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.

OVERVIEW

Experience the joys of a simpler rural life at a wilderness center at the edge of the most extensive highlands in Northern Europe. Even the journey there will be spectacularly scenic, as you will drive through a mountainous terrain of dense forests, thundering waterfalls and an enormous lake that a glacier created long ago. Upon reaching the Wilderness Center, you will browse exhibits that showcase the struggles of life on the farm where the center now stands. The museum dioramas are especially insightful, as they accurately depict the challenges of the area’s earliest settlers, who embraced the natural world rather than trying to control it. As you meander about, you may see adventurers returning from hiking through the wilderness and horseback riding and others simply enjoying the pristine setting. Later, you will pass through Iceland’s largest national forest, which contains indigenous trees and exotics brought from more than 175 locations around the world.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a wilderness center that depicts the challenges that Iceland’s rural settlers faced.
• Enjoy delicious homemade refreshments in a unique countryside setting
• Drive through Iceland’s largest national forest, a protected natural wonderland.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Experience the thrill of visiting Reykjavik’s “Big Three” scenic wonders – Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Geothermal Area and Thingvellir National Park – all on one excursion. Arrayed along a route known as the Golden Circle, this trio pretty much singlehandedly fills the bucket list of Icelandic natural phenomena. Rolling along via comfortable panoramic coach, you’ll encounter vast lava fields, a greenhouse community warmed by hot springs and fertile South Iceland farmland – and that’s just en route to your first stop of the day. Two-tiered Gullfoss Waterfall is one of Iceland’s most beautiful and iconic sights, its vast water volume plummeting down over 100 feet into a river gorge. It’s a tough act to follow, but the hyperactive star geyser at aptly named Geysir Geothermal Area spouting off 65-foot jets of boiling hot water every few minutes might just do the trick. You’ll see other geysers here too, though the granddaddy of them all, Geysir itself, has been resting of late. Appetite sated after a two-course lunch with the soup of the day and salmon at a local restaurant, you’ll make your way to UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, a dramatic rift valley where the Earth’s North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet – and where the Icelandic parliament first met over a 1,000 years ago.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel the Golden Circle and visit three of Iceland’s most revered natural wonders in a single day.
• See and hear the roar of magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall as it plunges over 100 feet into its river gorge.
• Watch Strokkur geyser erupt in a 7-story steaming jet like clockwork at Geysir Geothermal Area.
• Visit Thingvellir National Park, where two continents collide and the world’s longest running parliament convened for over 800 years.
• Enjoy a nourishing break from all these landmarks over buffet lunch at an Icelandic restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Please note that on November 2nd, 2025, there is free admission to Pompeii and there will be very long lines. If you would like to explore archaeological site of Pompeii on your own, this private motor coach transfer is ideal.

Boarding your coach at the pier, you’ll head to Pompeii and be dropped off in a central location. A tour escort will be traveling with you to and from the ship and will answer any questions you may have about sightseeing or shopping.

After your allotted time in Pompeii, you’ll rejoin your motor coach for the return to Naples.

Accompany Sir Ludo Shaw Stewart around his extraordinary country estate Ardgowan House and enjoy a stirring bagpipe performance and high tea. Once a solitary watch tower, the estate has evolved into an 18th-century private residence so extraordinary that it has been called “Scotland’s Downton Abbey.” Ludo, as he prefers to be called, will take you around his estate, showing you his favorite rooms and regaling you with stories of the property’s unparalleled history. He will then host a high tea for you in one of the estate’s 76 rooms, each one handsomely decorated with period furnishings. During tea, Ludo will describe the importance of bagpipes to the Scottish culture, although the musical instrument originated elsewhere. You will also be treated to an exclusive bagpipe workshop and performance. As the haunting melodies fill the room, you will feel as if you were transported into the distant past, a time when Ardgowan House first lorded over the countryside.

After departing from the pier in a sleek catamaran, you will soon be sailing across the heart of Boka Bay. The surrounding landscape is so wild and the cliffs so precipitous that the bay is often referred to as the southernmost fjord in Europe. It’s that stunningly beautiful.

In time, the ancient village of Perast will come into view. Like Kotor, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site with extraordinary Venetian-style architecture and abundant Catholic churches. One of the most beautiful churches is Our Lady of the Rocks, which sits on a tiny island in the bay. As you circumnavigate the island, you can expect to hear the legend of how it was formed—supposedly by sailors who dropped rocks in the same spot every time they sailed by in honor of the image of the Virgin Mary being seen there.

Then it’s on to the exclusive Movida Beach Club, where you might stroll along the sea, take a refreshing swim in the typically calm waters and relax in a lounge chair under the shade of an umbrella. The scenery is just as impressive as the beach, and you will have plenty of time to soak it in before boarding a coach and driving back to the pier.

