LORETO AND ITS SACRED SITES

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1 BARI WALKING TOUR Port of call : Bari Length : 4h00 price EUR This half-day excursion will take you into the heart of Bari, the great capital of Apulia. Here you will visit its most famous monument, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas and you will catch sight of its Swabian Castle. After disembarking, you will board your coach for a panoramic drive through its Seafront as well as its Murat's District, known also as the Shopping District, to the Swabian Castle for a photo stop. Built in the 13th century by Emperor Frederick II above older fortifications dating back to Norman's age, the castle s present appearance is the result of modifications carried out especially by the Aragonese family in the 1500 s, when it was transformed into Isabel of Aragon's fine Renaissance style palace. From the Medieval fortification, you will then walk with your tour guide through Bari's old town. Special attention will be dedicated to the Cathedral named after Saint Sabino and built in the 12th century in the typical Apulian Romanesque style. Its main façade boasts three portals and a rose window decorated with original apotropaic symbols, while its back has with a canopy-window supported by fine little columns. Through the characteristic Strada del Carmine you will then reach the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, considered to be one of the city's main symbols since it houses the Saint's remains transferred to Bari from Myra (a village in Asia Minor) by 62 sailormen in Consecrated in 1197, the church is one of the Apulian-Romanesque style masterpieces and dominates a huge square with its imposing limestone façade flanked by two large towers. Its interior boasts two medieval precious sculptures: a ciborium

2 with differently decorated little capitals, and the bishop s throne known as Elia s Chair. Stop for a while in the crypt to admire its adorned columns as well as its mosaics, and maybe you will meet many pilgrims mainly coming from Eastern Europe. Enjoy a short walk through Bari's old defensive walls, nowadays provided with a panoramic street overlooking the sea, to get to Piazza Mercantile and Piazza Ferrarese, among the city's main meeting places, connecting the old town to the modern district with its huge variety of boutiques, street stores and souvenir shops. You may explore the narrow cobbled streets and squares of the old town on your own to get a real flavor of local life, or just relax and take in the ambience of the bustling capital whilst sipping a Cappuccino in a local café before reaching your ship. LORETO AND ITS SACRED SITES Port of call : Ancona Length : 5h00 price 70 EUR The city of Loreto, tucked inside the countryside of the Marches Region, owes its fame to the sanctuary (or Basilica) where the Santa Casa della Vergine Maria is preserved and venerated. It is a holy place defined by Pope John Paul II as the true Marian heart of Christianity. After disembarking, you will board your coach for a scenic drive along the Conero Coast with a photo stop in Portonovo before reaching Loreto, 1-hour drive. The sanctuary has been one of the most important pilgrimage sites for the Catholic faith for centuries. It has been visited by approximately two hundred saints and beatified persons, as well as by numerous Popes. According to ancient tradition, and today partially substantiated by historical and archaeological research, the Santa Casa is the house from Nazareth where the Virgin Mary would be born, educated, and where she received the Annunciation. The house was composed of one room in masonry, with three walls in stone placed so as to enclose a rock cavern. According to the legend, the three stone walls were brought to Italy by crusaders expelled from Palestine in The stones arrived in Loreto in In order to protect these humble stone walls, and to receive the ever-larger masses of pilgrims visiting the sacred relic, construction works on the Sanctuary of Loreto were begun in the middle of 15th Century. Since its beginnings, great artists have adorned the Sanctuary one after the other through the centuries: from Cristoforo Roncalli (so-called Pomarancio), painter of the Treasury Room and the cupola; to Francesco Selva, who decorated the Sacristy Atrium; and Tiburzio Vergelli, architect of the majestic Baptistry. As a result, the sanctuary s fame diffused rapidly throughout the world, and it became a privileged destination for

3 millions of pilgrims. Some of the most prized works here are the marble panelling of the Santa Casa s walls, realized on Bramante s design from It is considered one of the greatest sculptural masterpieces from the Renaissance. After you guided visit of the sanctuary, you will enjoy some free time to discover the city on your own. Besides the importance of the Santa Casa as object of pilgrim devotion, Loreto represents an authentic sacred art anthology that includes architectonic, sculptural, and painting master works by some of the most celebrated names in art history. Finally, you will re-board your coach back to your ship at Ancona, 45-minute drive. This excursion involves 1 mile (1,5 km) of walking on flat grounds with steps. We recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered). ALBEROBELLO Port of call : Bari Length : 4h30 price 55 EUR From the pier, you will board your coach to the village of Alberobello, 1h15 of driving. The small village of Alberobello is famous all over the world for its traditional conical houses with whitewashed walls and stone roofs, built without mortar, called trulli. Alberobello was declared in 1996 a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Your guided walking tour starts at Terrazzino Belvedere located in Aia Piccola, a wide space used in the past to thresh the corn. Then, you will go to Casa D Amore. This building was included into the list of the World Heritage Sites and was the first house built in Alberobello with mortar and without the classical cone shape, in The visit continues with the tour of the old city centre called Rione Monti. This quarter is composed with 1,030 trulli, most of them are still lived. Then, you will visit the Church of Saint Anthony. The façade of this trullo shaped church is composed of three wings adorned with a rose window and two round windows, as well a bell tower surmounted by a small dome. Its roof in form of cone measures 20 metres high. You will enjoy some free time to discover the narrow streets of Alberobello with its workshops, and see the artisans working. Finally, you will join a typical trullo house for a private visit. You will discover from inside its architectural structure and how people lived in this building.

