MEDITERRANEAN 7-NIGHT CRUISE

Board the elegant cruise ship MSC Poesia (meaning “poem” or “poetry”) and discover Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia in style. Why not enjoy an open-air cinema experience under the stars on an immense screen by the pool? Children will go crazy for the Stone Age dinosaur-themed play area, and even teens are catered for at the Teen’s Club. You begin and end your journey in Venice, Italy, but also visit the following cities:

One of southern Italy’s most compelling cities, with a rich mixture of cultures – Norman, Arabic and Roman… These cultures are especially evident in the beautiful Old Town, which is peppered with antiquities.

Built for the quadrennial games dedicated to Zeus, during which all hostilities were ceased in the name of athletic competition, much of this complex was destroyed when the games were outlawed as a pagan festival in 393 AD – but visitors can still view the Temple of Zeus and the stadium.

Established in the third millennium BC, “The Pearl of the Aegean” is Turkey’s third-largest city and second-most important port. From Izmir you can join an optional tour to visit the archaeological site of Ephesus, a town founded around 1 000 BC.

• Bari, Italy

• Katakolon, Greece

• Izmir, Turkey

• Istanbul, Turkey

Built on seven hills between Asia and Europe, this is the only city in the world to straddle two continents. It has been the capital of three empires and is a city of wonders that defies description!

• Dubrovnik, Croatia

Surrounded by its 1 000-year-old protective wall, this marvel of architecture truly deserves its traditional nickname of The Jewel of the Adriatic. George Bernard Shaw once said, “Those who seek paradise should come to Dubrovnik.”

WHEN? Cruise season: 1 May to 13 November 2015 PRICE From R14 230 pp, plus current airport tax of R5 880