11-night Around Italy's Boot: Cote D'Azur Cruise

Explore Trieste and its charming Miramare castle

This private tour will introduce you to the best features of Trieste and its area, including a mesmerizing castle Miramare, once a love nest of a Austro-Hungarian Emperor. We suppose this is proof that emperors have a softer side, as well. Trieste is a very vibrant city in North Italy, known for its mundane, hedonistic culture of after-work aperitifs, amazing food and fast but pleasant energy of the city. This melting pot of different cultures and religions, resulted in Trieste being a very interesting epicentre of culture today. Just outside Trieste, a beautiful castle is located, built under the Austro-Hungarian reign. Facing the sea, it is situated on steep rocks, and surrounded with romantic gardens that will take your breath away.

Highlights:

• unique sightseeing experience 

• Personal guide

• Round transfer

Tour Duration: up to 4h
Tour can operate: Morning 
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Easy

Inclusions: 

• Private guide
• Round transfers
• Tickets for Miramare Castle 

Not Included:

• Lunch
• Tips

Kotor: Walking Tour - 2 hours

Meet your guide at the tender pier ready for your walking tour of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Surrounded by impressive medieval bulwarks which extend above the town to the fortress of Sveti Ivan, Kotor was under the rule of the Republic of Venice between 1420 and 1797 and the Venetian influence on the architecture is strong. Take a walking tour of the town passing the Watch Tower, the 12th-century Cathedral of St Tripun, the Church of St Luc and the 17th-century Prince’s Palace.

Highlights:

• Walking tour of Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site

• An expert local guide in Kotor (2 hours)
• All taxes

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

Kotor: Highlights of Montenegro - 8 hours

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Kotor is surrounded by impressive medieval bulwarks. Strong Venetian influences can be seen in the architecture and a walking tour of the town reveals the Watch Tower (Sat Kula), the 12th-century Cathedral of St Tripun, the Church of St Luc and the 17th-century Prince’s Palace.
After lunch at leisure, drive over the Lov´cen mountain (the Black Mountain which gives Montenegro its name) to Cetinj. The former capital of Montenegro, Cetinj was home to Njegoš, Montenegro’s greatest poet and king. Visit the National Museum of Montenegro, and the monastery before continuing to Budva, one of the oldest settlements on the Adriatic Sea, dating back to the 5th century BC. In the Middle Ages when Budva was under Venetian rule, the town was fortified by powerful Venetian walls to protect against the Ottoman conquests.

Highlights:

• Enjoy a walking tour of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kotor
• Visit to the National Museum of Montenegro in Cetinj
• Discover the Venetian influences on the historic town of Budva

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert local guide (8 hours)
• Entrance fees to all stated sights and museums
• All taxes

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

Kotor sightseeing

This tour will start with a meeting with your guide. Kotor is located at the end of Boka Kotorska (Bay of Boka) where Mount Lovcen and the sea cuddle the town. Kotor is a town that belongs to a very “young” country, Montenegro, even though founded in 2006 as an independent country, the area has a deep and unique history and cultural richness dating back to the Neolithic ages. Kotor is an excellent combination of natural, cultural, and historical beauties which makes the town worth visiting even more than once in a lifetime. Your visit to the Old town in Kotor can be supplemented with a visit to the Maritime museum, which is found on the Square of the Boka fleet.

Highlights:

• Unique sightseeing experience
• Personal guide

Corfu Town & Achilleion Palace - 4.5 hours

Guests will be met by our English speaking guide to commence the tour. Upon completion of the tour, transfer will be provided back to the ship.

We drive to the old historical village of Gastouri and we arrive at the Achilleion Palace, the former residence of Empress Elizabeth of Austria and later that of Kaiser Wilhelm the 2nd.  Here we visit the museum with mementos of the two Royalties and enjoy the splendour of its landscaped gardens and the statues including the famous statue of the dying Achilles.

Continue through the coastal road of Perama to the beauty spot of Kanoni, where there will be time for drinks (upon consumption) and to photograph the famous views of Mouse Island.

