THROUGH THE CORINTH CANAL

Day 1-2: Athens, Greece. On arrival private transfer to your hotel where you will stay 1 night based on accommodation and breakfast. Departure of the ship on day 2 from the port of Piraeus.

Day 3: Corinth Canal and Itea, Greece The canal only first completed in 1893, despite earlier attempts from antiquity. The canal we cross is 6.3 kilometres long. Before the canal existed, ships sailing between the Aegean Sea and the Adriatic Sea had to bypass the Peloponnese and add about 185 nautical miles to their voyage. Itea is a small town located on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth. The town offers the nearest access to the incredible sight of Delphi, which is among the top three archaeological attractions in Greece and was registered as a UNESCO heritage site in 1987.

Day 4: Parga, Greece Parga is situated on the Ionian coast between the cities of Preveza and Igoumenitsa. This resort is especially known for its natural beauty. Active guests love the Acheron River Safari adventure. Others enjoy a walk through the city.

Day 5-6: Dubrovnik, Croatia. Dubrovnik is the superlative of monumental cities of the Adriatic Sea. It has suffered most of all during the 1991-1995 Croatian war of independence but has been gloriously restored in the meantime. Red roofs of the 17th-century patrician houses and palaces form an extremely photogenic setting. The complete walled city is a World Heritage Site.

Day 7: Hvar, Croatia The Croatian coast is dotted with small and even smaller islands between Dubrovnik and Pula. Opposite the city of Split lies the sunny island of Hvar. Of course, bulwark was necessary; behind the fortress wall is a beautiful square hidden, where houses are arranged in stages. Hvar has one of the oldest theatres in Europe, built in 1612 in part of the arsenal. An excursion to Split, with the palace of Diocletianus, is possible.

Day 8: Rovinj, Croatia Istria is a peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. It is shared by Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. The old centre of the Croatian town of Rovinj lies on a mini peninsula again. For pilgrims, the sarcophagus of St. Euphemia is an important goal here. The church dedicated to her is a must for everyone: you walk through a maze of streets and alleys, steadily up. Then climb the 60-metre-high bell tower and enjoy the view over the roofs and water.

Day 9: Venice, Italy Romantic Venice, city of and on the water, is one big open-air museum. City palaces reflect in the canals, where gondoliers conveniently manoeuvre their gondolas through the water. From Saint Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco), the wide water beckons. Today your cruise holiday has come to an end.