Discover the charms of several villages in western Malta, where you will observe artisans practicing age-old crafts and get a genuine feel for daily life. Antoine tan-Newl is one of the island’s few weavers that still uses traditional techniques and watching him create items such as handmade rugs, blankets and bags on a wooden loom is a fascinating experience. He may even invite you to try your hand at weaving. In the nearby village of Żebbuġ, you will see the locals playing bocci, a traditional sport that is closely related to the French game of petanque and Italian bocce. You will be welcome to join the game or just sit back and enjoy locally sourced snacks that may include stuffed green olives, an area specialty. You will also stop in the village of Santa Venera for an introduction to traditional Maltese musical instruments such as simple whistles made from wheat stems and reeds.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain an understanding of traditional life by visiting a number of quintessential villages.
• Watch artisans practice traditional crafts such as weaving and making musical instruments.
• See locals playing bocci and join in a game, if you like.
• Snack on a platter of Maltese delicacies in one of the villages.

Don’t miss a unique opportunity to visit the spectacular ‘City of Lights’, from two perspectives. After an approximately three-hour drive from Le Havre, you’ll arrive in Paris to discover the most important sights.

Your guide will point out Place de l’Etoile, its Arc de Triomphe and the Champs Elysees Avenue at the end of which the Place de la Concorde offers to all visitors, its legendary obelisk. Continue to the Rive Gauche where the most impressive monuments of Paris are located. At the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the symbol of Paris, a glass-covered sightseeing riverboat awaits you for a scenic cruise on the Seine River. Enjoy a different perspective of this monumental city from the water while having lunch. See the famous Cathedral of Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and much more. During your lunch cruise, you’ll not only discover the quays and the monuments of this enchanting city, but also the districts where the nobility and the Bourgeoisie live. Afterwards, before driving back to Le Havre, you’ll enjoy some free time in the city near the Trocadero.

Travel from one traditional village to another, pausing to sample the local delicacies before sitting down to a light farmer’s lunch. Near the village of Siġġiewi, you will drop by a farm for an insider’s look at how artisanal cheeses such as gbejniet are made from sheep’s milk. When freshly made, gbejniet is so soft and creamy that it wobbles. It can also be air-dried, pickled and rolled in black pepper, which imparts an entirely different taste. In another village, you will visit a baker that may be preparing a crusty sourdough bread known as Hobz Malti. The aromas will be enticing; the tasting even more pleasurable. A different gastronomic treat awaits you after touring a farm and olive grove in Bingemma. During the sampling of virgin olive oils and wine and the lunch that follows, you will gain great insight into Maltese cuisine, which is heavily influenced by other Mediterranean cuisines.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Sample all sorts of Maltese products in villages throughout the island.
• Taste local baked goods, wines made with indigenous grapes and artisan cheeses.
• Tour an olive grove and sit down to a light farmer’s lunch in the bucolic setting.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Valencia ! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as some of the stops might include wi-fi in real time. Your accompanying guide will help you how choosing the spot to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour begins with a short drive from the ship to your first photo stop, City of Arts & Sciences. You will have designated selfie stops at: • City of Arts & Sciences
• Streets of the Old Quarter
• Calle Bolseria
• Plaza Lope de Vega
• Las Arenas Beach

End your picture-perfect day with a relaxing transfer back to the ship.

Become immersed in the Maltese culture by meeting locals that are engaged in traditional activities and by meandering about villages that practice different customs. At Vicky’s Place, a bakery in the village of Qormi, you will watch a popular sweet or perhaps a loaf of bread being prepared. Feel free to ask questions about the ingredients, how they are sourced or anything else that comes to mind. Later, you will get the chance to converse with the local residents s in a kazin, a Maltese social club that often features music and snooker, a game that was introduced when Malta was a crown colony of the United Kingdom. You will also mingle with the locals at the village center in Ghaxaq, a cultural experience that is sure to be enlightening. Sightseeing in the fortified city of Senglea, which lies just across the harbor from Valletta, will offer yet another perspective of daily life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain insight into Maltese culture by mingling with the locals as they work and socialize.
• Snack on baked goods and traditional Maltese delicacies while conversing with the locals.
• Visit several villages and come away with a multi-layered perspective of Maltese life.

