Palermo to Nice Aboard Sea Cloud II

Depart for Palermo, Italy, on an overnight flight.

PALERMO, SICILY, ITALY / EMBARK SEA CLOUD II

Arrive in Palermo on the island of Sicily, where early-arriving guests can gather for lunch. This afternoon, transfer to the elegant Sea Cloud II for embarkation. After settling in, join fellow guests for dinner together on board.

DAY AT SEA

As Sea Cloud II sets course for Sardinia, watch the crew trim the 23 billowing sails by hand. In addition to enjoying the start of the program’s lecture series, you may also familiarize yourself with the vessel’s many amenities, including its spa facilities. This evening, attend the captain’s welcome reception and dinner.

CAGLIARI, SARDINIA, ITALY / AFTERNOON AT SEA

Step ashore in Cagliari, Sardinia’s capital, positioned along the island’s southern coast. Choose from three expert-led morning excursions before lunch aboard Sea Cloud II and an afternoon at sea:
Option 1: Join a walking tour through the maze-like streets of Cagliari’s Castello (Old Town). Visit the 13th-century Duomo di Cagliari, then enjoy a tour of the National Pinacoteca of Cagliari. Discover Italy’s most cherished collection of Sardinian Gothic altarpieces, known as retablos.
Afterwards, a curator will welcome you to the Archaeological Museum, which hosts art and artifacts spanning Sardinia’s history from Neolithic times through the Byzantine era.
Option 2: Enjoy a private, owner-guided tour of the Neoclassical Villa d’Orri, Sardinia’s only royal villa, built during the Savoyard court’s exile to Sardinia.
Option 3: Take a short transfer to Nora, Sardinia’s first city, beautifully positioned on a promontory overlooking the sea. Explore remarkably preserved ruins from its Punic and Roman periods.

MORNING AT SEA / BONIFACIO, CORSICA, FRANCE

The lecture program continues during a relaxing morning at sea. After lunch, navigate the scenic, fjord-like waterway into Corsica and arrive at the port of Bonifacio, built atop white limestone cliffs rising over 200 feet from the sea.
This afternoon, choose from two excursions.
Option 1: A walking tour takes you to two remarkable churches within the fortified citadel. First, visit the Église Sainte-Marie-Majeure, Bonifacio’s oldest building,
constructed by Pisan hands in the 12th century.
Explore the Gothic Église Saint-Dominique de Bonifacio, Corsica’s largest church, built between 1270 and 1343 on ground once held by Templars.
Option 2: Head outside Bonifacio for a viticultural experience at Domaine Zuria, an estate reviving Corsica’s winemaking traditions through organic farming practices.
All guests will return to Sea Cloud II in Bonifacio.

Portoferraio, Elba, Italy / Porto Azzurro / Capo d’Enfola

Arrive on Elba, best known as Napoleon’s island of exile from 1814 to 1815. From the capital of Portoferraio, choose from two excursions:
Option 1: Your first stop is Villa San Martino, Napoleon Bonaparte’s private summer villa during his exile, purchased in June 1814. See his period furnishings and the famous Sala Egizia (Egyptian Room) with frescoes celebrating his Egyptian campaign. After time at leisure in the picturesque harbor town of Porto Azzurro, continue to Tenuta La Chiusa, an 18th-
century vineyard estate, for a private tasting and tour.
Option 2: An e-bike tour takes you along scenic coastal roads from Portoferraio to Capo d’Enfola, a small peninsula. The cape holds the remains of a World War II coastal artillery battery built between 1935 and 1938 to control the sea channel between Elba and Corsica. After exploring, return to Portoferraio’s historic center. Enjoy lunch on board Sea Cloud II, which departs in the late afternoon. B,L,D

Santa Margherita Ligure (Liguria) / Portofino

Sea Cloud II sails along the Italian Riviera to the port of Santa Margherita Ligure. Choose from three excursions:
Option 1: Transfer to the nearby village of Portofino, where hills and a verdant harbor have inspired generations of artists. A walking tour takes you through the Piazza Martiri dell’Olivetta, the picturesque center surrounded by artisan shops and pastel-painted buildings.Visit the 12th-century Romanesque Chiesa di San Martino, whose origins date to Pisan rule, and admire the wooden sculptural group of the Deposition of Christ by Genoese Baroque sculptor Anton Maria Maragliano.
Option 2: Take a light hike along trails offering spectacular coastline views, including paths to the Faro di Portofino lighthouse and the historic Castello Brown fortress with
origins dating to around 1000 A.D.
Option 3: Explore Santa Margherita Ligure, a jewel of the Ligurian coastline. Walk along the elegant waterfront
promenade lined with palm trees and Belle Époque architecture before continuing into the historic town center. Visit the magnificent Baroque Basilica of Santa Margherita d’Antiochia, with its dazzling interior of gilded stuccoes, colorful frescoes, and ornate marble altars. Stop at a local bottega for a chance to taste typical Ligurian specialties. The afternoon is at leisure, with lunch on board.

GENOA

Dock in Genoa, Italy’s busiest port. Choose from two guided excursions:
Option 1: Visit the San Lorenzo Cathedral, a masterpiece of Romanesque and Gothic architecture with its black-and-white striped façade and intricate portals. Inside, see the preserved World War II bomb that failed to detonate.
Continue to the Baroque splendor of the Basilica della Santissima Annunziata del Vastato, where 17th-century Genoese artists created a luminous wonderland of frescoes, gilded stuccoes, and inlaid marble. After lunch, visit Villa del Principe, the grand palazzo of Andrea Doria, Genoa’s powerful 16th-century admiral.
Option 2: Explore the UNESCO-recognized Musei di Strada Nuova, three palace museums. Visit the Palazzo Rosso and Palazzo Bianco, housing impressive collections of Renaissance and Baroque paintings by masters, including Van Dyck, Caravaggio, and Rubens. At the Palazzo Doria Tursi, Genoa’s city hall, see Paganini’s famed violin, the “Cannone,” among an impressive collection of Old Master paintings. Return to Sea Cloud II for the captain’s farewell reception and dinner.

NICE, FRANCE / DISEMBARK / RETURN

Disembark Sea Cloud II in Nice this morning, and transfer to the airport for flights home.