Cruise: Silversea 7 night Med
7 Night Cruise sailing from Venice to Rome aboard Silver Wind from $4230.
Aboard Silver Wind, the tangibles of ultra-luxury travel - Limoges china, Christofle silverware, Frette bed linens and soft down pillows - are subtly blended with an intangible at-your-service atmosphere that caters to satisfying a guest's every desire, 24-hours a day. The ship's luxurious ocean-view suites (75 percent with private verandah) provide guests with all of the comforts of home including full marble bath, lighted vanity, mini bar with refrigerator, walk-in closet with private safe, satellite television with video cassette player, and direct dial phone.
Silversea’s service is simply the world’s best. It is a philosophy, an attitude – complemented by distinctive European style and inherent in all that we do. Achieving perfection is driven by our desire to please. To see you smile. It begins the moment you step aboard with a warm welcome and a flute of champagne, and follows throughout your voyage with an unspoken anticipation of your needs. Sailing on Silversea’s intimate ships is like visiting a friend’s home; you’re greeted by name and your personal preferences are always remembered.
Venice, Italy
Located off Italy’s north coast on a series of small islands, Venice is singular among the world’s cities. Shakespeare must have agreed, for he selected Venice as the setting for his Othello and The Merchant of Venice.
Built over a sprawling archipelago, Venice encompasses 118 islands separated by more than 150 canals that are spanned by some 400 bridges. Adding a profound historic past and incomparable art treasures, its fame as one of the world’s great cities is well justified. Most of the city has to be explored on foot, although a convenient water bus system as well as water taxis are plying the canals.
Political refugees founded the first Venetian settlement in the 6th century. By the 13th century, the Republic of St. Mark dominated trade in the eastern Mediterranean and ruled the empire. Maritime trade conducted by shrewd merchants brought great wealth which resulted in the building of palaces, churches and monuments. The city became the centre of the Venetian empire. Many magnificent structures were erected; artists such as Bellini, Titian and Tintoretto created world-famous masterpieces.
Along the Grand Canal, many splendid palaces line the famous waterway. One of the principal stations, San Marco, offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Square, the Basilica and the Doges’ Palace. From Piazza San Marco, narrow streets lined with shops and restaurants lead off in various directions. This enchanting city will never fail to capture the senses.
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Called the "Jewel of the Adriatic" by Lord Byron and classed a world heritage treasure by UNESCO, Dubrovnik is a place of ancient streets lined with stone palaces, Venetian-style buildings and majestic bell towers. One of the more popular cruise ports and resorts on the Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik’s southerly position accounts for its agreeable climate and Mediterranean vegetation. The city is enclosed by ancient walls, and one of the highlights is a walk atop the walls to enjoy spectacular views of the city and the sea.
Founded in the middle of the 7th century by Greek refugees from Epidaurus, Dubrovnik became the most important city-state on the Adriatic after Venice during the Middle Ages. It counted a merchant fleet of some 200 ships. In 1880, the city acquired its first steamship. From that time on, steamers began replacing sailing ships and thus began a new era for Dubrovnik's maritime history.
The Old Town is unique for its marble-paved squares, cobbled streets, tall houses, churches, palaces, fountains and museums, all built from the same light-collared stone. Although heavy shelling during the conflict of 1991 affected some of these priceless treasures, the ensuing years saw an energetic restoration program. Today, Dubrovnik is as beautiful as ever, waiting to be explored and to enchant visitors once again as it has done for centuries.
Rome (civitavecchia), Italy
Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always been and remains the “Eternal City.” Its greatest splendor was experienced during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman legions swept outward, conquering much of the known world. With Rome’s establishment as capital of the Western world, a new ascent to glory began.
Today’s Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafés and elegant shops, is one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous monuments is the Coliseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combat between muscled gladiators and ferocious animals. Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city’s political and commercial center. In later times, Rome’s squares were enhanced with such imposing structures as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument, the monumental Trevi fountain and Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, to name just a few.
Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Join the many visitors who stand in awe of St. Peter's Basilica, Christendom’s most magnificent church. Admire the timeless masterpiece of Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. For the Millennium, Rome underwent an extensive beautification program that restored and cleaned churches, palaces, museums and piazzas. Many of the streets, squares and public spaces have been turned into pedestrian areas, causing additional strain on already horrendous traffic conditions.
Please contact Julie Richards on (02) 8270 4800 or email her at jrichards@conciergetraveller.com.au for more information.