Old Town Walking Tour

After meeting your professionally trained guide at the entrance to Dubrovnik's Old Town, you will begin your walking tour of this fascinating historical and cultural site.

The Old City, also known as the Pearl of the Adriatic, was an important Mediterranean Sea power from the 13th century onwards. Dubrovnik is a remarkably well-preserved example of a late-Medieval walled city with its Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces, and fountains.

Your tour of the Old City begins at Pile Gate, the gated entrance to this ancient city. Cross the wooden drawbridge that was once pulled up each night in order to protect the city. Upon entrance into the walled city, see Onofrio's Fountain. During the Middle Ages, this fountain provided fresh water from the Dubrovnik River through an aqueduct system. Next on your walking tour of Old Town, see the imposing Baroque architectural features of The Franciscan Monastery. This monastery also features a garden, museum, and the famous Old Pharmacy. Still in operation after 700 years, The Old Pharmacy is one of the oldest working pharmacies in Europe, and visitors can peruse the jars, ointments, and poisons that date back to the 15th century.

Your walking tour of Dubrovnik's Old Town continues with a walk up and down both sides of the famous main street, the Stradun. A walk along the Stradun will show you a few of Dubrovnik's Renaissance buildings that survived the earthquake of 1667, and will give you an idea of the city's architectural heritage. Perhaps the finest Renaissance highlight is the Sponza Palace, which dates from the 16th century and is now home to the National Archives. The Rector's Palace is a Gothic-Renaissance structure from the 15th century when it was the seat of the Government and Rector of the Republic. It has finely-carved capitals and ornate decoration, which gives us a glimpse into how the ruling class lived. The St. Saviour Church is another glorious remnant of the Renaissance period.

After your guided tour, you may choose to continue sightseeing on your own on Stradun before making your way back to the ship. Stroll the quaint streets, shop in the many boutiques, enjoy refreshments at a local cafe, or simply sit on a bench and enjoy the sights before heading back to your ship.

Please Note: This tour concludes on the main street, Stradun. Guests must make their way back to the ship on their own.

Exclusive Budva and Kotor

Departing from the port of Kotor, you will enjoy a drive through the impressive landscapes of the valley of Grbalj. Upon reaching the Adriatic coast you will drive to the town of Budva. You will drive through the seaside areas of Becici and Rafailovici, best known for their resorts and small boat marinas. You will also be able to view Sveti Stefan, once a 15th-century fortified town on an island, that was acquired by the Yugoslav government and turned into a hotel during the Tito regime. Today it is an exclusive luxury resort. After the photo stop above this island, you will visit the oldest settlement on our coast, 2,500 year old Budva.

Departing your transportation, you will take a short walk to the old town of Budva, which was first mentioned in the old Greek legend of the grandson of Zeus Cadmus and his wife Harmonia. After entering the city walls, you will walk through the narrow streets and small squares of a fortified medieval town, mostly influenced by the ancient republic of Venice.

The layers of the numerous civilizations that have occupied this area show an interesting view of the history of Budva: Romans, Byzantines, Slaves, etc. The most important buildings and constructions in the Old Town are the churches of St. John, Holy Trinity, Holy Mary in Punta, St. Sava, the citadel fortress, and the town walls. On the way back, you'll have an opportunity to peruse some local leather goods as we make a 30-minute stop in a shopping center. Feel free to re-hydrate with some refreshments.

Returning back to the inland bay where you started, you will depart your transportation and take a stroll through the UNESCO World Heritage site of Kotor. The town was first mentioned in 168 BC, and was settled during Ancient Roman times when it was known as Acruvium. It has been fortified since the early Middle Ages. The city became part of the Venetian Republic in 1420 and except for two periods of Ottoman rule, it remained under Venice until 1797. It is these four centuries of Venetian domination that have given the city the typical Venetian architecture.

It served as a naval base during World War I and luckily avoided any serious damage from either World War. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is home to several sights of interest, including the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon (1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 3 miles on the steep hillside directly above the city.

Your tour ends within the ancient city. From here, your guide can make suggestions for further sightseeing, shopping or the gate that leads to the cruise pier across the street from the Old Town.

Exclusive Pompeii and Amalfi Coast

Departing from the Maritime Station cruise pier in groups of never more than 30 people max, you will meet your guide and your driver, who take you on an approximately 45 minute drive along the road that follows the Bay of Naples towards Mount Vesuvius and the ancient City of Pompeii, which lies in its shadow. Ironically, one of the ancient world's worst disasters preserved time in Pompeii, where you will experience life as it was lived in 79 AD. Once a thriving empire, it was devastated by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD when 30 feet of volcanic ash and pumice stone covered the city.

Upon arrival in Pompeii, you will enter by one of its ancient gates, and a short walk will take you to the city's hub, the Forum. Surrounded by lavish temples and porticoes, you'll begin to grasp the lifestyle of the inhabitants. Admire the mansions and the art of wealthy patricians who moved to Pompeii to escape the turmoil of Rome; view countless paintings and inscriptions. See the streets with raised pavements on both sides and the stepping-stones that ensured pedestrians a safe crossing at intersections. Your guided visit to Pompeii is approximately 2 hours.

After your visit to Pompeii sit back and appreciate about a 40 minute drive to the door of Amalfi Coast: Vietri sul Mare, the picturesque seaside resort situated on top of a hill facing Amalfi Coast. It is one of the most popular holiday resorts in Italy. You will have approximately two hours to yourself in Vietri to buy lunch, shop, take pictures, or stroll the narrow streets and several churches on your own. You will then drive back to Naples.

Please Note: Crowds are to be expected at all sites and lines for certain attractions may exceed over one hour to enter. The tour itinerary may be reversed but will still cover the mentioned sights. Heavy traffic congestion should be anticipated and may affect the duration of the excursion. On select days or holidays, heavy delays in traffic may contribute to a change of itinerary at the operator's discretion. The entrance fee to Pompeii is included, and your tour of the ruins is guided.