Ancient civilisations, from Italy to Greece

Unser Anlegehafen Civitavecchia ist Ihr Tor zur italienischen Hauptstadt. In der Stadt, die für so lange Zeit der Mittelpunkt der westlichen Welt war, stoßen Sie buchstäblich an jeder Ecke auf Zeugnisse aus jenen längst vergangenen Tagen. Über 400 Kirchen, 300 Brunnen und unzählige Ruinen sind Teil des Mythos der von vielen Menschen so hoch geschätzten „ewigen Stadt“ Rom.

Generating a veritable explosion of intense emotions, the province of Salerno fascinates and enchants travellers. Its fascinating history will lead you to the extraordinary archaeological site of Pompeii, whose sprawling ruins provide a grandiose and moving vision of what a Roman city looked like in Imperial times. The city which was frozen in time under the ashes from the eruption of Mont Vesuvius offers you its peerless historical and cultural wealth, as well as the unique beauty of its location, which has earned it classification as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sicily’s second city Catania is dominated by the majestic silhouette of Mount Etna. Nourishing and devastating at the same time, this giant crowned with smoke rings brought about the destruction of the city at the end of the 17th century. Catania was then rebuilt in the late Baroque style, and the many monuments of this epoch have earned its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The baroque churches of the harmonious Via dei Crociferi perfectly illustrate the riches of this architectural heritage. During your stop, be sure to visit Saint Agatha Cathedral with its apses made of lava stones, and its square decorated with a fountain of the Elephant, the animal which allegedly has the power to calm the fury of Mount Etna …

Parga liegt inmitten einer geschützten Bucht an der nordwestlichen Küste Griechenlands in der Region Epirus. Zwischen dem 15. und 18. Jahrhundert gehörte die Stadt den Venezianern. Danach wurde Parga von Ali Pascha, einem hohen Untergebenen von Suleiman dem Prächtigen, gekauft. Die beeindruckende, auf einer steilen und felsigen Landzunge errichtete venezianische Festung beherrscht die Silhouette der Stadt, den Hafen und die süß duftenden Pinienbäume, die sie umgeben. Heute ist der Ort ein ganz zauberhaftes Seebad.

This picturesque village stretches along the Ionian sea in the west of the Peloponnese. Its main harbour offers a vast panorama of the coastline’s wooded hillsides. Dazzling white, the church of Saint-Nicolas houses a selection of sumptuous icons. You can also pay a visit the archaeological site of Olympus on the slopes of Mount Kronos.

Der Kanal von Korinth ist ein fantastisches Bau- und Kunstwerk und verbindet das Ionische mit dem Ägäischen Meer. Der Traum von dieser Seewegsverbindung geht bis in die Antike zurück; schon Kaiser Nero hat einst von diesem Bau geträumt. Von Itea aus brechen wir auf zur heiligen Stätte Delphi, die vor allem ihres Orakels wegen bekannt ist und sich Ihnen in einem hervorragend restaurierten Zustand präsentiert. Am Hange des Berges, an dem die Stadt errichtet worden war, grüßen Sie schon von Weitem die weißen Überreste des Apollon-Tempels, die über die Pinienwälder hinausragen.

The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Don’t be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. Some of the must-see visits are the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. If you want to chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.

This unusual gem belonging to the Saronic islands is located to the east of the Peloponnese. There are no cars here. Named after the island, the harbour town is layered up the slopes of a mountainous bay. You may be surprised to see beautiful stone mansions. These are traditional here, as are the multi-coloured caïques along the quays. Further along the shore, you will discover the Historical Archives Museum. Collections from Athens National History Museum are exhibited in the elegant villa Koundouriotis.

The Greek capital city is located on the edge of the Saronic gulf, in the east of the country. It bears a plural name in reference to the first villages that surround the Acropolis. You will be enchanted by the rocky plateau presided by its monuments listed as UNESCO World Heritage. In the city below, you can visit some of the liveliest districts in Athens: Plaka, with its maze of colourful streets, and where, in the evenings the drifting aroma of moussaka and garlic prawns will tickle your taste buds. The National Archaeological museum and the Cycladic Art Museum are also some of the city’s key attractions and allow visitors to discover Athens’ cultural past.