28-day Iberian Adventure Ancient Mysteries & Egypt
Sat Sep 7th 2024
Onboard Nieuw Statendam
Itinerary Summary
Amsterdam/NETHERLANDS, Portland/ENGLAND, Bilbao/SPAIN, La Coruna/SPAIN, Leixoes/PORTUGAL, Lisbon/PORTUGAL, Seville/SPAIN, Gibraltar, Valencia/SPAIN, Barcelona/SPAIN, Rome/ITALY, Katakolon/GREECE, Chania, Istanbul/TURKEY (Overnight), Izmir, Kusadasi/TURKEY, Rhodes/GREECE, Limassol/CYPRUS, Cairo/EGYPT, Alexandria/EGYPT, Athens/GREECE
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Itinerary

Day 1 : Amsterdam/NETHERLANDS

-- - 3:00 pm

One of Europe's leading cities, Amsterdam's rings of canals and traditional Dutch architecture are unmistakable. Rich in art, history and culture, Amsterdam is home to the Van Gogh museum, Anne Frank's house, and the Rijksmuseum, which houses many works by Rembrandt and Vermeer.

Day 2 : At Sea

Day 3 : Portland/ENGLAND

7:00 am - 10:00 pm

Day 4 : At Sea

Day 5 : Bilbao/SPAIN

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Day 6 : La Coruna/SPAIN

10:00 am - 6:00 pm

Day 7 : Leixoes/PORTUGAL

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Day 8 : Lisbon/PORTUGAL

7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Lisbon is many cities, from the cobbled alleys of the Alfama district to the broad Parisian style avenues at its heart. View it all from the heights of St. George's Castle. Belem's Monument to the Discoveries recalls the seafaring past, while nearby Sintra's storybook palaces, and the seaside resort of Caiscais, have different tales to tell.

Day 9 : Seville/SPAIN

11:00 am - 9:00 pm

Founded by Phoenicians in 1100 B.C., Cádiz may be the oldest continuously occupied city in the West. The Cathedral's gold dome dates from 1722, when New World treasures flowed here. But is also the gateway to the Moorish marvels of Seville: the Alcazar and Giralda Tower, the fountains and palaces of Maria Luisa Park, and the great Cathedral, whose altar is decorated with 4,000 pounds of gold from the Americas!

Day 10 : At Sea

Day 10 : Gibraltar

8:00 am - 2:00 pm

One of the "Pillars of Hercules," Gibraltar is an historic landmark with British and Spanish influences. Guarding the entrance to the Atlantic, the great rock still serves as Britain's threshold to the Mediterranean. Take a cable car to the top of the rock for a spectacular view of two continents as well as the famous Barbary apes.

Day 11 : At Sea

Day 12 : Valencia/SPAIN

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Day 13 : Barcelona/SPAIN

8:00 am - 11:00 pm

Barcelona is the cultural heartland of Spain, yet its first language is Catalan, the native tongue of the proudly independent Catalonia region. Stroll down the shady, tree-lined Ramblas between street musicians and elegant bistros. Then perhaps visit the venerable Gothic cathedral, Picasso Museum or enjoy the architectural genius of Antonio Gaudi's Church of the Holy Family.

Day 14 : At Sea

Day 15 : Rome/ITALY

7:00 am - 3:00 pm

The port of Civitavecchia is the gateway to The Eternal City, where all roads lead. Mad traffic careens past monuments of the great civilizations of the past. You will want to see it all: the soaring inspiration of St. Peter's, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel; the flow of life along the Spanish Steps, the Coliseum, the Via Veneto and Trevi Fountain. Be sure to leave time for la dolce vita in one of the piazzas.

Day 16 : At Sea

Day 17 : Katakolon/GREECE

8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Katakolon is your gateway to Olympia, where the ancient Greeks flocked every four years for more than a millennium to celebrate the sacred games dedicated to Zeus. Visit the ruins of the Sanctuary, with its athletic quadrangles, stadium-temples and treasuries; then browse in the modern Archaeological Museum, a treasure house of Archaic, Classical and Roman sculptures, including the famous Niki "Winged Victory."

