10-night Jewels of the Italian Coastlines with Cote Sud Cruise

Nice: Picturesque Towns of the Cote d’Azur – 8 hours

No visit to the stunning Cote d'Azur would be complete without a visit to Nice's wonderful Old Town and the charismatic village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. Begin with a warm welcome from your driver-guide who will be delighted to discuss the local culture, history and lifestyle of the area. Discover the historic atmosphere of Nice's Old Town whilst taking in the aromas of its bustling market.

Continue on a scenic journey to the medieval village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence. This charming village, with its bohemian atmosphere, is a mecca for artists and here you have time for lunch at leisure (payable locally). Later this afternoon, stop at the wonderful Rosary Chapel, considered by Henri Matisse to be his finest work. After your tour you will be privately transferred back to your cruise ship.

Highlights:

• Discover the historic atmosphere of Nice's Old Town and the bohemian charm of the village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence
• Make a stop at the wonderful Rosary Chapel, considered by Henri Matisse to be his finest work

• Private transport by luxury car or minivan
• An expert local driver-guide for 8 hours
• Entrance fees to all sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Nice - Shore Excursion - Discovery of Saint-Paul de Vence, Haut de Cagnes & Gourdon - 8 hours

Nice Shore Excursion - Discovery of Nice, Eze & Monaco - 8 hours

Meet your private English speaking driver guide who will wait for you with a nominative board at the main exit of your ship  and depart for a visit of Nice, Eze & Monaco.

HIGHLIGHTS 

• Nice, the fifth largest city in France, acts as a magnet attracting people from all over the world, for a multitude of reasons. Elegant and simple, Nice's charm comes from its exceptional climate as well as its beauty. Even in the winter the café terraces are filled with people happily drinking and contemplating the ultra-famous Promenade des Anglais.  Always in flower this wonderful walk follows along the bay, looking out onto the Baie des Anges and the beaches on one side, and on the other such luxury hotels as the Negresco.

• From Nice, take the Corniche road to Eze, a medieval village perched like an eagles nest on a narrow rocky peak overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

• Monaco, one of those magic glamorous places that have a worldwide reputation, is situated on the French Riviera between Cap d'Ail and Menton, just a few kilometers from the Italian Riviera 

Nice Shore Excursion - Discovery of Grasse, Cannes & Antibes - 8 hours

Meet your private English speaking driver guide who will wait for you with a nominative board at the main exit of your ship and depart for a visit of Grasse, Cannes & Antibes.
 
HIGHLIGHTS 

• Grasse Rising from the hills above the Mediterranean is the city of Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, surrounded by the charming Provencal landscape and villages of the Pays de Grasse, the regional name for this breathtaking and tranquil countryside. This 17th and 18th century town is large and extremely interesting, with tiny streets that wind between the buildings, up and down ancient steps, passing through arched tunnels and sometimes opening out onto large squares.
• Cannes was nothing more than an unimportant fishing village 150 years ago. Since then it has become an elegant city known round the world and attracts an international clientele.
• Antibes is the proper name of this ancient town, but it's commonly referred to as Trompe l'Oeil wall mural at Juan Antibes - Juan-les-Pins.

Nice - Full Day Tour - 8 hours

Nice Shore Excursion. This excursion will give you a wonderful glance at the beautiful city of Nice on the Riviera. You will be impressed by the colors of its market and during the afternoon you could visit Matisse Museum showing an important collection of the painter.
 

Nice & Cannes - Full Day Tour - 8 hours

Nice and Cannes Shore Excursion. This excursion is perfect for those who wish to discover the chic French Riviera: in Nice, you will be impressed by the colors of its market and during the afternoon pursue this excursion with the beautiful city of Cannes, famous for hosting every year the Film Festival.

9:00 am: Be met at the foot of your cruise ship.