Enjoy the serenity of several natural settings, including the Big City Park in Tivat, where you will plant a tree that will benefit the Earth for years to come. The urban park is a green oasis full of indigenous and exotic plants that include eucalyptuses, magnolias, Chilean firs and unusual herbs. By planting a small tree on the grounds, you will add to the botanical diversity and perhaps most important help the environment, as trees absorb harmful carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air. A bit of free time in Porto Montenegro will follow, after which you will wander through Solila Reserve on the Bay of Tivat. Although salt was once produced in the pools along the shore, birdwatching is now the main activity in the protected wildlife reserve. Keep an eye out for auks, ibises and curlews. A leisurely and informative walk through Old Town Kotor will perfectly complement the experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Plant a tree in a park known for its botanical diversity.
• Meander about a protected bayside reserve that supports abundant birdlife.
• Enjoy free time in architecturally important Porto Montenegro and Old Town Kotor.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Rome! Share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site. Professional guide & selfie expert will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Rome. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at:
• Colosseum
• Spanish Steps
• Trevi Fountain
• Navona Square
• St. Peter’s Square

To make this experience even more fun you will be provided with a selfie stick to help catch the perfect picture. In addition, you will enjoy some free time at Navona Square and end your picture-perfect day with a cappuccino near St. Peter’s Square.

Your tour begins with a short drive into the center of Edinburgh, Scotland's bustling capital city. From your coach, enjoy panoramic views of some of the city's landmarks before making your way to Edinburgh Castle.

The unwritten history of Edinburgh goes back to the ancient British tribes who existed in clusters of wooden huts on the rocky slopes of the castle crag, choosing the windy heights for greater security. Arriving at the Castle, you will enter via the Esplanade, which slopes steeply towards the main gate. There is much to see within the castle, including the 15th century Old Royal Palace in which are housed the Scottish Crown Jewels. The amazing regalia on display in the Crown Room have their origins in medieval times. Also found here is the Apartment in which Mary, Queen of Scots gave birth to the future King James VI of Scotland who also became James I of England. This intriguing castle has without doubt, witnessed many tense moments in its thousand year history.

Following your visit, you'll re-join your coach and travel through the Old Town, descending eastwards along the ridge from the castle. This is the historical area known as `Royal Mile` and your route takes you along Castle Hill, Lawnmarket, High Street and Canongate - passing delightful multi-storied houses and quaint side streets. You will also drive past St. Giles Cathedral, considered the finest of the city's churches. This impressive cathedral dates from the 14th and 15th centuries, and is known for its famous crown spire. Continuing, you'll then pass Palace of Holyrood House, Scotland's premier Royal Palace. Dating from the late 15th century, it is the official Scottish residence of the Queen.

Before heading back to Leith, it's a drive along famous Princes Street, with its array of fine stores on one side, and beautifully laid out formal gardens on the other, affording outstanding views across to the ever present castle, standing majestically on its extinct volcanic rock.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Seville ! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as some of the stops might include wi-fi in real time. Your accompanying guide will help you choose the spot to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination. Your tour begins with a scenic drive from Cadiz to the majestic city of Seville.

You will have designated selfie stops at: Metrosol Parasol, Streets of the Old Quarter, Plaza de Espana.

To make this experience even more fun you will be provided with a selfie stick to help catch the perfect picture. Your picture-perfect day includes some free time to explore on your own. Note: Tour involves approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) of walking on mostly flat and cobblestone terrain, and some steps.

OVERVIEW

Cruise the turquoise waters and unspoiled inlets of the Bay of Islands and see Cape Brett Lighthouse, the Hole-in-the-Rock Sea arch and more. You’ll depart the pier aboard a stable catamaran featuring roomy indoor and outdoor viewing decks, sailing under what could be the earth’s bluest skies into a constellation of 150 unspoiled islands off the North Island’s northeast corner. The Bay of Islands is both magnificent and historically significant: New Zealand’s earliest Maori settlers migrated here 700 years ago, and its first British missionary settlers arrived in 1814. Charles Darwin stopped by not long after, and in more modern times, American adventure writer Zane Grey popularized the islands as a big-game fishing paradise. You’ll journey through these fabled waters today, passing picturesque islets as you make for crisply white Cape Brett Lighthouse, perched high atop a spectacular headland’s cliff. You’ll see Motukokako Island with its dramatic Hole-in-the-Rock arch and visit another major highlight, the majestic Grand Cathedral Cave. Slowly cruising among the inner islands, you may have engaging encounters with the schools of dolphin that frequent these waters. Commentary from the captain will help fill in the natural and cultural history of it all.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Cruise into the Bay of Islands aboard a comfortable catamaran with indoor and outdoor viewing decks.
• Journey through legendary big-game fishing waters en route to the Cape Brett Lighthouse.
• Pass beautiful Motukokako Island and the famous Hole-in-the-Rock sea cliff, and see majestic Grand Cathedral Cave.
• Learn about this region’s key role in New Zealand history from the captain’s commentary.
• Be on the lookout for playful dolphin and other marine wonders as you take in the peaceful beauty of the inner islands.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear layered, weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable shoes are recommended.
• Bring sunglasses and other sun protection as needed.

