EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Take a scenic drive through the countryside to the magnificent city of Florence. Pause in the Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you’ll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you’ll have free time in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

Enjoy extra time to unwind and savor the ship at your own pace – no rushing, no waiting at the airport, just more time to relax and soak in the experience.

• Relaxed, stress-free departure.
• Enjoy the ship at your own pace with leisurely lunch and extra time onboard.
• Complete with the added convenience of included shuttle transfer to airport.

Visit Cefalu, a quaint fishing village where little has changed through the centuries, preserving its typical Sicilian charm and the atmosphere of a traditional fishing port. Syracusians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs and Normans have left their traces here. It’s one of the most visited destinations in Sicily and during summer months, the tourist population outnumbers the locals. Though little is known of its origins, the name "Cefalu" may date back from the Greek "Kephaloidion," a word referring to the rock overlooking the town. Your guide will share some of the legends with you. Drive through the main streets of Palermo to reach the highway.

As you travel to Cefalu, the verdant Sicilian countryside unfolds in front of you. Once in the village, visit the Gothic-Norman style Cathedral, founded in 1131 at the request of the Norman kings, and realized by Norman architects and Islamic craftsmen. Stop at the medieval wash house and imagine cool running water and the voices of the women doing the laundry as you walk among these ancient archways. You’ll stop for a taste of some Sicilian specialties at a local gourmet shop. Enjoy free time to take in your activity of choice. There are lots of good restaurants serving the freshest seafood and shops of all sorts around the cathedral and harbor.

Mingle with the workers in the Carrara quarry where Michelangelo chose the marble for his masterpieces Pietà and David and discover how marble is used locally to age lard.

After departing from the pier, you will drive inland towards the Apuan Alps, which gleam year-round as if cloaked in snow. The color comes from the exposed bright-white marble on the quarried faces of the mountains. The amount of marble found here is staggering, even though it has been quarried for more than 2,000 years.

Upon arriving, you will meet the some of the workers that quarry the famed Carrara marble using enormous bulldozers and metal cables with diamond cutting edges. It is a fascinating process that the workers will describe in detail while recounting the history of this extraordinary quarry. As you will discover, it is a dangerous, physically demanding profession, but one that the workers take great pride in.

The raw marble is transported throughout the world for a variety of purposes. In the nearby village of Colonnata, the marble is fashioned into vats used to produce lard. The quarry workers once consumed the lard for its high-energy content, but today the pork fatback is thinly sliced and served raw as an antipasto.

While visiting Colonnata, you will see how the lard is seasoned with garlic, rosemary and other herbs and aged up to a year in the marble vats. As you will discover by tasting, the creamy white lard is melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Uncover the sublime medieval landmarks of Bari, a hallowed city said to hold the remains of two revered saints, on this enlightening walking tour. After a brief drive through downtown Bari, you’ll arrive at the Old Town and begin a walking tour that leads you to the Norman-Swabian castle, symbol of the city and its most dominant structure. You’ll marvel at this spectacular example of medieval construction, which features an impressive stone bridge over a dry moat, sheer ramparts and several imposing towers. Continuing through the Old Town’s warren of narrow streets, you may see women hand-making a pasta called orecchiette, meaning little ears, on tabletops outside their homes, as this uniquely shaped treat is a favorite throughout the Puglia region at the heel of Italy’s boot. Admire the Cathedral of San Sabino, a masterpiece of Apulian Romanesque design that, according to legend, shelters its namesake saint’s relics, and the splendid Saint Nicolas Basilica, also a resting place for its venerated saint. Delight in a stroll along Bari’s ancient defensive walls and, if you choose, remain in bustling Piazza Massari to browse the tempting shops of bewitching Bari.

Delight in the medieval character of Taormina while strolling its atmospheric streets and admiring landmarks such the Greek theater from the 2nd century. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour of Messina. Continuing along the coast to the south, you will approach Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It’s a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while navigating its narrow, cobbled streets. As French author Guy de Maupassant wrote of his stay in 1883, “Were a man to pass a single day in Sicily and ask, ‘What must one see?’ I would answer him without hesitation, Taormina.” Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer. After visiting, you will enjoy free time to wander about the areas that interest you the most. You might take in the views from the fragrant public garden or shop along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

If you want to explore these fascinating places on your own, we are pleased to provide a motorcoach transfer to Florence and Pisa, complete with an English speaking escort. You’ll visit Pisa first, to avoid the heavy traffic entering Florence in the morning. Arriving in Pisa, your escort will walk you to the famous Miracle Square to enjoy some free time to take pictures of the Leaning Tower. Continue to Florence, where in the early afternoon, you’ll be dropped off at a central location in Florence and have approximately 3 hours to explore the city at your leisure.

