Cruise Description

The mildness of spring on the waters of the Mediterranean Sea promises you an unforgettable 13-day journey between Greece, Turkey and Italy. Aboard Le Dumont-D’Urville, fall under the spell of the Mediterranean landscapes and the ancient vestiges that will tell you a fascinating story.

Throughout your journey, you will benefit from an excursion included per person per port of call, to choose from a selection offered by PONANT. During this cruise, visit the archaeological site of Ephesus from Kusadasi, discover the monastery of Saint John and the Cave of the Apocalypse where the last book of the New Testament was revealed to John the Apostle,from Patmos, or admire the sumptuous archaeological sites, from the Temples of Zeus, Apollo and Athena to the Terrace of the Lions, from Delos. The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab). The diversity of experiences on offer promises you intense and varied moments (to discover the full range of excursions, go to the itinerary tab).

From Athens, your ship will set sail for Patmos. Known as “the Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea”, the island reveals itself to offer you a dazzling time between unique landscapes of white-sand beaches and rocky bays. Your next port of call is Kusadasi, on the Turkish coastline. An old fishing village with history going back 5,000 years, not far from the Ephesus site, the town is now one of the country’s most famous seaside resorts. Further south, on the mythical island of Rhodes, let yourself be swept away by the charm of this medieval city with its gothic architecture, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In the south-eastern Aegean Sea, the Cyclades archipelago invites you to enjoy the wild and appealing beauty of its islands. Delos, a veritable open-air museum, offers a unique testimony of the succession of different civilisations during the Aegean period. Next comes Mykonos, its beaches and windmills, with Alefkandra, a district that is typical of the island, with houses built right on the water’s edge. Then, Santorini, one of the pearls of the archipelago, awaits you for an enchanted interlude, unfurling the grandiose crater of its caldera.

The Peloponnese and Nafplio - the starting point to discover the Epidaurus theater and the site of Mycenae, both classified as UNESCO World Heritage Sites - beckon you, preceding the exploration of the island of Hydra, famous for its incomparable light and the tranquility of its streets where all car traffic is banned. After an equally mythic and remarkable crossing of the Corinth Canal, you will arrive in the small port of Itea from where it is possible to visit the incredible site of Delphi or even the Hosios Loukas monastery, both of which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

It will now be time to set sail towards Italy. With its ancient archaeological sites, Renaissance palaces, citrus perfumes and internationally recognised cuisine, will welcome you for a couple of days of unforgettable visits. In Reggio di Calabria, take a stroll along the famous Lungomare, with Mount Etna in the background. In Syracuse, the Sicilian soul unfolds across the island of Ortygia - the oldest part of the city -, a maze of small streets dotted with churches, palaces, ancient remnants, sheltering a majestic cathedral in its very heart.