4 This excursion involves 1.3 miles (2 km) of walking over uneven and cobblestones streets with some steps. We recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended to enter religious sites (shoulders and knees must be covered) POMPEII Port of call : Salerno Length : 4h00 price 60 EUR From the pier, embark your coach for a 45-minute drive to Pompeii. Pompeii is considered the world's finest example of an ancient Roman town. The eruption of Vesuvius on August 24, 79 AD not only preserved structures, but also evidence of the ancient way of life, such as a fully equipped tavern with the last customer's money still on the counter. Ancient Pompeii was a prosperous provincial centre with an estimated population of 20,000. Much of the town had been destroyed by an earthquake in 63 AD, and the rebuilding was still in process when the volcano erupted 16 years later. The whole town was buried beneath more than 20 feet (6 m) of ash and pumice stone. Residents were killed by lethal sulphur fumes or struck down by lava and pumice stone that rained down upon the city, although some of the people escaped. Abandoned until the 18th century, Pompeii was frozen in time until excavations revealed this amazing archaeological site. Plaster was poured into empty spaces in the lava to make body casts of some of the victims, such as a young man stretched out to protect his mother and young daughter, and the famous twisted body of a dog still tied to its chain. The walking tour of Pompeii will be led by a guide who will help you relive the historical events and experience a typical day in antiquity. Admire the luxurious mansions and fabulous art of wealthy patricians who came to Pompeii to escape the turmoil in Rome. Their houses were designed around an inner garden with few windows on the exteriors, so residents could forget the outside world and get sunlight from their own courtyards. Visit some of the more modest homes and explore ancient baths, temples, theatres, markets and huge forum. Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship. This tour involves 2 hours of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.

5 PAESTUM Port of call : Salerno Length : 4h30 price 60 EUR From the pier, embark your coach for a one-hour drive to Paestum, the city dedicated to Poseidon the god of the sea, and founded by the Greeks around 600 BC. Previously called Poseidonia, it was later occupied by the Lucanians, an italic population, from 400 BC until 273 BC, when it became a Roman colony under the name of Paestum. Its three temples are the only example of Greek architecture and arts already present in Italy, and are better preserved than the Parthenon in Athens. The city was discovered under the marsh and the brushwood thanks to the King of Naples Carlo di Borbone III during the 17th century. The Romans made of the ancient Poseidonia their colony, and subsequently it was embellished by magnificent buildings including the baths, the portico of the forum and the amphitheatre. Walking through this ancient moment of history and looking at these imposing and gorgeous structures will leave an impression in people's mind of the best example of what the Greek culture was in the past. Finally, you will board your coach and start your return drive to the ship. This tour involves 1 ½ hour of walking over uneven ground, we recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.

6 TAORMINA AND THE ANCIENT THEATRE Port of call : Catania (Sicily) Length : 4h30 price 65 EUR From the pier, you will be transferred by coach to the ancient Greek town of Taormina, a 1-hour drive. Called Tauromenium in ancient times, Taormina clings to the side of Mount Tauro and offers superb views, splashed with the vibrant colours of bougainvillea and oleanders, of the Mediterranean Sea, Isola Bella and a snow-capped Etna in the background. A maze of narrow streets, stairs and tiny squares, Taormina has attracted many civilisations over the centuries. It is home to theatres and a gymnasium from the Greek period, an Odeon and baths from Roman times, buildings blending Arab and Norman cultures, traces of Byzantine, and villas belonging to European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries. You start your excursion with a visit on foot to the historic centre. You will cross the famous Corso Umberto to discover numerous monuments from several eras, and admire Porta Catania, the Cathedral, Piazza IX Aprile and Palazzo Corvaja. You then arrive at Teatro Antico, a theatre built by the Greeks in the 3rd century BC, and almost completely rebuilt by the Romans who created a gladiatorial arena. The theatre is the second largest in Sicily after the one in Syracuse. Due to its size and acoustic quality the theatre is still used to host festivals and concerts. Seated on the stone terraces, the audience can enjoy the concert while admiring a breath-taking panoramic view of the sea, Mount Tauro and Etna. As this excursion involves a walk of around 1.5 miles (2 km) on rough terrain with several stairways, we advise you to wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun. Appropriate dress is recommended when visiting religious monuments (knees and shoulders covered).

