Guest of Honour 
Music 
Event 
Guest Speaker 
Superior Stateroom
5% Ponant Bonus
21 m²
3
Jazz Festival at Sea
Venice - Civitavecchia (Rome)
Dates:
24/9/2023
to
1/10/2023
days
nights on board
In partnership with Marseille Jazz des cinq continentsan with featured guests Stefano Di Battista, Raphael Imbert, Pierre François Blanchard, Anne Paceo, Pierre Fenichel et Célia Kameni.
Over 8 days, Le Lyrial will sail the Adriatic and the Tyrrhenian Sea via the island of Malta, for a cruise combining history and culture.
From Venice, the Serenissima, you will call at different Italian sites including Bari, a town located in the magnificent Puglia region.
Then, Le Lyrial will head for the island of Malta, where you will call at Valletta, European City of Culture for 2018. Stronghold of the Knights of the Order of Malta, the town is overflowing with architectural splendours and artistic treasures that you will glimpse as soon as you arrive at the port, which is one of the most beautiful in Europe.
You will set sail to Sicily and call at Catania. This city situated on the slopes of Mount Etna has been destroyed 7 times by the volcano’s eruptions! A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is a city of incomparable cultural richness.
Your ship will then head for the Amalfi Coast, the jewel of Southern Italy, where you will visit Salerno, a superb little town particularly renowned for its Duomo.
You will continue to sail along the Italian coast to Civitavecchia, the final stop on your trip to these lands brimming with history.
Ref : LY240923
Your itinerary
A musical cruise in partnership with the Jazz des Cinq Continents festival and with featured guest Stefano Di Battista, saxophone virtuoso. During this cruise the Poetic Ways quintet, composed of Raphael...
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Your trip in detail
Our partner
Marseille Jazz des cinq continents
Marseille Jazz des cinq continents and PONANT, together for a musical journey where jazz is revealed in the heart of the most beautiful sites in the Mediterranean. An orchestra, a voice, a piano and these are all the sounds and emotions that immerse you in a unique atmosphere, a assembly of beauty and unexpected.
Hugues Kieffer, Director
Find out moreChoose your stateroom
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Complete your trip
Complete your trip
Shore Excursions, Overlands & Pre/Post Programmes
To complete your voyage, PONANT can organise a range of shore excursions, pre & post cruise activities and packages, plus transfers.
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LE LYRIAL
7/11/2023 to the 22/11/2023
LE LYRIAL
1/10/2023 to the 8/10/2023
LE PAUL GAUGUIN
LE COMMANDANT CHARCOT
6/2/2024 to the 3/3/2024
LE BORÉAL
7/7/2024 to the 20/7/2024
*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.
Services provided
- 24-hour room service
- Inclusive Wifi internet access (availability dependent on navigation and latitude)
- Individually-controlled air conditioning
- Dressing room with shelves and closet
- Dressing table and hairdryer
- Dyptique Paris top-of-the-line bath products
- Minibar
- Nespresso coffee maker and boiler
- Electronic safe
- Direct line telephone
- Bose Bluetooth speaker
- Flat screen TV, international channels (availability dependent on navigation) and videos on demand
- 110V American (two flat pins)/220V European (round sockets with two round pins)
- Three ADA staterooms
Select your stateroom category
Pierre François Blanchard
Everything is music for Pierre-François Blanchard, a master of melodies that get into your heart and always remain. For this pianist-composer is a rare bird who is not afraid of emotion. He looks it in the face, observes it, tames it until he translates it with a vertiginous precision. As a pianist with a passion for free improvisation, he left to study at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague in 2007. It will be a decisive initiatory and pianistic journey. In 2016, he joined Raphaël Imbert on the project Music Is My Home. He has been working for several years with the singer Marion Rampal, then with Anne Paceo. He regularly accompanied Archie Shepp in his quartet (from 2017 to 2021) on the Art Songs & Spirituals, a project played at the Barbican Theater at the London Jazz Festival in 2018, and on the Song Book project played at the Porquerolles Jazz Festival in 2021.
Languages spoken: french and english.
Photo credit : ARR
Stefano Di Battista
Stefano Di Battista is a saxophone virtuoso and a pillar of the European Jazz scene. Originally from Rome where he grew up, lulled by the records of Art Pepper and Cannonball Adderley, he moved to Paris where he quickly made his mark alongside drummer Aldo Romano, conductor Laurent Cugny and many others. For this concert event, Stefano Di Battista pays homage to the maestro Ennio Morricone. He spent time with him and even worked with him. The Italian saxophonist takes the composer’s themes and reinterprets them as jazz as if they were made of a magical substance, a unique and mysterious music that inexplicably nourishes the soul. It took an artist of Stefano Di Battista’s calibre to take on the challenge of a man with 500 film scores under his belt! Metti una sera a cena, Once Upon a Time in America and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly are among those that he has reinterpreted to glorious perfection.
Language spoken : Italian, French and English
Photo credit : Jean-Baptiste Millot
Pierre Fénichel
Pierre Fenichel studied at the Marseille Conservatory where he won both prizes of jazz class and electro-acoustic composition class. He continued his practical training with southern jazz musicians. In 2009, he joined Raphael Imbert and the Company Nine Spirit to become a member of the core group. He actively took part in several projects like Lomax at, Bach to Coltrane. He recorded within the company and under the direction of Raphael Imbert Music is my home with musicians from New Orleans. The project won a Victoire du Jazz award. Simultaneously, Pierre Fenichel arranged and recorded a project around Dave Brubeck. He also composed for the quartet 4 Vents and recorded with the Frenchtown Connection.
Languages spoken: french and english.
Photo credit : JL Thibault
Raphael Imbert
Raphael Imbert is what you might call a heavyweight of the French jazz scene. Musician, researcher, improviser, composer, teacher, trainer, lecturer, founder and artistic director of the Nine Spirit Company, he is currently director of the Pierre Barbizet Conservatory in Marseille. He has released a dozen albums as a leader and has written numerous articles, radio programs and books. He grew up surrounded by artistic practices and sensibilities, and by the age of 15, he fell in love with saxophone. He won the first prize at the Marseille Conservatory. From then on, he cultivated his taste for composition and developed a personal vision of music and jazz, linked to the spirituality intrinsic to the musical approach of a jazzman. He founded the Nine Spirit to play the sacred music of Duke Ellington, John Coltrane and to perform shows inspired by texts of Theodore Monod, Amadou Hampatê Bâ, Martin Luther King. In 2018 he was awarded a Victoire du Jazz for his Project Music is my hope.
Languages spoken: french and english.
Photo credit : ARR
Celia Kameni
Celia Kameni is the most charismatic singer of her generation. Since her childhood she has been immersed in an eclectic musical universe mixing classical music and jazz, which she studied at the Lyon Conservatory, but also soul music and African music, passed on by her musician father. Free-minded, guided by her aspirations and inspirations, she participates in various musical projects, such as the big band Bigre ! or the big band Amazing Keystone. In 2018 she won the Victoire du Jazz band of the year for the album We Love Ella, a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. In 2021 she is invited by Yael Naîm for a collaboration that will turn the Festival Jazz sous les Pommiers upside down.
Languages spoken: french and english.
Photo credit : © Lucille Mouret
Anne Paceo
Leader and fertile composer, Anne Paceo knew how to invent a singular and identifiable style from the first measures. This is evidenced by her prolix discography which has taken her to play in 45 countries on the 5 continents, and her 3 Victoires de la Musique awards: Jazz Artist of the Year 2019, Jazz Artist of the Year 2016, Jazz Revelation 2011. With seven albums and two EPs to her credit, Anne Paceo plays with codes and styles, making it a point of honour to break down boundaries and seek out very particular chemistry between the musicians of each of her groups.
