L'Austral
Category SSF - Seven Seas Suite Forward
Seven Seas Suite (Forward)
Photos are examples only. Actual cabin colors and features may vary.
This cruise has already sailed

11 Night Culture and Islands of the Mediterranean Cruise from Barcelona

Ship: L'Austral
Cruise Line: Ponant Cruises
Sailed: Saturday, Apr 26, 2025 from Barcelona, Spain
Ended: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
The itinerary information below reflects the original day-by-day port of call schedule for the Saturday, Apr 26, 2025 departure of the L'Austral. If Ponant Cruises modified this itinerary for weather or operational reasons after departing , the modified schedule would not be reflected here.
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Day by Day Summary and Map

Day 1 - Saturday - Apr 26, 2025
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, Spain Depart: 18:00:00
Located on the seashore between the mountains of Montjuic and Tibidabo, Barcelona offers its many visitors a perfect blend of tradition and modernism. Truly an open-air museum, the "prodigious town" reveals an astonishing range of artistic treasures and museums, combining Roman ruins, medieval districts, and a number of avant-garde elements from the 20th century. Over the years, it has been marked by some of the greatest artists, such as Picasso, Miro, or Gaudi, most of whose work has been listed as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Take the time to stroll along the Ramblas and enjoy the gentle typically Mediterranean lifestyle of the capital of Catalonia.
Day 2 - Sunday - Apr 27, 2025
Mahon, Spain
Mahon, Spain
You will be welcomed by the colourful houses of Mahon, its narrow streets and pretty squares that appear as you stroll around this richly contrasting city. Mahon reveals its different neighbourhoods, alternating between monuments, villas, and white buildings. Discover the Santa Maria Church, a building of Neo-Gothic inspiration, rebuilt in the 18th century. It is worth a visit to see its monumental organ with more than 3,000 pipes and four keyboards. Around the Carme Church, you will find a local market, full of stands selling avarcas, typical Menorcan sandals originally made by peasants. Let yourself fall under the spell of this Mediterranean treasure.
Day 3 - Monday - Apr 28, 2025
Alghero, Italy
Alghero, Italy
Located on the north-west coast of Sardinia, Alghero offers you traces of Sardinian culture combined with vestiges from a Catalan past. Here, many inhabitants speak the Algherese dialect, a variant of Catalan, as well as Catalan itself. A walk along the well-preserved medieval ramparts will give you a panoramic view of the town. The streets in the historical center bear witness to its rich past, from Santa Maria Cathedral to numerous palaces dating from different eras.
Day 4 - Tuesday - Apr 29, 2025
Cagliari, Italy
Cagliari, Italy
The capital of Sardinia, Cagliari, like Rome, is built on seven hills. Its Sardinian name means "castle", in reference to the citadel, its historic center, which dominates the city. The old ramparts are now pleasant panoramic terraces bordering picturesque streets. The city hosted the Nuragic, Phoenician, Roman, and Byzantine civilizations before the rein of the Spanish Habsburgs and the House of Savoy. The monuments of Cagliari bear the traces of these successive dominations, such as the Bastion of Saint-Remy or the Sainte-Marie Cathedral. On the sea front, Art Nouveau-style public monuments give way to the Poetto beach, a magnificent stretch of sand that is 8 kilometers long.
Day 5 - Wednesday - Apr 30, 2025
Trapani, Italy
Trapani, Italy
Bathed in the cobalt waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Trapani is the former port of the Greek city of Erice, boasting a privileged natural position in western Sicily. As you wander through its little streets, you will discover a secular cultural heritage, bearing witness to the many influences of civilisations that came here: San Lorenzo Cathedral, Maria Santissima Annunziata Sanctuary, Fountain of Triton. On the shaded restaurant terraces, savour some fresh fish from the morning's catch. Or else you can opt for a seafood couscous, a culinary legacy from their Arab neighbours.
Day 6 - Thursday - May 1, 2025
Palermo, Italy
Palermo, Italy
Palermo is the guardian of the Sicilian soul. Many have been attracted to this city, the largest capital of the Italian islands. Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans... Palermo is a rich culmination of so many cultural influences as seen in the Moorish designs on the cathedral, and the Byzantine mosaics of the Palatine Chapel, which is itself housed within the precincts of the Norman Palace. You will fall under the spell of the palaces, Baroque splendours that grace the town with their obsolete beauty. It is thrilling to stumble upon one of those fabulous markets, high in colour and headily picturesque.