Drive to Nice. Everything is emphasized in Nice; the bright sunlight makes the colors flash. The green pines happily rub shoulders with the blue of the Mediterranean Sea and that of the sky. It is easy to see why the Côte d’Azur fascinates so many people. Many of the artists, painters, writers, sculptors and musicians who contributed to the city’s fame, have museums here, dedicated to their works. You will view the luxurious Belle Époque-style residences, including the fabulous Négresco palace, built on the sea front. The Négresco, whose dome can be admired from the Promenade des Anglais, is the finest example of Belle Époque architecture. Visit the Russian Church (not available on Sunday mornings). Enjoy a walking tour of the old town. Enjoy lunch at leisure in a typical restaurant.

During the afternoon, drive to Cannes. Your guide will escort you to visit the city main points of interest:

Old town— The usual narrow winding streets filled with restaurants and souvenir shops. Covered Market (Marché Forville)— For a spectacular eating and viewing food experience, no other market in Cannes beats this for scale and variety. 

Palais des Festivals— Down La Croisette is the famous Palais des Festivals, where stars of the screen gather and watch films screened during the festival. Irresistible not to pose for a photograph on the 22 steps leading up to the entrance. 

Port— Admire the yachts of the rich and possibly famous - though true mega-yachts will be found at the International Yacht Club down the coast in Antibes. 

La Croisette— Cannes catwalk beside the sea, it is the center of the city's tourist activity and known for its luxury hotels and boutique shops. 

5.00 pm: return to your Hotel.
Tour Duration: 8 hours.

Tour can operate: Any Day

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes.

Physical Activity Level: Moderate.

Included:
Deluxe minivan that can carry up to 6 passengers
Professional English-speaking guide-driver who will chauffeur you on your sightseeing-tour and is licensed to guide and accompany you on walking tours as well as into museums and monuments.
24-hour assistance available during your stay
All taxes

Not Included:
Tips
Lunch or dinner
 

Nice, Villefranche & St Jean Cap Ferrat - Half Day Tour - 4 hours

Nice, Villefranche and St Jean Cap Ferrat Shore Excursion. You will be impressed by Nice’s lights and colors. In Villefranche you will have the opportunity to see the Chapelle Saint-Pierre which was restored by Jean Cocteau. Then, visit St. Jean Cap Ferrat, an exceptional site on the Mediterranean coast.
 

9:00 am or 2:00 pm: Be met at the foot of your cruise ship or your hotel.

Everything is emphasized in Nice. In this natural, rocky setting, the sun highlights the yellow shades of flowers and the ochre-colored houses. It is easy to see why the Côte d’Azur fascinates so many people. Many of the artists, painters, writers, sculptors and musicians who contributed to the city’s fame, have museums here dedicated to their works. You will view the luxurious Belle Époque-style residences, including the fabulous Négresco palace that is built on the sea front. The Négresco, whose dome can be admired from the Promenade des Anglais, is the finest example of Belle Époque architecture. In the morning, the Cours Saleya has daily flower and food markets. There are scores of stands, and you will find everything from professional merchants with their well-displayed wares to farmers that offer their fresh produce and live fowl on folding tables. Low buildings border the length of Cours Saleya, separating it from the sea.

Continue on to Villefranche and visit the Chapel Saint Pierre. This old "Norman" style chapel, devoted to St-Pierre, the patron saint of fishermen, was completely restored and decorated by Jean Cocteau. The artist wanted to decorate the chapel and make it into a place of worship, dedicated to the fishermen from Villefranche, Beaulieu and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Jean Cocteau wanted his artwork to evoke certain episodes in the Saint's life in a way that would be comprehensible to all.

Time permitting, continue your trip and drive towards St. Jean Cap Ferrat, an exceptional site on the Mediterranean coast. Its tranquility and warm climate make it a well-known vacation spot.  

1:00 pm or 6:00 pm: Return to your ship or to your hotel.
Tour Duration: 4 hours.

Tour can operate: Any Day

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes.

