Western Mediterranean Cruise - from Nice - 122719

The capital of the Cote d'Azur stretches along the wonderful Baie des Anges. Thanks to its favourable geographical and climactic position, this location has had a settlement since early days. Nice is a flourishing modern town with cultural activities on a grand scale (congresses, exhibitions, festivals). The town nevertheless retains its old traditions, e.g. the famous carnival and the charm of its picturesque old town with bustling little streets, the colourful flower market and the old harbour. As soon as you say 'Nice', people immediately think of the famous "Promenade des Anglais'‚ which has become the town's landmark and is now an international meeting place. Sights worth seeing: the Palais Lascarris, the Hotel Négresco, Place Masenna, Museum Massena, the harbour area, the castle hill and the Cadran solaire humain de Rauba Capeu.

The capital of the French island of Corsica and the "Département Corse-du-Sud" is surrounded by beautiful mountainous countryside, valleys and little villages that make it the perfect place for walks and daytrips. But this city, which has a population of 59,300, is not only a popular winter resort, but also the birthplace of Napoleon I., who was born on August 15th 1769 in a house in the Rue Saint Charles. Today, many streets, statues and monuments commemorate the city's most famous son. The town hall also has some impressive exhibits relating to the coronation of the former emperor. Sights include: the Saint-Erasme church where Napolean was christened in 1539 , also dedicated to the patron of seafarers and decorated with model ships. The Fesch Museum has a collection of works by Boticelli, Bellini und Titian -donated by Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon's uncle. Sporting activities in Ajaccio focus mainly on water sports: all year round, visitors can enjoy diving trips, jet-ski, sailing, fun-boards and angling.

The picturesque natural harbour of Mahón lies in the Mediterranean and was made island capital during the British occupation in 1722. From the main square "Placa de Esplanada" through the pedestrian zone you will reach the fish and vegetable market beneath the old cloisters of a former monastery. From here you can enjoy a wonderful view of the port of Mahón, English in style but with a Mediterranean feel. Sights include: the city gates "Pont de Sant Roc", built in around 1500 and which was seen as the city wall during the Middle Ages.

Ibiza is the most westerly of the Spanish Balearic Islands in the western Mediterranean. Together with Formentera to the South and the smaller islands in the vicinity it forms part of the Pityuses Group. Ibiza itself has a great deal to offer: sunshine, sea, beautiful sandy beaches, breathtaking scenery and the vibrant centre, Ibiza Town with its picturesque old town. Extensive parts of the island have kept their natural landscape, cultural monuments and their rural charm. The island is also an eldorado for clubbers and a mecca for fans of watersports.

The town is a harmonious mixture of the traditional and the modern and you will find both historic buildings dating from medieval times and ultra-modern architecture. Barcelona is the most important economic centre in Catalonia. This Mediterranean metropolis also has lots to offer in cultural terms, including, among other things, the Picasso Museum, the Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Catalonia. The cathedreal "La Seu", which dates from the 13th century, is situated in the gothic old town "Barri Gotic". But Barcelona's landmark is the "Sagrada Familia", the church designed by Antoni Gaudi. Barcelona is busy by day and lively by night. One of the other main attractions is "Las Ramblas", the splendid promenade in the city centre with countless pavement cafes, shops, restaurants, bars and discos. Other must-sees include "El Puerto", the harbour with a wonderful view of Barcelona, and the nearby boulevard "Paseo de Colón".

Sète - a hill, a harbour, four canals and the longest beach in the Languedoc. Sète has the largest fishing harbour on the Mediterranean coast. When the fishing boats drop anchor and hand over their catch it is a fascinating sight, as well as the perfect opportunity to try fresh fish or even oysters. From Mont St. Clair you can enjoy a wonderful view of the harbour, the town and the surrounding area. The canals have earned the town the nick-name of "French Venice".

The vibrant port town of St. Tropez, THE meeting place for VIPs and starlets, exudes sophistication - and not just on the promenades lined by luxury yachts, which is a popular place for visitors to take a stroll. The little side streets are home to countless top-class boutiques as well as quaint little shops, unique in their originality. A splendid citadel, which houses a maritime museum, towers over the town. The climb to the top is well worth it, not least for the amazing view of the town and the harbour. The museum has displays of many types of ships and outlines the history of St Tropez. In addition to the harbour and the citadel, the Museé de L'Annonciade is another tourist attraction. Fans of Louis de Funès will of course also have to pay a visit to the old 'gendarmerie'.