Languages spoken: french and english.
Photo credit : ARR
Subject to withdrawal in case of force majeure
Stefano Di Battista
Stefano Di Battista is a saxophone virtuoso and a pillar of the European Jazz scene. Originally from Rome where he grew up, lulled by the records of Art Pepper and Cannonball Adderley, he moved to Paris where he quickly made his mark alongside drummer Aldo Romano, conductor Laurent Cugny and many others. For this concert event, Stefano Di Battista pays homage to the maestro Ennio Morricone. He spent time with him and even worked with him. The Italian saxophonist takes the composer’s themes and reinterprets them as jazz as if they were made of a magical substance, a unique and mysterious music that inexplicably nourishes the soul. It took an artist of Stefano Di Battista’s calibre to take on the challenge of a man with 500 film scores under his belt! Metti una sera a cena, Once Upon a Time in America and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly are among those that he has reinterpreted to glorious perfection.
Language spoken : Italian, French and English
Photo credit : Jean-Baptiste Millot
Ideal clothes for life on board:
During the days spent on board, you are advised to wear comfortable clothes or casual outfits. The entire ship is air-conditioned, so a light sweater, a light jacket or a shawl may be necessary. When moving about in the public areas of the ship and the decks, light but comfortable shoes are recommended.
Informal evening:
In the evening, you are advised to wear smart-casual attire, especially when dining in our restaurants where wearing shorts and tee-shirts is not allowed.
For women:
- Simple dress
- Skirt or trousers
- Blouse
- Polo
For men:
- Pleated trousers or chinos
- Sports jacket
- Shirt
- Polo
Officer’s evening:
For all cruises longer than 8 nights, an Officer’s Evening with a white dress code may be organized. Therefore, we encourage you to bring a stylish white outfit for the occasion (otherwise black and white).
Gala evening:
During the cruise, two gala evenings will be organised on board. Thus, we recommend that you bring one or two formal outfits.
For women:
- Cocktail attire
- Evening dress (if you wish to)
For men:
- Dark suit
- Tie recommended, possibly bow tie (if you wish to)
SHOP:
A small shop is available on board offering a wide range of outfits, jewellery, leather goods and many accessories.
A laundry service (washing/ironing) is available on board, but unfortunately there are no dry cleaning services. For safety reasons, your cabin is not equipped with an iron.
ACCESSORIES:
- Polarized sunglasses
- Swimsuit (for the Spa on board)
- Gym wear (fitness)
- Battery charger and memory cards for your camera
- Mobile phone charger
- Hat/cap
HEALTH CARE:
- Sunscreen and after-sun lotion
- Medications and prescriptions
OUTFITS ON BOARD:
- Casual outfits for the day
- Smarter outfits for dinners
- Elegant outfits for Gala evenings
- White or black and white outfit
PRECAUTIONS:
In your hand luggage, remember to bring any medicines that you need, and possibly a small spare bag of toiletries (in case of delay in the delivery of your baggage by the airline). Remember to always have your travel documents with you in case you need them: hotel vouchers, cruise vouchers, return flight tickets... Never leave them in your hold luggage.
All our cabins have a safe. We recommend not to go ashore with valuable jewellery.
PONANT activities
Marseille Jazz des cinq continents
Marseille Jazz des cinq continents is a magical rendez-vous in Marseille's summer . An open, joyful and inspired jazz, in emblematic places of the Phocaean city. For more than 20 years the greatest artists of the planet Jazz, from the five continents, have performed here, on the shores of the Mediterranean, in places with strong characters. The Festival is a mirror of its time and promotes the link with its environment.
Marseille Jazz des cinq continents and PONANT, together for a musical journey where jazz is revealed in the heart of the most beautiful sites in the Mediterranean. An orchestra, a voice, a piano and these are all the sounds and emotions that immerse you in a unique atmosphere, a assembly of beauty and unexpected.
Hugues Kieffer, Director
Jazz is encounters. But it is above all about surprise, surprise, play and poetry. The Poetic Ways quintet is, at the outset, the simple wager that the voices of Célia Kameni, Anne Paceo, Raphaël Imbert, Pierre-François Blanchard and Pierre Fenichel will work together for a new sonic, aesthetic and poetic adventure! A successful challenge due to the magic of hearing: Fauré, Ferré, Baudelaire, Verlaine, Nina Simone, in the same echo filled with jazz, groove and emotions.
On the occasion of this jazz cruise, the quintet will have a special guest, saxophone virtuoso Stefano Di Battista, who will enrich the already rich musical space.
Hughes Kieffer, Director
Hughes Kieffer
Director and programmer since 2016 for the Festival Marseille Jazz des cinq continents, Hugues Kieffer knew the structure well since he was its technical director since its creation in 2000. He has inherited a very powerful artistic line for which he has gathered all his skills and work habits. His experience in the organization of cultural events has been organized for 30 years, in the field, for public service projects with local and national institutions. Openness, co-production, co-construction, the objective of these adventures remains the pooling of particular contributions and this is what characterizes Marseille Jazz from the five continents today. A graduate in communication and language science in 1984, at the heart of a decade that put art and culture at the center of urbanity, Hugues Kieffer works on the link between artists and the public. Jazz was an obvious choice for him. His conception of jazz reflects the world, mixed, globalized and modern. According to Hugues Kieffer, "It's a demanding music that offers beautiful spaces of freedom".
Languages spoken : French and English
Photo credit : Christophe Billet
Subject to withdrawal in case of force majeure
Highlights
- A musical cruise in partnership with the Jazz des Cinq Continents festival and with featured guest Stefano Di Battista, saxophone virtuoso.
- During this cruise the Poetic Ways quintet, composed of Raphael Imbert (saxophone), Pierre François Blanchard (piano), Anne Paceo (drums), Pierre Fénichel (double bass), and Célia Kameni (vocals), will offer you a concert or jam session each evening.
- UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the lagoon of Venice, the historic centre of Valletta, Catania and Mount Etna, Rome.
- Discovery of Ancona, birthplace of the painter Raphael.
- In the Puglia region, visiting Bari, a historic and sunny port on the Adriatic Sea.
- Discovering the baroque architecture of Catania.
- Discover the beauty of the Amalfi Coast.
Ports of Call & Excursions
24 September 2023 - Venice
Embarkation 24/9/2023 From 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Departure 24/9/2023 at 6:00 pm
Proud and eternal, Venice has reigned on its lagoon ever since the 6th century. You may think you know this city before even setting foot here. You will inevitably fall in love with the charm of the innumerable treasures of the Serenissima: Saint Mark’s square, the basilica, Doges palace, the Grand Canal and the gondolas. Yet, secret Venice is also waiting for you to explore its little interlacing streets and canals, to ramble through its squares and to push open the doors of its churches. The city’s extraordinary heritage shouldn’t stop you from enjoying a glass of Spritz and a few tramezzini.
25 September 2023 - Ancona
Arrival 25/9/2023 midday
Departure 25/9/2023 late afternoon
Situated on the promontory of Monte Conero, Ancona, the capital of the Marche region, offers visitors all the charm of a typical Italian historical city. Founded by the Greeks in 390 BC and conquered by Julius Caesar in 49 BC, Ancona has a long history that was very much shaped by its harbour, a hub attracting different populations and cultures. When your ship calls here, take the time to discover the city’s many buildings, such as the cathedral dedicated to Judas Cyriacus and its façade made of white and pink marble, the Arch of Trajan, which is considered to be the port’s main embellishment, or the 15th century mansion where the painter Raphael was born and raised.
