The son of a French mother and British father, Frank is a distinguished scholar of Italian art who lives in Rome, where he teaches art history for Philadelphia’s Temple University program. His expertise in the Italian Renaissance will greatly enhance our Jewels of the Western Mediterranean cruise, sailing May 11. In September, Frank will take landlubbers off the beaten path to lesser-visited, historically rich towns in Lombardy and Piedmont.
One of our most popular lecturers, Patrick “Paddy” Bowe is a Dublin-based landscape designer and architectural historian whose dry Irish wit and approachable manner have endeared him to hundreds of travelers over the years. Hear his riveting talks on local flora (he makes even weeds interesting!) on our upcoming Crossroads of Cultures and Celtic Isles cruises.
The beloved tall ships Sea Cloud and Sea Cloud II turn a collective 100 years old in 2016, with the grande dame celebrating 85 years and her younger sister, 15. Throughout the year, we offer voyages aboard these lovely ladies, from the Mediterranean to the Baltic Seas and to the Celtic Isles.
Whether you join Sea Cloud in the Adriatic or sail around Sicily aboard Sea Cloud II this fall, you’re in for a thrill! On Saturday, October 22, saluting battery cannon fire will greet the ships when they both arrive in Syracuse, marking their collective centennial. The sisters then sail together to Malta, arriving the next morning. If you join either cruise, you can witness the historic occasion!
Adriatic Odyssey
October 14 to 23, 2016
With lecturer Patrick Bowe,
Met curator Stephan Wolohojian
and Yale Professor Ivo Banac
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Splendors of Sicily
October 14 to 23, 2016
With Met curator Wolfram Koeppe
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This year marks the 60th anniversary of the 1956 opening of Joan Miró’s studio in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. The studio was central to the Spanish painter’s evolution as an artist and where he worked from age 66 until just two years before his death in 1983 at age 90. This eclectic space has been preserved exactly as Miró left it, and you can view it up close this spring on our upcoming Mediterranean cruise.
Jewels of the Western Mediterranean
May 11 to 20, 2016
With art historian Frank Dabell
and gardening author Patrick Bowe
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Begin in lively Barcelona to view the splendidly restored masterpieces of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Born in Reus, Catalonia in 1852, Gaudí received his architectural degree in Barcelona in 1878. Stunning examples of Gaudí’s works in Barcelona include modernist building Casa Batlló, the massive Sagrada Familia basilica, and garden complex Park Güell.
Experience the grace and romance of a bygone era of travel aboard Sea Cloud II , christened in 2001. This elegant sailing yacht travels under 30,000 square feet of billowing sails trimmed by hand. Praised by the world’s most discerning travelers and travel writers, Sea Cloud II receives consistent high rankings from Condé Nast Traveler.
Facing the sea in the Old Port of Marseille, this superb museum opened in 2013, focusing “primarily on the cultures of the Mediterranean, from a comparative and multi-disciplinary perspective, in which Europe and other continents that border the Med will play a major role.” Visitors to the museum praise its amazing architecture, interesting exhibits, and spectacular views.
Located in the hills above Hyères, this château cubiste was designed by Robert Mallet-Stevens in 1924 for art patron Vicomte Charles de Noailles. Now a museum with an unusual garden, the villa has many connections to French artistic and literary circles.
Sea Cloud II calls at tiny Porquerolles, one of the world’s most protected environments. Known for its beautiful beaches, Porquerolles also has a charming village and dazzling harbor.
Discover the World with Arrangements Abroad 