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6 Sept 26, from 7,760 €
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Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys

Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

  • Itinerary
    Valletta to Livorno
    Duration
    9 days
  • Dates
    6 Sept 26 to 14 Sept 26
    Prices from
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Come aboard Le Dumont d'Urville for an unforgettable voyage.

In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

This 9-day voyage in Sicily and Southern Italy aboard Le Dumont-d’Urville visits some of the Mediterranean's most compelling ancient, medieval, and Renaissance sites while also offering extensive opportunities to sample the foods and wines that have made this part of the world famous for its cuisine. Because there is so much to see and do, the itinerary is designed to allow for maximum time ashore.

From Valletta, Malta, your experience of Sicily begins in Syracuse, where you may choose to focus on Ortygia, the ancient center of this once-powerful Greek colony, and on the city's extensive archaeological park; enjoy a tasting at a nearby winery; or join excursions that combine exploration of historical sites with samplings of Sicilian arancini, cheeses, salamis, breads, and desserts.

The beautiful resort town of Taormina, perched high on a cliff overlooking the Ionian Sea, is home to a stunning Greek theater, an Odeon from Roman times, buildings blending Arab and Norman cultures, and villas built by European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is also your gateway to Mt. Etna and the vineyards that thrive in the rich volcanic soils of its slopes.

Reggio di Calabria, just across the Strait of Messina from Sicily, is home to the National Archaeological Museum of Magna Graecia and the world famous Riace Bronzes. The surrounding area, both along the coast and in the interior mountains, boasts a number of intriguing castles and many wineries. During your time here, you may visit the hilltop Norman Castle in Vibo Valentia, the Ruffo Castle overlooking the Messina Strait, or the Aragonese Castle in the village of Pizzo, enjoying a variety of local food specialties whichever excursion you choose, including the native citrus bergamot and the ice cream and fruit delight called tartufo.

From the port of Agropoli, about 30 miles south of the Amalfi peninsula, travel to Paestum, founded by Greeks in the 6th century BC and one of Italy’s most important archaeological sites, containing Doric temples that are among the best-preserved ancient monuments in the Mediterranean. The region around Agropoli is famous for the production of Campania mozzarella, and you will have the opportunity to see it being made and to sample the end product.

No visit to Naples is complete without the opportunity to explore Pompeii, destroyed by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD and frozen in time. No other site so acutely captures everyday life in the early Roman Empire. Other excursions include Herculaneum, which shared Pompeii's fate, and a working farm near Sorrento, where you can make your own version of what is perhaps the region's most famous food, Neapolitan style pizza.

Spend a full day in the Eternal City of Rome, where exploration of monuments like the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, and Villa Borghese competes for your attention with tastings of street food and making Roman pasta.

Your final full day of discovery from Livorno includes a full day excursion to Florence for an introduction to the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Or if you prefer, you may explore the Etruscan ruins and museum at nearby Volterra. Alternatively, spend the day exploring Romanesque Lucca, birthplace of Giacomo Puccini, and medieval Pisa, with its magnificent Duomo, Baptistry, and Leaning Tower.

Overview

Your voyage

All-inclusive

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Destination

Destination

Mediterranean

Valletta to Livorno

Duration

9 days, 8 nights on board

Smithsonian Journeys, Timeless

Smithsonian Journeys

Smithsonian Journeys

Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included

Offers

PONANT Bonus 25%

Ref: VL1145US - EU060926

Journey

Your daily itinerary

  • A voyage specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers including discussions with experts, transfers before and after your cruise, and an included excursion in each port of call.
  • Engaging discussions onboard with two Smithsonian Journeys Experts.
  • Discover monuments from the Roman Empire in Syracuse, Taormina, Pompeii, Herculaneum, and Rome.
  • Explore well-preserved Greek sites in Syracuse, Taormina, and Paestum.
  • Encounter Pisa's Leaning Tower or the Duomo of Florence.
  • Visit vineyards and sample the wines of Syracuse, Taormina, Reggio di Calabria, and Naples.
  • Experience the variety of foods in the diet of this region on the Mediterranean, including the arancini, salami, and cheeses of Sicily; the desserts of Calabria; the mozzarella of Campania; and the pizzas and pastas of Naples and Rome.
Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys null

Customize your journey:

Staterooms and suites

Elegance and refinement

*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.

