Day 1 – Barcelona, Spain

Departs 05:00 pm.

The 1992 Summer Olympics revealed to the world what Europeans and seasoned travelers already knew – Barcelona is one of the world’s greatest treasures. Vibrant and earthy, commercial and cultural, this city of two million residents is the capital of Spain’s autonomous region of Catalonia. Stroll along the wide, tree-lined promenades of Las Ramblas and marvel at the spires of Gaudi’s Basilica La Sagrada Familia. Or visit the former Olympic Ring on the hill of Montjuic – also home to world-class parks, fountains and museums. Barcelona, which nurtured such artistic giants as Picasso, Dali, Miro and Casals, is definitely a traveler’s paradise.

Day 2 – Alicante, Spain

Arrives 10:00 am, departs 07:00 pm.

Stroll the city’s old quarter and take in a visit to the Castillo de Santa Barbara. Also, Alicante is known for its miles of beaches.Stroll down the wide, palm-lined Esplanada de España, visit the imposing Castillo de Santa Barbara, or simply sit back and relax with an apéritif on the terrace of a café overlooking the harbor. No wonder locals hail this charming city on Spain’s Costa Blanca as “la millor terreta del mon” – the best place on Earth. Lying across a stretch of the Mediterranean from Algeria, Alicante reflects Spain’s long and sometimes turbulent relationship with Islamic Africa. Moorish influence is found not only in the city’s architecture, but also in the date palm groves outside the city. The Algerian influence can also be seen – and tasted – in the Old Quarter. Wherever you go, do not be alarmed by the talking traffic signals. Alicante is home to one of the main offices for La ONCE, one of Spain’s associations for the blind.Stroll the city’s old quarter and take in a visit to the Castillo de Santa Barbara. Also, Alicante is known for its miles of beaches.

Day 3 – At Sea

Day 4 – La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 5 – Valletta, Malta

Arrives 10:00 am, departs 09:00 pm.

Malta is the largest in a group of seven islands that occupy a strategic position between Europe and Africa. The island’s history is long and turbulent. Everyone from the Normans to the Nazis have vied for control of this small, honey-colored rock. For centuries the island was the possession of the knightly Order of St. John – the Knights Hospitaller. Valletta, Malta’s current capital, was planned by the Order’s Grandmaster Jean de la Valette to secure the island’s eastern coast from Turk incursions. Founded in 1566, Valletta’s bustling streets are lined with superb Baroque buildings and churches.Malta has a long history: the megalithic stone temples at Gozo may be the oldest freestanding structures on Earth. Malta has two official languages, Maltese (constitutionally the national language) and English. Malta was admitted to the European Union in 2004 and in 2008 became part of the eurozone.

Day 6 – Sicily (catania), Italy

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Catania is your gateway to the majestic Mount Etna and the enchanting villages that live in its imposing 10,902-foot shadow. The towns of Taormina and Castelmola may date back to antiquity but their medieval structures are postcard perfect. For a look at Greek and Roman life be sure to visit Siracusa, home to stunning amphitheaters and Piazza Armerina, site of the spectacular Villa del Casale. But there’s much to discover in Catania, as well. Following a catastrophic eruption and earthquake in the 17th century the city was rebuilt to reflect the times. The result is a treasure trove of Baroque architecture, acclaimed as the best in all of Sicily. From its exalted history to its scenic environs Catania will never fail to delight, inspire and surprise.

Day 6 – Cruising Strait of Messina

Day 7 – Naples, Italy (for Capri & Pompeii)

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Italy’s third-largest city, Naples is a bustling metropolis famed for it stately buildings, crowded streets, pizza – and notoriously bad traffic. However, this beautiful city is rich in centuries-old culture and customs. Naples is also your gateway to the Isle of Capri, the fabled Amalfi Coast and the ruins of Pompeii, buried in ash by the cataclysmic eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. Naples boasts an ideal location, with both the ruins of Roman cities and the stunning Amalfi Coast in easy reach.

Day 8 – Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Your gateway to the Eternal City, Civitavecchia has served as Rome’s seaport since the 13th century. The port has a long and venerable history. The emperor Trajan built a pleasure villa near the modern city, while Bernini and Michelangelo designed the harbor fortifications.Yet the Eternal City eternally beckons. The ancient capital of the Western World and the center of Christianity for nearly 2,000 years, Rome provides an inexhaustible feast. Visit the ruins of the Forum, view the splendors of the Sistine Chapel, or climb the Spanish Steps, once the heart of Rome’s Bohemian Quarter.Rome has been a magnet luring the world’s greatest artists, architects, and philosophers since the days of the Caesars.

Day 9 – Livorno (for Florence/Pisa), Italy

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 08:00 pm.

Livorno is the gateway to glorious Tuscany. Visit Florence – the cradle of the Renaissance – home to the Duomo, the Uffizi and the Ponte Vecchio. Here the Medici fostered a city-state whose cultural legacy is as great as classical Athens. Giants like Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo and Galileo infused the West with a new creative spirit. Then there is Pisa, Florence’s rival for political power. Pisa, a brash, commercial seafaring town rivaled the great maritime powers of Venice and Genoa. The city was a leader in art and architecture second only to Florence.

Day 10 – Portofino, Italy

Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

Day 11 – Marseille (Provence), France

Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

The largest port on the Mediterranean, Marseille is France’s second largest city and a virtual melting pot of peoples and cultures. It is also a place of striking contrasts, from the fishing boats and pleasure craft of the picturesque Vieux Port to the modern Canebiere. Dominating the harbor is the infamous Chateau d’If, the rocky prison from which Alexandre Dumas’ Count of Monte Cristo escaped. Marseille is also your gateway to Provence. Explore the countryside around Arles and Avignon, immortalized in the canvases of Van Gogh, Cezanne, Matisse and Picasso.

Day 12 – At Sea

Day 13 – Gibraltar

Arrives 12:00 pm, departs 07:00 pm.

The Rock crouches over the sea like an ancient stone beast, looking Sphinx-like to Africa. Beneath the white cliffs of this natural fortress grows a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. No fewer than 600 varieties of flowers thrive here, some not found anywhere else on Earth. Gibraltar’s stunning setting is matched by its history – five countries have battled for 13 centuries to control the passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. The result made for a cultural melting pot. Veiled Moroccan women in caftans and vacationing Englishmen and Spaniards stroll along the narrow, steep lanes. The locals revert to a liquid Spanish when talking among themselves. And visitors to a 15th-century cathedral pass through a blue-tiled courtyard, once part of a 13th-century mosque.Helmeted bobbies, pillar-boxes and pubs make for a bit of Britain in the Mediterranean. Gibraltar is a fascinating place, from its caves and batteries to the Barbary apes gamboling on the slopes of the Rock.

Day 14 – At Sea

Day 15 – Barcelona, Spain

Arrives 07:00 am.

The 1992 Summer Olympics revealed to the world what Europeans and seasoned travelers already knew – Barcelona is one of the world’s greatest treasures. Vibrant and earthy, commercial and cultural, this city of two million residents is the capital of Spain’s autonomous region of Catalonia. Stroll along the wide, tree-lined promenades of Las Ramblas and marvel at the spires of Gaudi’s Basilica La Sagrada Familia. Or visit the former Olympic Ring on the hill of Montjuic – also home to world-class parks, fountains and museums. Barcelona, which nurtured such artistic giants as Picasso, Dali, Miro and Casals, is definitely a traveler’s paradise.