26 September 2023 - Bari
Arrival 26/9/2023 midday
Departure 26/9/2023 early evening
Extending out along a fertile plain facing the Adriatic Sea amid infinite landscapes sculpted by the water and wind, Bari bears the traces of the peoples which, over the centuries, have conquered it, settled it, or simply visited it fleetingly before making their way to faraway lands. Though its exact origins are lost among the mysteries of archaeology, the many sites here provide evidence of the town’s rich past. The Saracens, Byzantines, Normans and Swabians have left a trace here, each bringing their own cultural baggage. During your stop here, stroll along the minuscule streets in Bari Vecchia, the historic centre, where you will find small churches and monuments from bygone eras.
27 September 2023 - At sea
Arrival 27/9/2023
Departure 27/9/2023
During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.
28 September 2023 - Valletta
Arrival 28/9/2023 early morning
Departure 28/9/2023 evening
The whole of the Maltese capital Valletta is UNESCO World Heritage listed and occupies a peninsula in the north-east of the island. From the fountain of Tritons to Saint-Elme fort, there are as many majestic streets as there are narrow staircase vennels to explore. The painted loggia and carved corbels on the tall houses will accompany you in your explorations, and you’ll rarely be bothered by traffic. You can visit the Grandmasters palace decorated with coats of arms and frescoes. Saint-John’s cathedral and the ramparts which have guarded the city since the 16th century are also among the most emblematic sites of the city. Arranged in terraces, the Barrakka Gardens will punctuate your promenade with a green and floral experience.
29 September 2023 - Catania, Sicily
Arrival 29/9/2023 early morning
Departure 29/9/2023 early afternoon
Sicily’s second city Catania is dominated by the majestic silhouette of Mount Etna. Nourishing and devastating at the same time, this giant crowned with smoke rings brought about the destruction of the city at the end of the 17th century. Catania was then rebuilt in the late Baroque style, and the many monuments of this epoch have earned its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The baroque churches of the harmonious Via dei Crociferi perfectly illustrate the riches of this architectural heritage. During your stop, be sure to visit Saint Agatha Cathedral with its apses made of lava stones, and its square decorated with a fountain of the Elephant, the animal which allegedly has the power to calm the fury of Mount Etna …
30 September 2023 - Salerno
Arrival 30/9/2023 early morning
Departure 30/9/2023 early afternoon
Generating a veritable explosion of intense emotions, the province of Salerno fascinates and enchants travellers. Its fascinating history will lead you to the extraordinary archaeological site of Pompeii, whose sprawling ruins provide a grandiose and moving vision of what a Roman city looked like in Imperial times. The city which was frozen in time under the ashes from the eruption of Mont Vesuvius offers you its peerless historical and cultural wealth, as well as the unique beauty of its location, which has earned it classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
1 October 2023 - Civitavecchia (Rome)
Arrival 1/10/2023 early morning
Disembarkation 1/10/2023 at 7:00 am
Built on an Etruscan site, between the Tyrrhenian sea and the Monti della Tolfa, Civitavecchia respires the dolce vita. This very modern and easy going town combines art and history with panache. You can also visit superb historical sites like Fort Michelangelo or the Cathedral of Saint Francis of Assisi. Just 80 kilometres from Rome, the town is a beautiful first step to the Italian capital.
The Renaissance city of Urbino
This excursion will take you to the heart of Marche region where the old city of Urbino is located.; Urbino is one of the most renowned towns in Italy, notable for its renaissance architecture, history and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage since 1998.
After disembarking, you will board your coach for a one-and-a-half-hour scenic drive through the hilly landscape of Montefeltro. You will then reach the fortified town of Urbino, nestled on a high sloping hillside. The city retains much of its picturesque medieval aspect, as well as its historical legacy and its Renaissance culture that flourished under the patronage of Federico II of Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482.
There, you will start your guided visit of the Ducal Palace that Federico II decided to build in the heart of the old town to welcome the best talents in art and literature of his time like Piero della Francesca, Leon Battista Alberti as well as Giovanni Santi, the father of Raffaello, and Raffaello himself. Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known simply as Raphael, is the most popular Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. The very young Raffaello started to learn the first concepts of painting at the Ducal Palace.
The Palace houses the National Gallery of the Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world. The Palace also features a studiolo (cabinet for contemplation) and a twinned pair of chapels, one Christian and one pagan.
After visiting the Ducal Palace, you will follow your guide for a guided walking tour of the city. You will admire the facade of the Cathedral of Urbino, originally built by the bishop Beato Mainardo in 1062, and the native house of Raffaello located on the street of the same name.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one-and-a-half-hour drive back to your ship.
- This excursion involves 1.6 mile (2.5 km) of walking on streets with steps (an elevator is available from bus parking to city center and vice versa to reduce the walking distance). We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees should be covered).
Total : €90
According to availability, price per passenger.
Loreto & its sacred sites
The city of Loreto, tucked inside the countryside of the Marches Region, owes its fame to the sanctuary (or Basilica) where the Santa Casa della Vergine Maria is preserved and venerated. It is a holy place defined by Pope John Paul II as “the true Marian heart of Christianity.”
After disembarking, you will board your coach for a scenic drive along the Conero Coast with a photo stop in Portonovo before reaching Loreto, following a one hour drive.
The sanctuary has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Catholic faith for centuries. It has been visited by approximately two hundred saints and beatified persons, as well as by numerous Popes. According to ancient tradition, and today partially substantiated by historical and archaeological research, the Santa Casa is the house believed to be where the Virgin Mary was born, educated, and where she received the Annunciation. According to the legend, the three stone walls were brought to Italy by crusaders expelled from Palestine in 1291.
The sanctuary’s fame diffused rapidly throughout the world, and it became a privileged destination for millions of pilgrims. Some of the most prised works here are the marble panelling of the Santa Casa’s walls, realised on Bramante’s design from 1507. It is considered one of the greatest sculptural masterpieces from the Renaissance.
After your guided visit of the sanctuary, you will enjoy some free time to discover the city on your own. Loreto represents an authentic sacred art anthology that includes architectonic, sculptural, and painting master works by some of the most celebrated names in art history.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one hour drive back to your ship.
- This excursion involves 1,3 mile (2 km) of walking on flat grounds with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €75
According to availability, price per passenger.
Alberobello
From the pier, you will board your coach for the one-hour-fifteen drive to the village of Alberobello. The small village of Alberobello is famous all over the world for its traditional conical houses with whitewashed walls and stone roofs, built without mortar, called “trulli”. Alberobello was declared in 1996 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Your guided walking tour starts at Terrazzino Belvedere located in Aia Piccola, a wide space used in the past to thresh the corn. Then, you will go to Casa d’Amore (outside view only). The visit continues with the tour of the old city centre called Rione Monti. This quarter is composed with 1,030 trulli, most of them are still lived in. Then, you will visit the Church of Saint Anthony. The façade of this trullo shaped church is composed of three wings adorned with a rose window and two round windows, as well a bell tower surmounted by a small dome. Its roof in form of cone measures 20 metres high.
Alberobello is also renowned for its countryside and farmhouses, surrounded by very old olive trees. You will discover a picturesque " Masseria" and enjoy a local tasting. Apulian focaccia, olives, fresh cheeses and some cold cuts will perfectly match with the various local wines you will be served.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one-hour drive back to your ship.
-
This excursion involves 1.3 miles (2 km) of walking over uneven and cobblestones streets with some steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €95
According to availability, price per passenger.
The Magic of Matera
From the pier, you will board your coach for a 1-hour and 30 minutes scenic drive, admiring the rich vegetation of Apulian countryside to Matera.