Details

More information

What's Included

Important travel details

In your luggage

Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

Itinerary

Embarkation 06/09/26 from 16:00 to 17:00 Departure 06/09/26 at 18:00

6 Sept 26 - Valletta
6 Sept 26 - Valletta

Arrival 07/09/26 early morning Departure 07/09/26 late afternoon

7 Sept 26 - Syracuse, Sicily
7 Sept 26 - Syracuse, Sicily

Arrival 08/09/26 Departure 08/09/26 early evening

8 Sept 26 - Taormina, Sicily
8 Sept 26 - Taormina, Sicily

Arrival 09/09/26 Departure 09/09/26 late afternoon

9 Sept 26 - Reggio di Calabria 
9 Sept 26 - Reggio di Calabria 

Arrival 10/09/26 early morning Departure 10/09/26 early evening

10 Sept 26 - Agropoli
10 Sept 26 - Agropoli

Arrival 11/09/26 Departure 11/09/26 late afternoon

11 Sept 26 - Naples
11 Sept 26 - Naples

Arrival 12/09/26 early morning Departure 12/09/26 late afternoon

12 Sept 26 - Civitavecchia (Rome)
12 Sept 26 - Civitavecchia (Rome)

Arrival 13/09/26 early morning Disembarkation 14/09/26 at 8:00

13 Sept 26 > 14 Sept 26 - Livorno
13 Sept 26 > 14 Sept 26 - Livorno

Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

Included package

Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included

Ancient Wonders and Culinary Delights: Cruising Southern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

Customize your journey

Maltese highlights (2 nights)

MALTESE HIGHLIGHTS (2 NIGHTS)
Details

This specially designed program is an opportunity to get a sense of the extraordinarily rich history of this small island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Learn about the importance of Malta as a crossroads of trade and as the headquarters of the Knights of St. John, as well as something of the island's Neolithic past as preserved in the prehistoric megaliths of Hagar Qim. Enjoy all of this while staying at one of the world's truly grand hotels.

Day 1 – Valletta, Malta

On arrival at the Malta International Airport, you will be met and transferred to the Phoenicia Malta hotel (or similar), your home for the next two nights. Official check-in time is 3:00 p.m. A local representative will be present at a hospitality desk in the afternoon to welcome you and answer any questions you may have.

Join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail reception this evening. Dinner is independent and at your leisure.

Day 2 – Valletta

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before joining a guided walking tour of Valletta, Malta’s fortified capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin with a stroll to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for panoramic views over the Grand Harbor. Your visit to the extraordinary interior of the 16th-century Co-Cathedral of St. John affords the opportunity to see Caravaggio’s massive masterpiece, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. And during your tour of the Palace of the Grand Master, which serves today as the office of the president of Malta, you will see the richly decorated state rooms and tapestry chamber.

The balance of the day is at leisure, with independent lunch and dinner.

Day 3 - Valletta | Embarkation

After breakfast and check out of the hotel, drive inland to the city of Mdina, the capital of Malta until the Knights of St. John moved it to Valletta in the 16th century. Your walking tour includes the stunning Baroque Cathedral of St. Paul, built on the site where it is said Paul converted the Roman governor to Christianity in the months following his shipwreck on the island in the year 60. From Mdina, drive to the a nearby winery for a tasting of some of Malta's finest wines before stopping at a historic local restaurant for a lunch of traditional Maltese specialties.

After lunch, drive to the southern coast of the island to visit the Hagar Qim Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating to 3600 BC. Located on a hilltop overlooking the sea, Hagar Qim is among the earliest free-standing stone buildings in the world. Following your guided tour of this extraordinary site, transfer to the pier to embark your ship.

Your hotel:

The Phoenicia Malta, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is Malta’s landmark hotel with a storied history spanning over 60 years. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, the hotel is situated in an ideal location just outside the walled city of Valletta and its 16th-century bastions. From the hotel’s front door, the historic wonders of Valletta, including St. John’s Co-Cathedral, are all within easy walking distance. The hotel boasts 136 rooms and suites combining old-world elegance and a fresh style. Its modern conveniences ensure a comfortable and luxurious stay.

Your program includes:

  • 2 nights at The Phoenicia Malta (or similar), including breakfast
  • Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled program arrival day
  • Transfer and luggage handling to the pier on embarkation day
  • Welcome cocktail reception on Day 1
  • Breakfast on days 2 and 3
  • Lunch on Day 3
  • Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary
  • Local English-speaking guide
  • Gratuities for the drivers and local guides

Your program does not include:

  • Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program arrival day
  • Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program

Please note:

It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.

Early check-in and / or late check-out are available depending on availability and at a supplement. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.

The official currency is the Euro. Credit cards are largely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.

The duration of the visits is given as a guide only, and the order of the visits may change.

This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.

Program is offered on a space available basis.

Program is subject to change without notice.

Hotel contact information:

The Phoenicia Malta

The Mall

Floriana FRN1478

Malta

Telephone: +356.2122.5241

Total

1,350 €/person*

Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.