Venice to Malta With a 10 Night Luxury Cruise Aboard the Sea Cloud II

Detailed Itinerary

Saturday 17 September – Arrive Venice

The group will transfer by private launch from Marco Polo Airport to the hotel. Late this afternoon your tour leader will take you for an orientation stroll and light dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight Venice (D)

Sunday 18 September – The Origins & the Lagoon

This morning we travel to the remote northern islands of the lagoon to get a sense of what Venice was like in its earliest days. After calling in at Burano, with its brightly coloured fisherman’s houses, we’ll continue to Torcello to visit the 8th-century basilica with its Byzantine mosaics and marble decorations, among the oldest in Venice. We’ll also enjoy a welcome lunch at the legendary Locanda Cipriani before returning to the hotel. There will be a talk late in the afternoon. Overnight Venice (B, L)

Monday 19 September – The Trading Empire

This morning begins with a private motor launch ride down the Grand Canal from the Rialto to the Arsenale, a complex of former shipyards that consolidated Venice’s historical naval might. We’ll visit the Maritime Museum, then the Confraternity of San Giorgio, with its Renaissance-era paintings by Carpaccio. In the late afternoon, after the crowds have gone, we’ll tour the monuments of St Mark’s Square in a program that includes a private viewing of the interior of St Mark’s Basilica, whose glorious mosaics will be illuminated just for us. Overnight Venice. (B)

Tuesday 20 September – Merchants of Venice

We’ll begin the morning by strolling the Rialto, the hub of Venice’s commercial activities, with many historic buildings around its bustling modern markets. We’ll then visit a spectacular 15th-century merchant’s palace across the canal, the Ca D’Oro, today a museum of Renaissance art. From there we’ll walk to Venice’s historic ghetto district and stroll through the lively Cannaregio district before a group lunch at the buzzy Osteria da Rioba. After lunch we’ll call in at the nearby Madonna dell’Orto, the parish church of the great artist Tintoretto, who created several works for the church. There will be a talk in the early evening. Overnight Venice (B, L)

Wednesday 21 September – Art in Venice

Venice’s wealth and power made it a centre of painting in the Renaissance. This morning we’ll stroll the vibrant San Polo neighbourhood, arriving at the Franciscan church of the Frari, famous for its ground-breaking altarpiece by Titian and many other artistic treasures. After a coffee stop, we’ll marvel at the 16th-century Confraternity of San Rocco, a remarkable fusion of architecture, painting and sculpture. After lunch in Campo Santa Margherita, we’ll visit Ca’ Rezzonico, an important museum dedicated to the art and society of Venice in the 18th century. Tonight, we’ll attend an opera at La Fenice or an instrumental concert. Overnight Venice (B)

Thursday 22 September – Three Islands/Embark Sea Cloud II

After readying to depart Venice this morning, we’ll visit the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, home to a community of Armenian monks since the 18th century and containing a remarkable manuscript library and museum. Our lunch break will be on the Lido, with a stroll to see some of the Art Nouveau architecture from its glory days as a beach resort. Next, we’ll visit the island of San Giorgio, where we’ll see the church designed by Palladio and an art glass museum. We board the Sea Cloud II in the late afternoon for a sunset departure from Venice. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Friday 23 September – Rovinj

The first three days of our cruise take us to three Dalmatian ports which were once part of both the Roman and Venetian Empires. We disembark at Rovinj with time to stroll the historic old town before a bus takes us to Pula which has a well preserved-Roman amphitheatre.  The afternoon is spent sailing the Dalmatian coast, with a talk on board later this afternoon. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Saturday 24 September – Zadar

This morning we visit Zadar, a bastion-city notorious for its pirates which were a persistent threat to Venetian shipping.  Our walking tour of the old city will focus on the period after the Venetians captured the city and subdued the pirates. This afternoon’s sailing takes us past islands and passages on the Dalmatian coast.  Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Sunday 25 September – Split