Matera is located in one of the political regions in the South of Italy called Basilicata. It is renowned for its landscape since the old town centre lies along the sides of a deep ravine split into two by a very small hill known as Civita, where the Medieval town has been built. The result is that the whole city looks like a butterfly, whose "body" corresponds with the Civita and the two wings with the two winding "branches" of the ravine where the very old Sassi Districts have been built. Sassi can easily be translated as Stones into English, curiously referring to the origin of the settlements you're going to visit, partly built and partly carved out of the soft ravine limestone: houses and grottoes, or churches and grottoes at the same time, where life in the past was really hard and the economy was based upon pasture, because agriculture was quite impossible in a stone context! Many times you will be told that Sassi had to be considered as one of Southern Italy's examples of poverty, but they have been transformed into the most important cultural heritage nowadays, so you will easily understand the reason why such a strange settlement has been listed among the UNESCO sites.
Upon arrival in Matera your guide will lead you through narrow lanes and staircases, to explore the time-less picturesque UNESCO Sassi Districts: you will hear stories about "vicinati" (neighbourhoods in English), a real lifestyle with people living in humid one-room-house-caves arranged around little yards, labyrinths of winding streets, rock churches and cantinas, sharing everything they had with families living nearby.Visit one of the typically furnished cave-houses and learn about how some of the locals lived in these caves as recently as 1960s! Shortly before leaving Matera climb up the small hill opposite the town with your bus and you will experience the breathtaking panoramic view of the deep ravine around where Mel Gibson shot the movie "The Passion of Christ"!
At the end of your walking tour, you will enjoy some free time to stroll along the souvenirs shops or taste a local snack and coffee.
Finally, you will reboard your coach and be back to your ship.
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This tour involves an extensive amount of walk (4 kms) on cobblestoned surfaces with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter the religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered). On Sunday mornings, church holidays and during weddings, tour groups are not allowed inside the churches during services (you will have the opportunity to visit the churches independently). The order of sites visit may vary. Drinks and snacks are not included.
Total : €130
According to availability, price per passenger.
Walking tour of Bari & street food
This half-day excursion will take you into the heart of Bari, the great capital of Apulia. Here you will visit its most famous monument, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and discover its popular gastronomy through some of its best street food.
From the pier, you will board your coach for a panoramic drive through the seafront and Murat's Districts to the Swabian Castle for a photo stop. Built in the 13th century by Emperor Frederick II, the castle’s present appearance is the result of modifications carried out in the 1500's, when it was transformed into a fine Renaissance style palace.
From the Medieval fortification, follow your guide through Bari's old town. You will start the tour with the visit of the Cathedral named after Saint Sabino and built in the 12th century in the typical Apulian Romanesque style, with a main façade boasting three portals and a rose window decorated with symbols.
Through the characteristic Strada del Carmine, you will then reach the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, considered to be one of the city's main symbols since it houses the Saint's remains transferred in 1087. Consecrated in 1197, the church is one of the Apulian-Romanesque style masterpieces. Its interior boasts two medieval precious sculptures: a ciborium with differently decorated little capitols, and the bishop’s throne known as “Elia’s Chair”.
Enjoy a short walk through Bari's old defensive walls, nowadays provided with a panoramic street overlooking the sea, to get to Piazza Mercantile and Piazza Ferrarese, among the city's main meeting places, connecting the old town to the modern district with its huge variety of boutiques, street stores and souvenir shops.
Exploring the narrow cobbled streets and squares, you will get to know the local lifestyle and traditions by tasting some of the main local flavours such as foccaccia (italian bread), panzerotto (small stuffed pizza), sgagliozze (fried polenta) and a cremoso for dessert.
Finally, you will board your coach for a short drive back to your ship.
-
This excursion involves 1.9 miles (3 km) of walking on cobblestones streets with some steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered). Tastings are included in your excursion.
Total : €100
According to availability, price per passenger.
Valletta & its Archaeological Museum
From the pier, you will board your coach to the historical centre of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Valletta is a fortified city located on a hilly peninsula between two natural harbours.
You will start your walking tour at the Upper Barracca Gardens where you can admire Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The Upper Barracca Gardens date back to 1661 when it used to be a private Garden of the Knights. Then, you will walk to Auberge de Castille, built in the 1570s to house the knights of the Order of Saint John from the lands of Castile, León and Portugal. Today it houses the Offices of the Prime Minister.
Your next stop will be the New Parliament. Finished in 2015 and designed by Renzo Piano, it includes the building of the new “City Gate” and the conversion of the Royal Opera House ruins into an open-air theatre. Walk through the busy Republic Street and stop in front St. John’s Co-cathedral. The building is testimony to the talent of Maltese military architect with Mattia Preti’s intricately carved stone wall designs, as well as the painted vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of saint John. It also houses one of Europe’s most impressive and famous art works, Caravaggio’s Beheading of St. John the Baptist.
Continue to the Archaeological Museum, housed in the Auberge de Provence. This building is an example of fine Baroque architecture. It was built in 1571 according the Gilormu Cassar’s plan. The museum exhibits a spectacular range of artefacts dating back to Malta’s Neolithic period (5000 BC) up to the Phoenician period (400 BC). On display are the earliest tools used by the prehistoric people to facilitate their daily tasks and representations of animal and human figures; elements which not only show the great artistic skills of the first dwellers of the island but also give us an insight of their daily lives.
Finally, you will re-board your coach and join the ship.
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This tour is mainly a walking tour over flat and cobblestone streets with some steps, covering approximately 1.8 miles (3 km). We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious sites (shoulders and knees should be covered). Visits of Auberge de Castille, the Cathedral and New Parliament are outside visits.
Total : €50
According to availability, price per passenger.
Sicilian flavours and tasting
From the pier, you will be transferred to the centre of Catania, the second largest metropolitan city of Sicily. You will discover Catania through one of the most important aspect in the Italian culture: food and cooking.
Begin your “tasting walking tour” with a stop in a local pastry shop, or pasticceria. There, you will enjoy eating an arancino, a fried rice ball with various fillings such as cheese, meats and vegetables. While a favourite in Italy, the real arancini are Sicilian.
After your first taste of Sicily, walk along Via Etnea, Catania’s main street, where you will see the cathedral and the historical centre of the town. You will then reach the Fish Market. This ancient street market is always a wonderful cacophony of exotic sights and sounds, with locals selling everything from blood oranges to cuttlefish. Watch tuna and swordfish being prepared by the local fish mongers, next to aged sheep cheeses or cured meats. You will have free time to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of this magical market that is unlike any other in the world.
Then, you will walk a few blocks from there to a nearby pastry shop for a tasting of a delicious Sicilian-style cannoli crafted by a local Sicilian pastry master. This classic dessert consists of tube-shaped, fried pastry dough filled with sweet, creamy ricotta cheese then rolled with pistachios or candied fruits to finish.
At the end of your tour, you will walk back to the pier.
- This excursion involves a walk of about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) on cobblestone streets. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious monuments (knees and shoulders covered). This tour is limited to 30 participants.
Total : €60
According to availability, price per passenger.
Syracusa
From the pier, you will board your coach and drive to Syracusa and its archaeological site, 1-hour drive.
Visit the Roman Amphitheatre of Augustus, used for fights between gladiators and wild beasts, the Altar of Hieron, constructed in the 2nd century BC to celebrate the “Eleutherian Feast”, the Latomie of Paradise, huge caverns once used as prisons, the Ear of Dionysius, an enormous grotto with extraordinary echo and the Greek Theatre, one of the largest in the Hellenic World, constructed in the 5th century BC and successively enlarged.
Upon completion of the visit, re-board your coach for the short drive to Ortygia, which you will visit on foot. On Ortygia Island discover the Piazza Pancali (the ruins of the Temple of Apollo of the 6th century BC), Corso Matteotti, Archimede’s Place, Piazza Duomo. Visit the Cathedral in Baroque style, erected over the remains of the Doric Temple of Minerva: in the interiors, see the undamaged twelve Doric columns. Then visit the fountain of Arethusa, the nymph praised by Pindar and Virgilio in one of the most touching and fine myths. Several nobility palaces – majority of them originating to then 15th and 16th century – will be seen from outside during the walking tour.
