EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Delight in the medieval character of Taormina while strolling its atmospheric streets and admiring landmarks such the Greek theater from the 2nd century. After departing from the pier, you will have a short panoramic tour of Messina. Continuing along the coast to the south, you will approach Taormina, an ancient city that rises almost perpendicularly from the sea. It’s a beautiful setting with an alluring medieval character, as you will discover while navigating its narrow, cobbled streets. As French author Guy de Maupassant wrote of his stay in 1883, “Were a man to pass a single day in Sicily and ask, ‘What must one see?’ I would answer him without hesitation, Taormina.” Among the highlights are the Arabian-influenced Palazzo Corvaja and the ruins of a 2nd-century Greek theater. It sits on a seaside hilltop with a view of Mount Etna that is so inspiring that it can detract from the entertainers that still perform there in the summer. After visiting, you will enjoy free time to wander about the areas that interest you the most. You might take in the views from the fragrant public garden or shop along boutique-lined Corso Umberto. The most popular merchandise includes designer fashions, jewelry and colorful ceramic pine cones, a Sicilian symbol of hospitality.

OVERVIEW

Experience the thrill of visiting Reykjavik’s “Big Three” scenic wonders – Gullfoss Waterfall, Geysir Geothermal Area and Thingvellir National Park – all on one excursion. Arrayed along a route known as the Golden Circle, this trio pretty much singlehandedly fills the bucket list of Icelandic natural phenomena. Rolling along via comfortable panoramic coach, you’ll encounter vast lava fields, a greenhouse community warmed by hot springs and fertile South Iceland farmland – and that’s just en route to your first stop of the day. Two-tiered Gullfoss Waterfall is one of Iceland’s most beautiful and iconic sights, its vast water volume plummeting down over 100 feet into a river gorge. It’s a tough act to follow, but the hyperactive star geyser at aptly named Geysir Geothermal Area spouting off 65-foot jets of boiling hot water every few minutes might just do the trick. You’ll see other geysers here too, though the granddaddy of them all, Geysir itself, has been resting of late. Appetite sated after a two-course lunch with the soup of the day and salmon at a local restaurant, you’ll make your way to UNESCO-listed Thingvellir National Park, a dramatic rift valley where the Earth’s North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet – and where the Icelandic parliament first met over a 1,000 years ago.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travel the Golden Circle and visit three of Iceland’s most revered natural wonders in a single day.
• See and hear the roar of magnificent Gullfoss Waterfall as it plunges over 100 feet into its river gorge.
• Watch Strokkur geyser erupt in a 7-story steaming jet like clockwork at Geysir Geothermal Area.
• Visit Thingvellir National Park, where two continents collide and the world’s longest running parliament convened for over 800 years.
• Enjoy a nourishing break from all these landmarks over buffet lunch at an Icelandic restaurant.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Flat, comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Please note that on November 2nd, 2025, there is free admission to Pompeii and there will be very long lines. Si te entusiasma la idea de recorrer por tu cuenta el sitio arqueológico de Pompeya, este traslado en autobús privado es ideal para ti.

En el mismo muelle tomarás tu autobús a Pompeya que te dejará en una ubicación central. Un acompañante del tour viajará contigo desde y hacia el barco para responder las preguntas que tengas sobre lugares para visitar y hacer compras.

Después de tu tiempo asignado en Pompeya volverás a tomar tu autobús para regresar a Nápoles.

OVERVIEW

Experience the joys of a simpler rural life at a wilderness center at the edge of the most extensive highlands in Northern Europe. Even the journey there will be spectacularly scenic, as you will drive through a mountainous terrain of dense forests, thundering waterfalls and an enormous lake that a glacier created long ago. Upon reaching the Wilderness Center, you will browse exhibits that showcase the struggles of life on the farm where the center now stands. The museum dioramas are especially insightful, as they accurately depict the challenges of the area’s earliest settlers, who embraced the natural world rather than trying to control it. As you meander about, you may see adventurers returning from hiking through the wilderness and horseback riding and others simply enjoying the pristine setting. Later, you will pass through Iceland’s largest national forest, which contains indigenous trees and exotics brought from more than 175 locations around the world.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a wilderness center that depicts the challenges that Iceland’s rural settlers faced.
• Enjoy delicious homemade refreshments in a unique countryside setting
• Drive through Iceland’s largest national forest, a protected natural wonderland.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Accompany Sir Ludo Shaw Stewart around his extraordinary country estate Ardgowan House and enjoy a stirring bagpipe performance and high tea. Once a solitary watch tower, the estate has evolved into an 18th-century private residence so extraordinary that it has been called “Scotland’s Downton Abbey.” Ludo, as he prefers to be called, will take you around his estate, showing you his favorite rooms and regaling you with stories of the property’s unparalleled history. He will then host a high tea for you in one of the estate’s 76 rooms, each one handsomely decorated with period furnishings. During tea, Ludo will describe the importance of bagpipes to the Scottish culture, although the musical instrument originated elsewhere. You will also be treated to an exclusive bagpipe workshop and performance. As the haunting melodies fill the room, you will feel as if you were transported into the distant past, a time when Ardgowan House first lorded over the countryside.