OVERVIEW

Spend a delightful and wonderfully enlightening day exploring Rome’s most representative landmarks, beginning with an introductory drive through the city. As you pass the Egyptian-influenced Pyramid of Cestius, the 3rd-century Baths of Caracalla and the ancient chariot racetrack Circus Maximus, the guide will describe these icons in fascinating detail. You will also behold the famed Colosseum from the exterior and the Pantheon, a 1st century B.C. monument renowned for the oculus at the center of its dome. As a contrast to these ancient sites, you will drop by the Trevi Fountain, an immense baroque-style masterpiece with statues of mythical and allegorical figures. You will see more baroque-era fountains at Navona Square, where leisure time will allow you to shop and dine on your own. The focus will turn to Christianity as you browse the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, once the largest church in Christendom.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Drive past ancient monuments such as the Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus.
• Enjoy outside visits of the Colosseum and the Pantheon as the guide describes them.
• Marvel at the ornate Trevi Fountain and drop a coin in its waters, if you wish.
• Spend free time shopping or dining in and around Navona Square.
• Behold the treasures within the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Cruise to the village of Amalfi along the beautiful coastline. Author John Steinbeck once described it as “a dream place that isn’t quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.” UNESCO agreed and declared the Amalfi coast a World Heritage site for its great physical beauty and natural diversity. The boat will afford you the ultimate up-close, front-row seat to observe the spectacular coastline. During free time in town, be sure to see the Cathedral of St. Andrew. Built in the early 1200s, it contains the relics of St. Andrew, which are kept in a subterranean crypt decorated with Baroque murals. The cathedral was constructed alongside an earlier one from the 9th century, and they are now joined into one, six-nave building. Also, leave time for shopping and a quick snack. Fried seafood in a hand-held cone makes a good choice for street food.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise to the village of Amalfi along the staggeringly beautiful Amalfi coast.
• Spend free time exploring Amalfi’s boutiques and grab a snack, if you wish.
• Peruse the architectural splendor of Amalfi’s extraordinary 13th-century cathedral.

OVERVIEW

See Florence’s highlights at your own pace by riding a double-decker bus around town, hopping on and off whenever you please at the attractions you find most intriguing. After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a leisurely and immensely scenic drive through the Tuscan countryside and on to Florence. Upon arriving in Florence, you'll take a walk to board your double-decker bus and begin your adventure. In time, you will stop in historical St. Croce Square, a wonderfully atmospheric gathering place where you can easily walk to landmarks such as Santa Croce Basilica. Built in the late 13th century, the church contains the tombs of Michelangelo and Galileo, so it will be well worth visiting. You might also want to stroll over to the iconic Ponte Vecchio bridge that spans the Arno River and then linger over a Tuscan lunch. More than 12 designated stops are available on the bus route. Simply hop on one of the buses and then hop off when it reaches an attraction that interests you. For instance, you might hop off near Michelangelo’s exquisite statue of David in the Accademia Gallery, and see masterpieces from artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Caravaggio in the Uffizi Gallery. Nature lovers will enjoy the Boboli Gardens behind the Pitti Palace during the sightseeing route, You will also learn all about Florence's history with an audio-guided walking tour of the historic center.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See the highlights of Florence from a double-decker bus that offers unobstructed views.
• Stop along the way for photos and closer looks at the most iconic attractions.
• Enjoy a guided walking tour through some of the most important sites.
• Take comfort in knowing that the bus is open air rather than completely enclosed.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Behold dormant craters atop Mount Etna, Europe’s largest active volcano and one of Earth’s most astonishing natural wonders. You’ll agree the vista-filled ascent to Etna’s summit along circuitous roads past charming mountain villages and through barren, rocky landscapes is almost as remarkable as the volcano itself. Learn that Etna has had a profound impact on the region through the ages, from the Greek’s belief that it was the workshop of Hephaestus, god of fire, to the catastrophe of 1669, when several villages and part of Catania were subsumed by lava. Arriving at the inactive Silvestri craters, more than 6,000 feet above sea level, you’ll discern numerous remnants of lava streams from previous eruptions coating the craters’ slopes. From your fabulous perch, you’ll revel in seemingly endless vistas of the shimmering Gulf of Catania and the surrounding fertile, volcanic landscape, today protected as the island’s first national park. As you stand atop one of nature’s most powerful agents of change, contemplate the indelible impact of Mount Etna’s wrath on the civilizations of the Mediterranean.