urbino, birthplace of the artist Raphael, with a historic centre that appears little changed since the 15th century, when it became a centre of culture attracting artists and scholars from all over Italy. See the Duomo, the house where Raphael was born in 1483, which is now a museum, as well as the impressive Palazzo Ducale, built under Federico da Montefeltro, where we find the National Gallery of Marche containing a stunning collection of Renaissance art. Alternatively, join a morning tour to the renowned Marian pilgrimage site of Loreto to visit the small town, its lovely piazza and the church of the “Holy House”, built for enshrining the house in which the Blessed Virgin Mary is believed by some Catholics to have lived, which was transported all the way to Marche from Palestine. The afternoon is free to relax on board or explore Ancona at your own pace.

From our berth in Ravenna there will be a choice of tours today. Ravenna has a rich history being the capital of the Western Roman Empire and capital of the Ostrogoth Kingdom of Italy whilst the port of Classe was one of the largest in the Roman world. From the 4th to 6th century, the city became a hub for skilled craftsmen who covered the city’s churches in stunningly beautiful mosaics which were described by Dante as a “symphony of colour”. A morning tour will include the Basilica di Sant Apollinare, named after Ravenna’s patron and featuring mosaics of biblical figures such as Abraham and Emperor Constantine IV. Meanwhile, at the Basilica di San Vitale we will see mosaics representing Old Testament scenes and the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. Alternatively join a full day tour to Bologna, considered as one of the most beautiful cities in Italy, dominated by spectacular architecture from the Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque periods.

Spend the morning in Croatia and the atmospheric town of Rovinj where the houses inside the old town are small and lean into each other creating a unique atmosphere. Our guided walking tour will include the Franciscan Monastery, City Palace and the 17th century clock tower before we visit the town’s main landmark, St Euphemia Church, which is built on the top of a small hill. This Baroque building built in Venetian style was dedicated to the saint and martyr whose sarcophagus, according to a legend, was miraculously washed ashore somewhere around 800 AD. Depart over lunch and be on deck in the late afternoon as we sail into Venice where you may want to take the opportunity to enjoy a pre or post-dinner stroll. Moor overnight.

Disembark after breakfast and transfer to the airport for the return scheduled flight.