Sailing the Adriatic: Treasures of Eastern Italy and Sicily – with Smithsonian Journeys

<p>In alliance with Smithsonian Journeys.<p></p>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 in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.<p></p>This carefully curated voyage to Italy's Adriatic coast and Sicily visits some of the most culturally rich destinations in the country. Opportunities for discovery include the chance to visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site from every port of call on the itinerary as you move from the charm of La Serenissima. Along the way, you will immerse yourself in the cultures, both ancient and modern, that you encounter—a truly wonderful way to be introduced to the treasures of the Adriatic.<p></p>Begin with a full day to explore Venice, where you may choose to visit the Scuola Grande di San Rocco, whose walls are covered with paintings by Tintoretto, and the Frari Church, featuring works by Titian and Donatello.  Or you may opt for an excursion that introduces the uniquely Venetian crafts of mask-making and gondola manufacture; or enjoy a guided tour of Venice's hidden gardens.<p></p>In Ravenna, once the center of Byzantine power in Italy, discover the remarkable 5th- and 6th-century churches that were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996—in large part because of their Byzantine mosaics, universally recognized as among the most stunning in the world.<p></p>The port city of Ancona serves as a gateway for exploration of Italy's Marche. Visit the city of Jesi, where the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born and which features a splendid medieval Old Town. Or spend the day exploring Urbino, birthplace of Raphael and home to one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world.<p></p>From Bari, Puglia's capital, travel inland to the Valle d'Itria to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello, with its conical trulli houses. Or stay in Bari for a walking tour of the Old Town, including tastings of the street food for which the city is famous—focaccia, panzerotto, scagliozze, and cremoso. Further south, Otranto offers an excursion to Lecce, "the Florence of the South," home to a spectacular display of the Baroque architecture that dominates this region of Italy.<p></p>Your first port of call in Sicily is the beautiful resort town of Taormina, home to a stunning Greek theater, buildings that blend Arab and Norman influences, and villas built by European aristocracy in the 18th and 19th centuries.  It is a showcase of the rich variety of cultures that have ruled the island. It is also your gateway to Mt. Etna and the vineyards that thrive in the rich volcanic soils of its slopes.<p></p>The final day of your voyage is spent in Syracuse, an ancient Greek colony that rivalled the power of Athens. Here, your options include a tour of the small island of Ortygia, the historic center of the city, and exploration of Syracuse's extensive archaeological park, including a 15,000-seat Greek Theater, one of the largest in the Hellenic World. Alternatively, travel to Noto, a city destroyed by a massive earthquake in 1693 and rebuilt in the 18th-century as the quintessential example of Sicilian Baroque architecture.</p>