7 nights. Tunisia, Spain, France, Italy

Day 1

sicily (palermo),italy

Departure: 18:00

Life in Palermo is intense. People and buildings are tightly packed into every available space and chaotic markets make the narrow footpaths impassable. Lush gardens exist along poor narrow streets, and drying laundry resembles the festive banners of a public celebration. Stroll along via Roma up to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, admiring the squares and the exuberant cathedral. The Palazzo dei Normani is an extraordinary fusion of styles, its Byzantine mosaics are a reminder of the city's Golden Age. The ruins of the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti stand around the corner, with its pink domes shielding an exotic cloister garden. The National Gallery of Sicily, housed in the Palazzo Abatellis, has a superb collection of paintings and sculpture. In the mornings, don’t miss the massive open-air Capo market. Most of Palermo’s nightlife occurs in the beach district of Mondello. There you can join the strolling crowds of young Italians sampling fish from seaside kitchen stalls and eating gelato.

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Day 2

la goulette, tunisia

Arrival: 09:00 - Departure: 18:00

With a mild, sandy Mediterranean coast, perfumed with jasmine and sea breezes, Tunis is reinventing itself as an ambitiously modern Arab capital. The city is eager to preserve its Mediterranean traditions as well as its Arabic and African roots. This attitude is reflected in its architecture, with the old Arab medina situated next to the French colonial Ville Nouvelle (New Town). Like any other Arabic metropolis, the medina is the historic and spiritual heart of the city. The labyrinthine streets of the medina are packed with people selling, buying and transporting goods, enveloped in the aroma of spices. The contrast with the palm trees and café terraces of the ville nouvelle's avenue Habib Bourguiba could not be more stark. Old men in traditional attire watch suited office workers and the young pass by in jeans and shirts: this is Tunis. In the suburbs are the magnificent Bardo Museum and the impressive and enigmatic ruins of ancient Carthage, from where Hannibal set out to drive his elephants over the Alps. Also nearby is Tunisia's most beautiful village, Sidi Bou Said, an inspiration to many artists, and the stunning white-sand beaches of La Marsa. Tunis is a vibrant yet relaxed capital city that celebrates its Western and Eastern influences and proudly displays its cultural heritage.

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Day 4

barcelona, spain

Arrival: 08:00 - Departure: 18:00

Barcelona is a city on the coast of northeastern Spain. It's the capital and biggest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people, making it the fifth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, the Ruhr area, Madrid, and Milan. It's one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 feet) high.

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Day 5

provence(marseille), france

Arrival: 09:00 - Departure: 18:00

Marseille is the second largest city in France, the biggest Mediterranean port and the economic hub of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Marseille is set in a beautiful location, nestled between rugged limestone hills and a sweeping bay, and is rich with history, which wasn’t always pleasant. Marseille is a popular holiday destination, as it has 300 days of sunshine a year. Today Marseille still retains traces of its tumultuous past, this ancient city is today very active and attractive. It has a powerful charm which encourages visitors, to wander through its old districts around le Vieux Port, in the gardens with the ancient ruins or the gardens of Longchamp Palace and, of course, on the esplanade of Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde Cathedral, which overlooks the entire city Marseille is atmospheric and charming and a real must.

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Day 6

genoa, italy

Arrival: 09:00 - Departure: 17:00

Genova is a city of contrasts: it's a city of art as well as an industrial city. It has glass skyscrapers and medieval towers, business centres and unspoiled historic sites. Genoa is one of Italy’s most important ports that now accommodates Europe’s largest aquarium and the largest maritime history museum in the Mediterranean. Strolling down its narrow, twisting lanes, known as caruggi, visitors will discover architectural gems, some excellent museums and art galleries. Porta Soprana, the best known gate in the ancient Genoa city walls, gives way to the Piazza de Ferrari, with its Palace of the Doges and the Opera House. Along the Strade Nuove, a stunning avenue listed as a World Heritage Site, is where we find the Palazzi dei Rolli, a roster of aristocratic homes that are a reminder of the city’s imperial past. Genoa is an elusive and secretive city, it will take you to great bars, share its cuisine and give you a glimpse of culture, but it’ll have to get to know you first.

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Day 7

naples/capri, italy

Arrival: 13:00 - Departure: 20:00

Capri is a stunning picturesque retreat located 5 km from mainland Italy in the Bay of Naples. It's a renowned beauty spot and coastal resort since the time of the emperors. It's a very popular destination due to what it has to offer and that is its rural charm, slow pace of life and unforgettable views. Capri has constant sunshine and enjoys its well deserved reputation as a Garden of Eden. Capri town is the main settlement on the island and can be reached via a funicular railway that runs from the dock in Marina Grande. The town's main square, Piazza Umberto, is a bustling central area that contains a few shops, cafes and restaurants and is where the funicular railway ends. Surrounding the square are the ''Torre dell'Orologio'', or Clock Tower and the island's main church, San Stefano. Anacapri is the island's second largest settlement and lies a couple of miles west of Capri town. Anacapri offers visitors many art and craft shops and also the opportunity to enjoy a trip on a chair lift up to the summit of Mount Solaro.

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Day 8

sicily (palermo),italy

Arrival: 09:00

Life in Palermo is intense. People and buildings are tightly packed into every available space and chaotic markets make the narrow footpaths impassable. Lush gardens exist along poor narrow streets, and drying laundry resembles the festive banners of a public celebration. Stroll along via Roma up to Corso Vittorio Emanuele, admiring the squares and the exuberant cathedral. The Palazzo dei Normani is an extraordinary fusion of styles, its Byzantine mosaics are a reminder of the city's Golden Age. The ruins of the Church of San Giovanni degli Eremiti stand around the corner, with its pink domes shielding an exotic cloister garden. The National Gallery of Sicily, housed in the Palazzo Abatellis, has a superb collection of paintings and sculpture. In the mornings, don’t miss the massive open-air Capo market. Most of Palermo’s nightlife occurs in the beach district of Mondello. There you can join the strolling crowds of young Italians sampling fish from seaside kitchen stalls and eating gelato.

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7 nights. Tunisia, Spain, France, Italy

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