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| Mediterranean Discovery
A 12-Day tour starting from $6,790
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| About This Tour | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New for 2008! From France's glamorous Cote d'Azur to Spain's Costa Brava and lovely Majorca, a magical cruise aboard the sporty yacht Le Ponant sails to some of the most popular spots in Europe. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Featured Dining: 11 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches & 9 Dinners
Unique and Distinguished Hotels in the Best Locations: Night 1-2 Fairmont Monte Carlo: Monte-Carlo, Monaco Night 3-9 Aboard Le Ponant: Cruising the Mediterranean Sea Night 10-11 Le Méridien Barcelona: Barcelona, Spain Insightful Tour Directors>br> During your travels, you have the pleasurable advantage of being with a Tauck Tour Director who is fully knowledgeable about the destination, its history and its culture. You can relax knowing that you are accompanied by a professional who manages the flow of events... a problem-solver (in the unlikely event a problem should arise)... an insider who saves you precious time... and a friend who will help transform your trip into a truly memorable journey. Every Travel Expense is Included When you travel with Tauck, you’ll save up to 40% on the cost of traveling the same itinerary on your own. What’s more, virtually every major travel expense is included: Along with most meals, your hotel accommodations, cruises, sightseeing, admissions to museums, galleries and theaters – even taxes and port charges – are built into the price of your trip. Guests are often delightfully surprised at how much is included. You can practically leave your wallet at home! A Tauck vacation offers you both superb quality and extraordinary value.
New for 2008 – Exclusive Tauck Cruise! From the glamorous Côte d’Azur in France to popular Costa Brava and trendy islands off the coast of Spain, this magical cruise aboard the sporty yacht Le Ponant is the ultimate 12-day journey to some of the most popular “hot spots” in Europe!
Westbound (Monte-Carlo – Barcelona) Day 1. Arrive Monte-Carlo Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Fairmont Monte Carlo. A transfer is included from Nice Côte d’Azur Airport to Fairmont Monte Carlo, a luxury hotel set next to the stunning Belle Époque casino in the heart of Monte-Carlo. Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception. Meals D Day 2. Magic of the Riviera The Principality of Monaco, smaller than New York City’s Central Park, is one of the most alluring destinations on the Mediterranean. A guided sightseeing tour of Monaco includes the many sights of Monte-Carlo, the best known of Monaco’s four quarters. Visit Monaco-Ville (the seat of government) to see 13th-century Palais du Prince, and the Cathedral with the tombs of Prince Rainier and Princess Grace. Just beyond the horizon lies Italy – and the afternoon is spent exploring along the Italian Riviera. Panoramic views of the seascape, with its cliffs, coves and beautiful beaches, include a chance to glimpse the lifestyle of the aristocracy who live in luxurious villas. Return to Monte-Carlo, where the rest of the day is free. Meals B Day • 3. Nice / Embark Le Ponant Nice is not only one of the largest Mediterranean resorts, with its temperate climate, gorgeous flowers and lively atmosphere, but it is also steeped in a colorful history going back to the Greeks and Romans. An orientation sightseeing tour shows you landmark sights, followed by time at leisure to explore as you please. A visit to Musée Matisse in the hilly Cimiez district overlooking the town provides a wonderful opportunity to view some of the finest works by Henri Matisse, who spent years in Nice inspired by the Mediterranean light. Late afternoon, board Le Ponant for the start of your 7-day cruise. Meals BD Day • 4. Ile de Porquerolles The best benefit of cruising the Mediterranean by small ship is the opportunity to explore ports, harbors and islands that are not easily accessible. Glamorous Iles d’Hyères (also known as Iles d’Or due to the islands’ gold cliffs) are comprised of three islands off the southern French coast. Make a wet landing on the largest island, Porquerolles. A walking tour introduces you to the unusual vegetation, much of which was imported from exotic climates, as well as historic sites such as Fort Ste. Agathe and the lighthouse. The rest of the day is spent as you please, enjoying the island’s marvelous beaches, visiting the colonial town, or weather permitting, swimming off Le Ponant’s stern platform. Join us for the Captain’s welcome dinner. Meals BLD Day • 