Grand Odyssey

Afternoon: 16:00

The port of DOVER, the closest part of Britain to France, has been a strategically important port, vulnerable to invasion, for millennia. The medieval castle, built on the site of earlier fortifications, was further extended and refortified during the Napoleonic wars when Dover became a garrison town. The white cliffs of Dover, immortalised in the song that maintained spirits during the dark days of the Blitz, formed the first (or last) sight of home to many travellers arriving or departing Dover by sea.

Morning: 8:00 to 12:00

ST PETER PORT’s history is inextricably linked to the sea and its geographical location. Closer to France than to England, the Channel Islands formed part of Normandy from 933 until Norman times, the French link surviving locally in Norman Law, surnames and Guernesaise, the local language. Castle Cornet at St Peter Port was later constructed to protect the island from the risk of French invasion. In the 20th;/SUP> century the islands were occupied by the German Army from 1940 – 1945.

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

Afternoon: 8:00 to 14:00

Evening: 8:00 to 19:00

Throughout its long history, Celts, Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors have left their mark on the city of LISBON, from 1147 the capital of Portugal. The city, situated at the point where the Tagus river flows into the Atlantic ocean, was the starting point of many Portuguese voyages of discovery during the 15th – 17th centuries. The Belem Tower, that protects the approach to the city, and the Jeronimos Monstery, are monuments in the Manueline style that mark the golden age of Lisbon as a trading power. Much of the city was destroyed in a major eathquake in 1775. The Alfama quarter, one of the oldest areas of the city, survived this earthquake largely intact.

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

All Day: 7:30 to 23:00

The Phoenicians called the city Malaca and used the harbour as an important centre for salting fish. The Greeks and then the Romans, followed by the Moors, all left their mark on the city. The Moors renamed the city, now famous for its wine and figs, Al-Andalus. It was one of the last Moorish cities to fall to the Christian conquerors, Isabella and Ferdinand in 1487.

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

Afternoon: 8:00 to 15:00

All Day: 8:00 to 22:00

One of Europe’s most beautiful cities, Barcelona boasts magnificent architecture and a vibrant history of arts and culture. Choose a sightseeing drive around the city or take time to explore on your own. Stroll along La Rambla, visit the Gothic Quarter or climb to the top of the Parque Monjuic for views of the city and the Olympic stadium. Lovers of the modern idiom will head for the Picasso Museum or any of Gaudí’s architectural masterpieces.

Evening: 13:00 to 21:00

Evening: 9:00 to 19:00

Once ashore in Nice, you’ve plenty of time for an optional sightseeing trip around this favourite hub on the Côte d’Azur. In the old town, you can explore Les Ponchettes, the resort’s original esplanade before the advent of the longer and more glamorous Promenade des Anglais in the 1820s. A few streets back, a maze of 17th-century houses provides a variety of eateries and chic boutiques. Take in the colourful fruit market where fragrant herbs, mountains of artichokes and brightly coloured vine tomatoes capture every colour in the rainbow. Why not choose an optional excursion to the hills, taking in towns like Grasse, known for its perfumes, or the Provençal Medieval gem that is St. Paul de Vence?

Evening: 14:00 to 7:00

One of the most photographed – and most exclusive – harbours in the Mediterranean, tiny Portofino has the magic and the look of a film set. Yet this is very much the genuine article. Nestling below the pine, olive and eucalyptus trees that dress this Ligurian peninsula lies a fabulous collection of terracotta-coloured houses, topping a line of exclusive shops and waterside watering holes. Even if fishing boats have long been replaced with luxury tenders and power boats, you won’t resist the temptation to stop and stare.

Evening: 8:00 to 19:00

From LIVORNO, enjoy a visit to Florence in the centre of Italy's hillside region of Tuscany. The Italian language was founded here and it was the birthplace of the Renaissance movement. There is also an opportunity to visit Pisa and the famous leaning tower.

