Take a scenic drive through the countryside to the magnificent city of Florence. Pause in the Piazza del Duomo to admire the exterior of the Cathedral (Duomo) of Santa Maria del Fiore, its elaborate Gothic façade is covered in a mix of pink and green marble.

View the statues in the Piazza della Signoria on your way to the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval stone bridge was the first bridge built across the River Arno, and has been well known for its goldsmiths and jewelers since the 16th century. Lunch is included at a local restaurant, and after the meal you’ll have free time to explore on your own or to shop, before your tour continues to the historic town of Pisa. Here, you’ll make a brief photo stop in Miracle Square for a look at the exterior of that famous Leaning Tower. Built in the 12th century, it began to lean soon afterwards, but has now been stabilized.

Visit two of Beppu’s many hot springs known as jigokus and a forested park that countless wild monkeys inhabit. With more than 2,500 thermal springs in and around Beppu, thick clouds of steam can always be seen rising from the ground. At the Umi Jigoku, the so called Sea Hell, you will notice that the cobalt-blue water is near boiling and so hot that visitors only observe the thermal phenomenon. However, at the Chinoike Jigoku or Blood Pond Hell, you might take a foot bath in the iron oxide-rich water that gives the pool its reddish color. The hot springs throughout Beppu are said to have restorative powers, and visitors come from all over to soak in them. The Takasakiyama Monkey Park is also wildly popular, as it offers a rare close-up look at macaques freely roaming the forested mountain slopes. You too will be free to wander about while observing these Old World monkeys.

Spend hours relaxing however you please at the Beach Escape Beach Club in nearby Mahahual. After a brief orientation to help you maximize the experience, you will be free to enjoy the club’s amenities, which are considerable and all offered for your enjoyment. You might stretch out on a lounge chair and bask in the sun, take a refreshing swim in the sea and gather around the thatched-roof poolside bar, which will be open for unlimited drinks the entire time. One end of the Beach Escape is typically busier and more party-oriented, while the other end by the pier is quieter, allowing you to easily find an ideal spot to make the most of your free time. If you wish to explore offshore, kayaks are available. The beach club is located right on the boardwalk at Fisherman’s Village, a great place for people-watching and dining on your own as there are plenty of restaurants.

Aquaventure, Atlantis Paradise Island’s Water Park, is a one-of-a-kind 141 acre waterscape. Aquaventure features over twenty million gallons of water, thrilling high-speed water slides like the Mayan Temple and the 7-story Power Tower, a mile long river ride with rolling rapids, a spectacular kids water-play fort, 20 swimming areas, refreshing pools, and access to the most beautiful beaches in the Caribbean! Plus access to view the renowned Atlantis marine habitat, home to more than 50,000 fish representing 250 species and the Caribbean’s largest casino and stroll through Marina Village, a charming and vibrant marketplace featuring 20 retail shops, restaurants, and local entertainment for a distinctly Bahamian vacation experience.

OVERVIEW

Become immersed in the Dominican culture by experiencing the local cuisine, spirits and dances firsthand. While pausing for photos along the seaside boulevard El Malecon, you will discover a bit about the local history, which you will delve into more deeply at the engaging Confluence Ethnographic Gallery. Besides browsing the museum’s exhibits – which cover topics ranging from piracy to Carnival celebrations – you will enjoy a tasting of premium Dominican rum, most likely a selection from Ron Barceló, a brand made with 100% sugarcane juice. The restaurant La Catalina will serve as the venue for the remaining festivities, which begin with a performance of merengue, a lively dance so emblematic of the national identity that UNESCO recognized it on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. You will be encouraged to join the costumed dancers, who will be happy to show you the steps. A delightful lunch of traditional Dominican stew known as sancocho follows.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Delve into the Dominican culture and history through immersive experiences.
• Browse an ethnographic museum and sample a popular premium Dominican rum.
• Watch costumed dancers perform the merengue and join in the fun if you wish.
• Dine on a traditional Dominican stew at the atmospheric restaurant La Catalina.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a combination of Slovenia’s best known sites the capital city of Ljubljana and Lake Bled. Both are a wonderful gateway to Slovenian heritage. After a guided tour, you’ll have free time to explore on your own. Following your approximate two hour drive to the Alpine town of Lake Bled, you’ll have different options to enjoy from a walk around the picturesque lake to visiting a medieval castle visit, all during your free time and at your own expense. After World War II, this was one of the most appealing state residences and drew many people who were attracted by the beauty of this town. Today new pilgrims have been discovering this tranquil and lovely place.

