Islands and Cities of the Mediterranean

Young Ocean Explorers Club in partnership with MAUD FONTENOY FOUNDATION. Starting in Athens, step aboard Le Bougainville for an 8-day cruise between Greece and the majestic Maltese coast. LeBougainville will then head towards Paros. Nestling in the heart of the Cyclades archipelago, this island reputed for its sublime white marble offers a real concentration of Greek beauty, from whitewashed houses to olive groves to ancient monuments.

This cruise will also enable you to discover Hydra, a small island of old-worldly charm where motorised traffic is banned. You will then sail south for...read more the charming Monemvasia. A romantic haven for the Athenians, this magnificent peninsula conserves treasures of Venetian and Byzantine architecture in the small vaulted streets of its fortified medieval village, which feature thousands of shades of ochre. At the crossroads of the Agean and Ionian seas and Crete, a lost paradise called Kythira will transport you into a universe whose watchwords are wonderment and tranquillity.

The island, the birthplace of Aphrodite in mythology, has inspired poets like Baudelaire and painters like Watteau with its enchanting landscapes. When the ship calls at Pylos, you will explore the ruins of the Palace of Nestor, one of the heroes of the Trojan War. You will take the sea to discover Taormina, overlooking Etna's blanket of snow. Its streets will lead you to its famed ancient Greek theatre, where the quality of the acoustics is exceptional. Your cruise will come to an end in Valletta, capital of the island of Malta and former stronghold of the Knights of the Order of Malta.