Day 7 - Friday - May 2, 2025
Lipari, Italy
Lipari, Italy
Of the seven Aeolian Islands, this is the largest and the most populated. Lying off the north coast of Sicily, in the Tyrrhenian Sea, Lipari is one of UNESCO's marvellous World Heritage Sites. Its lava stone quarries and obsidian flow of Rocce Rosse are indications of its volcanic nature. The town, the largest urban area in the whole archipelago, proudly houses a citadel and castle, both rooted in Antiquity. If you head further into the centre, you'll be surprised to come across a Norman cathedral, complete with a magnificent Baroque facade.
Day 8 - Saturday - May 3, 2025
Reggio Calabria, Italy
At the southern tip of the Italian boot, Reggio di Calabria guards the eastern shore of the Strait of Messina. From the lungomare, the sea front promenade, there are magnificent views over Sicily, a little over 3 kilometers away, and Mount Etna. Rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake, Reggio is set out in a grid pattern and has Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque architecture that add to its charm. And the fragrance of bergamot, the citrus fruit that dominates the region's confectionery and perfumery. A visit to the National Archaeological Museum is a must. It is one of the most important in Italy and among its collections are the famous Riace Bronzes, the stunning Greek statues dating from the 5th century BC that were found off the coast in 1972.
Day 9 - Sunday - May 4, 2025
Catania, Italy
Catania, Italy
Sicily's second city Catania is dominated by the majestic silhouette of Mount Etna. Nourishing and devastating at the same time, this giant crowned with smoke rings brought about the destruction of the city at the end of the 17th century. Catania was then rebuilt in the late Baroque style, and the many monuments of this epoch have earned its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Baroque churches of the harmonious Via dei Crociferi perfectly illustrate the riches of this architectural heritage. During your stop, be sure to visit Saint Agatha Cathedral with its apses made of lava stones, and its square decorated with a fountain of the elephant, the animal which allegedly has the power to calm the fury of Mount Etna...
Day 10 - Monday - May 5, 2025
Siracusa, Italy
Siracusa, Italy
Its undulating rocky coastline, the endless sandy beaches, the menacing form of Mount Etna which surveys its island like a patriarch, the flowery gardens on the hillside... Sicily lays out its varied landscapes like a shopkeeper displays his wares. Described by Cicero as "the most beautiful city in the world", Syracuse was one of the most prestigious cities in Sicily and at her height was even a rival for Athens. A central city of Ancient Greece, it was home to a succession of civilisations, each of which has left their mark. The blend of Arabic, Roman, Norman, Byzantine, and Spanish cultures makes Syracuse a town that is extraordinarily rich in fragrances, colours, and flavours.
Day 11 - Tuesday - May 6, 2025
Gozo, Malta
Located to the north of Malta, a lot less urbanized than its larger sibling and protected from mass tourism, the small island of Gozo has managed to remain natural and authentic. Lush hills and valleys alternate with a mosaic of cultivated fields. The buildings, some of which are medieval, are built from honey-colored limestone and blend in perfectly with the surrounding scenery. Gozo also boasts a unique historic site that is now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the megalithic temples of Ggantija near the town of Xaghra. An archaeological museum adjoining the site presents a number of objects that were found there. Red-sand beaches and a crystal-clear sea add to the calm and serenity of Gozo.
Day 12 - Wednesday - May 7, 2025
Valletta, Malta
Valletta, Malta
The whole of the Maltese capital Valletta is UNESCO World Heritage-listed and occupies a peninsula in the north-east of the island. From the Fountain of Triton to Saint Elmo Fort, there are as many majestic streets as there are narrow staircase vennels to explore. The painted loggia and carved corbels on the tall houses will accompany you in your explorations, and you'll rarely be bothered by traffic. You can visit the Grandmaster's Palace decorated with coats of arms and frescoes. Saint John's Cathedral and the ramparts which have guarded the city since the 16th century are also among the most emblematic sites of the city. Arranged in terraces, the Barrakka Gardens will punctuate your promenade with a green and floral experience.

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