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Historic Cities of the Sea: A Voyage from Seville to Venice

What makes a city historic? Is it the hegemony it once enjoyed on the world stage? Or is it the role it now plays in the popular imagination? Is it the grandeur of its cobblestoned lanes, piazzas, and ancient walls? Maybe it’s the sheer magic evoked by its name. Next spring, we invite you to unravel the secret of historic cities on a unique voyage that takes you from Seville to Venice, calling upon some of the most legendary cities along the coasts of Spain, France, Corsica, Italy, Montenegro, and Croatia.

Spring is the ideal time to see the Mediterranean: the days are sunny and the hillsides are covered in flowers, yet the summer crowds have yet to arrive and clog the sites. Pause to smell the jasmine outside the magnificent Gothic cathedral of Seville and bask in the intricate beauty of the Alhambra Palace in Granada. Explore the kaleidoscope of Barcelona’s remarkable architecture, and admire the magical light of Aix-en-Provence that was an endless source of inspiration to Cezanne. Stand in awe of the dramatic cliffs and blue waters of Bonifacio, ponder the fate of Pompeii, and stroll through Kotor’s carfree historic center. Marvel at the medieval splendor of Dubrovnik and admire the ancient Palace of Diocletian in Split, so vast it holds within its walls the city’s medieval town.

There’s no better way to explore these cities than as they were experienced centuries ago by Roman magistrates and Venetian merchant princes—by sea. Your home for this voyage will be the elegant Corinthian II, the perfect cruise ship for traveling far but docking close. At once large enough to offer all the amenities for a comfortable and enjoyable voyage, such as a spacious restaurant, two comfortable lounges, and a sun deck with a Jacuzzi, she is small enough to navigate seaways and enter harbors that are inaccessible to today’s mega-cruise ships.

Don’t miss this opportunity to discover some of the Mediterranean’s most enchanting historic cities. We look forward to welcoming you aboard!

Itinerary

Thursday, April 22, 2010 • USA

Friday, April 23 • SEVILLE, Spain | EMBARK

Saturday, April 24 • SEVILLE

Sunday, April 25 • MOTRIL | GRANADA | MOTRIL

Monday, April 26 • AT SEA

Tuesday, April 27 • BARCELONA

Wednesday, April 28 • MARSEILLE | ARLES or AIX-EN-PROVENCE | MARSEILLE, France

Thursday, April 29 • AT SEA | BONIFACIO, Corsica

Friday, April 30 • BONIFACIO

Saturday, May 1 • NAPLES | POMPEII or HERCULANEUM | NAPLES, Italy

Sunday, May 2 • AT SEA

Monday, May 3 • KOTOR, Montenegro

Tuesday, May 4 • DUBROVNIK, Croatia

Wednesday, May 5 • SPLIT

Thursday, May 6 • VENICE, Italy | DISEMBARK | USA

Click here to view the reading list for this voyage.

View Detailed Itinerary

Please click here to download the brochure to see our lecturers and experts for this voyage.

NO SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: A limited number of cabins have been designated for single travelers in Categories D - A at no supplement. Singles in Categories AA, VS, and PHS are available at double the per person, double occupancy rates.

AIRFARE: Airfare is not included in the cost of the program. Please call the Air Travel Desk at toll-free 877-711-9896 or 212-592-1340 to make your reservations, or see your travel agent.

Corinthian II Deck Plan

PROGRAM INCLUSIONS

• 13-night cruise aboard the all-suite, 114-guest Corinthian II
• Welcome and farewell cocktail receptions aboard ship 
• All meals aboard ship, including house wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner
• Open bar aboard ship throughout the cruise
• Complete program of tours and excursions 
• Educational program of lectures and discussions by accompanying guest lecturers 
• Professional Travel Dynamics International tour staff
• Complete pre-departure materials
• Baggage handling and transfers on the designated program departure and arrival dates 
• Port and embarkation taxes 
• Gratuities to porters, guides and drivers

Thursday, April 22, 2010
USA
Fly from the U.S. to Seville, Spain.

Friday, April 23
SEVILLE, Spain | EMBARK
Upon arrival in Seville, transfer to Corinthian II. Overnight aboard ship, docked in port.

Saturday, April 24
SEVILLE
In Seville, visit the Alcazar, with its charming Murillo Gardens, and the Gothic Cathedral.

Sunday, April 25
MOTRIL | GRANADA | MOTRIL
Granada exemplifies the best of Moorish culture, art, and architecture. Tour the Alhambra, a striking 13th-century palace begun by the caliphs of the Nasrid dynasty. Also see the Sala de los Dos Hermanos and stroll through the splendid Generalife Gardens, adjacent to the Alhambra.

Monday, April 26
AT SEA

Tuesday, April 27
BARCELONA
The exuberant capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is rich in extraordinary works of art and architecture. Tour the narrow alleyways of the Barrio Gotico, the original site of the Carthaginian city, and the extraordinary Templo de la Sagrada Familia, begun in the 19th century by the architect Antonio Gaudi and still unfinished. Also visit the 14th-century cathedral, La Seu, and tour the Picasso Museum.

Wednesday, April 28
MARSEILLE | ARLES or AIX-EN-PROVENCE | MARSEILLE, France
Drive to Arles and visit the theater, amphitheater, and the Romanesque Church of St. Trophime. Alternatively, travel to Aix-en-Provence, the first Roman settlement in Gaul, immortalized by the works of Cezanne.

Thursday, April 29
AT SEA | BONIFACIO, Corsica

Friday, April 30
BONIFACIO
Stroll through the striking village of Bonifacio, with its winding medieval lanes and brightly colored houses. Admire the fine Gothic architecture and dramatic limestone cliffs.

Saturday, May 1
NAPLES | POMPEII or HERCULANEUM | NAPLES, Italy
From Naples, tour either Pompeii or Herculaneum, two Roman cities that faced radically divergent fates after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. Return to Naples for an afternoon visit of the Archaeological Museum.

Sunday, May 2
AT SEA

Monday, May 3
KOTOR, Montenegro
Magnificently set amid Europe’s southernmost fjord, Kotor was well regarded for its masons and icon artists. On a walking tour through this car-free UNESCO World Heritage Site, visit the 12th-century Cathedral of St. Tryphon, as well as the Cathedral Square and the Lapidarium.

Tuesday, May 4
DUBROVNIK, Croatia
A tour of the once Venetian-ruled Dubrovnik includes the Rector’s Palace, the Gothic cloister, the garden of the Dominican Monastery, and the baroque cathedral, which contains works by Renaissance painters Titian and Andrea del Sarto.

Wednesday, May 5
SPLIT
Explore Split’s fortress-like palace and old fortified town, including the Rotunda, Mausoleum of Diocletian, and preserved Temple of Jupiter.

Thursday, May 6
VENICE, Italy | DISEMBARK | USA
Disembark and transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S.