STAR CLIPPERSSHORE EXCURSIONS

Valetta – Syracuse – Pilos – Monemvassia - Nafplio –Athens
All tours are offered with English speaking guides. The
length of the tour is given as an indication only as it mayvary depending on the road, weather, sea and traffic
conditions and the group’s pace.
Time spent on site is also given on an indicative basis only.
Minimum number of participants indicated per coach orgroup.
Some excursions are only available on certain dates and/or
are dependent on the ship’s arrival and departure times.
The level of physical fitness required for our activities isgiven as a very general indication without any knowledgeof our passenger’s individual abilities. Broadly speaking toenjoy activities such as hiking, biking, snorkeling, boatingor other activities involving physical exertion, passengers
should be fit and active. Passengers must judge forthemselves whether they will be capable of participating inand above all enjoying such activities.
All information concerning excursions is correct at the timeof printing. However Star Clippers reserves the right tomake changes, which will be relayed to passengers during
the Cruise Director’s onboard information sessions.

STAR CLIPPERSSHORE EXCURSIONSSYRACUSA, SICILY

Highlights of Syracuse
By air-conditioned motor coach and on footMinimum 20 participants, no maximum
Duration 4h30
Euros 52
Departing the port, begin your tour with a 15 minute drive to the archaelogical park. During a 1 ½ hour walking tour, yourguide will acquaint you with the site’s major highlights: Paradise Quarry with the “Ear of Dionysius,” an ear-shaped cavernwith unusual acoustics. Legend has it that Dionysius used to listen in on prisoners’ conversations to learn about any planned
conspiracies. The Greek Theater: this is the largest and most complete theater remaining from antiquity.The RomanAmphitheater: the ruins of this fine Roman Theater give an idea of the enormous arena.
Following your visit of the Archaeological Park, you will drive back to the old town of Ortygia. As buses are not allowed inside
the historic part, you will leave the coach in the mandatory parking lot and continue on foot. Follow your guide during thewalk of the historic town center. Starting with the Arethusa Fountain, you will proceed with a brief visit to the cathedral, andview other attractions such as the ruins of the Apollo Temple, Archimedes' Square with the Fountain of Diana, and Corso
Matteotti, the main and most elegant shopping area of Ortygia. At the end of your visit, return to the parking area and rejoin
your coach for the short drive back to the pier.

NOTO, the Baroque pearl of Sicily
By air-conditioned motor coach and on footMinimum 20 participants, maximum 40
Duration 4hours
Euros 57
After a 45 minute drive in air-conditioned comfort you will arrive at Noto, a town of 20.000 inhabitants known as theBaroque Jewel in the Sicilian crown.
The ancient medieval town was destroyed by an earthquake in 1693 but was extensively rebuilt in the 18th century. The
remaining ruins of Noto antica are located in an archaeological site 10km from the town. It comes as no surprise to learn
that Noto has earned a place on the UNESCO world heritage list; the magnificent architecture of its churches and noble
buildings deserve no less and UNESCO also provides financial support for the reconstruction of monuments damaged by thelatest earthquake in 1990.
On arrival you will leave the coach and set off to explore this charming town on foot. The main street is accessed via an
imposing gateway, the Porta Nazionale, which leads the way to some of Noto’s most important monuments. You will pass by
the 18th century cathedral whose dome collapsed in 1996 as a result of structural damage caused by the 1990 earthquake.
Other fine buildings include the city hall, the archbishop’s palace, the church of Santissimo Salvatore and the Villadorata
palace, all superb examples of Sicilian Baroque architecture from the early 18th century.
Noto is as indomitable as a phoenix rising from the flames; whatever challenges nature throws its way, it stands proud as theBaroque Capital of Siciliy.
Inside visits include the cathedral and the Palazzo Modica
Outside visits to the main street Corso Vittorio Emanuele, Palazzo Nicolaci and Palazzo Villadorata
The drive to Noto takes 45 minutes

STAR CLIPPERSSHORE EXCURSIONSPILOS, GREECE
Nestor’s Palace and Methoni FortressBy air-conditioned motor coach and on footMinimum 20 participants, no maximum
Duration 4 hours
Euros 62The drive from the Port of Pylos to Ano Eglianos and the ruins of Nestor’s palace takes 20 minutes.
King Nestor was one of the legendary rulers who took part in the Trojan wars to wrest Helen away from Paris. The site dates
from the Mycenaean era and the buildings were once richly decorated with frescoes and consisted of private apartments,baths, storage space, workshops, vast courtyards and a sophisticated drainage system. The Palace was burnt down in the12th century BC.
The site was discovered in 1939 by the American archaeologist C.W Blegen and the Greek archaeologist K. Kourouniotis.
During the excavations they unearthed hundreds of clay tablets bearing inscriptions, and this discovery contributed greatly
to the understanding of the Mycenaean language, an early form of Greek.
The excursion continues with a visit to the Fortress of Methoni, 11 km distance from Pylos. The Castle of Methoni lies at thesouthernmost end of the west Peloponnesian Coast. The site was fortified as early as the 7th century BC and in the period
between 395 A.D and 1204 A.D was used as a Byzantine fortress. In 1209 the Venetians became rulers of the area. During
this period the magnificent castle was erected with its massive fortification walls and the town flourished, becoming known
as a financial centre and busy commercial port. However, in 1500 Methoni was captured by the Turk Bayazit Pasha andentered into a long period of decline before once again coming under Venetian occupation from 1685 until 1715. Thereafter
the Ottomans held sway, and their domination remained unchallenged until the Greek war of independence in the early
19th century. It was liberated by the French General Nicolas Maison in 1829, along with other Peloponnese towns.
The drive to the ruins of Nestor’s palace takes 30 minutes
The drive to Methoni fortress takes 45 minutes
The return drive to the port takes 25 minutes
There is some uphill walking during the visits, so guests are advised to wear comfortable, non-slip shoes
This is an archaeological site with some remains