Start your day with a 40-minute scenic boat ride through historic Nassau Harbor on a high-speed ferry to Blue Lagoon Island. Enjoy this private island at your leisure. Swim on a pristine beach, just relax and lounge in a double hammock or enjoy activities like volleyball and beach soccer. You can also visit the Dolphin Encounter’s facility and observe friendly Bahamian Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, and southern stingrays in their natural habitat. Enjoy a complimentary lunch and soft drink – tropical drinks are available at the bar for an additional cost. Enjoy use of inner tubes and noodles. Other non-motorized equipment and activities such as kayaks and inflatable aqua and bounce parks are available for an additional fee.

Enjoy the highlights of Victoria and visit the spectacular Butchart Gardens. Departing Ogden Point your guide will point out the highlights including the majestic legislative buildings, Empress Hotel, Royal British Columbia Museum, and Beacon Hill Park. At Butchart Gardens, see how the Butchart family transformed a barren rock quarry into what is now one of the world’s best-known horticultural attractions, covering more than 55 acres. The gardens are a lush paradise of flowers, rare trees and winding paths, that were created more than 100 years ago. Enjoy the cascading fountains and footbridges connecting you to the many themed gardens, including the beautiful Sunken Garden, the Japanese Garden and the Rose Garden. Multi-language maps will assist you on your self-guided tour. The gardens are illuminated by thousands of hidden lights in the evening.

OVERVIEW

Watch Alaska’s lumberjacks battle British Columbia’s premier woodsmen in an axe-wielding, chainsaw-cutting competition to determine who will claim the title “Bull of the Woods.” You will see the mighty lumberjacks test their prodigious strength and agility in more than a dozen events that include chopping, sawing, speed climbing and log rolling. The entertaining events recognize Alaska’s rich logging history, and these world-class athletes do justice to that proud past. Many of them have competed in these sorts of lumberjack events on ESPN, so you can imagine the level of their skills. The competitors encourage rowdy crowds, so feel free to cheer as loudly as you want for the next Paul Bunyan to be.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch lumberjacks go head-to-head in a fun-filled competition.
• See highly entertaining events like pole climbing and log rolling.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Cruise the winding Monkey River, looking for wildlife in the surrounding rainforest, and then enjoy a hike with a naturalist that will explain the plants' medicinal uses.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive at a small village near the mouth of the Monkey River, where you will begin a leisurely cruise upstream. Along the way, the guide will provide enlightening commentary about the region's history, including how the economy boomed in the late 19th century when large volumes of bananas were exported.

Little evidence of that thriving time period remains, as the meandering Monkey River is bordered by undeveloped rainforest. Natural beauty and remarkably diverse flora and fauna are now the main attractions.

You can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including crocodiles sunning on the riverbanks, turtles popping their heads above the water's surface, and iguanas perched in the tree limbs. You might even spot a troop of black howler monkeys screeching in the forest.

Tropical birds are just as abundant along the river, especially wading birds such as herons, brightly colored tanagers and keel-billed toucans, the national bird of Belize. Toucans are easy to spot because of their large, colorful bills and how they croak like frogs.

Once you disembark, you will hike through the surrounding forest while the naturalist guide points out plants with medicinal qualities. For instance, leaves of the soursop are often brewed into a tea that reduces fever, and the wild yam has anti-inflammatory properties.

OVERVIEW

Discover the wonders of Mendenhall Glacier at its visitor center and cruise a purpose-built vessel through waters where humpback whales and other marine creatures are commonly spotted. The glacier is the only one in Southeast Alaska accessible by road, just one of the facts you will learn while browsing the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The glacier is 13 miles long and is part of the massive Juneau Icefield, a remnant of the last ice age. Time permitting, you can stroll the glacier-view path at the center or watch salmon in a nearby stream before driving on to Auke Bay. Here, you will embark a catamaran specially designed for wildlife viewing. Humpback whales are the star attractions in these waters, but you may also spot orcas, sea lions and bald eagles. To enhance the experience, the vessel is outfitted with a hydrophone that may allow you to hear the sounds of the whales below. Throughout the cruise, your onboard naturalist will explain the behavior and habitat of the humpback whale.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See Mendenhall Glacier from its enlightening visitor center.
• Cruise a catamaran through waters where humpback whales are commonly seen.
• Watch for other marine animals and bald eagles.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress warmly in weather-appropriate clothing, gloves and a hat.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes. Bring a rainproof jacket.

The luau is an essential part of the Hawaiian experience, and the cultural extravaganza at the historic Kilohana Plantation is a feast for all the senses. You’ll have the option to gather around the traditional fire pit and watch the roast pig emerge, a special treat to accompany the already lavish buffet of local delicacies and desserts. While torches blaze, graceful hulas and energetic fire dances will entertain you, and the ancient sea voyages that brought the original Hawaiians to these islands from Polynesia will be brought to life in story and song.