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EXPLORA II · Mediterranean & Western Europe

9 nights, Fusina (Venice) to Fusina (Venice)

April 4, 2027 – April 14, 2027 · 9 nights · 8 stops · round-trip

Explora's name for it: A Journey through Adriatic Gems & Historical Riches

Nine nights, eight calls, a round trip from Fusina on the mainland edge of the Venetian Lagoon. The route swings down the Dalmatian coast, crosses to the Aegean, and loops back through the heel of Italy, so the pace stays full without feeling forced. The big-ticket ruins anchor it: walk the full circuit of Dubrovnik's medieval ramparts above the terracotta roofs, ride the short transfer inland to Ephesus, once the second city of the Roman Empire, and take the X80 from Piraeus up to the Acropolis. But the quieter calls are where this sailing earns its keep. Zadar pairs its Sea Organ with the Greeting to the Sun at dusk, the one thing the town does that nowhere else does. Syros stays a working neoclassical Greek city while everyone else chases Santorini. Bari hides a lane where grandmothers roll orecchiette by hand mid-morning.

This rewards the traveler who likes a town they can walk off the ship and into, since Zadar, Syros, and Trogir all sit a few minutes from the pier. It is candidly less ideal if you want slow sea days or a single-country deep dive; the route touches four countries and several days run on a clock, with Fusina's water shuttle eating real time at both ends of Venice. If antiquities and old stone walls do not pull you, pick a different itinerary.

Explora II is all-suite and all-oceanfront.

Fusina (Venice) (open port guide)Fusina (Venice)Zadar (open port guide)Dubrovnik (open port guide)Piraeus (Athens) (open port guide)Kusadasi (Ephesus) (open port guide)Syros (open port guide)Bari (open port guide)Trogir (open port guide)Trogir

The itinerary, port by port

8 calls over 9 nights, round-trip from Fusina (Venice). Open any port for my full day-ashore guide, what to see, when to go, and how the day actually runs.

Getting there: Flights to Fusina (Venice) (VCE) are already bookable for these dates. I watch the fare for booked clients so you book at the right moment. When to book your flights →

  1. Embark
    Fusina (Venice)

    Fusina is a cruise terminal on the mainland edge of the Venetian Lagoon, about three miles west of Venice across the water, opened in fall 2024 as ships moved out of the historic city. Port guide →

  2. 2
    Zadar

    Zadar is a walled Dalmatian town on a stone peninsula, layered with the largest Roman forum in Croatia, a 9th-century Byzantine church, and two modern installations on the seafront that have made it a… Port guide →

  3. 3
    Dubrovnik

    Dubrovnik is a walled stone city on the Adriatic whose intact medieval ramparts and marble main street make it one of the most complete fortified ports in Europe. Port guide →

  4. 4
    Piraeus (Athens)

    Piraeus is the port of Athens, and the day belongs to the ancient city about 10 km inland. Port guide →

  5. 5
    Kusadasi (Ephesus)

    Kusadasi is a Turkish Aegean resort town whose real draw lies 19 km inland: Ephesus, one of the best-preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean and once the second city of the Roman Empire. Port guide →

  6. 6
    Syros

    Syros is the administrative capital of the Cyclades, and its main town Ermoupoli is a working neoclassical city rather than a whitewashed resort village. Port guide →

  7. 7
    Bari

    Bari is the capital of Puglia, the heel of Italy, and its old town is a tight medieval maze pressed against the Adriatic. Port guide →

  8. Disembark
    Trogir

    Trogir is a small medieval town set on its own island between the mainland and the island of Čiovo, about 17 miles west of Split, and its tightly packed core has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997… Port guide →

Fares on this departure, decoded

Reading the fare fine print is the job. Here's what this sailing currently carries:

Invitation to Discover More
Explora's discovery fare, available across most of the calendar. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
Air-Inclusive Fare
A fare that folds airfare into the voyage price on a smaller set of sailings.

The ship and your suite

This sailing is aboard EXPLORA II, all-suite, every suite with a private ocean-front terrace. Suites run from the entry Ocean Terrace to the Owner's Residence; the right tier depends on how you travel. Compare suites → · What's included →


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