OVERVIEW

Gain a greater understanding of Northern Ireland and its culture by following a foodie guide through Belfast and sampling classic dishes and delicacies. The exact locations to be visited will be determined the day of the excursion, but they will definitely be establishments that best represent the cuisine of Northern Ireland. They will be the markets, restaurants and cafés that the locals frequent, rather than those typically found in guidebooks. Tastings are frequent and generous! Along the way you will encounter the places the locals like to frequent for lunch or dinner or for a cup of coffee. You will visit a variety of eating establishments in the city center, each specifically chosen to highlight the unique foods of Northern Ireland. The best way to get to know a city is through its food, and this tour highlights what makes Belfast so appealing.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Follow a local foodie around Belfast and sample a variety of classic dishes.
• Stop in the markets, restaurants and cafés that the locals frequent.
• Expect to taste favorites such as Belfast bap, colcannon and boxty, a potato pancake.

HELPFUL HINTS

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

Join this unforgettable excursion where you’ll travel through small villages and hear their story along the way. Ascend over 900 feet above sea level between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea where you can take some of the most amazing photos on your cruise. Enjoy stunning views and different shades of beautiful BVI blue waters. Listen up as your knowledgeable driver/guide share gems of BVI history and culture. Cross the bridge to Beef Island and swim at the local’s favorite, Long Bay beach. Here you can listen to music, chat with locals, chill at the bars, do light shopping or have a dip in BVI blue waters.

Snorkel the azure waters adjacent to the of Belize's Barrier Reef, the world’s largest living barrier reef. This is a shallow water entry, well suited for beginners and intermediate snorkelers. Depart from the Harvest Caye Marina on one of our comfortable snorkel vessels for the short scenic ride to a beautiful site along the reef. This location is teeming with multitudes of colorful reef fish, co-habiting among the beautiful hard and soft coral formations, intermingled with sponges, sea fans, and delicate sea anemones.

Possible sightings of spotted eagle rays and schools of larger fish are quite common, large starfish, queen conchs, and sea cucumbers also call this patch of the reef home. After snorkeling, re-board your boat and enjoy the return trip while listening to Caribbean rhythmic vibes. After returning to the pier, as you step off the boat, you can pick up your complimentary rum punch.

Behold the architecture in two isolated villages that UNESCO found so unusual that it deemed them World Heritage sites. The villages of Shirakawago and Gokayama are in the remote Shogawa River Valley surrounded by high rugged mountains, a location that made them difficult to access for centuries.

To cope with the abundance of snow that falls there, the residents constructed farmhouses with steeply pitched thatched roofs to reduce the amount of snow that accumulates on them. The roof design also allows for large attics, in which the residents rear silkworms, which they feed leaves from the surrounding mulberry trees. Only one other nearby village boasts this type of architecture, known as gassho-zukuri, a style that means “constructed like hands in prayer.”

Following free time in both villages, you will watch a demonstration of paper-making in Gokayama. The specialized washi paper is exceptionally colorful and patterned. The fiber for it comes from mulberry trees.

Meet a Nordic assistant designer and discover how she upcycles discarded waste materials to create green fashions. The venue for this enlightening experience will be the Telliskivi Creative City, a former industrial complex that has been converted into the largest creative center in Estonia, which is also a member of the UN Fashion and Lifestyle Network. Of all the studios and galleries, the one that Reet Aus owns may be the most inspiring. She is committed to ending the fashion industry’s throwaway culture by creating clothing with excess textiles that would otherwise end up in a landfill. By upcycling or turning old garments into higher-quality sustainable ones, she helps to reduce Estonia’s carbon footprint. You will find a similar environmentally conscious atmosphere at the photography museum Fotografiska. After browsing the exhibits, you will enjoy lunch at a zero-waste restaurant, where the dishes are as creative as the photography. Views of Tallinn’s World Heritage site, Old Town, will enhance the dining experience.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Meet an assistant designer that upcycles discarded textiles to create sustainable fashions.
• See stylish high-quality clothing made with materials once earmarked for the landfill.
• Browse a photography museum and dine in its zero-waste restaurant.

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

Enjoy an enlightening tour of Naples and folded pizza, a classic Neapolitan treat. Your panoramic drive will present views from affluent Posillipo Hill and of the imposing Castle Nuovo. The castle’s five towers make it one of Naples’ most recognizable landmarks. You will also see the Egg Castle, which holds a commanding position on the sea. In time, you will reach Spaccanapoli, a long street whose name means “Naples splitter,” a reference to it somewhat dividing the city in two. Here, you will visit the Jesuit church Gesú Nuovo and the Church of Santa Chiara, which was founded in 1310 and features an austere Provencal-Gothic style. To delve even deeper into daily life, you will walk through the narrow streets of Old Town, which UNESCO has declared a Cultural Heritage site. As you will discover, there is no better setting for an espresso and portafoglio or folded pizza, as the dish was invented in Naples.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Drive through Naples taking in the panoramic views and passing key landmarks. • See two castles and several churches among the architectural highlights. • Walk through Old Town and pause to enjoy folded pizza, a treat invented in Naples.

