France, Italy, Croatia & Greece Cruise: Marseille, Florence, Dubrovnik & Athens

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill’s post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.

Marseille, a port city in southern France, has been a crossroads of immigration and trade since its founding by the Greeks circa 600 B.C. At its heart is the Vieux-Port (Old Port), where fishmongers sell their catch along the boat-lined quay. Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde is a Romanesque-Byzantine church. Modern landmarks include Le Corbusier’s influential Cité Radieuse complex and Zaha Hadid’s CMA CGM Tower.

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Ah, Florence—sublime birthplace of the Renaissance, its historic center full to bursting with elegant squares, imposing palaces, magnificent churches, and museums with such an abundance of riches it could make an art lover weep for joy.

The list of illustrious names connected with this city is mind-boggling: Botticelli, Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo. Other colorful and fascinating characters were of dubious reputation: Machiavelli, and the religious extremist Savonarola, with his bonfire of the vanities. For many years the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family, patrons of the arts and bankers to the papacy, whose line included six kings and two popes.

Ah, Florence—sublime birthplace of the Renaissance, its historic center full to bursting with elegant squares, imposing palaces, magnificent churches, and museums with such an abundance of riches it could make an art lover weep for joy.

The list of illustrious names connected with this city is mind-boggling: Botticelli, Dante, Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo. Other colorful and fascinating characters were of dubious reputation: Machiavelli, and the religious extremist Savonarola, with his bonfire of the vanities. For many years the city was ruled by the powerful Medici family, patrons of the arts and bankers to the papacy, whose line included six kings and two popes.

Rome has something special to offer to all visitors, no matter their interests and tastes. Whether you daydream about fighting with gladiators in the Coliseum, debating with togaed senators in the Forum, tossing a coin in a fabled fountain, or being awestruck by the magnificence of St Peter’s Basilica and Michelangelo’s masterpieces, Rome seems to live up to its sobriquet – the Eternal City. When you need sustenance, today’s Rome will provide delizioso pasta e vino. Or perhaps you draw strength from a little retail therapy – the Italians are also renowned for their sense of style.

The Naples–Salerno high-speed railway line is a link in the Italian high-speed rail network opened in June 2008. The 29-kilometre-long line is one of the new high-speed lines being built to strengthen rail transport system in Italy and in particular freight and passenger transport in Campania.

Siracusa is known for the archaeological and historical sights that define its grand past, as one of the major powers of the Mediterranean world in the 5th century BC. They include a Greek theater, still in use, where Aeschylus produced some of his plays; a dramatic necropolis with burial niches cut into the rock that include the tomb of Archimedes, famous mathematician, engineer, and inventor; and the Ear of Dionysus, a cave with amazing acoustical properties. The “modern” city was rebuilt in Sicilian Baroque style after the devastating earthquake of 1693.

Kotor’s beautiful bay has long attracted passing ships that stopped to trade, plunder, or conquer, and merchants, pirates, and soldiers of numerous empires have walked this maze of cobblestone streets before you. One of Europe’s best-preserved cities of medieval or Renaissance vintage, its walls were constructed right into the steep slopes of the mountain behind it, providing protection and making it an amazing sight on approach from the sea. Venetian ramparts enclose a rich history, with churches of varying styles, and a Romanesque cathedral built on the foundations of an earlier church, and a still earlier Roman temple.

To visit Dubrovnik is to step back in time to the Middle Ages. The town is one massive museum, its thick walls constructed from the 13th to the 17th century encircle the entire city, and contain within them a treasure trove of striking architecture – squares, fountains, palaces, churches, and monasteries, all built from the same stone, line streets free of motor vehicles. Once the only city-state on the Adriatic to rival Venice, Dubrovnik has long been a center for Croatian culture, and home to artists and scholars of all disciplines. It is possible to circumnavigate the city atop the medieval walls.

Perched on Adriatic Sea in Croatia, Zadar is a truly captivating city, where history-drenched cobblestone streets meet contemporary life, then surrounded by deep blue sea, green olive groves, and white stone. Dubbed an “outdoor museum”, Zadar is rich in monuments and churches from ancient and medieval times—the circular 9th century Church St. Donat, the Church of St. Simeon and the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Anastasia—while nature lovers should explore Krka National Park and its seven waterfalls. Meander through the pedestrian-only Old Town, with its fortified city walls, towers and gates, then visit Zadar’s famous urban installations on the Riva, where art, architecture and science combine. Be sure to check out The Sea Organ, which extends into the sea and “whistles” with the waves and air pressure, and Greeting to the Sun, a circular construction of glass plates that produces an exceptional light show.

