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Cradle Of Empires

Aboard Seven Seas Mariner with Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Departure Date

17 October 2024

Duration

10 Nights

Fly Cruise From

£7,799pp

Cruise Reference

ART-7CRRE12

Cruise Overview

Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully.

For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here.

Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness.

Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza.
Livorno is a gritty city with a long and interesting history.

In the early Middle Ages it alternately belonged to Pisa and Genoa.

In 1421 Florence, seeking access to the sea, bought it.

Cosimo I (1519–74) started construction of the harbor in 1571, putting Livorno on the map.

After Ferdinando I de' Medici (1549–1609) proclaimed Livorno a free city, it became a haven for people suffering from religious persecution; Roman Catholics from England and Jews and Moors from Spain and Portugal, among others, settled here.

The Quattro Mori (Four Moors), also known as the Monument to Ferdinando I, commemorates this.

(The statue of Ferdinando I dates from 1595, the bronze Moors by Pietro Tacca from the 1620s.)In the following centuries, and particularly in the 18th, Livorno boomed as a port.

In the 19th century the town drew a host of famous Britons passing through on their grand tours.

Its prominence continued up to World War II, when it was heavily bombed.

Much of the town's architecture, therefore, postdates the war, and it's somewhat difficult to imagine what it might have looked like before.

Livorno has recovered from the war, however, as it's become a huge point of departure for container ships, as well as the only spot in Tuscany for cruise ships to dock for the day.Most of Livorno's artistic treasures date from the 17th century and aren't all that interesting unless you dote on obscure baroque artists.

Livorno's most famous native artist, Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920), was of much more recent vintage.

Sadly, there's no notable work by him in his hometown.There may not be much in the way of art, but it's still worth strolling around the city.

The Mercato Nuovo, which has been around since 1894, sells all sorts of fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and fish.

Outdoor markets nearby are also chock-full of local color.

The presence of Camp Darby, an American military base just outside town, accounts for the availability of many American products.If you have time, Livorno is worth a stop for lunch or dinner at the very least.
Cannes is pampered with the luxurious year-round climate that has made it one of the most popular resorts in Europe.

Cannes was an important sentinel site for the monks who established themselves on Île St-Honorat in the Middle Ages.

Its bay served as nothing more than a fishing port until in 1834 an English aristocrat, Lord Brougham, fell in love with the site during an emergency stopover with a sick daughter.

He had a home built here and returned every winter for a sun cure—a ritual quickly picked up by his peers.

Between the popularity of Le Train Blue transporting wealthy passengers from Calais, and the introduction in 1936 of France's first paid holidays, Cannes became the destination, a tasteful and expensive breeding ground for the upper-upscale.Cannes has been further glamorized by the ongoing success of its annual film festival, as famous as Hollywood's Academy Awards.

About the closest many of us will get to feeling like a film star is a stroll here along La Croisette, the iconic promenade that gracefully curves the wave-washed sand coastline, peppered with chic restaurants and prestigious private beaches.

This is precisely the sort of place for which the French invented the verb flâner (to dawdle, saunter): strewn with palm trees and poseurs, its fancy boutiques and status-symbol grand hotels—including the Carlton, the legendary backdrop to Grace Kelly in To Catch a Thief —all vying for the custom of the Louis Vuitton set.

This legend is, to many, the heart and soul of the Côte d'Azur. 

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Seven Seas Mariner

Launch Year: 2001 Length: 216 Width: 28 Currency: USD Capacity: 684 Crew Count: 467 Deck Count: 8 Cabin Count: 342

If you wish to sail amidst the stunning glaciers of Alaska in comfort and style, you’ll find your ideal voyage in the summer itineraries of Seven Seas Mariner®. In other seasons, the ship explores the wonders of Asia, Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific.

Your home at sea offers much more than home, from Broadway-calibre entertainment on Deck 6 to a putting green on Deck 12 to relaxing whirlpools on Deck 11. Explore the deck plans to make the most of your time on board.

You’ll find time spent on board the ship to be just as enriching as time ashore. Relax by the pool, compete in a friendly game of trivia or bocce ball, indulge in treats at afternoon tea and gain insight from an expert lecturer.

Soothing colours accented by appealing patterns and textures dominate the interiors of Seven Seas Mariner®. The common spaces offer everything from wide-open views on the upper deck to intimate tables for bridge in the Card Room.

Seven Seas Mariner Facilities

Seven Seas Mariner Includes

Cabin Details

Attention to detail distinguishes Regent Seven Sea Cruises™ and the exceptional suites on Seven Seas Mariner®. Every guest enjoys spacious closets, well-appointed bathrooms and a private balcony with views of the shimmering sea.

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