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Discover the Mediterranean Beneath Full Sails

Discover the Mediterranean Beneath Full Sails

From $11,250 NZD

Description

Barcelona and its famous architect
When Antoni Gaudí died in 1926 after the collision with a tram, all of Barcelona grieved. Like no other public figure, the idiosyncratic architect shaped the city with his fairy-tale buildings full of organic shapes and extravagant ideas. Plans are to complete his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia, by 2026, one hundred years after Gaudí’s death.

Tarragona: a smaller Rome in Spain
As a busy provincial town, antique Tarragona was like little Rome in Iberia. Triumphal arches, aqueducts, the amphitheatre and the Forum Romanum are witnesses of its glorious past. And if you feel like toasting so much history, there is no shortage of wine: For over 2,000 years, this area has been a popular wine-growing region.

Three Balearic Islands with character
The Balearic Islands can hardly be generalised, because each of the pretty islands has its individual character. While nature lovers prefer Menorca as a wild and romantic paradise, Mallorca entices with busy seaside towns and idyllic rural villages. And among its typical white square houses and colourful hippie markets, charming Ibiza conveys pure relaxation.

A lecturer accompanies the trip
Knowledge, entertainment and facts – our expert is on hand to give talks on a wide variety of specialist subjects. He will also be on board to answer any questions that you may have.

Trip Name
Discover the Mediterranean Beneath Full Sails
Days
15
Overview
Vessel Type: Tall Ship (Sailing) Length: 109 metres Passenger Capacity: 64 Built / refurbished: 1931 / 2011 Sea Cloud is a ship with a soul, imbued by the original owners, Marjorie Merriweather Post and her husband E.F. Hutton in the 1930’s. The ship has played host to royalty, known service in wartime, and sailed the world over. She is a vessel of incomparable grace that harks back to the golden age of ship travel. Once you’ve been on Sea Cloud under full sail, you’ll begin your own love affair. Welcome aboard a legend Sea Cloud accommodates 58 guests in 28 outside cabins including two original owner’s suites that still feature original marble baths and fireplaces. At 360 feet she is an expansive ship with extensive public spaces on the top deck, where we luxuriate in deck chairs and watch the crew of 18 go aloft in the web of riggings to hand-set her 30 sails. Her dining room is hung with marine oil paintings of the period and accommodates all guests at once for a single seating. We’ll gather in the lounge each evening for Recap. Life aboard is a uniquely pleasing mix of elegance and informality—a return to the golden age of sailing in shorts and deck shoes. You’ll find all shipboard services impeccable.  Discover the romance of tall ship sailingExperience something many people don’t know exists in the 21st century—the romance of life under square sails. Discover the thrill of standing on deck as Sea Cloud gently glides through the water, her crew aloft in the riggings, running out and reefing sails. Settle in to your favorite areas on the top deck and bask in the incomparable experience of traveling aboard the finest tall ship to ever sail the seas. Lose yourself in an adventure that, in this day and age, is almost unimaginable. Please note deck and suite plans are indicative only and may vary slightly.