Day 18 : At Sea

Day 19 : At Sea

Day 20 : Alexandria/EGYPT

5:00 am - 7:00 pm

Founded by Alexander the Great in 331 B.C., Alexandria is Egypt's center of culture, learning and science. Its lighthouse, the world's first, was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Alexandria is also the departure point for excursions to Cairo and the Pyramids.

Day 21 : Cairo/EGYPT

8:00 am - 9:00 pm

At the entrance to the Suez Canal, Port Said is a bustling city and a free port. To the south, Cairo and the ancient monuments of the Egyptian empire have fascinated visitors throughout the centuries. The mystifying Sphinx and the pyramids of Giza, over four thousand years old, stand majestically on the outskirts of the city at the edge of the desert. Cairo's Museum of Antiquities holds one of the finest collections of artifacts in the world, including the astounding treasures of King Tutankhamen's tomb.

Day 22 : Limassol/CYPRUS

11:00 am - 6:00 pm

The birthplace of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, is nearby on this island - the third largest in Europe. Explore what is now called the Medieval Museum, a restored castle where Richard the Lionheart married in 1191. Visit a mosque, browse the local artisan shops and take in the natural and architectural delights of Cyprus.

Day 23 : Rhodes/GREECE

11:00 am - 8:00 pm

Legend has it that Apollo blessed this isle with sunshine and beauty. True to the myths, the "Island of Roses" is rich in magnificent scenery and umbrella-lined beaches. Take an excursion to Lindos, where high on a hill rises an ancient acropolis dedicated to the goddess Athena. You will also want to see the medieval Old Town, once home to the Crusading Knights of St. John, and tour the Grand Master's Palace, an Italian restoration famed for its superb mosaic floors.

Day 24 : Kusadasi/TURKEY

8:00 am - 11:00 pm

This charming, picturesque resort where Antony and Cleopatra used to vacation is best known as the port for the ancients ruins of Ephesus - one of the world's most wondrous archaeological sites. Explorations should include such masterpieces as the Great Amphitheatre, where St. Paul addressed the Ephesians, the Library of Celsus, and the temples of Athena and Apollo - all connected by marble streets rutted by the wheels of countless chariots.

Day 25 : At Sea

Day 26 : Istanbul/TURKEY

7:00 am - --

Once called Constantinople, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire is the only city in the world to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. This is the Golden Horn, the door between East and West, and your first vision of its domes and minarets is unforgetable. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Sultan treasures in Topkapi Palace await - as does the Grand Bazaar, laden with carpets, beaten brass and spices from afar.

Day 27 : Istanbul/TURKEY

-- - 2:00 pm

Once called Constantinople, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire is the only city in the world to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. This is the Golden Horn, the door between East and West, and your first vision of its domes and minarets is unforgetable. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Sultan treasures in Topkapi Palace await - as does the Grand Bazaar, laden with carpets, beaten brass and spices from afar.

Day 28 : Mykonos/GREECE

11:00 am - 11:00 pm

The narrow passageways of Mykonos are a twisted maze of whitewashed houses, miniature churches, lazy windmills, and tiny cafes serving up Greek specialties. Sample the freshest squid or lobster just snatched from the blue Aegean Sea, or shop for typical flokati rugs.

Day 29 : Athens/GREECE

7:00 am - --

Piraeus is the seaport for Athens, the capital of western civilization, which boasts a fantastic mix of classical ruins and vivacious modern life. In a single day, you can climb the hill of the Acropolis to wonder at the Parthenon, join the lively Athenians in Constitution Square, and then find a welcoming taverna for some spirited bizouki music, plenty of ouzo to drink, and with luck, energetic Greek dancing.