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| Day 1 |
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DEPART US
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Depart the US on your overnight flight to Europe.
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| Day 2 |
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ARRIVE NAPLES * EMBARK SHIP
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Arrive in Naples and transfer to the port to board Corinthian II and set sail. Corinthian II
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| Day 3 |
PALERMO * MONREALE
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Palermo, Sicily’s capital, is a vibrant reflection of the myriad cultures and faiths that have called this island home. La Martorana church is noted for its beautiful mosaics and the 12th-century Capella Palatina is one of Italy’s finest works of art, a superb example of Arab and Byzantine artistic achievement. Also visit the Norman church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti before traveling this afternoon to medieval Monreale to explore its famed Norman cathedral and elegant cloister. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 4 |
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HAMMAMET * CARTHAGE AND TUNIS OR KAIROUAN, TUNISIA
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Storied Carthage, founded by the Phoenicians in the 9th century B.C., contains Phoenician sacred remains including Tophet, the sanctuary of the gods Tanit and Baal. From there, continue to the world famous Bardo Museum in Tunis, the Medina and its Souks. Alternatively, visit the Muslim holy city of Kairouan, founded in 670 A.D. and home to the Great Mosque of Sidi Okba and the Sidi Sahab Mausoleum. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 5 |
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VALLETTA, MALTA * PALACE OF GRAND MASTERS
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Originally constructed as a Catholic stronghold intended to stave off the forces of Islam, the Grand Harbor of Valletta on the isle of Malta provides the dramatic landscape into which Corinthian II will sail. Site of the Knights of St. John in the 16th century, Valletta is renowned for its splendid collection of monuments. Visit the Palace of the Grand Masters and the Co-Cathedral of St. John, with Caravaggio’s masterpiece, The Beheading of St. John. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 6 |
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DAY AT SEA
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While enjoying a day at sea, attend lectures by the accompanying guest lecturers and partake of the ship’s amenities. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 7 |
RETHYMNON * HERAKLION, CRETE
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Call at Rethymnon, where ancient minarets, Venetian and Turkish houses, and a medieval fortress intermingle to compose one of Crete’s most delightful towns. The same island nurtured Europe’s first civilization: the Minoan; our tour will explore the remnants of these diverse cultures. Knossos palace reveals the brilliance and refinement of the Minoans, its maze of corridors, stairways and chambers are decorated with frescoes illustrating life as it was 4,000 years ago. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 8 |
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RHODES * LINDOS
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This morning, tour the city of Rhodes, an important stop for St. Paul, and 14th-century city of the Crusader Knights of St. John. On a walking tour of the fortified medieval town, visit the Street of the Knights, overflowing with mosaics, finely carved portals, balconies, and coats of arms. See the Palace of the Grand Master and the Archaeological Museum, housed in the Knights’ Great Hospital. Then travel to Lindos, where high above the village, with spectacular views of the Aegean, are the remains of the Acropolis and the Doric columns of Athena’s Temple. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 9 |
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IZMIR * SARDIS, TURKEY
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Held at various times by the Persians, the Macedonians, and the Romans, Sardis was the site of one of the Seven Churches of Asia Minor addressed by St. John in the Book of Revelation. Settled as early as 1200 B.C., Sardis grew wealthy from the gold that washed down from the surrounding mountain ranges into the Pactolus River. Visit the ancient synagogue, bath complex, and Temple of Artemis. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 10 |
CANAKKALE * GALLIPOLI
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Cross the short channel to Gallipoli, on the European side of Turkey, site of the Gallipoli battlefields. Visit the World War I military cemeteries, where fallen heroes of every religion and culture are buried together, and the town’s moving war memorials. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 11 |
ISTANBUL * BLUE MOSQUE * HIPPODROME
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“New Rome,” “Constantinople” and finally, “Istanbul,” this city has seen great empires prosper and fall, flourishing first during Roman Byzantium, and later as the focal point of the Ottoman Empire. Visit the monuments that testify to the city’s diverse history: the Church of Hagia Sophia, world-famous for its intricately detailed mosaics; the Hippodrome, site of a riot which nearly overthrew the emperor Justinian’s reign; the Church of the Holy Apostles, where his wife, Theodora, is buried; and the Ottoman monuments of Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque. End with a visit to the famed Grand Bazaar.
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| Day 12 |
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DAY AT SEA
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While enjoying a day at sea, attend lectures by the accompanying guest lecturers and partake of the ship’s amenities. B/L/D Corinthian II
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| Day 13 |
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THESSALONIKI, GREECE * DISEMBARK
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Home to a diverse population of Muslims, Jews, and Christians until the early 20th century, we will visit several of Thessaloniki’s historic churches, including the 5th-century Hagia Sophia, and St. Dimitrios, Greece’s largest church, which preserves the tomb of the martyred patron saint of Thessaloniki. Also visit the Archaeological Museum, where artifacts from the royal tombs of Vergina are on display. Spend the afternoon at leisure before transferring to the Hotel Electra Palace. B/L/D Hotel Electra Palace
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| Day 14 |
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DEPART GREECE * ARRIVE HOME
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Transfer to the airport for return flights to the U.S. B
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