Cruise Description

28 Night Cruise sailing from Venice roundtrip aboard Explora I.

Highlights of this cruise:

Venice
The city of Venice sits at the top of the Adriatic Sea in the north east corner of Italy. It is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city sits on 118 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon – a salt marsh. In the 12th century Venice became a city state and its location at the top of the Adriatic made it a key naval and commercial centre as well as a flourishing art centre.

Modern Venice is stunning and retains the wonderful history of this unique city. It is a city of museums, galleries, piazzas, palaces, churches and more. One visit isn’t enough to see all that Venice has to offer but visitors should try and see the Basilica San Marco and San Marco Square, the Doges Palace and the Gallerie dell'Accademia which houses some of Italy’s finest art treasures.

Athens
The port of Piraeus is one of the last old-style Mediterranean ports from where you can catch ferries to all of the Greek islands and travel a short distance to Greece's capital city Athens.

In the heart of the city lies the ancient Plaka district, with its honeycomb of streets, little shops - and tavernas that come alive at night. Situated on the north and east slopes of the Acropolis, it is rich with historic sites, such as ancient monuments and churches. Within Athens there are eight large hills, including the Acropolis, and on the outskirts, Mount Parnitha, Mount Pendeli and Mount Hymettos surround the city. A trip to Athens' most famous tourist attraction, the impressive Parthenon built on the Acropolis around 2,500 years ago, will be memorable to say the least.

There are an extraordinary number of historic tourist sights in Athens and many of these are known world-wide. Some of the top Athens attractions include the Agora - a grand, ruined Roman building, Hadrian's Arch - originally the city gate linking the Roman quarters with original town of Athens and the stunning Dionysos Theatre - the world's oldest theatre where many great plays have been performed over the years.

Istanbul
Istanbul is Europe's most populous city (the world's 4th largest city proper and 20th largest urban area) and Turkey's cultural and financial center. The city covers 27 districts of the Istanbul province. It is located on the Bosphorus Strait, and encompasses the natural harbor known as the Golden Horn, in the northwest of the country.

Part of Istanbul’s great attraction is its unique position on two continents, divided by the Bosphorus. Most of the population live on the European side; the Asian sector is reached via the high-level Bosphorus Bridge, the Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge or by ferry. With 13 million inhabitants Istanbul offers all the excitement of a cosmopolitan city. Its numerous monuments, mosques and museums, plus the famous Grand Bazaar, make it one of the world’s great destinations.

Amorgos
Amorgos is the easternmost of the Greek Cyclades Islands, located in the Aegean Sea. Hora is the islands capital; it is filled with paved streets, arches, alleys and rocky steps. Attractions in Hora include the venetian castle, the medieval Tower of Gavras, which today houses the archaeological museum, the monastery of Hozoviotissas and the old mansions.

Amorgos has two beautiful and safe ports, Aegiali and Katapola. The port of Aegiali is a traditional Greek fishing harbor which is popular with tourists. Aegiali is famous for its beautiful landscape and golden beaches, as well as several ancient monuments and its little churches.

Zadar
Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of modern Croatia's Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Zadar is located opposite the islands of Ugljan and Pašman, from which it is separated by the narrow Zadar Strait.

Rovinj
Rovinj is a city in Croatia situated on the north Adriatic Sea. It is located on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula and is a popular tourist resort and an active fishing port. It retains a strong Italian flavour with cobblestone streets and a central promenade. A casino in town also attracts visitors, and Rovinj also makes an excellent base from which to visit other Istrian towns such as Porec and Pula.

Rovinj is considered to be one of the most beautiful towns on the Adriatic coast, retaining its medieval character as well as its elegant Venetian piazzas and houses. Known as the Monmartre of Istria, it is an artists colony featuring many galleries and a Baroque town gate built by one of the local families.