Enjoy a brief look at the fabled city of Granada and visit two notable landmarks, Capilla Real and the Cathedral of Granada.

It's a 45-minute drive inland to the Moorish city of Granada, nestled at the base of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As you travel down a modern highway that was once ancient Arab pathways, you will enjoy wonderful views of both the Alpujarras Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, as well as groves of olive and fruit trees. Upon arrival, your first stop will be in the Albaicin quarter. This is the old Arab quarter and was the residential region of the Moors, even after the city was reclaimed by Spain. This narrow labyrinth of crooked streets escaped the fate of much of Granada, which was torn down in the name of progress. Fortunately it has been preserved, as have its cisterns, fountains, plazas, whitewashed houses, villas, and the decaying remnants of the old city gate. From a viewpoint here, you'll be able to capture photos of the renowned Alhambra Palace.

Continuing on, you will drive to Capilla Real and the Cathedral of Granada which is located next door. The close relationship between both gives rise to a curious formal detail seen in the ambulatory that surrounds the circular gallery. The Capilla Real's gothic gateway becomes just another part of the Cathedral's walls, as if it were in reality one of the other many chapels when, in fact it represents the entrance to another building. In the Royal Chapel here, the remains of Queen Isabella and her husband Ferdinand are kept. It was their wish to be buried in recaptured Granada, not Castile or Aragón. The coffins are remarkably tiny-a reminder of how short they must have been. In the sacristy you can view Isabella's personal art collection, including works by Rogier Van der Weyden and various Spanish and Italian masters, such as Botticelli.

Next, you will make the short walk to the richly ornate Renaissance Cathedral. With its spectacular altar, it is considered one of Spain's architectural highlights and is renowned for its beautiful facade and gold-and-white interior. Construction of the Cathedral began in 1521 in a gothic style, and came to completion in 1714 as an example of Baroque architecture. Another outstanding feature is the facade by Alonso Cano, a truly marvelous example of Baroque interiors, culminating in the bell tower which holds more than a secret within. The ground plan incorporated a five-nave basilica and another in the center to be surrounded by an enormous aisle, in which a high altar would be inserted. This design led Rosenthal to believe that the model was based on the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem.

Following your Cathedral visit, you'll walk back to your awaiting coach and make the drive back to the pier in Motril where your tour concludes.

Mingle with local Latvians by traveling on the train and public buses to several waterfront districts, where you will meander about the attractions. Drive by public transport (bus or train) to Vecaki, a district on the Gulf of Riga known for its beaches. While there, the guide will enhance your understanding of the capital’s turbulent history by elaborating on the nearby fortifications that date to the Napoleonic Wars. You will then board a public bus and enjoy a genuine slice of daily Latvian life on the way to the Vecmilgravis district. The guide will point out buildings constructed during the time that the Soviets occupied Latvia. Like several neighboring Baltic countries, Latvia gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The most historical building is the White Church. Built near the water during the late 18th century, the wooden Lutheran church features a tower that local fishermen have long used as a lighthouse of sorts to help them navigate. Get an authentic feel for Latvian life by riding the train and/or bus with the locals. Explore the beach-rimmed district of Vecaki, a resort area where the residents relax. Gain an understanding of life under Soviet rule before Latvia became independent in 1991. During your walk, you’ll stop at a local cafe for refreshments.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Get an authentic feel for Latvian life by riding the train and bus with the locals.
• Explore the beach-rimmed district of Vecaki, a resort area where the residents relax.
• Gain an understanding of life under Soviet rule before Latvia became independent in 1991.