IN ANCIENT FOOTSTEPS...
SIRACUSA once rivaled Athens as a seat of power, wealth, and culture – and Cicero called it “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all.” At the Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, listen carefully and you might hear the words of the playwrights Aeschylus and
Euripides echoing in the massive amphitheatre... Another day, on the island of Ortigia, dubbed Siracusa’s “old city” (to let us know it’s not just ancient, but really ancient) explore the ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the oldest known Doric temple in Europe...
LIPARI – off the northern coast of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea – was inhabited by humans as long ago as 5,000 BC. In the Stone and Bronze Ages, the island was prized for its abundance of obsidian, the hard volcanic glass that was perfect for making knives. Later, of course, the Greeks and Romans arrived. All of Lipari’s peoples still linger on the island in the vast collection of artifacts of daily life housed in its renowned Archaeological Museum. Here you’ll find such treasures as a Bronze Age necropolis and classical ceramics to spark your imagination for how the ancients really lived...
Your shore excursion to Palermo astounds with myriad architectural gems
5. CRUISE TO PALERMO
Spend the morning at sea en route to Sicily’s capital city, Palermo, viewing it first while enjoying brunch aboard Le Ponant. Palermo sightseeing includes the cathedral, a fascinating blend of architectural styles; the Palazzo dei Normanni with its impressive mosaic-filled Cappella Palatina; and Fontana Pretoria, an elaborately sculpted fountain that caused outrage when first unveiled in 1575. Le Ponant spends the night docked conveniently in the heart of the pedestrian area. Meals BLD
ROME has antiquities around every corner, but none is more evocative than the Colosseum. Built for public spectacles to entertain the masses and secure support for the empire, the world’s largest amphitheatre provided the stage for all kinds of events – not just gladiator contests, but also mock sea battles, animal hunts, mythological dramas, executions... Some might say the Colosseum was the reality TV of its day. The nearby Roman Forum, on the other hand, was the city’s go-to gathering spot for political discourse, trade, and gossip – making it perhaps the ancient precursor to our Internet...
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6. ANTIQUITIES & ARTIFACTS OF SICILY Wake up in Castellammare for a drive to Segesta, commanding striking views of the surrounding hills and sea. At the Temple of Segesta, dating back to 426 BC, find 36 supporting Doric columns and an interior that was never completed, presumably due to the nearly constant state of conflict endured by the town. Drive on to the exquisite city of Erice, suspended above the sea and encircled by Punic and Norman fortifications, where you’ll ride a cable car to nearby Trapani (weather permitting). Meals BLD
7. LIPARI / VIEW THE ISLAND OF STROMBOLI Cast anchor in Lipari, the largest of the Aeolian Islands, and set off by Zodiac to explore the sights. Take in the 16th-century castle and cathedral, and climb the steps to the island’s renowned Archaeological Museum, where you’ll find treasures from Neolithic stones to Greek and Roman remains. Then spend
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