Itinerary



Day 1 - DAY 1: Auckland/Sydney (B,D)
Depart Auckland/Sydney this evening.
Day 2 - DAY 2: Dubai (B,D)
Upon arrival in Dubai this morning we clear customs and makeour way to our centrally located hotel, the remainder of the dayis free to relax or maybe join with the rest of the group for anexploration of the city. Tonight enjoy a group dinner.
Day 3 - DAY 3: Dubai (B,D)
Enjoy a full day of exploration in Dubai including dinner inthe desert.
Day 4 - DAY 4: Barcelona (B,D)
Depart from Dubai this morning and arrive in Barcelona midafternoon, we make our way to our centrally located hotel andenjoy a traditional tapas dinner this evening.
Day 5 - DAY 5: Barcelona – board the Sea Cloud (B,D)
Barcelona revels in contrasts. Many enthuse over the beautifulelegant squares and boulevards, while others look for medievalromance in the Gothic quarter. Some love the artistic treasuresin the Picasso Museum or the Joan Miró Foundation, but formost people Barcelona is the capital of Catalan Art Nouveau andits glory is epitomised in the spectacular Palau de la Música.At every turn you encounter the playfully opulent creations ofarchitect Antonio Gaudi. His exuberant fantasies are evident in the numerous houses, idiosyncratic parks and the famousuncompleted Sagrada Familia cathedral which he created.
Day 6 - DAY 6: Barcelona (B,L,D)
Today we enjoy a walking tour of Barcelona. Passing byColumbus Monument you will drive towards the Gothic Quarter– surrounded by the remains of Roman walls, within which verylittle has changed for centuries. This is an island within the urbanmetropolis with narrow streets of ancient stone and magnificenthistorical buildings. Here, you will stop at the Cathedral, a Gothicstructure dating from the 14th and 15th centuries. You will havethe chance to visit one of Gaudi’s materpieces: the presentCasa Batlló is a result of a total refurbishment of an old previousconventional house built in 1877. Rather than a building, CasaBatlló is a myth of art, architecture and design of all times. Itseduces for its extreme design, its repertoire of visual solutions,the creative use of materials and colour and the allegoricalvalues. Casa Batlló has been inscribed on Unesco’s WorldHeritage List in July 2005.
Day 7 - DAY 7: Tarragona (B,L,D)
Tarragona is the most important port city in southern Catalonia.Set on a modest rise that spreads from a small headland, thetown’s historic quarter is brimming with Roman and medievalremains, and has been declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO.We will start our tour with a transfer to the ancient city gate “Portalof Roser”, where we can admire the oldest Roman construction inSpain: the Roman City Walls of Tarragona. Continue the visit of thecity walking through its streets and admiring its beautiful SquarePlaza de La Font. . Then continue to the Roman Circus which wasonce used to hold horse and chariot races, it is estimated thatit had a capacity for over 30,000 spectators. Continuing yourwalking tour towards the Mediterranean Balcony overlooking thesea, you will see the Amphitheater.
Day 8 - DAY 8: Morning at Sea / Menorca (B,L,D)
Spend a spectacular morning at sea under sail as the majesticSea Cloud unfurls its full compliment of sails and you aretransported to a bygone era, watch the crew as the scamperabout in the rigging and stand with the captain and sailing masteras the carefully choreographed maneuvers are orchestrated. Laterthis afternoon Sea Cloud will make its way into the marina atMahon on the island of Menorca.
Day 9 - DAY 9: Mahon / Menorca (B,L,D)
Mahôn, the island’s capital, has the largest natural harbour inthe Mediterranean. The harbour of the former capital, Ciutadella,which translates as “tiny little town”, has a picturesque settingon a fjord-like bay. It is one of the most beautiful cities in Spainand you will be enchanted by the narrow lanes in the old town,the majestic squares and the smart promenades. Menorcanaturally has two sides - in the north is the wild mountain regionof Tramuntana, with its ruggedly craggy coastline and hidden bays.In the south there are gentle hills with wide plains and seeminglyendless sandy beaches. Listed as a Biosphere Reserve byUNESCO, Majorca’s little sister is considerably quieter and moretraditional. Our touring today will take us towards Monte Toro, theislands spiritual center, here the sanctuary of the Mother of Godof Toro stands on the summit and a community of Franciscannuns runs the sanctuary. The explore the town of Ciutadella withits fascinating mixture of histories that is exemplified by thearchitecture of the city center.
Day 10 - DAY 10: Palma de Mallorca (B,L,D)
Majorca’s beautiful capital is an elegant city and its picturesqueold town and architectural mix of Arab, Catalan and Art Nouveauelements are part of its success story. In the centre you will belured by shops behind splendid facades, and cafés and barsset on beautiful squares invite you to stay a while. Not far fromthe sophisticated marina you will find the dignified cathedral,affectionately known as “La Seu” for short. With pure Gothicbeginnings, none other than Antonio Gaudi created part ofits interior at the start of the 20th century. Today we will tourto one of the most beautiful valleys on Majorca, “BodegasSanta Catarina” where we will taste some of the fine CabernetSauvignon, Merlot and Chardonnay wines produced on the island.
Day 11 - DAY 11: Ibiza (B,L,D)
Ibiza’s motto is “live and let live”. Artists, hedonists and theinternational jet set discovered the beauty of this Balearic islandmany years ago. The little island’s character has a Moorishinfluence, which has given it the pseudonym of “the white island”.The tidy old quarter in Ibiza Town, surrounded by huge fortifiedwalls, has been carefully restored and, like the entire island, isunder the protection of UNESCO. In contrast, the spectacular,sometimes wildly rugged island coastline with its innumerablebays and beaches shows the traditional side of Ibiza. The primordial backdrop is one of gentle hills cris-crossed with ascattering of fincas. A walking tour through Ibiza Town allows youto absorb the history and visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria.
Day 12 - DAY 12: Valencia – Disembark Sea Cloud (B,D)
On one corner its centuries old and around the next totallymodern - Valencia is everything all at once. Today the beautifulold town and the old silk market “La Lonja de la Seda”, whichis a UNESCO World Heritage Site, still bear witness to the city’swealth in the Middle Ages. A brand new part of the city is situatedin a drained river bed and has avant-garde buildings including afuturistic opera house, the largest aquarium in Europe, a botanicalgarden and a public park. Valencia is one of the few cities thathas a heritage of over 2,000 years and is also so intriguinglycombined with the future. And no other city in Europe canproudly make the claim that the America’s Cup has already takenplace twice right on its front door. We are planning to spend theafternoon with the members of Real Club Nautico Valencia andenjoy dinner at the club as a final farewell to our grand sailingadventure.
Day 13 - DAY 13: Valencia / Barcelona / Dubai (B,D)
This morning we depart from Valencia and take a domestic flightto Barcelona where we connect with Emirates for our flights toDubai and onwards to Sydney/Auckland.
Day 14 - DAY 14: Flying (B,L,D)
Spend today relaxing aboard Emirates renowned A380 as youmake your way home with a brief stop over in Dubai.
Day 15 - Day 15: Auckland / Sydney (B)
Arrive this morning.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$13,150Category 3 Economy
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$17,235Category 5 Business
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$19,818Category 2 Business
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$13,820Category 2 Economy
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$11,250Category 5 Economy
19-10-201802-11-2018NZD$18,955Category 3 Business

Inclusions

    • Barcelona and its famous architect
    • Tarragona: a smaller Rome in Spain
    • Three Balearic Islands with character
    • A lecturer accompanies the trip
    • Escorted by Wild Earth Travel’s Sarah Porter

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