Le Dumont-D'urville sailing on October 22nd, 2026

About Athens (Piraeus)

Piraeus is the port of Athens. Serving as the gateway to the past and civilization as we know it, Athens is far more than the Acropolis. Nowhere on earth are mans past accomplishments more dramatically displayed as a backdrop to a modern metropolis. Spend time exploring ancient ruins, viewing incalculable treasures or just relax as another day evolves in the cradle of civilization.

Athens (Piraeus) Attractions

No visit to Athens would be complete without a visit to the Acropolis. There you'll find the Parthenon, the largest building in the Acropolis and one of the world's most awe-inspiring sights. It was built as a temple to Athena and is still a remarkable structure today.

Athens (Piraeus) Activities

Visit Plaka, the old neighborhood of Athens. Explore the narrow streets and alleys, single-story houses, neoclassical villas, taverns and many tourist shops. Experience the traditional flea market of Monastiraki, the neighborhood next to Plaka. Explore the National Archaeological Museum, home to a formidable collection of the world's antiquities. Pay a visit to ancient Agora, ancient site of the religious and political heart of Athens. The Archaeological Museum is known to have the finest collection of Greek art in the world. Exhibits include the sensational finds from the excavations at Mycenae and the remarkably well preserved frescoes from a 3,000-year-old civilization discovered at Akrotiri on the island of Santorini. There are also classical statuary, pottery, stone carvings and jewelry from excavations throughout Greece. The Benaki Museum has recently undergone thorough modernization. Its three floors house more than 30,000 items, all illustrating the character of the Greek world. Located near Kolonaki, the Goulandris Museum features a fantastic collection of Cycladic and ancient art spanning 5,000 years. The exhibits were assembled by ship owner Nikolaos P. Goulandris. Its treasures include many of the slim marble figurines that fascinated artists like Picasso and Modigliani. Mount Lycabettus, Athens' highest hill, is only a 10-minute walk from Syntagma Square. It borders the fashionable Kolonaki residential area. A steeply inclined funicular climbs to the summit, which is crowned by a small, white chapel. Pollution permitting, the view from Mount Lycabettus is the finest in Athens. Plaka stretches east from the Agora, this lovely quarter, with winding alleys, neo-classical buildings, whitewashed, bougainvillea-framed houses and tiny churches, is worth your exploration. Agios Eleftherios is a 12th-century Byzantine church and Athens' former cathedral is known for the fanciful figures and zodiac signs that adorn its walls.

About Nafplion

Oraia (beautiful) is the word Greeks use to describe Nafplion. The town's old section, on a peninsula jutting into the gulf of Argos, mixes Greek, Venetian, and Turkish architecture; narrow streets, often just broad flights of stone stairs, climb the slopes beneath the walls of Acronafplia. Tree-shaded plazas surround neoclassic buildings. The Palamidi fortress—an elegant display of Venetian might from the early 1700s—guards the town.

About Monemvasia

Often called the "Gibraltar of Greece", the stone fortress-town of Monemvaisa rises from the sea, connected to the mainland by a man-made causeway. The most important Byzantine trading post for many centuries, Monemvasia was captured and recaptured by the Venetians and the Turks until the Greek uprising of 1821.

About Gythio

About Corfu / Sarande

About Gallipoli

The Gallipoli Peninsula has a long and memorable history extending back beyond the Peleponesian Wars. Its rugged landscape and historic towns provide the backdrop to the battlefields of 1915, places of heroism and sacrifice which are of immense national significance to Turks, Australians and New Zealanders. Explore the sights of Gallipoli here.

About Syracuse, Sicily

On the East coast of Sicily is the city of Syracuse. Some people says that it has the best natural harbour of Italy. Once a great rival to ancient Athens, the old city is based in a small island next to the coast and contains many historical buildings. Archimedes lived and died here. Catania is a city that dates from the 18th century, reconstructed after a series of earthquakes. Mount Etna, the greater active volcano of Europe, is close and its continuous eruption attracts many tourists.

Visit the archaeological museum Paolo Orsi. Break for lunch in a noble villa in the gulf in front of the island of Ortigia. Explore the city and its monuments, such as the Greek theather and the Dyonisuss Ear. Tour Ortigia, historical centre of the city and visit Palazzo Bellomo to see paintings by Caravaggio and Antonello da Messina.

About Valletta

In 1530, Charles V of Spain granted the island of Malta to the Knights of the Order of St. John. Many impressive 16th-century limestone buildings and fortifications from the Knights have endured, helping make the city of Valetta simply magnificent to experience today.

Valletta Attractions

Explore the city's main square and pass many of its ancient buildings. Then head to St. John's Cathedral, founded by the Knights of the Order of St. John during the 16th century. Today the cathedral is the final resting place for many of the knights - their headstones line the cathedral floor.

Valletta Activities

Visit the Armory, St, John's Co-Cathedral, and the 18th century Manoel Theater for some more spectacular sights. Visit the National Museum of Archaeology. It houses collections of pottery, sculpture, statuettes, stone implements and personal ornaments recovered from the Maltese megalithic temples and other prehistoric sites. Explore the Palace of the Grand Masters, completed in 1574. It contains portraits of the Grand Masters of the Order and European monarchs, interesting furniture and other works of art. Stroll through the Upper Barrakka Gardens and enjoy the magnificent panoramic view of Grand Harbour.