Ha Long Bay to Mekong Delta March 18 - 30, 2012 Sail among the thousands of limestone islands of Ha Long Bay and across the Perfume River, stroll by peaceful pagodas and Buddhist monasteries, watch colorful floating markets of the Mekong River Delta and enjoy a private cooking class. Discover the many aspects of the French colonial Hanoi and the vibrant city of Saigon. Optional Angkor Wat, Cambodia Tour (March 30 - April 1, 2012)
USA Arts and Politics of Washington DC May 2-6, 2012 Visit the Nation's Capital and see the Smithsonian museums, the National Gallery of Art, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, tour the colonial Old Town Alexandria, take a cruise on the Potomac River, enjoy a show at the Kennedy Center, visit the Newseum, the Library of Congress and the US Capitol, then indulge in designer shopping and fine international dining.
USA The Ultimate New York City May 7-11, 2012 Experience the ultimate New York City: tour the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rockefeller Center, take a private architectural walking tour, watch a Broadway musical and enjoy a classy jazz dining cruise around the night-time Manhattan. Take a carriage through the Central Park and enjoy an elegant luncheon on the lake. Visit the 9/11 Memorial, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the culinary delights of this cosmopolitan city.
Encounter history where it was made while enjoying the paradise surroundings of the Aegean Sea. Tour the Acropolis, the Agora and the ancient temples of Athens. Then, sail on a private yacht and walk on the volcano of the mythical Atlantis, as you enjoy the black sand, the azure seas and the spectacular sunsets of Santorini. From your base at a luxury resort, discover the Minoan civilizations, the beaches, foods and wines of Crete.
Explore the enchanted and culturally diverse Spain as you tour the architecturally stunning Barcelona, the artistic and royal Madrid and the perfectly medieval Toledo. Then relax on the achingly beautiful Mediterranean beaches of Costa del Sol, give in to the drama of flamenco, the Andalucian white towns, the Moorish architecture of the Alhambra Palace in Granada and Seville's Alcazar.
June 11-20, 2012 Enjoy the magical landscapes of glorious beaches rimmed with golden cliffs, Moorish fortresses and Knights Templar castles, fairytale walled towns, baroque palaces and fantastical Manueline architecture. Attend a fado music performance, paint ceramic tiles following the Moorish patterns, visit Fatima and Sintra, and indulge in amazing Portuguese seafood and wines.
CROATIA Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Coast June 21 - 29, 2012 Discover the Pearls of the Adriatic: the white marble Dubrovnik, facing the sea and surrounded by formidable walls, Split with Emperor's Diocletian Palace and the medieval Trogir. Make silk with local women, visit the lavender covered island of Hvar, stroll among the blue-green terraced Plitvice lakes and waterfalls and sail among the lemon-scented Adriatic islands with tiny, red-roofed villages spilling to the sea.
Experience the Old World elegance with Viennese pastries and coffee, waltz music and the mighty Danube weaving through it all. Then tour Salzburg's opulent palaces and foreboding castles, set against the majestic background of the Alps, the crystal lakes and lush meadows. Attend a Mozart concert and Lipizzaner stallions show, hike in the Alps, cruise the Blue Danube and taste new wines in Vienna Woods.
August 4-9, 2012 Wander through the dreamy cityscape of Prague's winding lanes, stone bridges and delicate spires, set in the legendary Bohemia. Immerse yourself in the classical music, Art Nouveau, relax in medieval beer halls and contemporary wine bars, enjoy the Black Light Theatre and marionette performances, take the Jewish heritage and the architecture tours, then visit the Prague Castle and the Lobkowicz Palace.
POLAND Krakow and the Tatra Mountains August 10-18, 2012 Delight in the unique blend of "fairytale come alive" scenery,warm and passionate locals and the ever-present sense of history. Visit Renaissance palaces and medieval castles, attend Chopin's piano recital and Klezmer music concert, enjoy world-class art, the underground salt mine and the communism utopia tour, the spectacular Tatra Mountains, colorful Highlander culture and excellent cuisine.
August 26 - September 4, 2012 Fall in love with Paris, the City of Light, as you visit the Notre Dame, Louvre and Versailles. Take a cruise on the Seine and a culinary gourmet walk through the Left Bank. Enjoy a Moulin Rouge show and dinner atop the Eiffel Tower. Then travel to a luxury villa in Provence and visit Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, Pont du Gard, Provencal villages and vineyards. Take a wine appreciation class and a private cooking lesson.
ITALY Venice and the Italian Lakes September 5 - 13, 2012 See La Scala and the Last Supper in the uber-chic Milan. Relax at the romantic Lake Como, with Bellagio, opulent villas, tropical gardens and the majestic Alps. Visit Juliet's hose in Verona and fall in love with the magical Venice: the mysterious canals filled with gondolas, Piazza San Marco, Doges' Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, sumptuous palazzos along the Grand Canal, La Fenice and the glorious Venetian art. Marvel at stories of forbidden love as you ride the gondola, listen to Vivaldi or watch Murano artisans produce glass masterpieces.
