Mediterranean Interlude: A Celebration of Culture, Music and Cuisine Aboard Corinthian II

June 1 - 10, 2010

Taormina, Sicily

Flower Market, Barcelona

Photo by: Clark Schoettle

Gaudi's Casa Mila, Barcelona

Photo Credit: Clark Schoettle

Reserve now!

The Mediterranean is more than a place. It's a symphony of the senses, a nexus of ideas, and the cradle of European history. We're delighted to invite you on a Mediterranean Interlude – far more than a cruise, this is an immersive travel experience, celebrating the cultural, musical, and culinary traditions of Sicily, southern Italy and Tuscany, the French Riviera, and Spain's Catalonian coast – while discovering the history and art of the Mediterranean. We hope you can join us for one of the most completely pleasurable voyages you can imagine. And, accompanying us on this comprehensive sojourn will be someone who is intimately familiar with the rhythms and nuances of Mediterranean life: very special guest Frances Mayes, author of Under the Tuscan Sun.

Aboard the 114-guest, all-suite, elegant small ship Corinthian II, we'll voyage to Pompeii, the famous Norman cathedral of Monreale, Puccini's lakeside villa, the artist colonies of the Côte d'Azur, Cézanne's Aix-en-Provence, and Gaudí's Barcelona.

Throughout, we'll be joined by a superb trio of musicians – a tenor, a soprano, and a piano accompanist, all nationally acclaimed from Carnegie Hall to universities throughout the country – for exclusive recitals in some of the most lovely surroundings imaginable, including a private concert in the 17th-century grand salon of Palermo's Palazzo Raffadali.

We'll also enjoy a complementary culinary program (over and above the delicious dishes created by Corinthian II's master chefs), featuring a guided stroll through Barcelona's amazing La Boqueria market, a kaleidoscopic bazaar of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, spices, meats, cheeses, and seafood, famed across Europe since 1204.

As we explore the arts and cultures of the Mediterranean from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius to the Picassos at the Maeght Foundation, we'll enjoy fascinating talks by scholars and lecturers including Frances Mayes.

With an unrivaled introduction to the cultural, musical, and culinary treasures of the Mediterranean, this Mediterranean Interlude is undoubtedly one of the most lovely travel experiences possible. Please join us aboard the all-suite Corinthian II for this very special celebration and exploration of the things that make the Mediterranean so unique.

Study Leader Information

Frances mayes has written five best-selling books about Italy, including Under the Tuscan Sun and Bringing Tuscany Home; Lamar J. R. Cecil is the former William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of History at Washington & Lee University, specializing in European history; Margaret Farr is a lecturer in The Art Institute of Chicago’s Museum Education department

Tour Itinerary

To register by credit card, please call 1-800-944-NTHP (6847); to register online, please fill out our reservation form. View our terms and conditions.

Please email National Trust Tours for questions about this program. Be sure to include your mailing address if you are requesting a paper copy of the brochure for this program.