Cruise Description

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT themed voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

This carefully curated voyage to Sicily and Italy's Adriatic coast combines visits to some of the most culturally rich destinations in the country with a focus also on the distinctive culinary traditions of the regions visited. Moving from Greco-Roman Sicily, through the Baroque cities of Puglia and the Renaissance town of Urbino, to Ravenna and Venice, you explore no fewer than seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And as you make your way, you sample the wines of Etna, Apulia, San Marcello, Romagna, and Valdobbiadene, as well as the breads, olives, meats, and cheeses of each province. An ideal way to experience Italy, where food—its cultivation and preparation—has always been central to the good life.

After departing Valletta, Malta, your experience of Sicily begins in Syracuse, where you may choose to focus on Ortygia, the ancient center of this once-powerful Greek colony, and on the city's extensive archaeological park; enjoy a tasting at a nearby winery; or join excursions—including one to Baroque Noto—that combine visits to historical sites with samplings of arancini, cheeses, salamis, breads, and desserts.

The beautiful resort town of Taormina, perched high on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea, is home to a stunning Greek theater, an Odeon from Roman times, buildings blending Arab and Norman cultures, and villas built by European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is also your gateway to Mt. Etna and the vineyards that thrive in the rich volcanic soils of its slopes.

Leaving Sicily, the first two calls on the Italian mainland are in the wine- and olive-producing region of Puglia. The seaside town of Otranto offers a choice of excursions—to Lecce or to Nardo—both of which explore the Baroque architectural heritage that dominates Puglia, and both of which offer samplings of local cuisine paired with Apulian wines. In Bari, the region's capital, you may choose to travel inland to the Valle d'Itria to visit a mozzarella farm and to explore the lovely town of Martina Franca and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello's trulli houses. Or you may stay in Bari for a walking tour of the Old Town, including tastings of local specialties like focaccia, panzerotto, sgagliozze, and cremoso.

A full day in Ancona offers a variety of possibilities for discovery of the Marche. Visit Jesi, where the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born and where a splendid museum traces his life and work; travel to an artisanal winery in San Marcello where the famous Lacrima di Morro D'Alba is produced; or spend the day exploring Urbino, birthplace of Raphael and home to one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world.

Ravenna's 5th- and 6th-century churches are known for their stunning Byzantine mosaics, and you will want to spend time admiring them and what Dante described as their "symphony of color." Or you may want to travel into the hills of Romagna, where Sangiovese di Romagna red wine is produced, or to the town of Brisighella, source of the eponymous extra virgin olive oil.

Your final day on this cultural and culinary journey is in Venice. Three possible excursions are in the city itself: an introduction to the uniquely Venetian crafts of mask-making and gondola manufacture; bar-hopping in the tavernas around the Rialto Bridge, sampling wines and cicchetti along the way; and a tour of Venice's hidden gardens. An additional possibility is to travel to Valdobbiadene, famous for its production of Prosecco Superiore.