Sicily, the Amalfi Coast & Rome - Southbound

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Hotel Majestic Roma. A transfer from Rome's Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to Hotel Majestic Roma is included; your hotel is ideally located on the fashionable Via Veneto. Join us this evening for a welcome reception and dinner at your hotel.

Get a good overview of some of Rome’s landmark sights on a sightseeing tour with a local guide, including St. Peter's Basilica, and various ancient sites from Rome's Imperial days; keep your cameras handy! This evening, your trip begins with a true highlight: Tauck's exclusive after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums. With a local guide, tour the Vatican Museums this evening without the day-time crowds; explore the Candelabra Gallery, the Map Gallery, the Tapestries and the Sistine Chapel... and see them as you have them pictured in your mind's eye – a once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Travel to the Mediterranean coast for a visit to the ruins of Herculaneum. The eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 AD is infamous – and while the ruins of famous Pompeii are well known, those of the upscale city of Herculaneum, buried under ash that same day, are better preserved. After lunch, explore the ruins with a local guide, then continue to Naples for a sightseeing tour before embarking the yacht Le Ponant for your 7-night cruise.

Today, Le Ponant calls on the picturesque towns of Amalfi and Ravello on the fabled Amalfi Coast. Go ashore via Zodiac and explore the region on a guided walking tour of the town of Amalfi, and a drive along the dramatic Amalfi Coast, one of the most spectacular drives in the world. Arrive in stunning Ravello, perched on cliffs overlooking the sea, for a visit to Villa Rufolo. This beautifully restored castle boasts amazing architecture, a rich history dating back to a wealthy 13th-century merchant family, and outstanding coastal views; enjoy a lunch of seasonal specialties in Ravello, and time to explore on your own. Reboard the ship and join us for the captain’s welcome reception and dinner as Le Ponant heads for the Aeolian Islands.

The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari sits on red volcanic rock and looks like “a wall of bronze” according to the Greek poet Homer. Archaeological remains found have yielded clues to civilizations which date to 1700 BC, including the Neolithic stones that sit alongside ancient tombstones, and ruins of Greek walls and Roman villas. The Spaniards found their way here in the 16th century, building the castello (castle) and the 17th-century cathedral that is perched above the harbor; Lipari is also noted for its colorful houses. Explore it today on a guided walking tour through town, followed by a visit to the Archaeological Museum, which you can explore on your own. Back aboard ship, experience a different view of these volcanic islands when you sail by the island of Stromboli, home to one of the world’s few constantly active volcanoes – it has continuously erupted for 2,000 years. The view is unforgettable.

Anchor dockside in Trapani for a journey to nearby Spagnola, situated on the coast connecting Trapani and Marsala, to learn about the spectacular "Salt Route" – flanked by glittering ponds and salt mountains, where they still extract salt from the sea as the Arabs did centuries ago. Tour the small salt museum and enjoy its multimedia program about the culture of salt through the ages. You'll also visit a local well-known winery in Marsala for a cellar tour and tasting. On your way back to the ship in Trapani, stop at an 18th-century villa – the private home of the Baronessa Viva and her husband Peppe – to enjoy coffee and homemade sweets in their lovely garden. Rejoin Le Ponant in Trapani and cruise on to Palermo.

Le Ponant calls this morning on Palermo, the capital of Sicily, once considered among Europe's grandest cities; your yacht will be docked in the heart of the city's pedestrian area. Join us for Palermo sightseeing that includes visits to a private residence, Palazzo Gangi di Valguarnera, and Teatro Massimo Vittorio Emanuele, the largest Opera House in Italy, as well as some time for exploring on your own. Return to Le Ponant at the end of the day for dinner.

Anchor in Giardini-Naxos, a lovely beach resort, for a visit to Taormina, a terraced town clinging to high cliffs on the east coast of Sicily with Mt. Etna towering in the distance. A guided tour takes you to Teatro Greco, featuring both Greek and Roman elements, and for a stroll along the Corso Umberto, Old Town, Taormina’s main pedestrian street lined with cafés and pasticcerie. After lunch aboard ship or, if you wish, ashore in Taormina, enjoy some afternoon free time in town before Le Ponant departs for Siracusa.

Le Ponant docks at Ortigia Island this morning, lined with 18th- and 19th-century townhouses, for a visit to Siracusa on the Sicilian mainland. Drive to Neapolis Parco Archeologico to see the Teatro Greco, an ancient 15,000 seat theatre hewn out of rock, and Latomia del Paradiso, featuring the Ear of Dionysius, with your local guide. Crossing back to the Island of Ortigia, a walking tour includes the 6th-century Temple of Apollo – transformed over the centuries as a Byzantine church, a Muslim mosque and then a Norman church – and the Baroque Duomo. Return to the ship for lunch and a free afternoon.  Late afternoon, your ship sails for Valletta, Malta; join us for the captain's farewell reception and dinner aboard ship tonight.

Early this morning Le Ponant docks in the Grand Harbour (Port of Valletta) where you’ll disembark. Rich in historic treasures, Valletta was founded by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century.  A guided tour of Malta includes the medieval walled city of Mdina, perched atop a cliff, and a drive around St. Julian’s Bay, a favorite setting for the colorful Maltese boats that are often photographed here for worldwide enjoyment. Return to Valletta for a walking tour and The Malta Experience, an audio-visual show that tells the dramatic story of Malta's 7,000-year history; Valletta is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a virtual open-air museum of Baroque architecture. Visit the splendid St. John's Co-Cathedral to see its silver and gold-leafed interior and rare art treasures, including the Beheading of Saint John the Baptist by Italian painter Caravaggio. Arrive at your hotel late afternoon, then join us tonight for a farewell reception and dinner at the hotel.

Tour ends: Valletta, Malta. A transfer from Phoenicia Hotel Malta to Malta International Airport is included. Please allow 3 hours for flight check-in.