A Journey through Istanbul's Cosmopolitan Vibrancy to Rome's Timeless Wonders

Overview

A 7-night voyage aboard EXPLORA V, departing Istanbul on 12 Dec 2027 and arriving in Civitavecchia, Rome, calling at 7 destinations along the way.

Cabin prices

Live prices per person based on two sharing. Select a grade to see its fare options.

1. 1

   Day 1 ·Istanbul, TurkeyEmbark

   12 Dec 2027

   Depart 20:00

   Embark on a European and Asian adventure packed with a wealth of charm and cultural diversity. Roam the ‘blue’ mosque of Sultan Ahmet, the Grand Bazaar, opulent Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia or sink into a serene Turkish Bath experience. Embrace the city’s vine-shaded homely district where ladies shop for butter-soaked baklava and freshly picked olives. Explore further to haggle for gold jewellery, linen and oriental antiques. Dine in the atmospheric old city or take a ferry to Asia for street-served food. Feast over rich platters of meze, moist grilled bluefish and succulent kebabs. Heighten your senses even further in the spice bazaar with enticing aromas and vibrant, colourful displays. After such a sensorial feast, indulge in a restorative raki, whichever continent you’re in. By night parties don’t start until late, but expect to dance till dawn. Join the late crowd spilling into the streets overlooking the Bosphorus. Sway at European rooftop bars, shimmer by ferry over to the Asian suburbs or remain ensconced in old-fashioned folk venues. An eclectic fusion of east and west, this city is conservative at heart with a truly modern soul.
   
2. 2

   Day 2 ·Canakkale, Turkey

   13 Dec 2027

   Arrive 08:00Depart 17:00

   Blend world cultural heritage and archaeological findings with exquisite nature, and you get this small Aegean city packed with prominent treasures. Soak up local culture as you visit Ottoman Empire ceramic museums, fortresses, art and the Suvla wine factory. Step back in time to a classical world of myth and legend amid Troy’s ancient ruins and the immortal battlefields of Gallipoli. Then slow down to discover restful green forests, fresh springs and the wild beauty of Mount Ida. Where green greets blue, dive into Turkey's only underwater national park to meet monk seals in underwater caves, or find inner calm on one of the beautiful beaches. With boundaries touching both Europe and Asia and surrounded by an abundance of nature, you’ll enjoy this mythological and historically rich island in great peace of mind.
3. 3

   Day 3 ·Kusadasi, Turkey

   14 Dec 2027

   Arrive 09:00Depart 20:00

   Walk in Cleopatra’s steps as you journey through fields bursting with cotton, olives and peaches until the hills broaden, to reveal the magnificent Roman ruins of Ephesus. Dedicated to Artemis, visit monuments, shrines, columns and ruins, where Popes pray and pilgrims drink holy water. Immerse yourself totally in this ancient place of worship; wish for good health and meditate in the sacred thermal pools of Pamukkale. Travel out to Orthodox villages combining Turkish-Greek culture and feast on organic filo, feta and spinach. Study Turkish weavings, natural dyes and textiles; see looms in action, knotting carpets and kilims. Steeped in history and with terrain as diverse as the culture, it won’t just be the traditional Turkish coffee that makes you sit up straight.
4. 4

   Day 4 ·Heraklion, Crete

   15 Dec 2027

   Arrive 09:00Depart 18:00

   Immerse in a capital town that bustles with life, classical culture, steep landscapes and seductive beaches. Visit Rethymnon’s impressive past and visit Chania’s glorious Venetian architecture. Be guided around the Palace of Knossos - a must for minotaur and labyrinth fans. Walk the Venetian walls that mark the medieval city limits to explore the main archaeological museum, the Loggia Building and the Agios Titos church for relics of St Tito. Scale the heights of Mount Ida, hike paths that span villages and battlefields, scuba dive and nip over to fêted neighbouring Greek isles. Explore the island through the ages at museums, sip raki and delight in local cuisine. Embrace this Isle of the Gods that teems with treasure.
   
5. 5

   Day 5 ·At Sea

   16 Dec 2027
6. 6

   Day 6 ·Siracusa (Sicily)

   17 Dec 2027

   Arrive 08:00Depart 17:00

   Dip in a Mediterranean mass of rich history, cuisine and abundant nature. Wander through historic cities, Roman sites, Greek temples and expansive vineyards. Skirt around simmering Mount Etna’s fertile lava lands, survey Grecian archaeology inland at Valle Dei Templi Grecian, seek out tumbled ruins at sea-facing Selinunte and drop in to Casale to admire ornate mosaics. Attend an Etna Rosso wine tasting, head for peace at the nature reserve and liven up at the Baroque old town of Sciacca. And for a final taste of Sicily, feast on olive oil drenched pasta - you won’t leave this honey-hued region unfulfilled.
   
7. 7

   Day 7 ·Naples, Italy

   18 Dec 2027

   Arrive 09:00Depart 18:00
8. 8

   Day 8 ·Civitavecchia (Rome)Disembark

   19 Dec 2027

   Arrive 08:00

   There’s more to Rome than its ancient architecture. The Eternal City is home to a seemingly endless array of hidden gems. The artistic-minded can enjoy fashion aristocracy, street art, vespa jaunts to The Appian Way and toss coins into fountains. Or you can stroll by appointment to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and the Pope’s private quarters at the Vatican. Explore the historic ruins of The Colosseum, Caravaggio churches, the Spanish Steps and The Pantheon. Learn how to make pasta the true Italian way, hunt truffles, nibble gelato, sip coffee and sink into a 3000 year old pool for a wellness experience. an ode to homespun pasta at a Renaissance piazza. When in Rome, fusing old with new makes it simple to indulge in whatever you like.
   

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