EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Split! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time.

Your tour begins with an orientation drive thru Split with designated selfie stops at: • Bacvice Beach
• Split National Theatre
• Vidilica Viewpoint
• S. Dominous Cathedral
• And MORE!

To make this experience even more fun you will be provided with a selfie stick to help catch your best pose. Your picture-perfect day includes a local snack of smoked ham, cheese and a glass of wine. End the day with some free time to explore on your own before returning to the ship.

Visit the site of the first Olympic Games and learn about its glorious history. Then head to the beach and spend the rest of the day basking in the sun and swimming in the warm, sparkling waters of the Ionian Sea. Even though the temples and monuments have disappeared and only the ruins are left, you can’t help but to envision the grandeur of the Temple of Zeus, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. The site was a sanctuary even before the stadium was built and the games took place.

The famous stadium, the largest of its day, is entered through a long, tunnel-like passage constructed in Roman times. Today, you can stand at the starting line and imagine the roar of the spectators seated on the marble benches, as the athletes took their marks. Reboard your coach and head to the beach to bask in the sun and swim in the sparkling Ionian Sea. Enjoy use of a sun bed and umbrella at the main beach, as well as a complimentary refreshment. Food and drinks are available for purchase.

La isla de Míconos es conocida en todo el mundo por su impresionante belleza natural repleta de molinos de viento, bahías llamativas, playas bellísimas y las casas blancas e iglesias con sus coloridas cúpulas azules y rojas. Pasarás por la playa de Ornos, una de las playas más cosmopolitas de la isla, con gran cantidad de hoteles lujosos, tabernas y yates que atracan en alta mar.

Realizarás una breve parada para tomar fotos en la playa de Kalafatis para que puedas conocer una de las playas más hermosas de la isla y disfrutar de una vista imponente. Al acercarte al centro de la isla, visitarás la aldea de Ano Mera y el Monasterio Panayia Tourliani. Además, tendrás la oportunidad de probar ouzo y aperitivos griegos en una pequeña y apacible plaza de la aldea.

The Ottomans and Byzantines ruled this city for centuries, and testament to these great empires stand the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, opposite each other in Sultanahmet Square. You’ll visit these two impressive landmarks of Istanbul as well as the Basilica Cistern and the Grand Bazaar. Start with a visit to one of the most recognized landmarks in the world, the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet, better known as the Blue Mosque because of the over 21,000 blue-green Iznik tiles used for its interior decoration.

Continue to the Hippodrome, to see the remains of what was once the scene for political struggles in the capital city of the Byzantine Empire. Visit the Hagia Sophia, a masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. It served as a church for hundreds of years during the Byzantine Empire and was converted to a Mosque when the city was conquered by the Ottomans in 1453. Here, you’ll find evidence of both. Continue to the great Byzantine Basilica Cistern, located across from Hagia Sophia. You might think that having so many breathtaking sites to visit above ground leaves no need to go under. But you’ll soon discover why this visit is worth every minute.

Next stop is the Grand Bazaar. You’ll have a short time to experience the exotic atmosphere of the covered part. Then visit the open and modern section, where you’ll enjoy local snacks and a presentation of carpets, leather or jewelry, followed by time for shopping. You’ll also have free time for lunch at your own expense during the tour and you’ll find many choices nearby.

Enjoy a combination of Slovenia’s best known sites the capital city of Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Both are a wonderful gateway to Slovenian heritage. After a guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore on your own. Following your approximate two hour drive to the Alpine town of Lake Bled, you’ll have different options to enjoy from a walk around the picturesque lake to visiting a medieval castle visit, all during your free time and at your own expense. After World War II, this was one of the most appealing state residences and drew many people who were attracted by the beauty of this town. Today new pilgrims have been discovering this tranquil and lovely place.

After a guided walk through Ljubljana, a medium sized European city, you’ll have time to explore your own pace. It offers all the friendliness of a small town and at the same time has everything that a capital should. This city of culture boasts one of the oldest philharmonic halls in the world. Every year it hosts more than 10,000 cultural events ranging from prestigious concerts, theater performances and fine art exhibitions.

Visit several of Old Town’s most iconic sites, which gained even greater fame after serving as locations for the fictional capital King’s Landing in “Game of Thrones.”

After departing from the pier, you will soon arrive in the oldest section of Dubrovnik, a revered UNESCO World Heritage Site. Fans of the TV series “Game of Thrones,” which is based on George R. R. Martin’s “A Song of Ice and Fire” fantasy novels, will recognize this part of Dubrovnik as King’s Landing, the fictional capital of the Seven Kingdoms.

Your first stop will be imposing Lovrijenac Fortress, located just outside the medieval walls that encircle Old Town. Known as Dubrovnik’s Gibraltar, the 11th-century fortress perches atop a craggy rock overlooking the sea, which represented Blackwater Bay in the books.

Continuing on, you will enter Old Town and make your way to the defensive walls to the south. After climbing the steps, you will walk along the stone battlements, which afford extraordinary views of the sea and the inner city. These walls appeared in numerous scenes in “Game of Thrones”; they were particularly prominent in the Battle of Blackwater Bay.

Later, you will enjoy free time within Old Town, where you may explore other sites that you may recognize from the series. For instance, the Jesuit Staircase was where Cersei Lannister began her Walk of Shame in Season Five, and many of the show’s market scenes were filmed along St. Dominic Street. Following free time, you will return to the pier.

Admire some of the most hallowed sites in the ancient world, including a residence believed to be the Virgin Mary’s, the ruins of Ephesus and St. John’s Basilica.

After departing from the pier, you will drive through the countryside to the House of the Virgin. Believed to be the last residence of the Virgin Mary, the small stone building contains a bedroom, kitchen and an altar adorned with images of Mary. A sacred spring known as the Fountain of Our Lady runs under the house, and you will be welcome to drink from it.

Then, it’s on to revered Ephesus, a World Heritage site that may well be the best-preserved ancient city in the region. After passing the Magnesia Gate, you will behold one excavated building after another. There is the Great Theater where St. Paul preached the Gospel, the Fountain of Trajan with its regal statue of the emperor and the Library of Celsus, a monument constructed as a mausoleum with a separate library for scrolls and codexes.

Continuing on, you will stop at the ruins of St. John’s Basilica. Built in the 6th century, the church stood over the spot where St. John is supposedly buried. Although a Mongol army destroyed the building and pillaged much of it, part of the basilica has been restored to show its scope.

A buffet lunch at a hotel in Kusadasi follows, after which you may return to the pier or stay in town for an enlightening carpet lecture or shopping.

Harás un paseo turístico por la campiña hasta llegar a la magnífica ciudad de Florencia. Detente en la Plaza de la Catedral para admirar el exterior de la Catedral (Duomo) de Santa María del Fiore, cuya fachada gótica ornamentada está cubierta con una mezcla de mármol rosado y verde.

Mira las estatuas de la Piazza della Signoria en tu camino hacia el Ponte Vecchio, el puente de piedra medieval que fue el primer puente en atravesar el río Arno y ha sido conocido por sus orfebres y joyeros desde el siglo 16. Se incluye el almuerzo en un restaurante local y, luego de comer, tendrás tiempo libre para recorrer por tu cuenta o hacer compras, antes de que el tour continúe hacia la histórica ciudad de Pisa. Aquí harás una breve parada para sacar fotos en la Plaza de los Milagros y ver la famosa Torre Inclinada desde afuera. Fue construida en el siglo 12 y comenzó a inclinarse poco tiempo después, pero ahora se ha estabilizado.

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.