21 nightsFrom Athens (Piraeus), Greece15 ports of call
21-Day Exploring Egypt, Ephesus & Mediterranean Isles
Seabourn · Seabourn Ovation
Overview
A 21-night voyage aboard Seabourn Ovation, departing Athens (Piraeus), Greece on 27 Oct 2029 and arriving in Barcelona, calling at 15 destinations along the way.
Athens (Piraeus), GreeceKusadasiBodrumRhodesAlexandria, EgyptSyracuse,ItalySalernoCivitavecchia, RomeTrapani (Sicily)Senglea, MaltaLa GouletteCagliariPalma de MallorcaTarragonaBarcelona
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Itinerary
21 nights · 22 ports of call- 1
Day 1 ·Piraeus (Athens), GreeceEmbark
27 Oct 2029Depart 17:00Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy. - 2
Day 2 ·Kusadasi (Ephesus), Turkey
28 Oct 2029Arrive 09:00Depart 23:00Kusadasi, which means "bird island," is set in a superb gulf known for its sparkling water, broad sandy beaches and large marina. The city has managed to retain a certain earthiness while doing a brisk trade in Turkish carpets and leather goods to visitors. The town's old quarter is a picturesque maze of winding streets and houses adorned with flowers and birdcages. In the center stands a 17th-century caravanserai, now converted into a hotel. The resort is also gateway to important sites of archaeological and religious interest. - 3
Day 3 ·Bodrum, Turkey
29 Oct 2029Arrive 08:00Depart 18:00Today Bodrum is a picturesque yacht harbor filled with traditional wood-varnished sailboats, charming outdoor cafes and streets bursting with small shops selling carpets, leatherwear, jewelry and local artwork. In antiquity, it was the site of ancient Halicarnassus. Under King Mausolus, the city prospered, and in death, the king left the city its most enduring legacy, his majestic tomb, from which we derive the term "mausoleum." Only its massive foundations remain today but it was the largest tomb ever built by the Greeks and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Models on the site recreate its form for visitors. Alexander the Great attacked the city in 334 BC, leveling all but the Mausoleum, which was later destroyed by an earthquake.
When the Knights of St. John lost their castle in Smyrna in 1402, they came here. Finding the mausoleum in ruins, they used the stone to construct the Castle of St. Peter, which proudly stood sentinel to the city. Together with their fortifications on Kos and Rhodes, the Knights dominated the southeastern Aegean, running a hospital for passing pilgrims and ruling the seas as privateers in swift vessels. They remained until 1523, when Ottoman ruler, Suleyman the Magnificent, conquered Rhodes and the Knights' position became untenable. The castle still dominates the harbor and houses an archeological museum. - 4
Day 4 ·Rhodes, Greece
30 Oct 2029Arrive 08:00Depart 18:00Best known of the Dodecanese Islands, Rhodes is a fascinating architectural patchwork of her past. Here the legacy of the ancient Greeks mingles with that of besieging Turks, crusading knights, and occupying Italians. Twin bronze deer, the symbol of Rhodes, guard the Mandraki Harbor where the 100-foot Colossus is said to have stood, a wonder of the ancient world. The medieval Crusader City is dominated by the Palace of the Grand Masters, while cobbled streets lead to the bustling bazaar and a lively harbor that is a center of the international yachting scene. - 5
Day 5 ·At Sea
31 Oct 2029 - 6
Day 6 ·Alexandria, Cairo, Egypt
1 Nov 2029Arrive 07:00Alexander the Great founded this city, but never lived to see it. When he took Egypt from the Persians in 332 BC, he decided to move the capital from Memphis to the Mediterranean. Leaving instructions with his architect, he traveled on to Asia where he died. Egypt passed under the control of his general, Ptolemy I, who made Alexandria a great intellectual center. The city was designed with grand proportions. Its lighthouse, the Pharos, was a beacon to all. The Mouseion, from which our word "museum" derives, incorporated laboratories, observatories and a vast library. With the fall of the Ptolemies, Alexandria slumbered in obscurity until revived as an international seaport. A cosmopolitan, decadent colonial era, captured such works as Lawrence Durrell's Alexandrian Quartet, ended in the 1950's, but the beaches, restaurants and architecture still draw visitors, along with such excavations as Cleopatra's Palace, where this Queen of Egypt shared her love with Mark Anthony. - 7
Day 7 ·Alexandria, Cairo, Egypt
2 Nov 2029Depart 21:00Alexander the Great founded this city, but never lived to see it. When he took Egypt from the Persians in 332 BC, he decided to move the capital from Memphis to the Mediterranean. Leaving instructions with his architect, he traveled on to Asia where he died. Egypt passed under the control of his general, Ptolemy I, who made Alexandria a great intellectual center. The city was designed with grand proportions. Its lighthouse, the Pharos, was a beacon to all. The Mouseion, from which our word "museum" derives, incorporated laboratories, observatories and a vast library. With the fall of the Ptolemies, Alexandria slumbered in obscurity until revived as an international seaport. A cosmopolitan, decadent colonial era, captured such works as Lawrence Durrell's Alexandrian Quartet, ended in the 1950's, but the beaches, restaurants and architecture still draw visitors, along with such excavations as Cleopatra's Palace, where this Queen of Egypt shared her love with Mark Anthony. - 8
Day 8 ·At Sea
3 Nov 2029 - 9
Day 9 ·At Sea
4 Nov 2029 - 10
Day 10 ·Syracuse, Sicily, Italy