Return to the port and your ship.
- This excursion involves approximately 1,4 miles (2,3 km) of walking over uneven terrain and cobblestones streets with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter in religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €80
According to availability, price per passenger.
Taormina & the ancient theatre
From the pier, you will be transferred by coach to the ancient Greek town of Taormina, a one-hour drive.
Called Tauromenium in ancient times, Taormina clings to the side of Mount Tauro and offers superb views, splashed with the vibrant colours of bougainvillea and oleanders, of the Mediterranean Sea, Isola Bella and a snow-capped Etna in the background.
A maze of narrow streets, stairs and tiny squares, Taormina has attracted many civilisations over the centuries. It is home to theatres and a gymnasium from the Greek period, an Odeon and baths from Roman times, buildings blending Arab and Norman cultures, traces of Byzantine, and villas belonging to European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries.
You start your excursion with a visit on foot to the historic centre. You will cross the famous Corso Umberto to discover numerous monuments from several eras, and admire Porta Catania, the Cathedral, Piazza IX Aprile and Palazzo Corvaja.
You then arrive at Teatro Antico, a theatre built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC, and almost completely rebuilt by the Romans who created a gladiatorial arena. The theatre is the second largest in Sicily after the one in Syracuse. Due to its size and acoustic quality the theatre is still used to host festivals and concerts. Seated on the stone terraces, the audience can enjoy the concert while admiring a breath-taking panoramic view of the sea, Mount Tauro and Etna.
- As this excursion involves a walk of around 1.5 miles (2 km) on rough terrain with several stairways. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious monuments (knees and shoulders covered).
Total : €75
According to availability, price per passenger.
Paestum
From the pier, embark your coach for a one-hour drive to Paestum, the city dedicated to Poseidon the god of the sea, and founded by the Greeks around 600 BC. Previously called Poseidonia, it was later occupied by the Lucanians, an italic population, from 400 BC until 273 BC, when it became a Roman colony under the name of Paestum.
Its three temples are the only example of Greek architecture and arts already present in Italy, and are better preserved than the Parthenon in Athens. The city was discovered under the marsh and the brushwood thanks to the King of Naples Carlo di Borbone III during the 17th century.
The Romans made of the ancient Poseidonia their colony, and subsequently it was embellished by magnificent buildings including the baths, the portico of the forum and the amphitheatre.
Walking through this ancient moment of history and looking at these imposing and gorgeous structures will leave an impression in people's mind of the best example of what the Greek culture was in the past.
Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship.
- This tour involves one hour and a half of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.
Total : €65
According to availability, price per passenger.
Pompeii
From the pier, embark your coach for a forty-five-minute drive to Pompeii.
Pompeii is considered the world's finest example of an ancient Roman town. The eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD not only preserved structures, but also evidence of the ancient way of life, such as a fully equipped tavern with the last customer's money still on the counter.
Ancient Pompeii was a prosperous provincial centre with an estimated population of 20,000. Much of the town had been destroyed by an earthquake in 63 AD, and the rebuilding was still in process when the volcano erupted 16 years later. The whole town was buried beneath more than 20 feet (6 m) of ash and pumice stone. Residents were killed by lethal sulphur fumes or struck down by lava and pumice stone that rained down upon the city, although some of the people escaped. Abandoned until the 18th century, Pompeii was frozen in time until excavations revealed this amazing archaeological site. Plaster was poured into empty spaces in the lava to make body casts of some of the victims, such as a young man stretched out to protect his mother and young daughter, and the famous twisted body of a dog still tied to its chain.
The walking tour of Pompeii will be led by a guide who will help you relive the historical events and experience a typical day in antiquity. Admire the luxurious mansions and fabulous art of wealthy patricians who came to Pompeii to escape the turmoil in Rome. Their houses were designed around an inner garden with few windows on the exteriors, so residents could forget the outside world and get sunlight from their own courtyards. Visit some of the more modest homes and explore ancient baths, temples, theatres, markets and huge forum.
Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship.
- This tour involves 2 hours of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.
Total : €70
According to availability, price per passenger.
Le Lyrial
First introduced in 2015 and the fourth ship in the Sisterships series, Le Lyrial is the very embodiment of this new generation of intimately sized cruise ships. Its exterior and interior lines, all sober understatement and refinement, make it a yacht of a rare and innovative kind.
For the interior decoration, we took inspiration from the tones and colours of our destinations and used a palette made up of blues, from the soft, luminous grey-like tones of the polar ice to the vivid notes and turquoises of Mediterranean inlets and coves.
Up to 244 Guests
122 staterooms & suites
145 crew members
Spa
2 restaurants
Decks
Music
Set sail on a musical journey! If you have a passion for classical instrumental music or opera, if you love Celtic melodies or jazz, treat yourself to a different and exclusive experience aboard a PONANT ship. On board or ashore, our guests of honour, including renowned artists, talented musicians and brilliant virtuosos, share their knowledge and their passion in an intimate and accessible manner during concerts or talks.
Event
Experience exceptional moments with PONANT during cruises specially designed to commemorate key historical events or in conjunction with the world’s leading arts establishments. Without a doubt, commemorating the bicentenary of Emperor Napoleon’s death where it happened in Saint Helena, attending a concert featuring the Opéra de Paris’ most beautiful voices or celebrating a host of other events in style and comfort aboard our luxurious ships constitutes an unforgettable experience.
Guest Speaker
Aboard your ship, an English-speaking lecturer will enlighten you about the culture and history of your destination to deepen your knowledge of the origins of local traditions, the history of emblematic sites, and stories involving famous personalities and those of major historical significance. During on-board lectures or on your shore visits, this expert will be there to share their precious knowledge with you throughout your PONANT cruise.
Shore excursions, Pre/Post & Overlands
24/9/2023 - PANORAMIC TRANSFER AND TIME AT LEISURE FROM AIRPORT TO THE PIER OF VENICE
AU$150
Find out more
1/10/2023 - DIRECT TRANSFER FROM THE PORT OF CIVITAVECCHIA TO ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT
AU$80
Find out morePANORAMIC TRANSFER AND TIME AT LEISURE FROM AIRPORT TO THE PIER OF VENICE
Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer day time between Venice airport to Venice port.
Venice
Meet at Venice airport in the Arrival hall. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT. Your luggage will be taken directly to the ship by coach.
You will depart the airport for a short distance to the airport dock where you will embark on a private water taxi for a one-hour panoramic transfer to the pier. You will appreciate the beauty and the charm of the ride passing by the islands of Murano and San Michele, and along the Fondamente Nuove via the Canale della Giudecca.
Upon arrival at at Cornoldi pier on Riva degli Schiavoni (10 min of walking from St. Mark's Square), you will enjoy time at leisure.
Then your transfer will continue until the pier to embark on your ship.
Your programme includes:
- Transfer by a private water taxi as mentioned in the programme.
- Services of a local English-speaking guide during the transfer.
- Separate transfer by coach for the luggage.
Your programme does not include:
- The lunch.
- Tips for the driver and local guide.
- Personal expenses.
- Other services not mentioned in the programme.
Duration and order of the visits may vary. To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel advisor; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
In the event of schedule changes of PONANT’s selected flight, your programme will be adapted to ensure the most seamless and enriching experience. The content of your revised programme will be updated on the PONANT website, in My Ponant space and on the PONANT app. The final programme will also be sent to you along with your cruise documents.
Total : AU$150
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.
SECRETS OF VENICE (2 NIGHTS)
Enhance your cruise and extend your trip with a carefully designed programme.
