Shore Excursions

A FEW OF OUR HANDPICKED EXPERIENCES  

Athens, The Ancient City

The greatest and finest sanctuary of ancient Athens, dedicated primarily to its patron, the goddess Athena, dominates the center of the modern city from the rocky crag known as the Acropolis. Your expert guide will assist you as a you skip the line to explore the most famous building on Earth. After your visit here, you’ll visit the Acropolis Museum. Situated with views of the Acropolis, the collection houses many of the original artworks originally located at the Acropolis. From there, it’s a walk through Athens’ oldest neighborhood of Plaka where you’ll have time for lunch on your own before a guided visit to the Agora, once the center of life in the ancient city.  Depending on your schedule, you may want to add a visit  to the National Archeological Museum, time for shopping or even a cooking class to your day in Athens.

Santorini, Oia Sunset & Village Charm

Arriving to what many believe to be the most beautiful of all Greek Islands, Santorini, you’ll be met by your guide and whisked away from the crowds of Fira to the southern tip of the island and Akrotiri, commonly called the “Greek Pompeii” 4,000 year old Akrotiri has been an ongoing excavation site that offers visitors the chance to see a nearly complete village as you walk though the ancient site. From here, you’ll be taken to the the village of Oia, where the rich and famous have enjoyed Santorini for decades. Your guide will walk you though the charming winding streets, taking you to art galleries, shops and helping you select a restaurant for a traditional Greek meal. If time allows, you may want to consider adding wine tasting at one of Santorini’s famous vineyards.

Crete: Heraklion, Knossos & Beyond

Begin your day with a visit to the world famous Knossos Palace, built around 1900 BC and center of the powerful Minoan civilization as well as birthplace of the myths of Europa, the Labyrinth and the Minotaur. Your guide will have you skip the line and take you on your own tour of the palace, apartments and staterooms. After the Palace, you’ll head to the center of Crete, the city of Heraklion where, after a stop for lunch, you’ll visit the Archeological Museum housing artifacts dating from 5700 BC through the Greco-Roman period. If you have the time, you may want to add a round of golf, wine tasting or a visit to a beach club to your visit.

Rome: The Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel

Head to the Vatican Museums with your expert local guide and enjoy all there is to see of this stunning  location. With your fast track entry, you will skip the line and enter into the various galleries that make up this complex. Prepare to be amazed by the artistic legacy and admire the various sculptures, frescoes and paintings you will stop to see, including important works by artists such Caravaggio and Raphael. From here your guide will escort you to the breathtaking Sistine Chapel. As the German author Goethe famously said, “Without having seen the Sistine Chapel one can form no appreciable idea of what one man is capable of achieving”. Your guide will explain the intricacies behind this masterpiece by Michelangelo. Then, proceed to St. Peter’s Basilica where you can admire important works such as Michelangelo’s Pieta and Bernini’s Baldacchino altar. There’s free time to explore the Basilica before stopping for lunch.  If time permits, you may want to add a stop at the Pantheon.

The Architecture of Ancient Rome

Explore the ancient Rome in a tour that will provide a fresh point of view into the way you see Rome – through the eyes of someone who truly understands the complexities of the buildings you will visit – your expert guide.  Being your trip back in time with a visit to the Colosseum, one of the most amazing attractions of the ancient world. Follow the path of the ancient Romans, learning the history of this place and hearing tales about the gladiators, the combatants of the arena. Then, access the Roman Forum and meet with an archaeologist working on excavations at the site itself. You will have special access to an area off limits to the public where you will be shown the finds from the previous excavation season! This is a unique opportunity for an insider’s view into the archaeology of one of Rome’s oldest and most famous sites. A stop for an espresso and bite to eat is included.

Florence, A Walking Tour

Florence is the jewel of Tuscany. Once home to the Medici dynasty, the greatest art patrons of their time, their patronage allowed for the Renaissance to happen in Florence. Artists including Donatello, Michelangelo, Brunelleschi, Leonardo da Vinci, as well as luminaries like Dante, and Galileo Galilei all came together in Florence to create a truly unique cultural moment in history. Every church, every gallery, every street and every palace is steeped in this cultural heritage and history.

You will enjoy an orientation walking tour covering the history of the city and the Renaissance, Florence’s golden age, a time when the city was embellished with majestic palaces and squares, transforming into a living museum. Your private guide will take you to some of the city’s most important sites where the greatest minds and artists stood and were inspired.

You will then enter the Accademia Gallery with a fast-track priority entrance ticket and discover Michelangelo’s original masterpiece that has become the symbol of Renaissance splendor: the David. You’ll then have the opportunity to discover the masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery, skipping the endlessly long lines. One of Italy’s most important and renowned museums, the Uffizi houses an incredible collection of artworks from the Middle Ages to Renaissance and beyond, by artists like Giotto, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Botticelli, and many more. If you have more time in Florence, think about a pasta making class or visit to a famous vineyard.