Physical Activity Level: Moderate.

Included:
Deluxe minivan that can carry up to 6 passengers
Professional English-speaking guide-driver who will chauffeur you on your sightseeing-tour and is licensed to guide and accompany you on walking tours as well as into museums and monuments.
24-hour assistance available during your stay
All taxes

Not Included:
Tips
Lunch or dinner

Livorno: Cycling Lucca's Medieval Walls - 5 hours

• Walking tour through the streets of Lucca, a beautifully preserved Tuscan town
• Cycle along the city walls, admiring the incredible views 

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Lucca (3 hours)
• Bicycle rental
• All taxes

Livorno: Chianti Countryside & Wine Tasting - 8 hours

Meet your guide and driver at the pier side of Livorno for a full day of discovery in the Chianti region of Tuscany.  Hill-towns gaze across the countryside from on high, many encircled by Etruscan walls and slender cypress trees. As you travel along the winding roads, soak up the rich panorama comprising beautiful rolling hills, vineyards and olive groves. Admire the charming hamlets and farmhouses as well as fortified villas and castles that symbolise colourful history of the region during the Middle Ages. Travel through San Casciano, Badia a Passignano, Montefioralle, Greve and Castellina on your way to the Casanova Winery.  Here you will be met by your guide for a tour of the vineyards and, of course, tastings of their fine red wines.
After lunch at your leisure, continue to the picturesque medieval town of San Gimignano, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its surviving towers where you may wish to see the Collegiata containing 15th-century frescoes, the Palazzo del Popolo containing Renaissance paintings or simply wander the narrow cobbled streets. 

Highlights:

Casanova Winery
San Gimignano

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at disposal during the tour
• An English-speaking guide
• Entrance fees to the Casanova winery

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Livorno: Best of Florence & Pisa - 8 hours

Your English-speaking driver will meet your at Livorno pier today for the journey through Tuscany to Florence where your expert local guide will be waiting for you. As you stroll through the narrow streets, take in the lovely piazzas, churches and palaces before visiting Florence’s most famous landmark; the splendid Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore).

At the Galleria dell' Accademia, the world’s most celebrated statue awaits you. Marvel at Michelangelo's exquisite David; a colossal 17-foot nude inspired by the biblical hero renowned for heroically killing the giant Goliath. Wander along the enchanting medieval streets until you emerge out onto the open Piazza della Signoria; the centre of political life in Florence since the 14th-century.

After lunch at leisure, return to Livorno stopping briefly in Pisa to admire the famous Leaning Tower.

Highlights:

• Florence's Duomo
• Galleria dell'Accademia
• Piazza della Signoria
• Leaning Tower of Pisa

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour Can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Please enquire for more information

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Florence (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the Galleria dell'Accademia

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Ravenna: Byzantine Ravenna - 3.5 hours

• Explore the UNESCO city of Ravenna
• Visit the Basilica of Sant' Apollinare

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Ravenna (3h30 min)
• Entrance fees to the San Vitale and Basilica Sant’Apollinare
• All taxes

Ravenna: Medieval & Gastronomic Bologna - 6 hours

• Explore Bologna, home to Europe's oldest University
• Tour Bologna's wonderful markets and food shops

• Luxury car or minivan at disposal during the tour
• An expert English-speaking guide in Bologna (4 hours)
• Entrance fees to San Petronio Basilica
• Food tastings throughout the tour
• All taxes

Ravenna: Maranello - Drive a Ferrari on its Home Territory - 8 hours

• Explore the Galleria Ferrari
• Drive a Ferrari through the Italian countryside

• Luxury car or minivan at your disposal during the tour
• Entrance fees to the Galleria Ferrari
• 30 minute drive (per person) in a Ferrari
• All taxes

Ravenna: Parma Walking Tour - 7 hours

Today you will enjoy an excursion to explore the city of Parma. Upon arrival in Parma, meet your English-speaking guide for a sightseeing tour. Stroll around the piazza at the heart of the city, and see the stunning 12th century Duomo di Parma and its pink marble Baptistery, considered to be among the most important medieval monuments in the country.
You may also wish to visit the Pilotta Palace, a large complex that houses galleries, art collections and the amazing 17th century wooden Teatro Farnese. Spend time in the National Gallery, one of Italy’s most important, or in the Teatro Farnese; constructed as the largest theatre in the world in 1618, it was built entirely of wood and could seat 4500 people.

