8-night Mediterranean Cruise

Thessaloniki is Greece’s second largest city, busiest seaport after Piraeus, major cultural center in northern Greece, and capital of Macedonia. Prehistoric remains in the city’s vicinity show the area was settled as far back as 1000 B.C. Thessaloniki is considered more cosmopolitan than Athens. In 1997, the European Community honored the city with title of “Cultural Capital of Europe.” Although many older buildings were destroyed in a 1917 fire and during bombing attacks in World War II, the city still has historical landmarks ranging from the 15th century Venetian Tower to the Arch of Galerius. There are also magnificent churches. The main hub centers around Aristotle Square, a traffic-free area surrounded by arcades with cafes and restaurants. The pedestrian strip along the water’s edge is a popular seafront promenade. Main thoroughfares, Odos Mitropoleos and Odos Tsimski, are lined with luxury shops and boutiques. On Aristotle Street is the picturesque Central Market. Paradise Baths, a Turkish bathhouse dating from 1444, is still in use today.

Mykonos's many captivating attributes make it one of the most celebrated Greek holiday islands. Its main village is a colorful maze of narrow streets lined with white-washed houses, many with bright blue doors and shutters. As an attractive backdrop, famous windmills are lined up like toy soldiers on the hillside, vestiges of a time when wind power was used to grind grain. Mykonos has churches and chapels scattered about the island; quite a number of them are located right in town. Radiant flowers spill over white-washed walls and shady courtyards. In addition to swimming, sunning, water-skiing and surfing, visitors find endless shopping opportunities. Artists have relied on Mykonos' beautiful setting to inspire them. The most photographed site is the Paraportiani, a cluster of white-washed churches resting below windmills. Mykonos's museums include an Archaeological Museum, which houses relics from the Trojan War, a Folk Art Museum and a Maritime Museum. The best beaches are Aghios Stephanos, Psarou, Kalafatis, Onros, Panormos and Elia.

Santorini is everything that has made the Greek islands legendary. The world famous island of Santorini is the southern most island of the Cycladic group in the Aegean Sea, and is located north of Crete. Its population is distributed among thirteen villages and just exceeds nine thousand. The marvelous dry climate and unbroken sunshine create year around conditions which are perfect for observation, photographs and videos under an extraordinary variety of natural lights and colors.

Heraklion, the capital of Crete and its principal commercial port, is just three miles away from the fantastic ruins of the Palace of Knossos. Discovered in 1899 by Sir Arthur Evans and partially reconstructed, the elaborate Palace is believed to be the mythical Labyrinth of King Minos and the seat of ancient Minoan culture. The Archaeological Museum in Heraklion displays many of the treasures found during the excavations.

Cast in the Tyrrhenian sea, the Lipari Islands experience an increasing amount of tourism due to unusual scenery and mild climate. The variety and beauty of rock formations, the volcanic phenomena of Stromboli and the crystalline waters always impress visitors. Local-style architecture adds charm to picturesque villages. The main islands include famous Stromboli and Lipari. In a bay on Lipari’s east coast lies the main town of the same name - dominated by the Castello or Acropolis, which separates the town’s two harbors. Within Castello are the cathedral and the former Bishop's Palace, which now houses the Archaeological Museum. It is noted for its fine collection of relics from recent excavations, Greek masks and statuettes from theatrical life as far back as Sophocles and Euripides. At Marina Corta there are hydrofoils and boats offering trips to neighboring islands. The most southern Lipari Island, Vulcano Island, has a spectacular volcanic landscape of rugged peaks rising above beaches. A steep trail leads up from the plain to a 1,150-foot crater.

From Naples visitors can explore the rugged Amalfi coast, Italy's most romantic stretch of coastline. Near Amalfi is the resort of Positano, where visitors enjoy strolling through streets and shopping in small boutiques. Take an excursion to legendary Pompeii, an ancient Roman city covered and preserved by the debris from the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The monuments of this city are considered to be among the finest of any ancient city in Europe, and visitors can spend a day here learning about life in a Roman town during the first century A.D. The Cathedral of San Gennaro, a fine medieval building, has one chapel containing the tomb of Charles of Anjou, while another houses the cathedral's gold and silver treasure. Among the Christian underground burial vaults discovered in an area of suburban heights, the Catacombs of San Gennaro can be visited. Capodimonte Park - a well-kept tropical park - has a royal palace built by Charles III in 1738 that now houses Naples' picture gallery, the National Museum of Capodimonte.

Civitavecchia is the port city for Rome. Rome has always been and remains the Eternal City. With its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafés and elegant shops, Rome is one of the world’s most attractive cities. Among the most famous monuments is the Colosseum where spectators watched combats between muscled gladiators and ferocious animals. Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once a political and commercial center. Rome’s squares were enhanced with such imposing structures as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di Trevi. Awe at Christendom’s most magnificent church, the Sistine Chapel. The busy square Piazza Venezia is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio Emanuele II Monument. Take a stroll to Rome's famous Trevi Fountain. Vatican City is the site of lovely St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica, where for 200 years, Renaissance masters worked on its design and created an unparalleled masterpiece. Visit Vatican Museum.