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Holland America |
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Day
0.1 |
Barcelona,
Spain |
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Barcelona is a lively mix of Catalan tradition and modern style. On tree-shaded Las Ramblas, the city's main thoroughfare, shop for exquisite Lladro ceramics; visit Gaudi's Church of the Holy Family; marvel at the genius of Picasso. |
Day
2 |
Monte Carlo, Monaco |
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The luxe kingdom of Monaco is the essence of the Riviera: couture fashion, grand yachts, nightlife centered around its famed Casino. Sample shore excursions: A Taste of the Riviera; A Bird's-eye View of the Côte d Azur. |
Day
3 |
Livorno (Florence), Italy |
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Access to the best of Tuscany: Florence, with its magnificent art and architecture and elegant shopping; Pisa's Leaning Tower; and ancient Lucca. Sample shore excursions: Tuscan Countryside & Wine Tasting; Florence & the Academia. |
Day
4 |
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy |
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Start and end your
cruise in the "Eternal City" where the sights from the past are
everywhere intermixed with those of a great modern Rome. Visit the Roman
Coliseum with it's colorful history and the Pantheon where the vast 142'-cupola
is being restored. Enjoy a cup of espresso in one of the many cafes along
the Via Venito. Visit the Trevi Fountain - drop a coin and make a wish. Some of the many treasures of Rome and the Vatican: St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and more. Sample shore excursion: Highlights of Rome & Vatican City - A Private Visit to the Vatican.
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Day
5 |
Messina, Italy |
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Gateway to Taormina and its views of snowcapped Mt. Etna. The small museum here shows works by Caravaggio. Sample shore excursions: Taormina & the Greco-Roman Theater; A Drive to Mt. Etna. |
Day
6 |
Day at Sea |
Day
7 |
Nafplion, Greece |
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Tour Greece's most prized ruins: the Ascelpion in Epidaurus, sanctuary of the god of healing; the Grand Palace at Mycenae, once King Agamemnon's domain; Athens and its stupendous Acropolis. The four-mile-long Corinth Canal facilitates shipping between the Ionian sea and the Aegean, as it has for a hundred years. |
Day
8 |
Katakolon, Greece |
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Gateway to Olympus, site of the original Olympic Stadium and host to some games of the 2004 Olympiad. Sample shore excursion: Ancient Olympia & the Village. |
Day
9 |
Kerkira (Corfu), Greece |
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Fortresses flank your entrance to this most beautiful of the Ionians. Lose yourself in the Venetian old town or head north for dramatic seascapes. Sample shore excursion: Achillion Palace & Private Villa. |
Day
10 |
Dubrovnik, Croatia |
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Magnificent medieval walls protect this World Heritage Site and former naval city-state. Inside are a beautiful 14th-century Franciscan monastery, the Sponza Palace and graceful stone palazzi. Sample shore excursion: Dubrovnik & Croatia's Countryside. |
Day
11, 12 |
Venice, Italy |
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St. Mark's Square is Venice s heart, with palatial arcades and charming cafés. Tour the exquisite Doges Palace, once home to the dukes of Venice. Ply the canals in a gondola; shop for exquisite Venetian glass; sip a bicerin at timeless Caffé Florian. |
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Photos and text courtesy of Holland America. |