Day 1 -Venice
Meet at Venice Airport in the Arrival hall. Look for PONANT sign. You will be greeted by our local representative off the flight selected by PONANT or any other flight (provided that you have previously communicated your flight schedule to your travel agent).
You will be transferred to the hotel Splendid Venice 4*.
Dinner at leisure.
Overnight at the hotel.
Day 2 - Venice
After breakfast, you will leave your hotel by boat to explore some of the hidden gardens of the city, learn their history and find out what prompted the locals to create gardens in such a challenging environment. Gardens in Venice come as a surprise: although many of the palaces have their own small, private garden, when wandering around it is easy to get the impression that Venice is a city of stone.
The first stop is Nani Bernardo Palace, opened especially for a private visit. Designed by the architect Vittoria and commissioned the Bernardo family, the palace was built in the mid-16th century with a beautiful Italian garden. On the other side of the Grand Canal, you will then enjoy a private visit of Palazzo Malipiero.
Initially built in a Byzantine style, it has undergone some modifications over the centuries. The adjacent Italian-style garden with a view of the Grand Canal, a rarity in Venice, makes it even more distinctive.
Like many others, this garden was created in the late 18th century, when the large palace gardens situated on the outskirts of the city disappeared because of residential and industrial development.
You will then be transferred by boat to Sant’Erasmo. While this is the largest island in the Venetian lagoon, it is only sparsely populated. For years this has been Venice’s countryside, the agricultural zone which produces the fruit and vegetables consumed by the city-dwellers. Its artichokes are particularly renowned. You will take a walk through the vineyards of the Cantina Orto di Venezia estate, before tasting three vintages of locally produced Orto, a white wine full of this special island’s unique character. This wine is made from ancient Italian grape varieties; the vines are cultivated using traditional and eco-friendly methods. Driven by their passion and tenacity, the Thoulouze family have managed to recreate the ancestral methods of drainage using the natural tides of the lagoon.
Orto is a white wine with a high mineral content and a flavour that reflects its terroir. It can be drunk on any occasion but goes especially well with the products of the Venetian lagoon: fish, artichokes, and asparagus. It was recently named the best Italian Malvasia vintage.
After the visit, you will take a boat ride to Mazzorbo, a rural island connected to Burano by a wooden pedestrian bridge. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, you will return to Venice where you will learn the art of mask making.
Venetian masks have been worn in Venice since ancient times. They have a long history of protecting their wearer’s identity during promiscuous or decadent activities, such as gambling in one of the many casinos that dotted the city. The art of mask making is one of Venice’s oldest handicrafts. Guided by the desire to keep this traditional art form alive, a famous Venetian mask-making workshop will welcome you for a course in mask decoration including theory and practice. Once you have selected the type of mask you wish to decorate, you will choose among the different decorating techniques available and combine them to make your own one-of-a-kind Venetian mask.
The experts on hand will explain the ancient technique of making a Venetian papier-mâché mask, providing important historical information on the use of masks in Venice over past centuries, together with an explanation of the most significant models. At the end of the course, you will get to keep the mask you decorated, as a memento of this unforgettable experience.
You will return to your hotel by boat, to enjoy the rest of the day and evening at your leisure.
Day 3 - Venice
Breakfast at your hotel, morning at leisure and check-out.
You will then visit a tavern to enjoy a cooking lesson and learn the secrets of Venetian cuisine. With the chef’s guidance and supervision, you will create typical local dishes as you learn more about the culture and cuisine of the region. At the end of the lesson, you will eat what you prepared and toast to this memorable experience.
You will then be transferred by boat to the pier of Venice to embark on board your ship.
Your hotel:
The Splendid Venice 4* is a boutique-hotel in the heart of the historic centre of the city, near Saint Mark’s Square and the Doge’s Palace. Its location by the canals, its intimate atmosphere, and its refined style, will immediately immerge yourself into the Venetian spirit. Its 165 carefully equipped rooms offer a cosy cocoon combining contemporary design and Italian touch. The sophisticated decor of the Lounge Bar is a perfecto place to have a break overlooking the city and its canals. While the restaurant Le Maschere takes you between land and sea in the heart of the authenticity of the Venetian terroir.
Upgraded rooms are also available depending on availability and on a supplement basis. Contact your travel professional for further detail.
Your programme includes:
- 2-night accommodation in Superior room at Splendid Venice hotel 4* (local standard) or similar, breakfast included.
- Meals as mentioned in the programme.
- Beverage package during meals (bottled water + 1 soft drink or 1 glass of wine or 1 beer and 1 coffee or tea).
- Transfers, visits, and entrance fees as mentioned in the programme.
- The services of a local English-speaking guide.
Your programme does not include:
- Dinners.
- Personal expenses.
- Visa if necessary.
- Tips for the driver and local guide.
- Other services not mentioned in the programme.
Please note:
- It is imperative that the details of your departure flight are provided to your travel agent, no later than 30 days before the start date of your cruise, to secure the proper private transfer.
- This programme is not suitable for people with reduced mobility or guests on wheelchair.
- Early check-in and late check-out can be requested depending on availability and at a supplement.
Contact of your hotel:
The Splendid Venice
S. Marco Mercerie, 760
30124 Venice
Italy
Telephone: +39 041 5200755
Duration and order of the visits may vary.To know your PONANT flight schedule, please contact your travel agent; it is also indicated on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents.
Total : AU$5,000
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.
The Renaissance city of Urbino
This excursion will take you to the heart of Marche region where the old city of Urbino is located.; Urbino is one of the most renowned towns in Italy, notable for its renaissance architecture, history and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage since 1998.
After disembarking, you will board your coach for a one-and-a-half-hour scenic drive through the hilly landscape of Montefeltro. You will then reach the fortified town of Urbino, nestled on a high sloping hillside. The city retains much of its picturesque medieval aspect, as well as its historical legacy and its Renaissance culture that flourished under the patronage of Federico II of Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to 1482.
There, you will start your guided visit of the Ducal Palace that Federico II decided to build in the heart of the old town to welcome the best talents in art and literature of his time like Piero della Francesca, Leon Battista Alberti as well as Giovanni Santi, the father of Raffaello, and Raffaello himself. Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known simply as Raphael, is the most popular Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. The very young Raffaello started to learn the first concepts of painting at the Ducal Palace.
The Palace houses the National Gallery of the Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world. The Palace also features a studiolo (cabinet for contemplation) and a twinned pair of chapels, one Christian and one pagan.
After visiting the Ducal Palace, you will follow your guide for a guided walking tour of the city. You will admire the facade of the Cathedral of Urbino, originally built by the bishop Beato Mainardo in 1062, and the native house of Raffaello located on the street of the same name.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one-and-a-half-hour drive back to your ship.
- This excursion involves 1.6 mile (2.5 km) of walking on streets with steps (an elevator is available from bus parking to city center and vice versa to reduce the walking distance). We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees should be covered).
Total : €90
According to availability, price per passenger.
Loreto & its sacred sites
The city of Loreto, tucked inside the countryside of the Marches Region, owes its fame to the sanctuary (or Basilica) where the Santa Casa della Vergine Maria is preserved and venerated. It is a holy place defined by Pope John Paul II as “the true Marian heart of Christianity.”
After disembarking, you will board your coach for a scenic drive along the Conero Coast with a photo stop in Portonovo before reaching Loreto, following a one hour drive.
The sanctuary has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Catholic faith for centuries. It has been visited by approximately two hundred saints and beatified persons, as well as by numerous Popes. According to ancient tradition, and today partially substantiated by historical and archaeological research, the Santa Casa is the house believed to be where the Virgin Mary was born, educated, and where she received the Annunciation. According to the legend, the three stone walls were brought to Italy by crusaders expelled from Palestine in 1291.
