Eastern Mediterranean Cruise - from Civitavecchia / Rome - 106290

The Italian capital of Rome is also often called "the eternal city", as this buzzing metropolis still has many precious treasures from ancient times, which are known around the world. The most impressive sights include the "Thermae of Caracalla", the emperor's forum, the Colosseum, the Piazza Navona, the Fountain of Neptune and of course St. Peter's Basilica, with the dome designed by Michelangelo.

The town is Greek in origin and in the 11th century belonged to the Norman Kingdom of Sicily and from 1282 until the founding of Italy in 1861, was the capital of the Kingdom of Naples. The Piazza Garibaldi is a must-see - it is the main square in Naples, located in front of the main train station and the site of the Garibaldi monument, Via Umberto I. with many shops, fruit and fish markets and lots of streets sellers everywhere in between; the old town with the harbour, the city gate Porta Capuana, the Franciscan church, the town hall and Galleria Umberto I.; the former royal palace Palazzo Reale, which also houses the national library; Castel Sant Elmo dating from the 14th century and built on a hilltop overlooking the city; the San Gennaro cathedral, built in the 13th century, which houses the grave of the city's patron, -St. Januarius; the National Archaeological Museum, home to the famous Alexander mosaic; the National Museum with many finds from Herculaneum and Pompeii.

Valletta is the first city in modern times to be built entirely on the basis of the drafts drawn by Jean de la Valetta of the Order of St. John. The capital of Malta is a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. Upon entering the harbour you can see the huge fortifications of the old town with its splendid buildings. The city invites tourists to visit the ceremonial church of San Giovanni and the Hospital of the Grand Master of the Order of St. John, which dates from the 16th century. Republic Street, which is always very busy, is a testament to the convivial nature of the residents and shows how much fun shopping here can be. Other sights include: Baracca Gardens, the National Archaeological Museum, Fort St. Elmo with its Defence Museum and the old palace.

Katákolon is a small town with a harbour and lots of shops selling souvenirs and jewellery. It is 13 km to the East of Pyrgos and is also known as the port of Pyrgos. A traditional and extremely impressive place for a daytrip is the ancient ruins of Olympia on the slopes of the Peloponnes at the foot of Mount Kronos. Excavation work, which was instigated by German archaeologists in 1875, and is still ongoing, has uncovered a great deal of information about this mystic and sacred place. Its walls enclose the Temple of Jupiter, the Doric Temple of Hera, the "Hall of Echos", the gymnasium and the stadium.

Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Greek Aegean. This unique, craggy island was created by a volcanic eruption. Today, its inhabitants live on the edge of the crater of the volcano. White villages lie at dizzying heights close to the edge. The most beautiful of the Cyclades combines blue sea, breathtaking views and a bizarre landscape. The typical architecture of the cyclades consists of cube-shaped houses with coloured window frames and lots of small chapels with blue domes. Sights include: the excavations at Akrotiri, the beach at Mavro Rachidi with its impressive black and red-coloured cliffs, the beach of Perissa with finest black sand, the rock massif of Mesa Vuno, Dorf Pyrgos.

Die Hafenstadt beherbergt den größten Teil der ca. 3.500 Einwohner der griechischen Insel Mykonos. Die Altstadt ist am besten vom Ufer aus zu betreten. Im Zentrum der Stadt befindet sich der Drei-Brunnen-Platz "Platia Tria Pigadia" mit drei Ziehbrunnen, die noch bis in die Fünfzigerjahre des 20. Jh. hinein die Altstadt mit Wasser versorgen. Sehenswürdigkeiten: "Nautiko Moussío", eines der reizvollsten Museen aus dem 19. Jh. zum Thema Seefahrt in Griechenland mit schönem schattigen Garten, das "Haus der Lena", das ca. 200 Jahre alt, mit Möbeln und Kunst ausgestattet ist und einen Einblick in ein Bürgerhaus des 19. Jh. gibt, die kleine "Agios-Nikolaos-Kirche", das Rathaus mit rotem Ziegeldach.

Piraeus, today a modern port town, has been Athens' port since ancient times and used to be connected with the capital by means of city walls. Only remnants of these wall remain. Piraeus has made a name for itself primarily on account of its appealing nightlife and the romantic fish restaruants by the sea. Sights include: the ancient harbour Zea Marina, the remnants of the long walls (5th century B.C.), the Archaeological Museum with ancient shipwrecks, statues of Apollo and Athena, the Hellenic Marine Museum and the Veakio Theatre.