Signature Journeys & Classic Tours 2019

Ancient EmpiresCruise on theMSKoningsdam

14 days from €1969

10 - 21 AUGUST VISITING: KATAKOLON, PIRAEUS, MYKONOS, KUSADASI, RHODES, THIRA (SANTORINI), NAPLES, ROME

PREMIUM SHIP

DAY 1 – MALTA – ROME

endless quays filled with ferries, ships and hydrofoils. It’s the biggest port in the Mediterranean (with more than 20 million passengers passing through annually), the hub of the Aegean ferry network, the centre of Greece’s maritime trade and the base for its large merchant navy. While technically its own city, it melds into the Athens sprawl, with close to half a million people living in the greater area. Beyond its shipping offices, banks and public buildings are a jumble of pedestrian precincts, shopping strips and rather grungy areas. The most attractive quarter lies east around Zea Marina and Mikrolimano harbours. The latter is lined with cafes, restaurants and bars often filled with people who’ve disembarked from cruise ships for the day. Mykonos is the great glamour island of Greece and happily flaunts its sizzling St-Tropez meets Ibiza style and party hard reputation.The high-season mix of hedonistic holidaymakers, cruise-ship crowds and posturing fashionistas throngs Mykonos Town (aka Hora), a traditional whitewashed Cycladic maze, delighting in its authentic cubist charms and its chichi café bar boutique scene. The island’s hilly interior is dotted with small traditional villages quite a contrast to the merry bustle of the coast. Swing by the only other settlement of any size in Mykonos, Ano Mera, and have a look at its pretty, whitewashed Tourliani Monastery, just off the taverna-lined main square. Kusadasi is a popular package-tour destination and, as the coastal gateway to Ephesus, Turkey’s busiest cruise port. Lacking the sights and ambience of Bodrum and the mix of Marmaris, Kuşadası remains a runner-up on the Aegean party scene, but the Irish pubs, discos and multilingual touts certainly create a memorably ribald atmosphere. If you prefer to mix your Ephesus visit with sea views rather than the rural ambience of Selçuk, then Kuşadası could be the right choice. Rhodes is a walk through antiquity. By far the largest and historically the most important of the Dodecanese islands, Rhodes abounds in beaches, wooded valleys and ancient history. Whether you arrive in search of buzzing nightlife, languid sun worshipping, diving in crystal-clear waters or to embark on a culture- vulture journey through past civilisations, it’s all

here. The atmospheric Old Town of Rhodes is a maze of cobbled streets that will spirit you back to the days of the Byzantine Empire and beyond. Further south is the picture-perfect town of Lindos, a soul-warming vista of sugar- cube houses spilling down to a turquoise bay. Thira, Santorini is the top destination in Greece and among the most romantic destinations in the Greek islands and also in the world. Located in the Aegean Sea, in the Cyclades islands, Santorini island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in the world and what remains today is a submerged volcano and a caldera. Amazing villages has been constructed on the edge of this caldera, with Cycladic architecture and breathtaking view to the sea. Apart from the fabulous caldera villages, Santorini Greece is also famous for the romantic sunset. Naples is raw, high-octane energy, a place of soul-stirring art and panoramas, spontaneous conversations and unexpected, inimitable elegance. Welcome to Italy’s most unlikely masterpiece. Blessed with rich volcanic soils, a bountiful sea, and countless generations of culinary know-how, the Naples region is one of Italy’s epicurean heavyweights. It’s here that you’ll find the country’s best pizza, pasta and espresso, its most appetising street markets, not to mention some of its most celebrated dishes. From garlicky spaghetti alle vongole (spaghetti with clams) to sultry ragù (meat and tomato sauce) and silky parmigiana di melanzane (eggplant parmigiana), the food on these streets is all about intensity and pleasure. DAY 12 – ROME - MALTA Breakfast and transfer from the Cruise Terminal to Rome for city tour of the most important landmarks as The Colosseum , Foro Romano, Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, Trevi Fountain, The Vatican and more. Transfer to the Airport for your flight to Malta.

Meet the tour manager at Malta International Airport for your flight to Rome. Upon arrival transfer to the Civitavecchia Cruise Terminal for embarkation of your cruise on board the MS Koningsdam by Holland America Cruises.

SIGNATURE JOURNEYS & CLASSIC TOURS

DAY 2 / 11 CRUISE

The first of Holland America Line’s Pinnacle- class ships, Koningsdam combines 21st- century elegance and nautical tradition. Inspired by music, her design features fluid lines, light-filled spaces and innovative, new dining and entertainment venues—from the dazzling, two-story World Stage to Music Walk™, with Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Billboard Onboard. Truly a destination all her own, there’s much to explore on Koningsdam. Each day onboard offers world-class entertainment and enriching activities. Explore a wide range of delicious onboard dining options - everything from a burger and fries by the Lido pool to the Pan- Asian flavors of Tamarind to the ultimate in refined and luxurious dining at Pinnacle Grill. A team of world-class celebrity chefs is charting an exciting course for dining across our fleet. With their global traditions and diverse culinary interests, they’re adding inspired new signature dishes to our menus. Katakolon is a port-village on the south- western part of Greece. It is the gate by sea of famous Ancient Olympia, birth land of the Olympic Games. Each year hundreds of cruise ships and more than one million cruise passengers visit Katakolon Greece. Katakolon itself is a small fish village, with few permanent inhabitants which has been developed in the past few years. A lot of shops have open in order to serve cruise passengers calling Katakolon but the main reason of visiting Katakolon is Ancient Olympia. Katakolon port is also a starting point in order to discover the surrounding area such as Kourouta beach resort, Mercouri winery and also Kaifas beach and lake. Piraeus , ten kilometres southwest of central Athens, is dazzling in its scale, its seemingly PORTS OF CALL

All bookings are subject to our general information, booking conditions and information. Fuel surcharge may apply. Prices may vary without notice. For a full list of terms & conditions visit www.rocsgrp.com/travel/ terms. For a more detailed description, full details of facilities and supplements, please refer to our website. E&OE.

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