5. La Camargue, Nature’s Sanctuary A full day ashore brings you to one of the world’s great ecological preserves, La Camargue. This vast plain is an island surrounded by water, and is one of Europe’s largest river deltas; you’ll learn about the natural history of the Rhone Delta, and about the famous fleur de sel (flower of salt) that is harvested by hand. La Camargue is a wildlife sanctuary, home to black bulls that eventually engage in bullfighting; wild white horses, free to roam without stables; a kaleidoscope of flamingoes; and birds of prey. Meals BLD Day • 6. Abbeys and Fortresses A full-day journey first takes you to the beautiful wine region of Narbonne for a visit to Abbaye de Fontfroide. Set in a peaceful valley, surrounded by cypress trees, the cloisters of this 12th-century Benedictine Abbey will long be remembered. A visit to the Citadel of Carcassonne, in one of Europe’s best examples of a medieval town, includes a walk along the ramparts and Basilique St-Nazaire. Meals BLD Day • 7. Spain’s Marvelous Costa Brava Dock at Palamós for a choice of sightseeing today. For those who are inspired by the works of Salvador Dali, we’ve arranged visits to Figueres, his home town, and the lovely seaside resort of Cadaqués, where he spent time. Alternatively, visit the medieval town of Girona, where Roman and Moorish history blends together. Meals BLD Day • 8. Hidden Coves of Minorca You’ll discover that the Balearic island of Minorca is rich with beautiful beaches, archaeological treasures and a really colorful history when you go ashore in Ciutadella for a walking tour. Afternoon brings a swim in a cove and a visit to Mahón, the island’s capital. Dine tonight on the ship at the Captain’s Farewell Dinner. Meals BLD Day • 9. Majorca / Leisure Time for a Swim Le Ponant docks near the center of famous Palma de Majorca, where a sightseeing tour includes a visit to the magnificent Gothic Cathedral – views of the cathedral from the sea are more than memorable. Free time in Palma de Majorca is followed by an afternoon of swimming in small coves (weather permitting) directly from Le Ponant. Meals BLD Day 10. Disembark Barcelona Your Mediterranean voyage concludes in the beautiful city of Barcelona. Disembark Le Ponant, where a sightseeing tour with local guides includes some of the magnificent works of architect Gaudí – Sagrada Família, his unfinished basilica, and Parc Güell. Explore Las Ramblas before spending the rest of the day as you please. Meals B Day 11. Barcelona – Gothic and Gaudí Delve into Barcelona’s history this morning on a visit to the Gothic district, Barri Gòtic, where a walking tour reveals traces of civilizations dating back thousands of years. You have a choice of a visit to the Maritime Museum, or Gaudí’s La Pedrera, or the Museu Picasso. Join us this evening for a farewell dinner. Meals BD Day 12. Journey Home Tour ends: Barcelona. Transfers are included from Le Méridien Barcelona to Barcelona International Airport. Allow 21/2 hours for flight check-in. Meals B
• An exclusive cruise aboard Le Ponant with only 60 Tauck guests
• 2 nights in Monte-Carlo and 2 nights in Barcelona at luxury hotels in the heart of the cities • Private Tauck Shore Excursions – $655 Value! • Small yacht benefits such as swimming directly off the back of Le Ponant in Mediterranean coves, and access to islands and small ports that large ships can’t go to • Wine with dinner aboard Le Ponant • Dine both on and off the ship with meals ashore • All gratuities to ship staff, local guides and drivers All tour prices are per person, in US dollars.
Single Occupancy Rate = $11,390 Triple Occupancy Rate = $6,220 International Airfare is additional Land / Cruise Price includes everything outlined in General Information, as well as private Tauck shore excursions, cruise fare, port charges, applicable fuel surcharges, wine with dinner aboard Le Ponant, private entertainment and gratuities to Tauck Director and ship staff. |
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| Note: All prices are per person, double occupancy, subject to availability. These pages are not endorsed or supported by the tour operator in any way. All information presented is based on promotional material provided by the tour operator. All prices, itineraries, accommodations and dates are subject to change without notice and at any time by the tour operators. Availability is limited and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. The prices on this website are not guaranteed. We are not responsible for errors, omissions, or changes in pricing. Please call us toll free at 1-800-942-3301 to confirm availability and pricing. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||