Voyages to Antiquity: Exploring History’s Grandeur in France and Spain

18 days
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4.3/5 Great
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Large Ship Cruise
On this voyage from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar, study the rises and falls of empires and examine the spectacular architectural and artistic record left behind. Roman theaters, opulent Moorish palaces and medieval cathedrals beckon you inside to learn the stories of emperors, sultans and popes.
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Overview

Trip type
Large Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Highlights

    • Delve into France’s medieval history at Avignon’s Papal Palace and on the narrow streets of fortified Carcassonne.
    • Examine the exquisite interiors and lush gardens of the Alhambra, a magnificent Moorish palace.
    • Contrast the proud cultures of several Spanish cities including Barcelona, Madrid and Seville.

What's this trip about?

    On this voyage from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic through the Strait of Gibraltar, study the rises and falls of empires and examine the spectacular architectural and artistic record left behind. Roman theaters, opulent Moorish palaces and medieval cathedrals beckon you inside to learn the stories of emperors, sultans and popes.

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Details

Itinerary focusClassic Highlights
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transport
Start CityNice
End CityMadrid

Travel Themes

  • 50 Plus
  • Education / Learning
  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Educational/ Learning
  • Historic Sightseeing
  • River Cruise
  • Wine Tasting

Trip includes

    • 16 nights of accommodations
    • 7 expert-led lectures
    • 13 expert-led field trips
    • 1 hands-on experience
    • 1 performance
    • An experienced Group Leader
    • Customary gratuities throughout the program
    • The Road Scholar Travel Protection Plan, 24-hour-a-day emergency assistance coverage
    • Taxes

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Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1: In Transit

In Flight

Day 2: Welcome to Nice, France!

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Best Western Plus Hotel Massena Nice

Afternoon: At 5:00 PM, meet in the hotel lobby for the program orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date Da...

Day 3: Nice, France; Embark Aegean Odyssey

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room. On this program, breakfasts will be buffet-style with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, juice, milk, coffee and tea. Water will be served at ...

Day 4: Cannes, France; Monte Carlo

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship, breakfast will be buffet-style with breads, cheeses, cold-cuts, yogurt, fruit, cereals, hot dishes, juice, milk, coffee and tea and served in the Terrace Café.

Day 5: Cruising the French Riviera Coast

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: At sea. In the morning, as the ship makes its way to Marseilles, you will pass close to the coast of Monte Carlo and then continue along the beau...

Day 6: Marseilles, France

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Activity note: Heavy walking for one or more hours over uneven terrain.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Explore the Provençal countryside on this full-day field trip to A...

Day 7: Sete, France / Carcassonne

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: From the port of Sete, it is an hour's drive through the quintessentially French Languedoc countryside to Carcassonne. Founded by the Romans, the...

Day 8: Barcelona, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: This morning we explore Barcelona on an expert-led coach overview of the city which takes in some of Antoni Gaudí's most important works. We will see th...

Day 9: Valencia, Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Enjoy the charm of Valencia's squares and hidden corners on a walk through this fascinating city. Admire its architecture from the charming Plaza...

Day 10: At sea

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: At sea. Treat yourself to one of many spa services offered by the ship. Or, simply relax poolside enjoying the late spring sunshine.

Lunch...

Day 11: Málaga, Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Enjoy a coach ride through the Andalucían countryside from the port of Málaga to Granada. Here you will experience the majesty of the Alhambra, a...

Day 12: Tangier, Morocco

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: This morning discover Tangier, a city founded by Carthaginian colonists in the early 5th century BC. Visit its medina, or old town, filled with m...

Day 13: Seville, Spain

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Aegean Odyssey

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: At sea. This afternoon cruise the Guadalquivir River, the second longest river with its entire length in Spain.

Lunch: Aboard the ship.

Day 14: Disembark Seville, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Sevilla

Activity note: The Barrio de Santa Cruz is largely cobbled.

Breakfast: Aboard the ship.

Morning: Disembark the ship and enjoy a guided visit of Seville, the capital and largest city o...

Day 15: Seville, Spain / Córdoba

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Meliá Sevilla

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Enjoy the rolling plains of the Andalucían countryside during this morning's transfer to Córdoba. Today's full-day field trip will include the Me...

Day 16: Train to Madrid, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Galgos

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Following check-out, we transfer to Seville's Santa Justa station to board a high-speed train to Madrid departing in the mid or late-morning. The...

Day 17: Madrid, Spain

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Meliá Galgos

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Morning panoramic sightseeing visit of Madrid including Paseo de la Castallaña, Madrid's chic modern district, the Paseo del Prado, also known as...

Day 18: Departures

Meals: Breakfast

In Flight

Breakfast: In the hotel dining room.

Morning: Transfer to Madrid–Barajas Airport (MAD) for departures. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,495
Price per day$305
Last Updated: 8/2/2018

  • Select Custom Arrangements to get to and from Road Scholar-provided airfare for your program

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Best Western Plus Hotel Massena Nice: 1 night  Nice

The 4-star Hotel Massena Nice, a Best Western hotel, is short stroll to the Old Town including the Promenade des Anglais, Saleya Courts and the flower market.

 

Aegean Odyssey: 11 nights  Ft. Lauderdale

The Aegean Odyssey offers boutique-style cruising at its best. In contrast to the massive vessels cruising to and from major ports, it is a midsized ship adapted for island and coastal cruising. The Aegean Odyssey can visit smaller, less crowded harbors and sail closer to the coast enabling you to really appreciate the magical views.

 

Meliá Sevilla: 2 nights  Seville

Located in the heart of Seville opposite the Parque de Maria Luisa and Plaza España and very close to the University (Old Tobacco Factory), the Alcazar, the Barrio de Santa Cruz district, the Cathedral and the Archive of the Indies, the new Meliá Sevilla is the perfect choice for your business and leisure trips, thanks to its excellent location in the city centre, its fully equipped and comfortable facilities and the quality of its services.

 

Meliá Galgos: 2 nights  , Madrid

Located in the chic Barrio Salamanca, close to the main Paseo de la Castellana, the Meliá Galgos is a recently renovated 4-star hotel. It is surrounded by a wide variety of restaurants, cafés and shops, and there are two metro stations nearby providing easy access to all areas of the city.

Ship & cabin information
MV Aegean Odyssey
Classically elegant, but far from stuffy and formal, premium class MV Aegean Odyssey offers passengers every comfort at sea, with a relaxed, congenial atmosphere and the highest calibre of personal service. Carrying an average of 350 passengers, Aegean Odyssey’s ideal size is perfectly suited for coastal cruising to the small inlets of the Mediterranean that larger ships cannot reach. It also allows her to navigate rivers, such as Spain’s Guadalquivir River and Gironde River in Bordeaux for a unique combination of ocean and river cruising. Aegean Odyssey features generously-sized suites and staterooms, including a special level of accommodation entitled 'Balcony Class' in categories A through D, which offers spacious staterooms with charming balconies and additional amenities including priority sightseeing boarding. With tastefully understated interiors, Aegean Odyssey combines the best of traditional elegance with all the modern conveniences of a first-class ship.
Ship’s tonnage: 11,563 Length: 461 feet Beam: 67 feet Draft: 20,5 feet Cruising speed: 18 knots Passengers decks: 7 Stabilizers: 2 Passengers cabins: 216 Passengers - lower beds: 386 Ship’s registration: Panama
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Meals Included

16 Breakfasts, 10 Lunches, 15 Dinners

Age Requirements
No age restrictions
Additional Information
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Trip ID
roadscholar-21660RJ

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