The Mediterranean: Beyond the Icons

Pack your flexibility:    Aurora Expeditions operates in challenging environments, and in the spirit of small ship cruising, we encourage you to adopt a flexible and adventurous attitude when joining our voyages. This itinerary is a guide only and is subject to change due to weather, sea state and other conditions beyond our control.    Fitness & mobility:    Your voyage offers great landings and walking opportunities. To make the most out of your landings, we do recommend that you are reasonably fit and healthy and can navigate uneven surfaces, steps and rural paths. We highly recommend selecting the walking distance and activity level best suited to your fitness and mobility. Zodiacs and coming ashore:  One of the advantages of travelling aboard a small ship is the ability to reach places that larger vessels simply can’t access. At Aurora Expeditions, our Zodiac cruises and landings allow you to go beyond the main ports and discover hidden corners and lesser-visited landmarks. You should be confident on your feet to allow you to walk up and down the ship's gangway (equivalent to a steep set of stairs), get in and out of a Zodiac in some swell, and walk across wet, and/or rocky terrain. These inflatable boats provide access to some of the region’s most fascinating and off-the-beaten-path destinations, offering a deeper connection to the local culture, history and landscapes along the way.   Shore Excursions: Your expedition combines visits to lesser-known gems with some of the region’s most iconic sites, places we simply do not think should be missed. Many visits are led by expert local guides and walking tours typically last two to three hours to allow for a richer understanding of each destination. To make the most of these experiences, you should be reasonably fit and comfortable walking at a steady pace for the duration of a tour. Walking in built up areas, or at historic sites, may include cobbled streets, worn steps, consistent inclines, narrow alleyways, tunnels and archaeological sites, while rural hikes may use gravel paths, cliff-top trails, uneven steps and untamed countryside where tree roots and uneven ground are encountered. Some locations, such as medinas, major landmarks and city streets may be crowded. Coaches will be used to transfer you to and from sites that cannot be accessed directly from the ship. Choosing our ‘Your Choice’ shore excursions:    Our ‘Your Choice’ shore excursions listed in the itinerary are included. These must be reserved through our passenger portal at least 60 days prior to embarkation and cannot be amended after this time. If we do not receive your choices by this time, you will be allocated excursions. We will always do our best to provide you with your first preference of shore excursion; however, we may occasionally need to place you on an alternative excursion for operational reasons.       Refer to this itinerary as a guide, which is subject to change due to weather and sea conditions, government regulations, specified time slots and other conditions beyond our control.