The capital of the Cote d'Azur stretches along the wonderful Baie des Anges. Thanks to its favourable geographical and climactic position, this location has had a settlement since early days. Nice is a flourishing modern town with cultural activities on a grand scale (congresses, exhibitions, festivals). The town nevertheless retains its old traditions, e.g. the famous carnival and the charm of its picturesque old town with bustling little streets, the colourful flower market and the old harbour. As soon as you say 'Nice', people immediately think of the famous "Promenade des Anglais'‚ which has become the town's landmark and is now an international meeting place. Sights worth seeing: the Palais Lascarris, the Hotel Négresco, Place Masenna, Museum Massena, the harbour area, the castle hill and the Cadran solaire humain de Rauba Capeu.

The little town of Sorrento lies surrounded by impressive limestone cliffs in a beautiful setting above the bold white cliffs and provides a fantastic view of the Gulf of Naples. For 2,000 years, breathtaking sunsets and fragrant orange and lemon gardens have been drawing in visitors from around the world. You can follow in the footsteps of the Greeks and Romans. The small fishing port of Marina Grande, the Piazza Tasso, named after the poet Torquato Tasso (1544 - 1594), whose statue can also be seen, and the Duomo SS. Filippo e Giacomo dating from the 15th century are particularly worth seeing. Other sights include: the Archaeological Museum Villa Fondi, the old town and Chiesa del Rosario.

The former resort of Saranda at the Ionian Sea has become a popular meeting place, primarily for visitors from Greece. From here, one can visit the town of Butrint, where there has been a settlement since the first century B.C. and which has city walls from various epochs. The extensive excavations from ancient times include theatres, an altar to Dionysos, the Asklepius temple, nymphaeum, Roman houses and baths, early Christian basilica and an early Christian baptistry with one of the most beautiful mosaics ever found. The Lion's Gate and the Venetian fort on the former acropolis are must-sees. A ferry leaves Saranda twice daily for the island of Corfu, which is just 10 km away. But the small harbour town has wonderful beaches of its own and welcomes tourists.

Kotor is a picturesque little town in the bay of the same name which was founded by Greek settlers. It now belongs to the Republic of Montenegro. Despite the severe earthquake in 1979, all of the old buildings stayed standing. These buildings are also the most important sights: the 12th century Romanesque cathedral of St. Tripun with its opulent interior, St. Luka church, built in the Greek-Byzantine style, a clock tower dating from the 17th century and the fortress St. Ivan with its triple defensive wall. The maritime museum is also worth a visit. The Bay of Kotor, "Boka Kotorska", has some of the most beautiful scenery in Europe. It cuts deep into the land in the shape of a fjord and is surrounded by high mountains. Several small bays are perfect for swimming. The asymmetric fronts of the narrow streets and squares feature many precious monuments in the medieval architectural style, which helped Kotor gain its status as a World Heritage Site.

Small, winding streets, a fresh sea breeze and handsome buildings – a description that sums up the unique charm of Monopoli. The small port with a popular name is situated at the Adriatic coast of Apulia in Southern Italy. Still considered an inside tip, Monopoli’s atmosphere is marked by locals. The former fishing village today represents an important port for the area. Ancient buildings like the Castillo di Monopoli with its remained town wall can be discovered. One of the most beautiful buildings is the baroque cathedral on Piazza Vittorio Emanuele. Mural arts can be admired insight of it. Moreover, Monopoli’s long beaches are worth visiting.

The Croatian port of Dubrovnik is known as an important spa resort. It was founded by the Slavs at around the beginning of the 7th century. Today, the city by the Adriatic Sea is known for its excellent shopping, many shops and cultural facilities. The main street of the old town is the "Stradun" (also called "Placa"). From here, all of the important sights in the city are just a short walk away. The entire old town has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980. Sights include: the city walls dating from the 13th century, a Franciscan monastery with its own apothecary, the 15th century Duke's palace, "Sponza Palace", the Museum of Popular Art, the Cathedral and St. Blasius' church.

With 160 canals, Venice is the city of gondolas and boats. It lies in a lagoon comprises a total of 116 islands. All of the buildings, bridges and squares are built on wooden stilts. The most famous canal is 'Canale Grande', on which you can explore the old town in a gondola. You could of course take a stroll through the city centre and have a look at the elegant shops or enjoy a well-deserved break at one of the typical Italian cafés. The special attraction in the lagoon city are the one hundred churches, the museums and art collections, as well as the Rialto bridge, which dates from the 16th century. Venice hosts the international festival for contemporary art, music and film, the 'Biennale'. The city was designated a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site in 1987 . Other sights include: St. Mark's Square and St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the 'Bridge of Sighs'.