From Kanoni, we continue to Corfu Town for a walking tour in the Historical centre of the fascinating old city where the following historical sights are to be seen:

• The residence of the High Commissioner, a splendid Edwardian building completed in 1824, once the sea  of the Knights of Saint Michael and Saint George up to 1864 and later the Palace of the King of Greece.
• The bronze statue of the British High Commissioner, Sir Frederick Adam.
• The Venetian quarters of Cambiello and Corfu's Historical Centre.
• The Town Hall, once a Venetian theatre, built in 1690.
• The Church of Saint Spyridon, Patron Saint of Corfu with the rare icons and where the Holy body of the Saint lays in a crypt.
• There will be free time for shopping before transfer back to the Port

Duration: approx. 4 1/2 hours

Notes:
It is recommended that guests wear flat, comfortable walking shoes.

Corfu Culinary Experience (Full Day)

Highlights/Description:
Corfu is the ideal place to enjoy a diverse mix of different tastes. The cuisine is inextricably tied in with its history and this is what makes the food here so different from the rest of Greece. The cuisine is neither spicy nor bland, but rich in the flavours of the Mediterranean. Specialties consist of local ingredients found on the island; especially olives, lemons, vegetables, tomatoes and fish. Many dishes hark back to the days when cooks put all the ingredients in a single pot and left it to simmer all day.
 
Today’s excursion starts with the Old Town of Corfu, where you may enjoy a walking tour of this UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. You will discover the town’s beautiful sites such as Saint Spyridon Church, dedicated to the protector of the island, the charming narrow Venetian alleyways, the famous Esplanade, one of the largest squares in Europe, the elegant Liston where access in the past was only allowed to the aristocracy of Corfu who were written down in the “Libro d’Oro’’, the Dimarcheio, or Town Hall, and the imposing Palace of St Michael and St George. After exploring Corfu historical center take a stroll through the local market.
 
Your tour continues with a scenic drive through the countryside to Triklino Vineyard, also known as Ambelonas Corfu, which is situated in Pelekas upon a hill with a panoramic view of central Corfu. Here local varieties of grapes are grown around a building of local architecture, in which traditional oil and wine production tools are displayed.
 
Upon arrival you will be welcomed with herbal soft drink. Get to know the history of the estate, the vineyard, the wild herbs and vegetables, the equipment and the processes for traditional olive and wine making and then spend some time learning about the principles ingredients and techniques of Mediterranean cuisine and the Corfiot culinary culture. You will then follow a step-by-step live presentation of the preparation of a full Corfiot meal – starter, salad, first course, main course, and desert. Participate in the cooking and sample the dishes at different stages of cooking. After the demonstration you will be able to enjoy lunch while relaxing in the ambient surroundings in the nature before returning to the port.
 
Tour Duration: 7 Hours
Tour can operate: Morning
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Light

Inclusions:

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Applicable taxes
• Transfers to/from Corfu port (applies to tour + cooking class only)

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Cultural Tour of Corfu (Half Day) - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Kanoni (Mouse Island and the Monastery of Vlacherna)
• Museum of Asiatic Art in the Palace of St. George
• Old Town of Corfu

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port  
• Entrance and tasting fees will be additional and can be pre-booked

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Exciting Jeep Safari in Corfu (Half Day) - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:
Discover Angelokastro, Lakones and Paleokastritsa driving through lush vegetation routes and traditional Corfiot villages. Admire panoramic breathtaking views of West Corfu and explore the magnificent bays with the crystal clear blue waters in a premium 4x4 vehicle.
First we will follow a route through Corfiot villages heading towards the western part of the island to Angelokastro – (“Castle of Angels”) which is located at the top of the highest peak of the island’s shoreline in the northwest coast near Paleokastritsa and is one of the most important Byzantine castles of Greece. A stunning view of Corfu’s west coast and the amazing terrain provide an ideal spot to admire the view, shoot some panoramic photos and refresh ourselves. Continuing our route through Lakones village with its surroundings is also known as Bella Vista, one of the top 10 views in Europe, and along the road in and out of the village, we will stop to enjoy the view while enjoying our coffee or tea. After our coffee stop, we follow a route from the top of the hill down to Paleokastritsa. Paleokastritsa is one of the most celebrated and attractive spots on Corfu island, with many coves with incredibly clear water surrounded by olive, cypress, and lemon trees. The lush vegetation and landscape combines blue and green waters with picturesque rocky bays and the monastery of Virgin Mary with the small museum. Visit the Monastery of The Virgin Mary in Paleokastritsa and take in superb views over the sea, and the rock that is said to be Odysseus' ship turned to stone.

