28 nætter fra Barcelona med Seabourn Sojourn

Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, is said to have been founded by the Phoenicians, and was once the rival of the powerful states of Venice and Genoa for control of the Mediterranean trade. Today, it is Spain’s second largest city and has long rivaled, even surpassed Madrid in industry and commerce. The medieval atmosphere of the Gothic Quarter and the elegant boulevards combine to make the city one of Europe’s most beautiful. Barcelona’s active cultural life and heritage brought forth such greats as the architect Antonio Gaudi, the painter Joan Miro, and Pablo Picasso, who spent his formative years here. Other famous native Catalan artists include cellist Pau Casals, surrealist Salvador Dali, and opera singers Montserrat Caballe and Josep Carreras. Barcelona accomplished a long-cherished goal with the opportunity to host the Olympics in 1992. This big event prompted a massive building program and created a focal point of the world’s attention.

Spain’s Balearic Islands are among Europe’s most popular resort destinations. Mallorca is the largest and most developed of these islands. Rome and Carthage battled over this territory and portions of ancient Roman constructions still remain. Founded almost 2,100 years ago, the city of Palma de Mallorca, the island’s busy capital city boasts a considerable store of history. Mallorca welcomes its visitors to an island, which can be both exciting and tranquil. The abundant sightseeing and sunshine are yours to enjoy.

Tunis, den nærliggende hovedstad, byder på et travlt kvarter af indfødte, samt Bardomuseet, som er berømt for sin samling af mosaikker og store fund, fra nærliggende Cartagena, som engang var Roms store rival.

Sousse or Soussa is a city in Tunisia, capital of the Sousse Governorate. Located 140 km south of the capital Tunis, the city has 271,428 inhabitants. Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf of Hammamet, which is a part of the Mediterranean Sea.

Occupied successively by the Phoenicians, Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, French and British, Malta has been of strategic importance throughout history. A British Crown Colony until 1964, Malta received the George Cross for its valiant resistance to German occupation in WWII. The island’s rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Medina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town’s magnificent harbors.

Chania har været beboet siden den yngre stenalder, og der er derfor meget at udforske i denne hovedstad – herunder arkæologiske udgravninger, charmerende landsbyer og excentriske kvarterer. Chania giver ikke alene et indblik i fortiden, men også et kig på fremtiden i møde med sin unikke blanding af venetiansk, tyrkisk og moderne arkitektur. Brug din dag på at slentre ned ad de brostensbelagte gader til det 16. århundredes kirke Agios Fragiskos, som huser det arkæologiske museum.

Antalya er en smuk gammel by der blev grundlagt i det 2. århundrede før Kristus, og er hjem for mange konservative kirker og inspirerende moskeer.

Limassol er kærlighedsgudinden Afrodites fødested. Cypern har et klima, der er godt at tage til selv om vinteren. På øen findes høje bjerge, og øens egne indbyggere kan løbe på ski der. Turisterne kommer mest for at sole sig og bade. Gå ad stien til de byzantinske fresker og templer og antikke græske og romerske villaer med mosaikker og marmor.

Alexandria, Egyptens næststørste by, er en oldtidsby, som har eksisteret i 4.000 år. Alexandria blev grundlagt af og opkaldt efter Alexander Den Store, der erobrede Egypten og besejrede perserne i 332 f.v.t., da han kun var 24 år gammel. Byen er rigere på legender end de fleste andre byer. Her findes mange smukke strande, både gamle og moderne monumenter og fantastiske seværdigheder fra den græsk-romerske tid.Når man går rundt i byens travle gader, fornemmer man tydeligt den europæiske indflydelse. Her er caféer i stedet for egyptiske tehuse og sporvogne i stedet for hestevogne. Bygningerne er tydeligt europæiske af udseende, og fortovene er ikke fyldt med gadehandlere.

