The best of Italy and Greece

Arrive in Rome and settle in before two free days getting to know the Eternal City at your own pace. Rest up tonight, ready to meet your tour group and set off for Tuscany tomorrow.

A full day in Rome to explore on your own terms, from the Colosseum and Roman Forum to the laneways of Trastevere. Save some energy, your Cosmos tour begins in earnest tomorrow.

Leave Rome behind for Pisa, where the Leaning Tower makes for one of Italy’s most photographed stops. Continue on to Montecatini Terme, your base in Tuscany for the next two nights.

Spend the day in Florence, home to the Duomo, the Uffizi and some of the finest Renaissance art anywhere. Wander the Ponte Vecchio or find a quiet piazza and watch the city go by before heading back to Montecatini this evening.

Travel on to La Spezia, gateway to the five clifftop villages of Cinque Terre. Spend time among the colourful houses and terraced vineyards before continuing to Genoa for the night.

Explore Genoa’s old port and winding lanes before heading inland to Lake Maggiore, one of Italy’s grand lakeside retreats. Settle in for two nights among the lake’s villas and gardens.

Cross the border for a day trip to Lugano, a lakeside town framed by the Swiss Alps. Wander the arcaded old town or take in the mountain views before returning to Lake Maggiore.

Head south through Verona, the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, on your way to the Venice area. Settle into your hotel for the night, ready to explore the floating city tomorrow.

Spend the day in Venice, where canals stand in for streets and every corner holds another view worth stopping for. Take a gondola along the smaller canals or lose an afternoon in St Mark’s Square.

Travel south into Umbria, leaving the lagoon behind for the hill town of Assisi. Known as the birthplace of St Francis, it’s a quieter stop after the crowds of Venice.

Continue south to Pompeii, where the ruins preserved by Vesuvius’s eruption give a rare look at everyday life in the ancient world. From there, travel on to the Sorrento Coast for two nights by the sea.

Take a scenic ferry across to Capri, known for its dramatic coastline and clear water. Spend the day exploring the island’s grottoes and clifftop villages before returning to Sorrento.

A second day to make the most of the Sorrento Coast, whether that’s another boat trip along the coastline or time to relax and take in the views of the Bay of Naples.

Head back to Rome for your final night on tour, with the evening free to revisit a favourite spot or find somewhere new for dinner.

Transfer to Civitavecchia to board Odyssey of the Seas and start your 7 night cruise through the Mediterranean. Settle into your stateroom as Italy’s coastline slips away behind you.

A day to enjoy Odyssey of the Seas at your own pace, from the FlowRider to the Solarium, with the Mediterranean stretching out on every side.

Step ashore in Santorini, where whitewashed villages cling to the edge of a volcanic caldera. Take the cable car up to Fira or head down to the beaches for a swim in the deep blue water.

Explore the ancient ruins of Ephesus, one of the best preserved classical cities in the Mediterranean. Walk Marble Street to the Library of Celsus, then wander Kusadasi’s seafront before returning to the ship.

Spend the day in Mykonos, known for its whitewashed lanes, windmills and laid back island pace. Cycle out to the quieter village of Ano Mera or find a beach club for the afternoon.

A second day at sea, time to relax on board before Naples comes into view.

Explore Naples, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius and home to centuries of art and architecture. Visit the Duomo di San Gennaro or the Royal Palace, or simply wander the old streets with a slice of the city’s famous pizza in hand.

Your cruise ends where it began, back at the port of Civitavecchia, gateway to Rome. Before your journey home, spend a last morning taking in whatever you missed the first time round, whether that’s the Colosseum at a quieter hour, one more plate of pasta in Trastevere or a final walk past the ancient ruins that make this city what it is.