• Tea/coffee or juice included
• liability insurance included
• Angelokastro is closed on Tuesdays
• Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes
• Sun protection and a hat are recommended

• English-speaking driver - escort
• Applicable taxes
• Entrance fee to Angelokastro
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Highlights of Corfu - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Mon Repos Palace
• Kanoni (Mouse Island and the Monastery of Vlacherna)
• Old Town of Corfu

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port
• Entrance fees

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Paleokastritsa and Theotoky Estate - 4 hours

Highlights/Description:

• Monastery of Paleokastritsa
• Wine and meze in Theotoky Estate

• Licensed, English-speaking guide
• Luxury vehicle
• Applicable taxes
• Pick-up/Drop off at Corfu port
• Entrance fees

• Meals, unless otherwise noted
• Gratuities
• Personal expenses

Civitavecchia: Imperial Rome & The Vatican City - 8 hours

• Tour some of Rome's most iconic sites including the Colosseum and the Roman Forum
• Explore the impressive museum collections in the Vatican City and the breath-taking masterpiece that is Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel
• Spend time in the Basilica of St. Paul, the largest church in the world

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to Colosseum, Imperial Forum and Vatican Museums
• All taxes

Civitavecchia: Rome for Repeat Visitors - 8 hours

• Visit the church of San Clemente and discover its fascinating history
• Explore the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, a majestic royal residence of one of Rome’s most illustrious families, which houses a vast private art collection

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to San Clemente and Doria Pamphilij
• All taxes

Civitavecchia: Gastronomic Rome and Time at Leisure - 8 hours

• Uncover Rome's bohemian quarter, along with tastings of Italy's best loved delicacies 
• Car and driver at your disposal to discover Rome

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert local guide (3 hours)
• Entrance fees
• All taxes
• Food and wine tastings

Civitavecchia: Museums of Rome - Capitoline and Borghese - 8 hours

• Travel out to Capitoline Hill and visit one of the oldest museum complexes in the world
• Visit Villa Borghese, home to a collection of sculptures and paintings that are among the most important in Italy

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Rome (6 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Capitoline Museums and Villa Borghese
• All taxes

Livorno: Cycling Lucca's Medieval Walls - 5 hours

• Walking tour through the streets of Lucca, a beautifully preserved Tuscan town
• Cycle along the city walls, admiring the incredible views 

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Lucca (3 hours)
• Bicycle rental
• All taxes

Livorno: Chianti Countryside & Wine Tasting - 8 hours

Meet your guide and driver at the pier side of Livorno for a full day of discovery in the Chianti region of Tuscany.  Hill-towns gaze across the countryside from on high, many encircled by Etruscan walls and slender cypress trees. As you travel along the winding roads, soak up the rich panorama comprising beautiful rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. Admire the charming hamlets and farmhouses as well as fortified villas and castles that symbolise colourful history of the region during the Middle Ages. Travel through San Casciano, Badia a Passignano, Montefioralle, Greve and Castellina on your way to the Casanova Winery.  Here you will be met by your guide for a tour of the vineyards and, of course, tastings of their fine red wines.
After lunch at your leisure, continue to the picturesque medieval town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its surviving towers where you may wish to see the Collegiata containing 15th-century frescoes, the Palazzo del Popolo containing Renaissance paintings or simply wander the narrow cobbled streets. 

Highlights:

Casanova Winery
San Gimignano

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at disposal during the tour
• An English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the Casanova winery

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

Livorno: Best of Florence & Pisa - 8 hours

Your English-speaking driver will meet your at Livorno pier today for the journey through Tuscany to Florence where your expert local guide will be waiting for you. As you stroll through the narrow streets, take in the lovely piazzas, churches and palaces before visiting Florence’s most famous landmark; the splendid Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore).