7 JESI & THE PALAZZO PIANETTI Port of call : Ancona Length : 4h30 price 75 EUR Jesi (also known as Iesi) is a city located in the Le Marche region of central Italy, inland from Ancona. Set among the hills and vineyards of the region, Jesi is best known for its medieval centre composed with sturdy walls and towers surrounding the town. These defensive fortifications date from its 14th century heyday as the capital of a small independent state. The old town, laid out along a raised ridge, is well preserved and the most interesting part of the town for visitors, with several interesting palaces and buildings to admire. After disembarking, you will board your coach and drive to Jesi, 45-minute drive. Your walking tour will start from the Piazza Federico II, where, according to tradition, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born. The Federico II Square is the oldest and the largest square in Jesi. Located where the city's Roman Forum once stood on top of the hill, it is surrounded by the medieval centre that includes the most important buildings of the city. Inside the walls, you will see the San Settimio Cathedral, dedicated to the patron saint of the city; the Palazzo della Singori, a fine example of the Renaissance architecture; Palazzo Ricci, dating from the 15th century, characterised by its facade of diamond shaped marble blocks. Just outside the city walls, you will see the Rococo Palazzo Pianetti, and visit the Pinacoteca Comunale, which hosts artworks by Lorenzo Lotto. After your walking tour, you will have the opportunity to enter a cantina to taste a couple of the best-known D.O.C. wines of the area, such as the Verdicchio or Lacrima Di Morro D Alba. Then you will walk to your coach and return to Ancona, 1-hour drive. This excursion involves 1 mile (1.5 km) of walking on flat streets with steps (2 stairs in the Pinacoteca Comunale). We recommend you to wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun

8 THE RENAISSANCE CITY OF URBINO Port of call : Ancona Length : 5h00 price 70 EUR This excursion will take you to the heart of Marche region where is located the old city of Urbino, one of the most renowned town in Italy, notable for its renaissance architecture and history and listed to the UNESCO World Heritage since After disembarking, you will board your coach for a scenic drive of 1h30 through the hilly landscape of Montefeltro. You will then reach the fortified town of Urbino, nestled on a high sloping hillside. The city retains much of its picturesque medieval aspect, as well as its historical legacy and its Renaissance culture that flourished under the patronage of Federico II of Montefeltro, duke of Urbino from 1444 to There, you will start your guided visit of the Ducal Palace that Federico II decided to build in the heart of the old town, to welcome the best talents in art and literature of his time like Piero della Francesca, Leon Battista Alberti as well as Giovanni Santi, the father of Raffaello, and Raffaello himself. Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known simply as Raphael, is the most popular Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. The very young Raffaello started to learn the first concepts of painting at the Ducal Palace. The Palace houses the National Gallery of the Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world. The Palace also features a studiolo (cabinet for contemplation) and a twinned pair of chapels, one Christian and one pagan. After visiting the Ducal Palace, you will follow your guide for a guided walking tour of the city. You will admire the facade of the Cathedral of Urbino, originally built by the bishop Beato Mainardo in 1062, and the native house of Raffaello located on the street of the same name.

9 CATANIA & CYCLOPS RIVIERA Port of call : Catania (Sicily) Length : 3h30 price 50 EUR From the pier, you will board your coach and start your panoramic drive to Acireale, 1h15 of drive. You will drive along the Ionian Sea on the famous Cyclops Riviera with the Faraglioni rocks, and pass by the village of Aci Castello with its Norman Castle of black lava, and the small fishing village of Aci Trezza. After a brief photo stop, you will return towards Catania and enjoy a short sightseeing tour of the city centre: Piazza Verga, Via Etnea, Villa Bellini, Piazza Stesicoro. Stop near the Cathedral square and start the walking tour of the city centre: Piazza del Duomo, the central square with the elephant s fountain and the Cathedral (outside visit) originally built by the Normans with its finely made choir stalls. Following your short walking tour, you will enjoy some free time to browse the shops at your leisure before re-boarding your coach for the return drive to the pier. This tour is a panoramic drive with very few walking time with some steps. We recommend you to wear comfortable shoes and protect yourself from the sun.

10 MALTA'S PRE HISTORY Port of call : Valletta Length : 3h15 price 30 EUR From the pier, board your coach to Tarxien for a visit of Tarxien temples - one of six inscribed as The Megalithic Temples of Malta in UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tarxien temple, dating from 3150 BC, is one of the largest and most complex of the prehistoric sites on the island. The main entrance is a reconstruction dating from 1956, when the whole site was restored. Return to Valletta and walk through the bustling Republic Street to the Museum of Archaeology which is housed in the Auberge de Provence. The building, an example of fine Baroque architecture, was built in 1571 following a plan by local architect Gilormu Cassar. The museum exhibits many artefacts dating back to Malta s Neolithic period (5000 BC) up to the Phoenician Period (400 BC). On display are the earliest tools used by the prehistoric people to facilitate their daily tasks, and representations of animal and human figures; elements which not only show the great artistic skills of the first dwellers of the island but also gives you an insight of their daily lives. Finally, you will go the Upper Barracca Gardens where you can admire the Grand harbour and the Three Cities. The upper Barracca Gardens date back to 1661 when it used to be a private Garden of the Knights This tour involves approximately 2.5 mile (4 km) of walking on cobblestone-terrain with some steps. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and protect yourself from the sun.