The sanctuary’s fame diffused rapidly throughout the world, and it became a privileged destination for millions of pilgrims. Some of the most prised works here are the marble panelling of the Santa Casa’s walls, realised on Bramante’s design from 1507. It is considered one of the greatest sculptural masterpieces from the Renaissance.
After your guided visit of the sanctuary, you will enjoy some free time to discover the city on your own. Loreto represents an authentic sacred art anthology that includes architectonic, sculptural, and painting master works by some of the most celebrated names in art history.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one hour drive back to your ship.
- This excursion involves 1,3 mile (2 km) of walking on flat grounds with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €75
According to availability, price per passenger.
Alberobello
From the pier, you will board your coach for the one-hour-fifteen drive to the village of Alberobello. The small village of Alberobello is famous all over the world for its traditional conical houses with whitewashed walls and stone roofs, built without mortar, called “trulli”. Alberobello was declared in 1996 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
Your guided walking tour starts at Terrazzino Belvedere located in Aia Piccola, a wide space used in the past to thresh the corn. Then, you will go to Casa d’Amore (outside view only). The visit continues with the tour of the old city centre called Rione Monti. This quarter is composed with 1,030 trulli, most of them are still lived in. Then, you will visit the Church of Saint Anthony. The façade of this trullo shaped church is composed of three wings adorned with a rose window and two round windows, as well a bell tower surmounted by a small dome. Its roof in form of cone measures 20 metres high.
Alberobello is also renowned for its countryside and farmhouses, surrounded by very old olive trees. You will discover a picturesque " Masseria" and enjoy a local tasting. Apulian focaccia, olives, fresh cheeses and some cold cuts will perfectly match with the various local wines you will be served.
Finally, you will re-board your coach for the one-hour drive back to your ship.
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This excursion involves 1.3 miles (2 km) of walking over uneven and cobblestones streets with some steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €95
According to availability, price per passenger.
The Magic of Matera
From the pier, you will board your coach for a 1-hour and 30 minutes scenic drive, admiring the rich vegetation of Apulian countryside to Matera.
Matera is located in one of the political regions in the South of Italy called Basilicata. It is renowned for its landscape since the old town centre lies along the sides of a deep ravine split into two by a very small hill known as Civita, where the Medieval town has been built. The result is that the whole city looks like a butterfly, whose "body" corresponds with the Civita and the two wings with the two winding "branches" of the ravine where the very old Sassi Districts have been built. Sassi can easily be translated as Stones into English, curiously referring to the origin of the settlements you're going to visit, partly built and partly carved out of the soft ravine limestone: houses and grottoes, or churches and grottoes at the same time, where life in the past was really hard and the economy was based upon pasture, because agriculture was quite impossible in a stone context! Many times you will be told that Sassi had to be considered as one of Southern Italy's examples of poverty, but they have been transformed into the most important cultural heritage nowadays, so you will easily understand the reason why such a strange settlement has been listed among the UNESCO sites.
Upon arrival in Matera your guide will lead you through narrow lanes and staircases, to explore the time-less picturesque UNESCO Sassi Districts: you will hear stories about "vicinati" (neighbourhoods in English), a real lifestyle with people living in humid one-room-house-caves arranged around little yards, labyrinths of winding streets, rock churches and cantinas, sharing everything they had with families living nearby.Visit one of the typically furnished cave-houses and learn about how some of the locals lived in these caves as recently as 1960s! Shortly before leaving Matera climb up the small hill opposite the town with your bus and you will experience the breathtaking panoramic view of the deep ravine around where Mel Gibson shot the movie "The Passion of Christ"!
At the end of your walking tour, you will enjoy some free time to stroll along the souvenirs shops or taste a local snack and coffee.
Finally, you will reboard your coach and be back to your ship.
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This tour involves an extensive amount of walk (4 kms) on cobblestoned surfaces with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter the religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered). On Sunday mornings, church holidays and during weddings, tour groups are not allowed inside the churches during services (you will have the opportunity to visit the churches independently). The order of sites visit may vary. Drinks and snacks are not included.
Total : €130
According to availability, price per passenger.
Walking tour of Bari & street food
This half-day excursion will take you into the heart of Bari, the great capital of Apulia. Here you will visit its most famous monument, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and discover its popular gastronomy through some of its best street food.
From the pier, you will board your coach for a panoramic drive through the seafront and Murat's Districts to the Swabian Castle for a photo stop. Built in the 13th century by Emperor Frederick II, the castle’s present appearance is the result of modifications carried out in the 1500's, when it was transformed into a fine Renaissance style palace.
From the Medieval fortification, follow your guide through Bari's old town. You will start the tour with the visit of the Cathedral named after Saint Sabino and built in the 12th century in the typical Apulian Romanesque style, with a main façade boasting three portals and a rose window decorated with symbols.
Through the characteristic Strada del Carmine, you will then reach the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, considered to be one of the city's main symbols since it houses the Saint's remains transferred in 1087. Consecrated in 1197, the church is one of the Apulian-Romanesque style masterpieces. Its interior boasts two medieval precious sculptures: a ciborium with differently decorated little capitols, and the bishop’s throne known as “Elia’s Chair”.
Enjoy a short walk through Bari's old defensive walls, nowadays provided with a panoramic street overlooking the sea, to get to Piazza Mercantile and Piazza Ferrarese, among the city's main meeting places, connecting the old town to the modern district with its huge variety of boutiques, street stores and souvenir shops.
Exploring the narrow cobbled streets and squares, you will get to know the local lifestyle and traditions by tasting some of the main local flavours such as foccaccia (italian bread), panzerotto (small stuffed pizza), sgagliozze (fried polenta) and a cremoso for dessert.
Finally, you will board your coach for a short drive back to your ship.
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This excursion involves 1.9 miles (3 km) of walking on cobblestones streets with some steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered). Tastings are included in your excursion.
Total : €100
According to availability, price per passenger.
Valletta & its Archaeological Museum
From the pier, you will board your coach to the historical centre of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Valletta is a fortified city located on a hilly peninsula between two natural harbours.
You will start your walking tour at the Upper Barracca Gardens where you can admire Grand Harbour and the Three Cities. The Upper Barracca Gardens date back to 1661 when it used to be a private Garden of the Knights. Then, you will walk to Auberge de Castille, built in the 1570s to house the knights of the Order of Saint John from the lands of Castile, León and Portugal. Today it houses the Offices of the Prime Minister.
Your next stop will be the New Parliament. Finished in 2015 and designed by Renzo Piano, it includes the building of the new “City Gate” and the conversion of the Royal Opera House ruins into an open-air theatre. Walk through the busy Republic Street and stop in front St. John’s Co-cathedral. The building is testimony to the talent of Maltese military architect with Mattia Preti’s intricately carved stone wall designs, as well as the painted vaulted ceiling and side altars with scenes from the life of saint John. It also houses one of Europe’s most impressive and famous art works, Caravaggio’s Beheading of St. John the Baptist.
Continue to the Archaeological Museum, housed in the Auberge de Provence. This building is an example of fine Baroque architecture. It was built in 1571 according the Gilormu Cassar’s plan. The museum exhibits a spectacular range of artefacts dating back to Malta’s Neolithic period (5000 BC) up to the Phoenician period (400 BC). On display are the earliest tools used by the prehistoric people to facilitate their daily tasks and representations of animal and human figures; elements which not only show the great artistic skills of the first dwellers of the island but also give us an insight of their daily lives.
Finally, you will re-board your coach and join the ship.
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This tour is mainly a walking tour over flat and cobblestone streets with some steps, covering approximately 1.8 miles (3 km). We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious sites (shoulders and knees should be covered). Visits of Auberge de Castille, the Cathedral and New Parliament are outside visits.
Total : €50
According to availability, price per passenger.