At the Galleria dell' Accademia, the world’s most celebrated statue awaits you. Marvel at Michelangelo's exquisite David; a colossal 17-foot nude inspired by the biblical hero renowned for heroically killing the giant Goliath. Wander along the enchanting medieval streets until you emerge out onto the open Piazza della Signoria; the centre of political life in Florence since the 14th-century.

After lunch at leisure, return to Livorno stopping briefly in Pisa to admire the famous Leaning Tower.

Highlights:

• Florence's Duomo
• Galleria dell'Accademia
• Piazza della Signoria
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Florence (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Galleria dell'Accademia

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

St Tropez: Highlights of St Tropez - 4 hours

St Tropez is one of a handful of place names known around the world, and for many, the very mention of the name conjures up images of the ultimate hedonistic jet-set resort. Set on the lovely blue water of the Bay of St Tropez, this modern version of a medieval town is most popular for the line of yachts along the quay, and the facing line of terrace cafés, divided by a parade of strolling tourists and slowly cruising expensive cars.
Take the time to explore the narrow little streets and markets. In the Place aux Herbes, the fishermen sell their catch and local farmers their fruit and vegetables. The real heart of the town is the Place des Lices. Here, the locals play boules under the shade of plane trees surrounded by some fine restaurants. If shopping for luxury items is your thing, all the major French and Italian designers have boutiques in St Tropez.

Highlights:

• Explore St Tropez's narrow streets and markets, where fishermen sell their fresh catch

Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours

Your chauffeur and your guide will
be waiting for you at the port. They will be at disposal for 8 hours. Your chauffeur will drive you to the city center of Barcelona.

A Walk Through Barcelona
You will start your day by an exciting 2-hour walking tour of the oldest parts of Barcelona: the Barri Gothic and Born neighborhoods. You will follow your guide as he/she leads you into the small, narrow streets to discover the vibrant, trendy ambiance of Born and the historical atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter. You will see the Santa Maria Del Mar church, the Royal Palace and the world famous “Las Ramblas” avenue. The fun facts and stories
told by our guide will keep your children highly engaged. The children will each get a game booklet to keep them engaged and entertained. After this tour, you will enjoy a
lunch break. Your guide will be there to give recommendations depending on your taste.

Included: 

• A Walk Through Barcelona:
• Private certified guide
• 2 hour walking tour
• Game booklet for
• each child
• 2-hour experience

• Park Güell:
• Private certified guide
• Skip-the-line tickets to
• Sagrada Familia and
• Park Güell
• Transfer in a private
• mini van
• Game booklet for
• each child
• 3-hour experience

Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)

Highlights:
An architectural delight awaits you today in Barcelona, one of the most exciting cities in Europe.  Receive a warm greeting at the port by your private guide and driver and commence your full-day tour with a visit to Gaudi's masterpiece, the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia.  Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be complete until 2028! 

Next, visit Parc Guell, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi's most colourful creations.  Continue along Passeig de Gracia, to view Gaudi's Casa Batlló and Casa Mila from the outside, with its brilliant wave-like façade.

After lunch, lose yourself in the narrow streets of the true heart of the city - the medieval Gothic Quarter.  Here you will visit the magnificent 13th-century Cathedral, and the Picasso Museum, where some of the painter's earliest works are housed. At the end of your tour you are transferred back to the port.

• Walk the labyrinthine alleys of the medieval Gothic Quarter to find architectural gems like the Church of Santa Maria del Mar
• Admire the Sagrada Familia and the Picasso Museum, where some of the artist's earliest works are housed.

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

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

Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)

Highlights:
Receive a warm greeting at the port from your private guide and driver and commence your half-day tour with a visit to Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi’s masterpiece; the impressive, but unfinished Sagrada Familia. Although work started on this project in 1882, this iconic church is not expected to be completed until 2028!

Continue on to Parc Guell, a beautiful municipal garden with a superb panoramic view over the city; the focal point is a colourful sea-serpent-shaped central terrace. Visit the gatehouse where Gaudi lived during his later years which is now a museum dedicated to him. Transfer back to the port at the end of your tour.

• Visit the impressive, but still unfinished Sagrada Familia, masterpiece of the Catalan architect
• Wander through Parc Guell, the UNESCO World Heritage Site considered Gaudi's most colourful creation

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

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