Diamonds Of The Med – 2024 – 7 Nights

Palma. Think leafy boulevards that echo with the stilettos of stylish shoppers. Tiny tapas bars tucked down narrow sidestreets. Architectural gold hidden in the historic quarter. With its trademark cathedral dominating the skyline, cosmopolitan Palma never fails to impress.

Spend some time exploring...

Enjoy the ship during your sea day

The busy port city of Olbia is the gateway to Sardinia. Venture outside the city and you’ll discover a coastline patched together with sandy beaches, virgin coves and towns that alternate between busy urban centres and pretty Medieval masterpieces.

• The National Archaeological Museum of Olbia is stocked with artefacts left behind by the Romans and the even older Nuraghic civilisation.
• Boat trips from Sardinia take in everything from the French island of Corsica to the peaceful Maddalena archipelago.
• Bike rides are reliably scenic in these parts, taking in charm-filled villages and china-white beaches along the way.

Naples is Italy’s most red-blooded city. This is the place where the pizza is so good people don’t wait for their slices at restaurant tables, they order it to-go from street side windows. And it’s the city where the soundtrack is the beeping of moped horns. For all its joy de vive, you wouldn’t know Naples is actually one of the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in the world. The city centre is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s dripping with ancient architecture, cathedrals and churches.

• Visit the time-frozen cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum, whose citizens were stopped in their tracks by the famous eruptions of 79 AD.
• Teeter on the brink of Mount Vesuvius, the only active volcano you can climb in Europe.

Piombino is the gateway to the Tuscan cities of Siena and Pisa. Hilly Siena is packed with Gothic architecture, Medieval monuments and hundreds of restaurants. Pisa, meanwhile, is home to the legendary leaning tower.

• Siena’s sloping Piazza del Campo is the setting for the famous Palio horse race featured in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace. Make a wish at the Gaia Fountain, climb to the top of the Torre del Mangia bell-tower, or watch the world go by over a scoop of gelato.
• The Siena Cathedral is an Italian work of art. Inside, it’s filled with elaborate floor mosaics, painted naves propped up by black-and-white marble pillars, and masterpieces by the likes of Donatello and Michelangelo.
• Take selfies with the 11^th-century Leaning Tower of Pisa, which sways to one side because of an error made during construction. You can also climb the 297-step spiral staircase for an elevated view of the nearby Duomo and the Baptistery of St John.

Think of the French Riviera and what springs to mind? Expensive yachts? Wide, palm-fringed boulevards? Glittering turquoise seas? Experience the glamour and glitz of France’s most famous stretch of coast.

• Imagine you’re Lewis Hamilton as you drive along the Grand Prix circuit in Monte Carlo. After you’ve negotiated the hairpin bends, you’ll find it hard to believe the fastest lap time on this circuit is just over 13 seconds.
• Trace your way along the French Riviera. Take in elegant Nice, the hilltop village of St Paul and Grasse, which is the world capital for perfume and flowers.

Fringed with a ribbon of sun-kissed sands, Palamos started life as a tiny fishing village. The legacy of fishing continues today with the day’s catch sold off to the highest bidder on the quayside every afternoon. Head down to the beach, or leave the town behind for a day of discovery.

• Head to Barcelona to stroll down Las Ramblas, admire a few Gaudi gems, or call in at Nou Camp, home of Barcelona FC.
• Take a trip to nearby Figueres, home to the bizarre-looking Salvador Dali Museum. On the outside, it’s a vision of red studded walls topped with huge luminous eggs. Inside, you’ll find an amazing collection of Dali’s surrealist paintings and sculptures.

Palma. Think leafy boulevards that echo with the stilettos of stylish shoppers. Tiny tapas bars tucked down narrow sidestreets. Architectural gold hidden in the historic quarter. With its trademark cathedral dominating the skyline, cosmopolitan Palma never fails to impress.

• Spend some time exploring the city, clicking snaps of the 14th-century Bellver Castle, browsing the boutiques and tasting tapas in the authentic bars that barnacle the backstreets
• Love to shop? Then make a beeline for Inca, the island’s biggest street market, which opens every Thursday.
• Don’t miss out on one last amazing view when you leave the city. When the ship departs after dark, make sure you’re out on deck to enjoy the unforgettable sight of Palma Cathedral magically lit up.