In its day Split was one of the most important towns on the Adriatic and the birthplace of the Roman emperor Diocletian, whose magnificent waterside palace can still be visited today. We’ll also visit the nearby gorgeous coastal town of Trogir and explore the Ivan Meštrović sculpture gallery with works by one of Croatia’s leading modern sculptors. This evening you can opt for dinner in Split or aboard the ship. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L)

Monday 26 September – Korčula

This morning the ship docks at the Croatian island of Korčula, where we’ll take a walking tour of the stunning old town. You might sample some of the island’s famous wine before reboarding. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Tuesday 27 September – At Sea

The second part of our cruise crosses to Italy, and the regions of Puglia and Sicily. Today is at sea, with a background talk and, winds permitting, the chance to enjoy Sea Cloud II under sail. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Wednesday 28 September – Otranto

The Italian port of Otranto has seen much in its long life, including a murderous raid by Turkish sailors in 1480, something still commemorated in the medieval cathedral. On arrival we’ll travel to the provincial city of Lecce, famous for its Baroque architecture. You can enjoy an agriturismo-style lunch, with wine and olive oil sampling. After lunch we’ll return for a walking tour of Otranto before returning by coach to the ship. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Thursday 29 September – At Sea

Our second full sailing day crosses the Ionian Sea at the foot of Italy to Sicily. There will be a talk on board and plenty of chance to relax and enjoy the hospitality and atmosphere of the ship. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Friday 30 September – Mount Etna – Sicily

We’ll cross the straits of Messina and arrive early this morning at Giardini Naxos, just below the pretty resort town of Taormina. We depart immediately for the summit of Europe’s largest active volcano, Mt Etna. We’ll take a coach to a base station, hop first on a cable car, then four-wheel drive vehicles to the summit, some 3,000 metres above sea level. You will walk around the rim of active craters and enjoy incomparable vistas over eastern Sicily. Back on board, we weigh anchor in the mid-afternoon. There will be a talk on Syracuse and Greek Sicily. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Saturday 1 October – Syracuse

Syracuse was the most important ancient Greek city on Sicily, second only to Athens in importance. This morning we’ll stroll the island of Ortigia, combining Greek ruins and Baroque architecture, we also view the famous Greek theatre built in the 5th-century BCE. Back on board, we’ll have a talk on Malta before our cruise farewell dinner. Overnight Sea Cloud II (B, L, D)

Sunday 2 October – Disembark Sea Cloud II/Ancient Malta

This morning we disembark Sea Cloud II. Back on land, we’ll head to one of Malta’s most ancient sites, the Neolithic temples at Ħaġar Qim and Mnajdra temples, the oldest stone buildings in the Mediterranean, dating from 3,000BCE. We’ll enjoy a simple lunch near the remarkable sea caverns and bright blue waters of the Blue Grotto before returning to Valletta to check in to our hotel. This evening we’ll take an orientation stroll to the Upper Barakka Gardens, which command a breathtaking view of the Grand Harbour. Overnight Valletta (B, L)

Monday 3 October – Valletta

Valletta has been described as a city ‘built by gentlemen for gentlemen’ – the Knights of Malta. After a talk in the hotel, we’ll undertake a coach circuit of military Valletta: its bulwarks and walls, the fortified town of Floriana, the bastioned Sant’Angelo Fort at Birgu, and the war museum. In the early afternoon we’ll visit the sumptuously decorated church of St John’s, which holds, amongst other treasures, two paintings by Caravaggio. Overnight Valletta (B, L)

Tuesday 4 October – Mdina – Roman and Medieval Malta

Today we travel by coach to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed city of Mdina. Once the capital of Malta, it remains one of Europe’s finest examples of an ancient walled city, with a mix of medieval and baroque architecture built harmoniously from a local stone. We’ll also visit the adjoining town of Rabat to explore the site of a Roman villa, today a museum of mosaics and Roman antiquities and St Paul’s catacombs, dating from the early Christian period. Our farewell lunch is at the elegant Xara Palace. We return to Valletta via Mosta, well known for the imposing Baroque cupola of its church. Overnight Valletta (B, L)

Wednesday 5 October – Departure

The tour ends after breakfast. (B)