MONEMVASIA, GREECE
The island of Monemvasia was separated from the mainland by an earthquake in 375 AD and is sometimes called theGibraltar of the East. The city was fortified during the 13th century under Byzantine rule, and was established as a successful
trading port. The Pope ruled the city for a brief period from 1460-1464 before the Venetians took over, building a 535 ft long
fortified bridge to protect them from their enemies. During Venetian rule the city flourished, the population reached 30.000
and many houses and churches were built. Later the city fell to the Turks who ruled for nearly 300 years from the mid
sixteenth to the early nineteenth centuries, with the exception of a short-lived takeover by the Venetians.
The Walled lower town extends along the slopes of a 985ft crag that projects into the sea on the east side of thePeloponnese. The population of this impressive stronghold was gradually depleted as more and more of the inhabitants
moved to the mainland. However, a restoration programme aimed at preserving Monemvasia’s heritage has given theLower Town a new lease of life, and people from the mainland have started to return to this attractive tourist centre.
The Upper Town is located on top of the Rock of Monemvasia. It is reached via a zigzagging path. Once an impregnablebastion, it is now completely uninhabited. Visitors can explore the remains of the ancient citadel-castle and have a lookinside the church of Hagia Sofia. There are also fantastic views to be had of the surrounding area.

STAR CLIPPERSSHORE EXCURSIONSNAUPLION, GREECE
Nafplion is an enchantingly pretty coastal town which has often been called the most romantic destination in Greece, or theGreek Venice. It is the perfect place for strolling around, taking in the sights and generally soaking up the atmosphere. Youwill see stunning Venetian architecture, neo-classical mansions, a maze of little streets festooned with Bougainvillea, hiddensquares and picturesque cafés, perfect for relaxing and watching the world go by.
This one time Capital of Greece (between 1833 and 1834) has been a major port since the bronze age and its strategic
position is highlighted by the fact that it is protected by no less than three fortresses. Palamidi and Bourti built by theVenetians and Akroafplia behind the old town.
The ship will call at Nafplion on May 1st when the museums are closed, but the town itself is so pleasant that you will have agreat day just relaxing, enjoying the scenery and cultivating the fine art of doing nothing.

ATHENS, GREECE
The earliest Athenians were of Ionian stock and arrived on the peninsula in about 2000 BC. Little is known about these earlyrulers, apart from the fact that they were kings. By the 7th century BC, the monarchy had been superseded by the Eupatrids,
noblemen hailing from the eleven aristocratic families of Attica. Next came Solon, the “Father of Democracy”, who initiatedthe idea of government by the people, and created assemblies of ordinary citizens. After Solon came the age of the Tyrants,
which started when Peisistratus seized power in about 546 BC. This benevolent tyrant helped farmers by giving them loans
and land, taken away from the nobles, and provided work for the poor with new building projects. The idea was to weaken
the power of the aristocracy in favour of merchants and farmers.
Athens, particularly the Acropolis, became one of the chief religious centres in Greece and by 600 BC there were many
temples, fragments of which can been seen at the Acropolis Museum.
The year 450 BC saw the dawning of the “Golden Age” of Pericles.
The Modern Greek state was born in the 1830’s after the Greek revolution of 1821. The Ottomans ceded the Acropolis to aBavarian detachment and the Bavarian Prince Otto became the new King of Greece. The Greek architect Cleanthes and his
German counterpart Schaubert were given the task of setting out the new city, which they planned around Otto’s austerepalace. The palace dominates Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) and is near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
From Sytagma Square, Amalia Avenue leads past the National Garden and Zappion Park to Hadrian’s Arch. Behind the parklies the stadium, venue of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and built on the site where games were held in ancienttimes.
The mountainous region of Attica and Athens, although barren and infertile, enjoy a superb climate.

STAR CLIPPERSSHORE EXCURSIONS

Athens and the new Acropolis museum
By air-conditioned motor coach
Minimum 10 participants, no maximum.
Duration : 5 hours, ending at the airport, €75
Duration: 4 hours, with a drop off in Athens, €60
After leaving Piraeus you will drive past the charming yacht harbour of Zea, where the foundations of the 5th century BC
dock are clearly visible. Next comes the Mikrolimanon waterfront, lined with tempting al fresco fish restaurants. From here
it is but a short drive to cosmopolitan Athens, where modern buildings cohabit with ancient monuments. You will pass theTemple of Zeus, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Parliament at Syntagma Square (Constitution Square), the National Academy,
the University, the Library and Hadrian’s Arch, before arriving at the New Acropolis Museum located 300m south east of theRock of the Acropolis. The museum was designed by Bernard Tschumi and was opened to the public in 2009. It has a surface
area of 14.000 m2 and houses nearly 4000 exhibits displayed on three levels. You will see findings from the Acropolis
archaeological site as well as artefacts from the Greek Bronze age right through to Roman and Byzantine Greece. For thosepassengers returning to the ship, the tour ends in the city centre, while the rest of the passengers will be transferred to theairport.
The tour will end at Syntagma Square in Athens . The guide will then leave the tour and the coach will drive on to the airport
arriving around 13h00/13h30.
A minimum of 6 guests is required for the tour to continue to the airport
Passengers staying on board for the following cruise will be dropped off in Athens, and make their own way back to the pierThe duration of the tour depends on the traffic situation. If the traffic is fluid, arrival at the airport will be somewhat earlier
You will spend about 2 hours in the museum
The use of cameras and video cameras is free of charge, but flash photography is forbidden in the museum.