All Day: 6:00 to 20:00

CIVITAVECCHIA is the gateway to the ancient city of Rome, the mesmerising capital of Italy, known variously as ‘the eternal city’ or ‘the city of the seven hills’. Rome contains a wealth of historical, architectural and religious landmarks, ranging from Roman monuments such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon to the Renaissance and Baroque masterpieces that characterise so much of the city. Within Rome is the Vatican City, the smallest nation in the world, with St Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Library, Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel among its many treasures.

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

Afternoon: 8:00 to 15:00

Stunning vistas abound around this Sicilian gem, set on the rugged coastline beneath Monte Tauro. Popularised in the works of Goethe, a magnet for famous names from Wagner to Oscar Wilde or Woody Allen, visitors will love the views of Etna and the rollercoaster of red-topped villas, piazzas and palazzos. Don’t miss a visit to the Graeco-Roman Theatre, a wander up the steps of the Corso Umberto, or an excursion out the tiny outcrop of Isola Bella.

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

Evening: 13:00 to 19:00

Overnight: 8:00

The city of VENICE is built across numerous small islands in the marshy, saltwater lagoon that stretches between the mouths of the Po and Piave rivers. Once the most prosperous city in Europe, Venice is justifiably famous for the innumerable churches, monuments and public buildings that line its network of canals. St Mark’s Square, site of the Doge’s Palace - the seat of government and residence of the ruler of the Venetian Empire - and the Byzantine Basilica of St Mark, are just two of the remarkable buildings of the city known from the 8th to the 18th century (1797) as The Most Serene Republic of Venice.

Evening: 18:30

See day 20 for details.

All Day: 7:00 to 19:00

A look beyond the working wharves of Koper reveals a charming town that dates back to the days when the Venetians came and stayed. Clustered around Titov Trg, the main square, are some magnificent finds. Visit the recently renovated Praetorian Palace, a 15th-century gem with an opulent interior, the Cathedral of St. Nazarius, or take an excursion inland to the Lipica stud farm, home of the Lipizzaner horses made famous by Vienna’s Spanish Riding School.

Evening: 13:00 to 20:00

Overnight: 13:00

Situated in the very south of the Republic of Croatia, DUBROVNIK's walled city with its red-tiled roofs is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Much of the city - apart from its walls - was destroyed in an earthquake in 1667, the city being rebuilt in the Baroque style. Now restored after the devastation brought about by years of civil war, the city’s walls still protect a wealth of monasteries, churches and museums. Two of the oldest surviving buildings of the earlier city, once known as Ragusa, are the Sponza Palace and the Rector’s Palace.

See day 24 for details.

Evening: 13:00 to 19:00

Evening: 13:00 to 23:00

The sleepy town of ITEA is the port for Delphi. Leaving the coast the road ascends through large olive groves, climbing higher and higher on hairpin bends, to Delphi, set on multiple plateaux and terraces along the slope of Mount Parnassus. Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and a major site for the worship of the god Apollo. Delphi was revered throughout the Greek world as the site of the omphalos stone, the centre of the earth and the universe.

Evening: 8:00 to 18:00

The isthmus of Corinth is the only land bridge between the north and the south of Greece. In ancient times seafaring Greeks constructed a stone-paved slipway, the diolkos, on which they dragged their ships from the Gulf of Corinth to the Saronic Gulf. The early idea of constructing a canal to link the two seas was not realised until 1893. The CORINTH CANAL, 25 metres wide, 8 metres deep and with earth cliffs rising to a maximum height of 63 metres, is straddled by two bridges, one for the railway and one for road traffic. A second road bridge was constructed in 1975 to ease congestion.

All Day: 5:00 to 20:00

The port of Athens since antiquity, PIRAEUS was first settled in the age of Themistocles, when the long walls were built (478 BC), and the town was laid out according to the plans of the architect Hippodamus. Piraeus is still an international port, but is now better known as the gateway to the city of Athens.

