Escape to the Med

Cruise itinerary - Escape to the Med

What's included...

  • Gratuities - no need to tip!
  • Top class onboard activities/entertainment
  • 24 hour dining
  • Port taxes

Sailing Dates

28 May 13

23 Jul 13

06 Aug 13

20 Aug 13

17 Sep 13

15 Oct 13

Cities, sights and sensational scenery...

1

Tuesday, Palma - MAJORCA 

  • Palma. Think leafy boulevards that echo with the stilettos of stylish shoppers. Tiny tapas bars tucked down narrow sidestreets. Architectural gold hidden in the historic quarter. With its trademark cathedral dominating the skyline, cosmopolitan Palma never fails to impress.

  • Spend some time exploring the city, clicking snaps of the 14th-century Bellver Castle, browsing the boutiques and tasting tapas in the authentic bars that barnacle the backstreets.
  • Board the Tren de Soller and trace your way through Majorca’s interior. This vintage electric train has been running since the Twenties, and it’ll take you past olive groves and dinky villages.
See shore excursions

2

Wednesday, At Sea 

3

Thursday, Cagliari - SARDINIA  08:00 - 14:00

  • Sardinia’s capital has managed to strike just the right balance between old and new. On the one hand the city is dotted with history – the Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans all left their mark on this place. On the other, it’s got its fair share of boutiques and gourmet restaurants, where you can do as the locals do, and spend no less than a couple of hours at lunch.

  • Climb up the winding streets to explore the pretty old quarter. This area is dominated by the Pisan fortifications of the Castello, and the nooks and crannies here are full of antique shops, art galleries and museums, like the National Museum of Archaeology.
  • Be whisked back in time at the ancient town of Nora, one of Sardinia’s oldest settlements. While you’re here you can wander around a Carthaginian warehouse, Roman baths, and an old church where Sardinia’s patron saint was martyred.
  • Get your history fix at Barumini, the most important archaeological area in Sardinia. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is home to the ruins of Bronze Age dwellings and places of worship. But the highlight here is an ancient castle, known as a Nuraghe, which dates back to the 15th century BC.
See shore excursions

4

Friday, Naples - ITALY  08:00 - 17:00

  • Naples is Italy’s most red-blooded city. This is the place where the pizza is so good people don’t wait for their slices at restaurant tables, they order it to-go from street side windows. And it’s the city where the soundtrack is the beeping of moped horns. For all its joy de vive, you wouldn’t know Naples is actually one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world. The city centre is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s dripping with ancient architecture, cathedrals and churches.

  • Visit the time-frozen cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, whose citizens were stopped in their tracks by the famous eruptions of 79 AD.
  • Call in at the cliff-top town of Sorrento. Pull up a chair on the cobbles of Piazza Tasso and sip a cappuccino in the sun.
  • Teeter on the brink of Mount Vesuvius, the only active volcano you can climb in Europe.
  • Snake your way along the outrageously gorgeous Amalfi Coast and stop at the postcard-perfect fishing village of Positano or the working town of Amalfi.
  • Hit the sleek boutiques of the jet-set isle of Capri.
  • It’s true what the guide books say. Naples is chaotic. It’s got none of the romance of Venice. None of the style of Rome. But what it has got is bags of character. It’s an authentic slice of southern Italian life. Washing is strung out between buildings. A forest of skew-whiff TV aerials punctuates the skyline. And buzzing Vespas and honking Fiats weave manically through the streets. But it’s not all hustle and bustle. The city centre is packed with ornate palaces, churches and monasteries, including a 14th-century cathedral and a 13th-century fortress, the Castel Nuovo. Don’t miss the Museo Archeologico Nazionale, either – it’s one of the world’s most important archaeological museums and is literally stuffed-full of finds from nearby Pompeii and Herculaneum.
See shore excursions

5

Saturday, Civitavecchia (for Rome) - ITALY  07:00 - 19:00

  • Few cities on earth have the power to bowl you over quite like Rome. Discover a city packed with historical wonder, artistic splendour and culinary temptation at every turn. Not to mention enough designer shops to keep you browsing for a year.