Alexandria, Egyptens næststørste by, er en oldtidsby, som har eksisteret i 4.000 år. Alexandria blev grundlagt af og opkaldt efter Alexander Den Store, der erobrede Egypten og besejrede perserne i 332 f.v.t., da han kun var 24 år gammel. Byen er rigere på legender end de fleste andre byer. Her findes mange smukke strande, både gamle og moderne monumenter og fantastiske seværdigheder fra den græsk-romerske tid.Når man går rundt i byens travle gader, fornemmer man tydeligt den europæiske indflydelse. Her er caféer i stedet for egyptiske tehuse og sporvogne i stedet for hestevogne. Bygningerne er tydeligt europæiske af udseende, og fortovene er ikke fyldt med gadehandlere.

A canal linking the Mediterranean and Red Seas is an old dream. Evidence of attempts to construct such a seaway across the desert isthmus have been detected dating from Egypt’s pharaonic era and Persia under the rule of Darius. Venetian doges plotted, and Napoleon fervently wished for one, to save ships the 4,300-nautical mile diversion around Africa. When the 120-mile canal from Port Said to Suez was opened in 1869, the seafaring map underwent its most impactful change in history. The canal is at sea level, so no locks are required. Your ship will meet other ships of every sort and size from every corner of the globe around the entry at Port Said, to join one of the two southbound convoys allowed each day. The first starts from Port Said at half-past three in the morning, proceeding at a sedate 8 knots (to reduce erosion of the banks) and passing the single northbound convoy in the Great Bitter Lake. The second convoy leaves later, passing the northbound ships at the Bailah Bypass. On average, about 97 ships transit the canal each day. Sights during the transit tend toward the monotonous: the ship ahead and the one behind, and an endless bank of sand on either side, ceaselessly refreshed by dredges stationed along the shore and pumping wet sand over the berm. The town of Ismailia with its tall, minareted mosque is a welcome diversion, as are the two bridges and one massive powerline crossing the canal. The transit takes between 11 and 16 hours. At Suez, your ship passes into the Red Sea.

Some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world is found at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula. Here, on a slender promontory where the Gulf of Aqaba meets the Straits of Tiran, Sharm el Sheikh offers access to serene sand beaches, wind-carved cliffs and a wonderland of colorful fish and coral reefs. The area is revered as a place of prophets and miracles, including St. Catherine’s Monastery, the most important religious site in Sinai, situated at the base of the mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments.

Safaga var tidligere en handelshavn på kysten af det røde hav og i de senere år har Safaga udviklet sig til en attraktiv og populær by, kendt for vandsport og afslapning. Solelskere og sportsfolk bliver tiltrukket til den fantastiske bugt, øerne og de skønne strande. Fra Safaga er der mulighed fro udflugter til Luxor.

Salalah er populær blandt turister på grund af de naturlige attraktioner i nærheden, i form af bjerge og et frodigt landskab, som er oplagt til vandreture. På grund af klimaet findes der dyr og planter, som ellers hyppigt forbindes med Østafrika. Et par eksempler kunne være leoparder, hyæner og Baobabtræet. Salalah og dens omgivelser bruges i rigt omfang til dyrkning af kokosnødder, som sælges til at drikke. De smukke strande og kyststrækninger er også et populært mål for scubadykkere og fugleelskere.

If you are a “pollywog,” who has never crossed the line at sea, you will be expected to undergo a mock trial by King Neptune and his court for the entertainment of the “shellbacks” who have already done so. Mild but hilarious indignities will be conjured, and in the end a good time will be had by most, if not all.

Victoria, on Mahé Island, is the capital city of the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles National Botanical Gardens showcases endemic palms and orchids, as well as giant tortoises and fruit bats. The colorful Sir Selwyn Clarke Market sells spices, fruit, art and souvenirs. Near the Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is the imposing La Domus, built in 1934 to house Catholic missionaries.

Victoria, on Mahé Island, is the capital city of the Seychelles archipelago in the Indian Ocean. Seychelles National Botanical Gardens showcases endemic palms and orchids, as well as giant tortoises and fruit bats. The colorful Sir Selwyn Clarke Market sells spices, fruit, art and souvenirs. Near the Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception is the imposing La Domus, built in 1934 to house Catholic missionaries.