Afternoon: 8:00 to 15:00

Afternoon: 8:00 to 15:00

All Day: 8:00 to 22:00

Minerva sails into the Pagasitic Gulf to call at VOLOS, the capital of Magnesia that nestles in the shadow of the Pelion Mountains. Beyond the popular resort town and its busy promenade lie a number of interesting archaeological sites. These include the prehistoric settlement of Dimini with its ruined acropolis, walls and two beehive tombs dating back as far as 4000 BC. Other highlights include Sesklo with the remains of the oldest Acropolis in Greece (6000 BC), or the incomparable acoustics of the theatre at ancient Dimitrias, and the amazing monasteries perched on pinnacles at Meteora.

Evening: 12:00 to 19:00

As Minerva heads for the Sea of Marmara by way of the Dardanelles , our on-board lecturers will paint a vivid picture of the fateful campaign that was fought on these shores. At CANAKKALE, you can visit the key landmarks around Gallipoli: Anzac Cove, the Lone Pine Australian Memorial, and a number of Turkish and Allied trenches and tunnels. Another option is to take an excursion to the site of Troy where a symbolic wooden Trojan horse commemorates the legendary war.

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

All Day: 7:00 to 18:30

One of the oldest towns in Bulgaria, walking the old quarter is something of a time warp. Reaching its zenith under Tsar Ivan Alexander in the 14th century before being absorbed into the clutches of the Ottoman Empire, the city at one time had as many as 40 churches. Many have disappeared, but those that remain warrant a visit, the grandest of these being the ‘Old Bishopric'. There are also fine examples of typical Black Sea houses, featuring stone basements with wood-panelled upper floors and bay windows that overhang the narrow cobbled streets.

Overnight: 17:30

Known as the 'Black Pearl', ODESSA was founded in 1794 on the orders of Catherine the Great. Enjoy a city tour with visits to the magnificent Cathedrals of the Assumption and Illinsky, the Art Museum and the Potemkin Steps, made famous in the Eisenstein film 'Battleship Potemkin'. See the 'Tiger Gun' captured in 1854 from HMS Tiger. Stroll along the Primorsky Boulevard past the Baroque-style Opera House, the Palace of Weddings, and the imposing palace of Count Vorontsov.

Evening: 18:00

See day 36 for details.

Evening: 8:00 to 19:00

SEVASTOPOL was founded in 1783, on the site of a former Greek settlement, when Russia annexed the Crimean peninsula. The city’s unique geographical location has contributed to its position as one of the most famous naval citadels in Europe. It has twice been the scene of bitter fighting, first in the siege of Sevastopol during the Crimean War (an event recorded in the city’s famous Panorama) and secondly in World War II when the city was conquered by the Germans in 1942 and re-conquered by the Red Army in 1944. After 1945 Sevastopol became the base of the Black Sea Fleet and a ‘closed’ city. Sevastopol is today a port city of Ukraine.

Evening: 13:00 to 23:00

With its warm sub-tropical climate YALTA was always popular with the ruling elite of Russia. Surrounded by mountains, vineyards and orchards, Yalta was the favourite holiday home for Tsar Nicholas and his family. Later the city was written into the history books as the site for the historic Conference between Churchill, Stalin and Roosevelt in 1945 when the post-war map of Europe was decided.

Evening: 12:00 to 19:00

All Day:

Relax onboard as mv Minerva takes you to your next destination.

Overnight: 7:30

Any visit to ISTANBUL is an unforgettable experience. With its unique skyline of pencil-thin minarets and a magnificent series of domes and half-domes topping each mosque along the Bosphorus, the setting is unique. Founded in the 17th century BC by the Greek, Byzas, the city once known as Byzantium and then Constantinople still lives up to the exotic label of ‘Gateway to the East'. During a two-night stay, choose from a selection of tours that visit the Suleymaniye Mosque, Santa Sophia, Topkapi Palace and the Blue Mosque. You can also enjoy traditional nights of Turkish entertainment.