How many of us have a list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites from which to cross off those that are visited one by one? A list that probably grows faster than we can find the time to go and visit this or that place.
This summer MSC has decided to lend a hand to all those who want to combine the luxury and comfort of a cruise with visits to as many UNESCO World Heritage sites as possible.
With MSC Cruises, 10 days of sailing to some of the most important UNESCO sites in Greece, Türkiye and Italy.
Trieste, Venice and Friuli Venezia Giulia
The departure is scheduled from Trieste, a port that is considered a crucial hub for accessing many of the UNESCO sites located in eastern Veneto and Venezia Giulia, such as the city of Venice and its Lagoon, the archaeological sites of Aquileia, the medieval fortified structures of Palmanova.
Olympia and the Valley of the Gods
The first stop on the journey is in Greece, at the port of Katakolon on the western side of the Peloponnese peninsula. Besides the magnificent beaches that can be visited, the most interesting attraction is undoubtedly the city of Olympia. Just a few kilometers from the sea, you can visit the archaeological site, home of the Olympic Games since 776 BC. Also called the Valley of the Gods, it was once considered a central place of worship for the cult of Zeus. The temple dedicated to father of the gods had also been embellished by a statue by the sculptor Phidias.
The Acropolis of Athens
Continuing the cruise, a stop is planned in Athens, in the port of Piraeus. Here, a visit to the Acropolis of Athens is a must, a place considered the most representative monument of the magnificence of ancient Greek civilization. Dedicated to the goddess Athena, the Acropolis was built on the hill overlooking the city and included both religious buildings and those used for public activities. Many statues and other finds from the site have been collected and placed in the Acropolis Museum, open to the public since 2009.
Ephesus and the Temple of Artemis
Ephesus and its archaeological sites entered in 2015 among the UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is accessible from the port of Kusadasi, third stop of the MSC cruise, located on the Aegean coast of western Turkey. The Temple of Artemis is the main attraction of Ephesus and is considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
4 World Heritage Sites in Istanbul
Continuing the navigation, the ship reaches the port of Istanbul. A city of over 13 million inhabitants (according to the estimates of the website travel365.it), contains four sites that have been considered World Heritage Sites by UNESCO since 1985:
- the area of the archaeological park with Sultanahmed Square, which includes the Blue Mosque, the Topkapi Palace, the Hippodrome of Constantine and the churches of the 6th century AD
- The Zeyrek district, with the Church of Christ Pantocrator, or better known as the Zeyrek Mosque
- the Süleymaniye quarter, which includes the Süleymaniye and Sehzade Mosques, as well as the late Roman Valens Aqueduct.
- the area with the remains of the Byzantine bastions of Istanbul, built during the reign of Theodosius II.
The island of Corfu
Leaving from the Turkish metropolis, two days of luxurious sailing are needed to reach one of the most beautiful islands in Greece, on the way back. We are talking about Corfu, whose historic center has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites since 2007. The island has always been a place of great passage between different peoples, a characteristic that has contributed to its architecture rich in contaminations that are also very different from each other: from the classical Greek style of the temples, to the Byzantine style of the medieval churches, passing through the Venetian-style fortress and the Anglican Doric churches of the nineteenth century. This melting pot of origins makes the island one of a kind.
Alberobello and Castel del Monte
The last all-Italian stop before returning to Trieste is Bari. From the capital of Puglia, two UNESCO sites are easily reachable in a day: Alberobello with its Trulli and the military fortress of Castel del Monte, built by Frederick II in the eighteenth century.
From here the return to the port of departure. The cruise includes 10 days on the MSC Splendida, one of the most luxurious ships in the fleet, where you can enjoy all the comforts and the best entertainment during the moments of navigation.