5 Nov 2029Arrive 07:00Depart 14:00Now a sun-bleached provincial capital, Siracusa was once one of the most prestigious cities in the known world. Founded in the 8th century BC by settlers from Corinth, Siracusa gradually grew in prestige to rival Athens and was considered the western capital of Magna Graecia. In the Greek world dictators, often called tyrants, exercised unlimited power over colonies like Siracusa. Although often unpleasant people, they also often patronized poets and artists and competed to bring intellectuals to their courts. Siracusa was home to Archimedes, Plato and Aeschylus during its height of power and prestige. Today's visitors come to marvel at the remains of the ancient structures, reminders of the past glory and rich history of the area. The city is superbly situated at the head of a beautiful bay and enjoys a mild climate. The coastline to the south is renowned for its beauty, clear waters and evocative, mythical scenery. There are romantic abandoned coves and wide, sandy beaches not easily matched anywhere else in Italy. - 11
Day 11 ·Salerno
6 Nov 2029Arrive 09:00Depart 17:00 - 12
Day 12 ·Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
7 Nov 2029Arrive 07:00Depart 18:00Originally built by Emperor Trajan who had a villa here, Civitavecchia has flourished as a major port for Rome since the 13th century. Today it is an important ferry terminal and for many travelers the gateway to the Eternal City, Rome. The Renaissance fortifications that surround the harbor area were begun by Bramante and completed by Michelangelo in 1535. - 13
Day 13 ·At Sea
8 Nov 2029 - 14
Day 14 ·Trapani, Sicily, Italy
9 Nov 2029Arrive 07:00Depart 17:00Bright stone buildings mark the rambling layout and baroque architecture of Trapani. Extending out into the sea, the towns characteristic shape of a scythe, frames the majestic Tower of Ligny, which rises from its most extreme point. Originally under Arab dominion, Trapani was a blossoming center for the production of salt, tuna, and coral. The city became famous throughout the Old World in the 16th century, when the work of Trapanese coral artisans was revealed. Their gorgeous collection of works in coral is preserved in the Pepoli Museum. - 15
Day 15 ·Valletta, Malta
10 Nov 2029Arrive 08:00Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors. - 16
Day 16 ·Valletta, Malta
11 Nov 2029Depart 15:00Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors. - 17
Day 17 ·La Goulette (Tunis), Tunisia
12 Nov 2029Arrive 09:00Depart 18:00La Goulette, known in Arabic as Halq al-Wadi, is the port of Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. The Kasbah fortress was built in 1535 by Charles I of Spain but was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1574 - 18
Day 18 ·Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy
13 Nov 2029Arrive 08:00Depart 18:00The pleasingly green, quiet island of Sardinia offers the visitor scenic beauty and a relaxed lifestyle. Cagliari, the island's capital, features handsome Italianate architecture and several churches reflecting a variety of influences. Impressive views are provided by the city's hillsides, with one of the best panoramas available from the old walls of Terrazzo Umberto. The island's natural charm has attracted pleasure-seekers to the Costa Smeralda since the Aga Khan sought shelter ashore from a storm at sea. - 19
Day 19 ·At Sea
14 Nov 2029 - 20
Day 20 ·Palma de Mallorca, Spain
15 Nov 2029Arrive 08:00Depart 18:00Spain's Balearic Islands are among Europe's most popular resort destinations. Mallorca is the largest and most developed of these islands. Rome and Carthage battled over this territory and portions of ancient Roman constructions still remain. Founded almost 2,100 years ago, the city of Palma de Mallorca, the island's busy capital city boasts a considerable store of history. Mallorca welcomes its visitors to an island, which can be both exciting and tranquil. The abundant sightseeing and sunshine are yours to enjoy. - 21
Day 21 ·Tarragona, Spain
16 Nov 2029Arrive 08:00Depart 22:00This quaint city on the Costa Dorada recalls the glory of the Roman Empire, and promises rich classical remains- she does not disappoint. Its ancient amphitheatre, circus and walls are clustered high on a hill, with a beautiful beach hidden below. As capital of the Roman province of Tarraconensis (from 218 BC), Tarraco, as it was then called, formed the empire's principal stronghold in Spain. Tarragona hosted the 1993 World Archaeology Conference and is clearly divided into old and new by the wide Rambla Vella boulevard. - 22
Day 22 ·Barcelona, SpainDisembark
17 Nov 2029Arrive 07:00Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is said to have been founded by the Phoenicians, and was once the rival of the powerful states of Venice and Genoa for control of the Mediterranean trade. Today, it is Spain's second largest city and has long rivaled, even surpassed Madrid in industry and commerce. The medieval atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter and the elegant boulevards combine to make the city one of Europe's most beautiful. Barcelona's active cultural life and heritage brought forth such greats as the architect Antonio Gaudi, the painter Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso, who spent his formative years here. Other famous native Catalan artists include cellist Pau Casals, surrealist Salvador Dali, and opera singers Montserrat Caballe and Josep Carreras. Barcelona accomplished a long-cherished goal with the opportunity to host the Olympics in 1992. This big event prompted a massive building program and created a focal point of the world's attention.
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