Highlights:

• See Parma's stunning 12th-century Duomo di Parma and its pink marble Baptistery

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs.
• Gratuities

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

• Return private motorboat transfers between the harbour and central Venice
• An expert English-speaking guide (4 hours)
• Entrance fees to all stated sights and museums
• All taxes

• All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
• Gratuities

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

• Luxury car or minivan transfers between Venice cruise terminal and Verona
• An expert English-speaking guide in Verona (3 hours)
• Entrance fees to the stated sightseeing
• All taxes

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

Today you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a full day excursion by private motor-boat to explore the Lagoon Islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Venice lies in the centre of a vast lagoon that stretches for about 30 miles from north to south, studded by numerous small islands, mostly deserted. This amazing environment is what drove the Venetians to establish their city here, a perfectly secure and inaccessible little world. Enjoy the beauty of a ride across the waters of the lagoon; visit the island of Murano, where glass has been made for over 700 years and where you can see the age-old techniques of glass blowing still in use today.
Continue to Torcello, to see the breathtaking mosaics in the Basilica di Santa Maria dell’Assunta, the oldest building on the lagoon. After a leisurely lunch (payable locally) you reach the island of Burano, a quaint and colourful fisherman island famous for its lace and charming architecture.

Highlights:

• Cruise across the lagoon to Murano, where glass has been made for over 700 years using the same techniques
• Explore Torcello and Burano, a colourful fishing village famous for its lace and charming architecture

The story of Murano and Burano

Hop on a private boat and start sailing through the Venice lagoon! This unique tour will let you discover the authentic side of Venice by exploring two famous islands – Murano and Burano. First stop, Murano – an epicenter of the most sophisticated glass production in the world. “Il vetro di Murano”, the glass of Murano, is a special type of glass made for decades. You will visit one of the traditional factories and take part in a glass-blowing demonstration. Pretty exclusive, don’t you think?

Your next stop is Burano – a small, fishermen’s island, famous for its heritage of lace embroidery that it’s still today made by hand only. It is often mentioned as one of the prettiest towns in Italy and also one of the most unique thanks to two characteristics: its canals and its colorful houses that make the island a real rainbow of colors! This tour will surely let you remember the Venice Lagoon forever.

Highlights:

• Unique island experience 
• Personal guide

• Private guide
• Private boat

• Lunch
• Drinks
• Gratuities
• Items purchased for personal use

The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice

Are you ready to start this tour with a private boat cruise down the most spectacular “boulevard” in the world? Yes, we are talking about The Canal Grande, Venice’s main artery. Just hop on your private boat and enjoy the scenic views of all the marvelous palaces and side alley’s canals. Sit back and relax while you absorb the breath-taking beauty and uniqueness of Venice. After the ride, the guide will take you through Calli, Callette, Ponti, Campi and Campielli. You will reach Rialto bridge, that was the only way to cross the great Canal on foot, for centuries. You can indulge in great experience of the famous local market filled with interesting products and learn more about the area that was once a significant place for trading goods.
 

Highlights:

• unique sightseeing experience 

• Personal guide

Tour Duration: up to 4h
Tour can operate: Morning / Afternoon
Wheelchair Accessible: No
Physical Activity Level: Easy

Inclusions: 

• Private guide

• No line entrance tickets for Doge’s Palace and St. Mark Basilic

Not Included:

• Lunch
• Tips
• Drinks
• Transfers