ITINERARY

Day 1: Friday, USA-Venice.
Overnight flight to Venice. Dinner and breakfast are served on board.

Day 2: Saturday,Venice.
Embarkation in the port of Venice after 2pm. At 5pm departure to the port of Korcula.

Day 3: Sunday, Korcula.
Noon arrival to island Korcula. Our optional walking tour will take us through Old Town, surrounded by its ancient walls. We will see Cathedral of St. Mark, including paintings by Tintoretto. We will also visit the House of Marco Polo, where the great explorer was born, old churches with priceless paintings, art galleries, and the Museum with its rich collection of Byzantine icons.

Day 4: Monday, Dubrovnik.
At noon we reach the ancient walled city Dubrovnik, completed in the 13th century. The old city has remained virtually unchanged. Dubrovnik is included on UNESCO's List of World Heritage. After lunch, an optional excursion will take you for a panoramic drive by bus and walking tour of the Old Town of Dubrovnik, a unique open-air museum. You'll stroll the central stone-paved street known as Stradun, with its Dominica and Franciscan monasteries, the latter housing one of Europe's oldest pharmacies established in 1318, is still dispensing medicines today. Other monuments include the Rector's Palace, with public galleries, an ethology museum, 17 churches and one of Europe's oldest synagogues. Return to the ship for dinner on board.

Day 5: Tuesday, Corfu.
We arrive at noon in Corfu, a lush and romantic island, written about by Homer in his famous Odyssey. The Corinthians were the first to settle on the Ionian Islands in the 8th century BC. From the 14th through centuries, the Venetians ruled Corfu. By 1862 Ionian Islands were granted independence and the islands were joined new state Greece. The best seen Corfu is on foot; the old town is a mixture of medieval and modern. Stroll along the Esplanade, planted with palms and eucalyptus by the French, see the English cricket pitch, view the Panace of St. Micahel and St. George, now a museum but once home to Corfu's British rulers, and wander along the narrow streets and small plazas.

Day 6: Wednesday, Bay of Kotor.
In the morning we enter the Bay of Kotor, Southern Europe’s longest, deepest fjord. The old town of Kotor is one of the best preserved medieval towns in the Mediterranean region. The narrow streets and squares, with numerous monuments of medieval architecture, contributed to Kotor being placed on UNESCO’s “The world natural and cultural inheritance” list. The whole day optional excursion through Montenegro visiting the charming town of Kotor, picturesque Cetinje, Montenegro’s old capital and museum of Montenegro history is part of Lovcen National Park, and Budva with a stop for lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon panoramic view of Sveti Stefan, built on the island in 1442.The island was fortified by walls so families from the surrounding villages could find shelter from Turkish and pirate attacks. Svetl Stefan was of strategic and commercial significance at the time of Venetian Republic. In 1966 the old walled fishermans’ village was renovated into the most unusual deluxe town-hotel. The streets, walls, roofs, facades retained their former appearance, while the interior of the houses acquired modern hotel amenities. Return to the ship to leave in the evening.

Day 7: Thursday, Split.
At 8:30 arrival at Split, the 1700 year old capital of Dalmatia. Optional all day tour to the “Heart of Dalmatia” featuring sightseeing of the Old Town of Split with Roman emperor Diocletian Palace, built 295 to 305. Drive along the coast to visit the Krka National Park with seven waterfalls where the permanent play of sun and water creates a breathtaking scenery. On the way there is a small lake with the picturesque island of Visovac in the middle. A Franciscan monastery was built on Visovac in the 15th century. On the way back to Split stop at the coastal town of Trogir for a walking tour. Return to ship at 20:00 to leave for Pula.

Day 8: Friday, Pula - Venice.
At 8:00am dock at Pula, tourist resort established 1888 by Viennese society. Pula is well know an artist’s colony featuring many galleries. Optional half day trip to Brijuni Istrian Island, National Park, a unique museum with an extraordinary blend of natural, historical and cultural heritage in a most beautiful and sumptuous Roman country complex from the 1st century AD. Today Brijuni is a trendy summer and health resort, a meeting place of the European and world aristocracy. Many head of the states were the guests of Josip Broz Tito in his three residential villas on the island of Vanga. Sightseeing tour includes: a ride by tourist train, visit to the remains of the Roman villa, safari park, archaeological museum in the Citadel building from XVI century and the Church of St. Germain with exhibition of the copies of frescoes from Istria. We will reach Venice at 7:00pm, the starting and ending point of the cruise. After dinner, optional walking tour to the highlights of Venice. St. Mark’s square is undeniably the heart and soul of Venice and is often described as the most elegant drawing room in Europe. In and around the square there are small glass manufacturers’ workshops and a visit will be made to one these before the tour is concluded. Return to the ship late in the evening and spend the night in Venice.

Day 9: Saturday,Venice.
After breakfast, disembarkation.