OVERVIEW

Travel by cable car to the summit of The Rock for a tour focused on the turbulent history of the fortress that is Gibraltar. It starts with a breathtaking ride up to the Top Station, site of a World War II anti-aircraft gun battery. You’ll take in the terrace views as your seasoned guide provides background on this British colony at the entrance to the Mediterranean. Returning to Middle Station, you’ll visit the Apes’ Den for an up-close encounter with tailless Barbary macaques, then board your excursion coach for a drive past Princess Caroline’s Battery and a walk through portions of the Great Siege Tunnels, hand-excavated in 1782-83 by the forerunners of the Royal Engineers and still considered one of the most impressive defensive systems ever devised. Driving on, you’ll visit ""A City Under Siege"" – an enlightening historical exhibition housed in the earliest British buildings on Gibraltar. Having learned much of The Rock’s story, you can now either explore further independently in Old Town or transfer back to the ship.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Ride to the top of The Rock via a thrilling cable car suspended high above Gibraltar.
• Learn of the momentous events that have made this strategic outpost famous throughout the world.
• Observe a troop of notoriously playful Barbary macaques up close at the Apes’ Den.
• Take a guided walk through the Great Siege Tunnels.
• Tour "A City Under Siege" - an enlightening exhibition housed in Gibraltar’s oldest British buildings.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing.
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen as needed.

Explore parts of Edinburgh that are often overlooked but shouldn’t be, as these revitalized areas have become thriving destinations.

After departing from the pier, you will soon reach Dean Village, a historical area of Edinburgh where grains were milled for 800 years. Once a separate village where many mill workers lived, it still seems vastly different from busier Edinburgh.

Highlights include a 19th-century residential building for the mill workers known as Well Court and Dean Bridge, which spans the Water of Leith. Thomas Telford, the engineer behind the ingenious Caledonian Canal, designed the bridge. While meandering about, you might also see decorative mill stones and stone plaques with carvings of baked breads and pies, a nod to the grains used to make them.

Continuing on, you will next explore Stockbridge, a village on the north edge of Edinburgh that is wonderfully bohemian and artsy. Landmarks include the Roman temple-inspired St. Bernard’s Well, whose waters supposedly have medicinal qualities, and the Stockbridge Colonies, a cluster of 19th-century stone homes that is really a village within a village.

A leisurely walk to Leith follows. A port for more than 1,000 years, Leith has been thoughtfully renovated and revitalized, yet its historical character has remained intact. During the guided portion of your visit, you might see what was once the largest swing bridge in the United Kingdom, a 17th-century signal tower that was originally a windmill, and the statue of Roberts Burns. During free time, you can explore even further.

Visit a rural farm and tour the fields with the owners, who will be quite willing to discuss how farming and life has changed since Latvia’s independence from the Soviet Union. During the Soviet era, collective farming was practiced, in which government-owned farms banded together to grow crops. When Latvia gained its independence in 1991, farms could be privately owned again. The farm that you will visit grows an abundance of raspberries and strawberries, as the conditions in this part of Latvia are quite favorable for both crops. Growing berries became even more widespread following the Soviet era because the farmers could directly reap the benefits. You may have the opportunity to pick some berries (if available) in the fields and enjoy homemade seasonal pie while lingering over a cup of tea with the owners of the farm. Feel free to ask them about their lives before and after Soviet rule. It is sure to be an eye-opening experience. Gain an understanding of how farming has changed since Soviet rule ended in 1991. Tour a berry farm with the owners and learn more about its challenges and development. Enjoy some berries (if available) and homemade seasonal pie and a cup of tea with the owners as they discuss post-Soviet rural life.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Gain an understanding of how farming has changed since Soviet rule ended in 1991.
• our a berry farm with the owners and pick your own raspberries and strawberries.
• Enjoy the berries and a cup of tea with the owners as they discuss post-Soviet rural life.

Aquaventure, Atlantis Paradise Island’s Water Park, is a one-of-a-kind 141 acre waterscape. Aquaventure features over twenty million gallons of water, thrilling high-speed water slides like the Mayan Temple and the 7-story Power Tower, a mile long river ride with rolling rapids, a spectacular kids water-play fort, 20 swimming areas, refreshing pools, and access to the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean! Plus access to view the renowned Atlantis marine habitat, home to more than 50,000 fish representing 250 species and the Caribbean’s largest casino and stroll through Marina Village, a charming and vibrant marketplace featuring 20 retail shops, restaurants, and local entertainment for a distinctly Bahamian vacation experience.

Gain an understanding of how local craftsmen make traditional Greek musical instruments and take in the island’s natural beauty. Pyrgos is known for its 13th-century Venetian castle, the classic Cycladic design of its homes and the panoramic views from its hilltop location. It will be an ideal setting to pause for a cup of coffee and a Greek sweet. Megalochori is equally picturesque, as you will discover while meandering the village’s atmospheric cobbled streets lined with neoclassical houses. The intriguing Museum of Musical Instruments honors the history of the instruments that make Greek music so recognizable. You will learn how classic instruments such as the bouzouki and laouto are handmade and have the chance to play some of them. Afterwards, you will visit the family-owned Gavalas Winery, which has been producing traditional wines such as Katsano and Nykteri since the 19th century. There you will sample wines indicative of Santorini’s terroir and snacks that pair perfectly with them.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Pause for a snack and to revel in the village of Pyrgos’ classic Cycladic setting.
• Discover how some of the most recognizable Greek musical instruments are hand-crafted.
• Sample a selection of traditional wines and local delicacies at a family-owned winery.

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.