A key commercial center with a Venetian past, Koper is Slovenia’s only deep-water port. Stroll the narrow streets of the “old city” to the Praetorian Palace, which could easily be the setting of a Renaissance drama, sip a coffee in the square, then visit the Cathedral of St. Nazarius, the largest in Slovenia.

Perched on Adriatic Sea in Croatia, Zadar is a truly captivating city, where history-drenched cobblestone streets meet contemporary life, then surrounded by deep blue sea, green olive groves, and white stone. Dubbed an “outdoor museum”, Zadar is rich in monuments and churches from ancient and medieval times—the circular 9th century Church St. Donat, the Church of St. Simeon and the Romanesque Cathedral of St. Anastasia—while nature lovers should explore Krka National Park and its seven waterfalls. Meander through the pedestrian-only Old Town, with its fortified city walls, towers and gates, then visit Zadar’s famous urban installations on the Riva, where art, architecture and science combine. Be sure to check out The Sea Organ, which extends into the sea and “whistles” with the waves and air pressure, and Greeting to the Sun, a circular construction of glass plates that produces an exceptional light show.

Its Adriatic seaside lined with palm trees, Split is the largest and most important city in Dalmatia, and custodian of the riches of culture and history found within and around the walls of the Roman emperor Diocletian’s palace. Begun in 295 AD as an imperial residence and fortified camp, its twisting cobblestone byways reveal churches and chapels both Romanesque and Gothic, and older places of worship such as the Temple of Jupiter. The old town is remarkably well preserved, and is full of museums, art galleries, and cozy cafes where you can pause along your way.

To visit Dubrovnik is to step back in time to the Middle Ages. The town is one massive museum, its thick walls constructed from the 13th to the 17th century encircle the entire city, and contain within them a treasure trove of striking architecture – squares, fountains, palaces, churches, and monasteries, all built from the same stone, line streets free of motor vehicles. Once the only city-state on the Adriatic to rival Venice, Dubrovnik has long been a center for Croatian culture, and home to artists and scholars of all disciplines. It is possible to circumnavigate the city atop the medieval walls.

Kotor’s beautiful bay has long attracted passing ships that stopped to trade, plunder, or conquer, and merchants, pirates, and soldiers of numerous empires have walked this maze of cobblestone streets before you. One of Europe’s best-preserved cities of medieval or Renaissance vintage, its walls were constructed right into the steep slopes of the mountain behind it, providing protection and making it an amazing sight on approach from the sea. Venetian ramparts enclose a rich history, with churches of varying styles, and a Romanesque cathedral built on the foundations of an earlier church, and a still earlier Roman temple.

On the northwest side of Crete rests the old Venetian port of Chania, the second largest city on the island. Inhabited since the Neolithic era, Chania is a modern city built over the ruins of the ancient city of Kydonia.

Stroll through the old city and see how it has been touched by the intersection of diverse civilizations throughout history, with a mixture of Greek, Venetian, and Ottoman influences on every corner: Minoan ruins, Byzantine churches, and impressive frescos. The Archaeological Museum of Chania houses an extensive collection of Minoan and Roman artifacts, and with replicas of ships dating back to the Bronze Age, the Naval Museum is a great way to explore the ages of Chania.

You could spend a lifetime in Europe’s oldest city and still not see everything it has to offer. Settled over 3,500 years ago, Athens is like a mythological crossroads of the past and present, where modern buildings share the skyline with spectacular ruins like the Parthenon.

To see a veritable “greatest hits” line-up, make your way to Vasilissis Amalias Street for the archaeological walk. Winding through the heart of the ancient city, the route leads to landmarks like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora, Arch of Hadrian, and of course, the Acropolis.

You could spend a lifetime in Europe’s oldest city and still not see everything it has to offer. Settled over 3,500 years ago, Athens is like a mythological crossroads of the past and present, where modern buildings share the skyline with spectacular ruins like the Parthenon.

To see a veritable “greatest hits” line-up, make your way to Vasilissis Amalias Street for the archaeological walk. Winding through the heart of the ancient city, the route leads to landmarks like the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Ancient Agora, Arch of Hadrian, and of course, the Acropolis.