  • Relive the days of the gladiators at the eye-popping Colosseum. Big enough to hold 50,000 bloodthirsty spectators, it’s stood the test of time and remains Rome’s most famous landmark.
  • All pillars and triumphal arches, the Roman Forum is another ancient showstopper. Wander among its ruins – it’s like leafing through the pages of a living history book.
  • Head for the Vatican City, the heart of the Catholic Church. Feast your eyes on treasures like St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s ceiling masterpiece awaits you.
  • Stroll down Rome’s most exclusive shopping street, the über-chic Via Condotti. Here you can hit the shops, taking in big name boutiques like Fendi, Valentino and Gucci. Stop for a caffeine fix at Caffe Greco, a Victoriana-fest of a coffee house.
  • Follow the Da Vinci trail across the city, calling in at the Baroque beauty that is Piazza Navona and the citadel-fortress of Castel Sant’Angelo.
  • Drop it down a gear with a bike ride around Rome’s most famous park, the Villa Borghese. Dotted with follies and fountains, its paths and avenues weave between great oaks and umbrella pines.
  • Sit yourself down on the Spanish Steps and take five. It’s the ideal spot to write a postcard home or simply people-watch in the sunshine.
  • And, of course, toss a wish-coated coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City.
See shore excursions

6

Sunday, Ajaccio - CORSICA  10:00 - 16:00

  • Rugged peaks, emerald countryside, twinkling blue waters – Corsica’s been plucked from the prettiest postcard. Rising up from one of the most beautiful gulfs in the world is Ajaccio, a town oozing charm. An impressive place in its own right, it’s also your gateway to the sensational scenery and sleepy little towns that this sun-soaked isle is famous for. One word of advice – take plenty of spare batteries for your camera.

  • Get back to nature in the countryside that surrounds the city. Taking a coach and train trip, you can explore the maquis, the rich green hillside that’s unique to Corsica, and the Prunelli Gorge, a deep ravine that was carved by a small river.
  • For something a bit different head for Cupulatta Park, Europe’s only tortoise protection centre. From babies measuring just a few centimetres to wizened old grandfathers decades old, you’ll find them all here.
  • Pay a visit to the ancient Greek village of Cargese, which is set on a clifftop at the northern tip of Sagone bay. Wander through the flower-filled lanes and get some snaps of the two churches that call this place home.
See shore excursions

7

Monday, Mahon - MENORCA  10:00 - 18:00

  • Menorca is famous for its sandy shores and lazy pace. Get yourself out on deck as you glide into the second deepest natural harbour in the world. Not only are the views of the island’s walled capital, Mahon, gorgeous but you’ll see the unusual spectacle of traditional mussel farms in the waters below. Once ashore, head for the city’s biggest square, Place Esplanada, where cafés and restaurants find their home in 18th-century houses.

  • When you’re not sipping wine on the waterfront of Mahon, weave your way through gorgeous scenery to the fishing village of Fornells. It’s renowned for its lobster dishes and King Juan Carlos of Spain regularly pops over from his summer palace in Majorca.
  • Get a bird’s eye view of the island when you head up its highest peak, Monte Toro, the spiritual centre of the island.
  • Explore the island's country tracks, flowery meadows and oak forests on horseback. It's a great way to get off the beaten track and take in Majorca's standout scenery.
  • Head to Menorca's old capital, Ciutadella, where you'll find hidden plazas and centuries-old churches. There's a stylish waterfront these days, too.
See shore excursions

8

Tuesday, Palma - MAJORCA 

  • Palma. Think leafy boulevards that echo with the stilettos of stylish shoppers. Tiny tapas bars tucked down narrow sidestreets. Architectural gold hidden in the historic quarter. With its trademark cathedral dominating the skyline, cosmopolitan Palma never fails to impress.

  • Spend some time exploring the city, clicking snaps of the 14th-century Bellver Castle, browsing the boutiques and tasting tapas in the authentic bars that barnacle the backstreets.
  • Board the Tren de Soller and trace your way through Majorca’s interior. This vintage electric train has been running since the Twenties, and it’ll take you past olive groves and dinky villages.
See shore excursions

What about Cruise & Stay?

Extend your holiday - add a week's stay

  • Your holiday doesn't have to end just because your ship has docked for the last time. You can extend your holiday with our Cruise and Stay option
  • It means you spend a week cruising and another week at one of our hotels and apartments.
  • Or you can do it the other way round if you like - the hotel first and the cruise second.

Island Escape

Island Escape is the most laidback ship in the fleet, taking a more informal approach to life at sea. On the activities front, you can enjoy everything from pampering spa treatments and sports, to salsa classes...

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