After a guided walk through Ljubljana, a medium sized European city, you’ll have time to explore your own pace. It offers all the friendliness of a small town and at the same time has everything that a capital should. This city of culture boasts one of the oldest philharmonic halls in the world. Every year it hosts more than 10,000 cultural events ranging from prestigious concerts, theater performances and fine art exhibitions.

Behold the natural attractions of Cephalonia, including those beneath the surface, such as the Drogarati Cave and subterranean Melissani Lake.

Departing from the pier, you'll drive toward the eastern shore of Cephalonia, the largest Ionian island. Arriving at the Drogarati Cave, you'll descend a flight of stairs into a large cavern which is lighted for dramatic effect. Stalactites hang from the ceiling like jagged curtains, and ancient stalagmites reach up from the rocky floor. The colors are predominately red, orange, yellow and white, from the iron content in the rock and the layers of chalk and limestone.

Although estimated to be 100 million years old, the cave wasn't discovered until about 300 years ago when a violent earthquake opened an entrance. Inside the cave's Chamber of Exaltation, the acoustics are considered near perfect, and concert events are often held in its voluminous interior. Even the famed opera soprano, Maria Callas, sang here.

Continuing on, you will travel in a northerly direction, passing the town of Sami en route to the renowned Melissani Lake. This underground phenomenon looks absolutely magical in the shafts of light that come from 100 feet above, where parts of the ceiling collapsed decades ago. You'll enter the lake by small boat, paddled in so it hardly disturbs the surface of the water, which is a brackish mix of saltwater from the Ionian Sea and freshwater that originated back in Argostoli and then flowed across the island. The stalactites hanging from the ceiling here are estimated to be at least 20,000 years old.

Afterwards, you'll return to Argostoli via a picturesque coastal route that offers spectacular views across the strait to the island of Ithaca, and further along, Myrtos and its dramatic, sheer white cliffs.

If you would like to explore archaeological site of Pompeii on your own, this private motor coach transfer is ideal.

Boarding your coach at the pier, you’ll head to Pompeii and be dropped off in a central location. A tour escort will be traveling with you to and from the ship and will answer any questions you may have about sightseeing or shopping.

After your allotted time in Pompeii, you’ll rejoin your motor coach for the return to Naples.

Uncover the beauty of Greece as you browse remarkable archaeological artifacts and visit a quaint hillside village with sweeping views of the Greek coastline. After a short drive through downtown Volos, tucked in the foothills of densely forested Mount Pelion, you’ll arrive at the Archaeological Museum of Volos, where you can study ancient jewelry and classical statues such as a torso of Aphrodite. You’ll marvel at the museum’s highlight, hundreds of funerary stelae that still hold their color despite dating back to the 3rd century BC. Enjoy a picturesque, winding drive up the gentle slopes of Mount Pelion, passing through several picture-perfect villages. In Makrinitsa, which clings to a steep slope and is known as the Balcony of Pelion, admire captivating vistas of Volos and the azure bay below. Relish more than one hour of time on your own to relax in the shade of the main square, admire the frescoes in the Church of Agios Ioannis or delight in shopping the quaint boutiques before relaxing in a cozy café.

The island of Mykonos is world famous for its stunning scenic beauty comprised of windmills, sparking bays, superb beaches, white houses and churches with their colorful blue and red domes. You'll pass by Ornos Beach, one of the most cosmopolitan beaches on the island with an abundance of luxurious hotels, tavernas and yachts mooring offshore.

You’ll make a short photo stop at the beach of Kalafatis to experience one of the island's beautiful beaches and to enjoy the breathtaking view. As you head to the center of the island, you'll visit the village of Ano Mera and the Monastery Panayia Tourliani. You’ll also have a chance to enjoy ouzo and Greek appetizers in the peaceful little square of the village.