Sicilian flavours and tasting
From the pier, you will be transferred to the centre of Catania, the second largest metropolitan city of Sicily. You will discover Catania through one of the most important aspect in the Italian culture: food and cooking.
Begin your “tasting walking tour” with a stop in a local pastry shop, or pasticceria. There, you will enjoy eating an arancino, a fried rice ball with various fillings such as cheese, meats and vegetables. While a favourite in Italy, the real arancini are Sicilian.
After your first taste of Sicily, walk along Via Etnea, Catania’s main street, where you will see the cathedral and the historical centre of the town. You will then reach the Fish Market. This ancient street market is always a wonderful cacophony of exotic sights and sounds, with locals selling everything from blood oranges to cuttlefish. Watch tuna and swordfish being prepared by the local fish mongers, next to aged sheep cheeses or cured meats. You will have free time to immerse yourself in the sights and sounds of this magical market that is unlike any other in the world.
Then, you will walk a few blocks from there to a nearby pastry shop for a tasting of a delicious Sicilian-style cannoli crafted by a local Sicilian pastry master. This classic dessert consists of tube-shaped, fried pastry dough filled with sweet, creamy ricotta cheese then rolled with pistachios or candied fruits to finish.
At the end of your tour, you will walk back to the pier.
- This excursion involves a walk of about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) on cobblestone streets. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious monuments (knees and shoulders covered). This tour is limited to 30 participants.
Total : €60
According to availability, price per passenger.
Syracusa
From the pier, you will board your coach and drive to Syracusa and its archaeological site, 1-hour drive.
Visit the Roman Amphitheatre of Augustus, used for fights between gladiators and wild beasts, the Altar of Hieron, constructed in the 2nd century BC to celebrate the “Eleutherian Feast”, the Latomie of Paradise, huge caverns once used as prisons, the Ear of Dionysius, an enormous grotto with extraordinary echo and the Greek Theatre, one of the largest in the Hellenic World, constructed in the 5th century BC and successively enlarged.
Upon completion of the visit, re-board your coach for the short drive to Ortygia, which you will visit on foot. On Ortygia Island discover the Piazza Pancali (the ruins of the Temple of Apollo of the 6th century BC), Corso Matteotti, Archimede’s Place, Piazza Duomo. Visit the Cathedral in Baroque style, erected over the remains of the Doric Temple of Minerva: in the interiors, see the undamaged twelve Doric columns. Then visit the fountain of Arethusa, the nymph praised by Pindar and Virgilio in one of the most touching and fine myths. Several nobility palaces – majority of them originating to then 15th and 16th century – will be seen from outside during the walking tour.
Return to the port and your ship.
- This excursion involves approximately 1,4 miles (2,3 km) of walking over uneven terrain and cobblestones streets with steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter in religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered).
Total : €80
According to availability, price per passenger.
Taormina & the ancient theatre
From the pier, you will be transferred by coach to the ancient Greek town of Taormina, a one-hour drive.
Called Tauromenium in ancient times, Taormina clings to the side of Mount Tauro and offers superb views, splashed with the vibrant colours of bougainvillea and oleanders, of the Mediterranean Sea, Isola Bella and a snow-capped Etna in the background.
A maze of narrow streets, stairs and tiny squares, Taormina has attracted many civilisations over the centuries. It is home to theatres and a gymnasium from the Greek period, an Odeon and baths from Roman times, buildings blending Arab and Norman cultures, traces of Byzantine, and villas belonging to European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries.
You start your excursion with a visit on foot to the historic centre. You will cross the famous Corso Umberto to discover numerous monuments from several eras, and admire Porta Catania, the Cathedral, Piazza IX Aprile and Palazzo Corvaja.
You then arrive at Teatro Antico, a theatre built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC, and almost completely rebuilt by the Romans who created a gladiatorial arena. The theatre is the second largest in Sicily after the one in Syracuse. Due to its size and acoustic quality the theatre is still used to host festivals and concerts. Seated on the stone terraces, the audience can enjoy the concert while admiring a breath-taking panoramic view of the sea, Mount Tauro and Etna.
- As this excursion involves a walk of around 1.5 miles (2 km) on rough terrain with several stairways. We recommend you wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious monuments (knees and shoulders covered).
Total : €75
According to availability, price per passenger.
Paestum
From the pier, embark your coach for a one-hour drive to Paestum, the city dedicated to Poseidon the god of the sea, and founded by the Greeks around 600 BC. Previously called Poseidonia, it was later occupied by the Lucanians, an italic population, from 400 BC until 273 BC, when it became a Roman colony under the name of Paestum.
Its three temples are the only example of Greek architecture and arts already present in Italy, and are better preserved than the Parthenon in Athens. The city was discovered under the marsh and the brushwood thanks to the King of Naples Carlo di Borbone III during the 17th century.
The Romans made of the ancient Poseidonia their colony, and subsequently it was embellished by magnificent buildings including the baths, the portico of the forum and the amphitheatre.
Walking through this ancient moment of history and looking at these imposing and gorgeous structures will leave an impression in people's mind of the best example of what the Greek culture was in the past.
Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship.
- This tour involves one hour and a half of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.
Total : €65
According to availability, price per passenger.
Pompeii
From the pier, embark your coach for a forty-five-minute drive to Pompeii.
Pompeii is considered the world's finest example of an ancient Roman town. The eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD not only preserved structures, but also evidence of the ancient way of life, such as a fully equipped tavern with the last customer's money still on the counter.
Ancient Pompeii was a prosperous provincial centre with an estimated population of 20,000. Much of the town had been destroyed by an earthquake in 63 AD, and the rebuilding was still in process when the volcano erupted 16 years later. The whole town was buried beneath more than 20 feet (6 m) of ash and pumice stone. Residents were killed by lethal sulphur fumes or struck down by lava and pumice stone that rained down upon the city, although some of the people escaped. Abandoned until the 18th century, Pompeii was frozen in time until excavations revealed this amazing archaeological site. Plaster was poured into empty spaces in the lava to make body casts of some of the victims, such as a young man stretched out to protect his mother and young daughter, and the famous twisted body of a dog still tied to its chain.
The walking tour of Pompeii will be led by a guide who will help you relive the historical events and experience a typical day in antiquity. Admire the luxurious mansions and fabulous art of wealthy patricians who came to Pompeii to escape the turmoil in Rome. Their houses were designed around an inner garden with few windows on the exteriors, so residents could forget the outside world and get sunlight from their own courtyards. Visit some of the more modest homes and explore ancient baths, temples, theatres, markets and huge forum.
Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship.
- This tour involves 2 hours of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.
Total : €70
According to availability, price per passenger.
DIRECT TRANSFER FROM THE PORT OF CIVITAVECCHIA TO ROME FIUMICINO AIRPORT
Travel with peace of mind as PONANT organises your transfer between your port of disembarkation and the airport.
Civitavecchia/Rome
After disembarkation procedures are completed, you will be greeted at the port of Civitavecchia by our local English-speaking representative.
Then you will depart the pier by coach for Leonardo da Vinci International Airport of Rome, also called Rome Fiumicino Airport escorted by our English-speaking representative in time for check-in for the PONANT selected flight (about 1.30 at drive).
Your programme includes:
- Transfer as mentioned in the programme.
- Services of a local English-speaking escort.
Your programme does not include:
- Tips for the driver and local escort.
- Personal expenses and other services not mentioned in the programme.
For the times of your PONANT flight, please contact your travel agent; they are also shown on your electronic ticket included in your travel documents. In the event of schedule changes of PONANT’s selected flight, your programme will be adapted to ensure the most seamless and enriching experience. The content of your revised programme will be updated on the PONANT website, in My Ponant space and on the PONANT app. The final programme will also be sent to you along with your cruise documents.
Total : AU$80
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.