ITALY Classic Tuscany September 14 - 22, 2012 Spend an idyllic vacation in Tuscany, as you discover the glorious towns of Siena, Florence, Cortona and San Gimignano. Enjoy the sun, the verdant hills covered in vineyards, the wines and the amazing food. Stay in a lovingly restored luxury Tuscan villa in the Chianti hills, attend a private Tuscan cooking class and spend your days marveling at countless art treasures, perfect vistas and the unique magic of Tuscany.
Enjoy the city of the Caesars and la dolce vita, long sunny days, endless art galleries, fountain-splashed piazzas, flower markets and gelato. Tour the ancient monuments of the Roman Empire, explore cobbled medieval streets and Renaissance domes set the stage for great wine bars, fabulous dining, sidewalk cafes and uncomparable shopping. Take insightful tours of the Vatican, Galleria and Villa Borghese and Emperor Hadrian's villa in Tivoli.
Dramatically beautiful, wild, daring and romantic, the Amalfi Coast defines an Italian luxury escape. Marvel at the dramatic Amalfi coastline with aquamarine waters, steep cliffs and lemon groves below the Vesuvius, tour Pompeii and Naples and the romantic island of Capri. Take a cooking class in the unique setting of Ravello, walk through the fragrant gardens of Positano, suspended over the sparkling sea, tour the Greek temples in Paestum, and take a private boat tour of secluded beaches, coves and grottoes of the Sorrento Peninsula.
Experience the exotic beauty of Morocco, as you ride camels from a lush oasis to a Berber camp in the Sahara Desert, take a Moroccan cooking arts class, stay at luxury riads and ancient kasbahs. Tour Majorelle Gardens, hike the High Atlas Mountains, indulge in Moroccan spa treatments, stroll the oceanside promenade of Casablanca, through medieval souks and medinas of Fez and the palm groves of Marrakech.
Experience the true Old World charm and heart-warming Christmas traditions, as you explore the Advent markets held in towns and villages throughtout Germany. Visit the modern Berlin, baroque Dresden, and medieval Munich, as you enjoy the romance of train travel, history, food, music and fairytale snowy landscapes.
Enjoy the cosmopolitan Cape Town, with rugged beaches, Table Mountain, African penguins, Cape of Good Hope, and wine touring, take a tour of the Blyde River Canyon, then spend time at a luxury private game reserve in the Kruger National Park on a world-class safari and track the Big Five (lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, rhino). This tour is guaranteed to become a highlight of your life. Optional Victoria Falls Tour.
Embark on the voyage of a lifetime as you tour the Valley of the Kings, Queen Hatshepsut Temple, the Pyramids of Giza and camel trek past the mystical Sphinx. Visit the legendary Alexandria and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo, then board a luxury Nile ship and sail to the temples of Karnak and Luxor, Aswan and Abu Simbel. Study the mysterious realm of the pharaohs and their hieroglyphics, as you visit their colossal monuments and elaborate tombs. Optional Petra and the Red Sea Tour.
BRAZIL
The Amazon Expedition Cruise February 2013 This unforgettable journey into the Amazon wilderness is a private expedition on the Earth's mightiest river and into pristine areas penetrated by only a privileged few. Sail aboard a luxury expedition ship which docks along the river shore, where experienced naturalists take you into the orchid-festooned rainforest, full of exotic fruit, rare birds and animals, including the pink Amazon dolphin, three-toes sloth, caiman and squirrel monkeys.
NEW ZEALAND
North Island and South Island March 2013 Discover the world's most stunningly diverse landscapes in the Paradise of the Pacific: from subtropical beaches and lush vineyards to geysers, mossy forests and dramatic fjords. Experience the native Maori culture, take a cruise across Milford Sound, ride the TranzAlpine train through Mount Cook National Park with waterfalls, geysers, surreal green and the Lord of the Rings scenery.
IRELAND
Dublin and the Emerald Glens May 2013 Steeped in the mist of history and woven into a rich tapestry of arts and literature, Ireland offers magnificent landscapes of vibrant mossy hills and dramatic coast strewn with castles, prehistoric monuments and manor houses, as well as a fascinating Celtic heritage. Follow in the footsteps of Irish writers in Dublin, see the wind-swept Cliffs of Moher, the rock-encrusted Burren, the translucent Killarney lakes, the spectacular Ring of Kerry seascapes, then join in a singalong in a local pub.
Enjoy the urban chic of London, sprinkled with the magic of royalty, art and gardens. See a West End theatre play, ride on the London Eye, tour the Tower of London, the British Museum, and take the Thames River cruise. Then venture to the picture perfect Cotswolds, discover the hidden Oxford, look for Jane Austen's heritage in Bath and visit the prehistoric Stonehenge.
TURKEY From Beaches to Antiquity October 2013 Follow the dramatic story of this complex region, woven into history and myth: from exotic, sensory-overloading Istanbul, the ancient sites of Ephesus and Pergamum, to the magical Aegean Coast beaches and geologically stunning Capadoccia. Cruise on the Bosphorus past antiquity monuments, pine forests, olive groves and lavender fields, tour Istanbul's Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Grand Bazaar.
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