1. Venice, Italy
Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.
Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure
St. Mark’s Basilica
This intricate masterpiece is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture, with an elaborate five-domed roof and nearly two acres of gold-backed mosaics covering its walls, arches, cupolas, vaults, and floors. Many of the sculptures and mosaics here were stolen from Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire during the Crusades.
Gondola Tour
Modern-day Venetians only use gondolas on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. Yet what visitor could resist? Most boatmen speak perfect English and will point out city landmarks such as Marco Polo’s house, the Palladian church of San Giorgio Maggiore, and palaces of Venetian nobles.
Teatro La Fenice
Book tickets for a show in this recently restored 1792 opera house, where you can listen to Verdi’s and Puccini’s masterpieces on their home turf. (Take a daytime tour if you can’t make a performance.)
Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.
To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.
2. Corfu, Greece
Discover for yourself the beauty of one of Greece's most popular islands, known as "the green island" because of its 3 million olive trees and flower-strewn countryside. Her Adriatic-style villages offer you a fascinating mixture of old tavernas, new cafes, Byzantine churches, discos, and shops, plus an amazing old city between two fortresses.
3. Chania, Crete, Greece
Like many ports in this part of the world, archeological ruins dating back to antiquity are found everywhere. There are also hundreds of gorges around the island and over 1,500 land and sea caves, including Elefantos, noted for its remarkable white and red stalactites.
4. Santorini, Greece
Here on the island of Santorini, you’ll find a classic Greek seascape—whitewashed houses accented by sea-blue roofs. This is a treasure trove for both professional and amateur archeology buffs, with sites that include tombs that date back to the 9th century and the sanctuary of Apollo.
5. Ephesus, Turkey
Once the capital of the Roman province of Asia Minor, this coastal town is now an archeologist’s dream. This former Greek banking and trading center is rich with historic sites, including the Great Theater, the Temple of Hadrian, and the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
6. Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos is known for its whitewashed villages sprinkled with blue and jade green. It’s also famous for its sophisticated nightlife. The most popular island in the Cyclades is bustling with activity, awash in beautiful alleyways, and home to alluring sandy beaches.
8. Athens, Greece
Athens brought the world drama, history, poetry, and philosophy. Once home to the world’s most powerful and civilized empires, Athens is now the world’s foremost archaeological playground. The towering columns of the Parthenon still stand in homage to the virgin goddess Athena.
11. Venice, Italy
Uncovering authentic local finds and having experiences that make you feel like you’ve really connected with a place are important elements in ensuring an extraordinary vacation. We’re taking advantage of our partnership with Travel + Leisure to get their editors’ recommendations and insider tips on the places you will want to visit. Here are their picks for just one of the 150 destinations they covered.
Must-Sees from the Editors of
Travel + Leisure
St. Mark’s Basilica
This intricate masterpiece is one of the finest examples of Byzantine architecture, with an elaborate five-domed roof and nearly two acres of gold-backed mosaics covering its walls, arches, cupolas, vaults, and floors. Many of the sculptures and mosaics here were stolen from Constantinople and the Byzantine Empire during the Crusades.
Gondola Tour
Modern-day Venetians only use gondolas on special occasions such as weddings and funerals. Yet what visitor could resist? Most boatmen speak perfect English and will point out city landmarks such as Marco Polo’s house, the Palladian church of San Giorgio Maggiore, and palaces of Venetian nobles.
Teatro La Fenice
Book tickets for a show in this recently restored 1792 opera house, where you can listen to Verdi’s and Puccini’s masterpieces on their home turf. (Take a daytime tour if you can’t make a performance.)
Be sure to visit our Shore Excursions page or speak with our onboard Destination Concierge for arrangements to any of these must-sees.
To learn more about this exciting port, please refer to our Port Explorer guide.