OVERVIEW

Watch humpback whales and other marine creatures cavorting in the nutrient-rich waters at Point Adolphus, one of Alaska’s premier observation points. During the cruise, a naturalist will describe the diversity of animals that converge here each summer. They come primarily to feed in the waters that are extraordinarily rich in halibut, salmon and plankton. Point Adolphus is noted for having the highest concentration of humpback whales in the Alaskan panhandle, so be on the lookout for these majestic and intelligent creatures. You can expect them to be breaching the water’s surface, waving their flukes up and down as they dive, and feeding voraciously to fatten up for their winter migration south. You might also observe frolicking Dall’s porpoises, Stellar sea lions, curious harbor seals and Orca whales. You may also see graceful bald eagles swooping down to grab fish in their talons, and perhaps even bears and deer in the surrounding wooded landscape.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch for humpback whales breaching the water’s surface as they feed.
• Gain a deeper understanding of whales and other marine creatures from the naturalist.
• Look for playful porpoises, sea lions and harbor seals.
• Scan the sky for majestic bald eagles.
• Scour the shoreline for mammals such as bears and deer.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear warm layered clothing and flat comfortable shoes with non-slip soles.
• Bring waterproof outerwear if you expect to sit on the open-air observation deck.
• Don’t forget binoculars and a camera.

OVERVIEW

Hop aboard the vintage White Pass & Yukon Route Railway for an immensely picturesque train ride high into the mountains, following a path blasted out of the rocks in 1898, during the height of the Klondike Gold Rush. As soon as the narrow-gauge train begins its ascent, you will understand why the beloved WP&YR is known as “The Scenic Railway of the World.” The train will climb almost 3,000 feet in just 20 miles and present one breathtaking view after another, from thundering Bridal Veil Falls to the rugged peaks at Inspiration Point. You will also pass over the soaring bridge that spans precipitous Dead Horse Gulch, named for pack animals loaded with prospecting gear that fell to the bottom of the gorge. It will be an exhilarating ride on a railway so ingeniously constructed that it is recognized as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride a narrow-gauge train on a route used during the Klondike Gold Rush.
• Climb high into the mountains and behold Alaska’s majestic scenery.
• Admire the ingenious engineering behind the railway’s construction.
• Receive a collectible magazine that details the railway’s history.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

OVERVIEW

Watch Alaska’s lumberjacks battle British Columbia’s premier woodsmen in an axe-wielding, chainsaw-cutting competition to determine who will claim the title “Bull of the Woods.” You will see the mighty lumberjacks test their prodigious strength and agility in more than a dozen events that include chopping, sawing, speed climbing and log rolling. The entertaining events recognize Alaska’s rich logging history, and these world-class athletes do justice to that proud past. Many of them have competed in these sorts of lumberjack events on ESPN, so you can imagine the level of their skills. The competitors encourage rowdy crowds, so feel free to cheer as loudly as you want for the next Paul Bunyan to be.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch lumberjacks go head-to-head in a fun-filled competition.
• See highly entertaining events like pole climbing and log rolling.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Take an approximately 45 minute cruise along the Sir Francis Drake Channel to Spanish Town, Virgin Gorda. On arrival, open safari buses take you on an approximately 15 minute drive through Spanish Town to The Baths for a self-guided tour, where you can swim (weather permitting) in the unique atmosphere of mammoth boulders, palms, and sea caves. Travel along the trails and boulders to discover hidden caves and sea pools.

After departing from the pier, you will drive inland through the inspiring Croatian countryside to Sibenik, a fortified town founded in the 9th century. Walking through the Old Town, you will see attractions such as the Gothic-style St. Francis Church, lovely Sibenik Theater, and the Duke’s Palace, which has been converted into a museum.

Still, St. Jacob’s Cathedral remains Sibenik’s highlight. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the cathedral was built entirely of stone under the direction of three architects. Construction took more than 100 years, and the result is a magnificent blend of Gothic and Renaissance architecture.

Next, you will visit Trogir, the entire city-island being a UNESCO site. Protected by medieval walls, Trogir has retained its original layout from the Hellenistic period and is a remarkable example of urban continuity. You can’t help but be awed by the outstanding examples of Renaissance and Baroque architecture found along the winding stone streets.

Back in Split, you will enjoy a traditional Dalmatian lunch before exploring Old Town and yet another UNESCO gem: the Palace of Diocletian. Built at the turn of the 4th century for Roman emperor Diocletian’s retirement, the palace is a sprawling complex of temples, cathedrals and residences facing the sea and is absolutely spectacular. Following your visit, you will return to the pier.

Start your day with a 40-minute scenic boat ride through historic Nassau Harbor on a high-speed ferry to Blue Lagoon Island. Enjoy this private island at your leisure. Swim on a pristine beach, just relax and lounge in a double hammock or enjoy activities like volleyball and beach soccer. You can also visit the Dolphin Encounter’s facility and observe friendly Bahamian Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, and southern stingrays in their natural habitat. Enjoy a complimentary lunch and soft drink – tropical drinks are available at the bar for an additional cost. Enjoy use of inner tubes and noodles. Other non-motorized equipment and activities such as kayaks and inflatable aqua and bounce parks are available for an additional fee.

Cruise the winding Monkey River, looking for wildlife in the surrounding rainforest, and then enjoy a hike with a naturalist that will explain the plants' medicinal uses.

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive at a small village near the mouth of the Monkey River, where you will begin a leisurely cruise upstream. Along the way, the guide will provide enlightening commentary about the region's history, including how the economy boomed in the late 19th century when large volumes of bananas were exported.

Little evidence of that thriving time period remains, as the meandering Monkey River is bordered by undeveloped rainforest. Natural beauty and remarkably diverse flora and fauna are now the main attractions.

You can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including crocodiles sunning on the riverbanks, turtles popping their heads above the water's surface, and iguanas perched in the tree limbs. You might even spot a troop of black howler monkeys screeching in the forest.

Tropical birds are just as abundant along the river, especially wading birds such as herons, brightly colored tanagers and keel-billed toucans, the national bird of Belize. Toucans are easy to spot because of their large, colorful bills and how they croak like frogs.

Once you disembark, you will hike through the surrounding forest while the naturalist guide points out plants with medicinal qualities. For instance, leaves of the soursop are often brewed into a tea that reduces fever, and the wild yam has anti-inflammatory properties.