
A Celebration of Art Featuring the 61st Venice Biennale
- ItineraryValletta to VeniceDuration9 days
- Dates1 Jul 26 to 9 Jul 26Prices from
Come aboard Le Bougainville for an unforgettable voyage.
This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT themed voyages that are specially-tailored for travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.
This carefully curated voyage from Valletta to Venice revels in the rich diversity of art and architecture found in Sicily and in the cities along Italy's Adriatic coast—the Greek and Roman ruins at Syracuse; the proudly Baroque architecture of Lecce; the Renaissance treasures of Urbino; and the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna. But the true highlight of the journey is at its end in the glorious city of Venice, where our ship remains docked for two full days as we join in the world's first celebration of contemporary art—the 61st Venice Biennale —with exclusive visits to the Pinault Collection.
Our first port of call is the Sicilian city of Syracuse, which long rivaled Athens as one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world. You may choose to explore the extensive archaeological park, including the Roman Amphitheater of Augustus and a 15,000 seat Greek Theater. Or you may prefer to tour Ortygia, Syracuse's old town, home to many ancient monuments, including the city's Cathedral and the Palazzo Bellomo Museum.
During an afternoon in Otranto, visit the recently renovated Castello Aragonese, an art museum with marvelous views over the sea, and spend time exploring the Cathedral, known for its magnificent mosaics. Alternatively, you can travel to the hilltop town of Lecce, famous for its unique architectural style—Barocco Leccese—an exuberant blending of Baroque and Rococo. A walking tour of this remarkable city includes the Piazza del Duomo and Cathedral and the Basilica of Santa Croce.
From the port city of Bari, drive through olive groves and wheat fields to reach Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features over 1,500 trulli houses. These remarkable, white-washed structures with conical, domed roofs are constructed of local corbelled limestone without mortar, using a prehistoric building technique that has survived to this day.
Ancona offers the opportunity to travel to the town of Jesi, where the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born, to tour its well-preserved center of Renaissance and Baroque palaces and churches. Or you may choose to spend the day exploring nearby Urbino, birthplace of Raphael and home to the Palazzo Ducale, which houses the National Gallery of the Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world.
Ravenna is an ancient city that in the early Middle Ages served as the center of Byzantine power in Italy. The churches built here in the 5th and 6th centuries were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in large part because of their stunning mosaics. You will visit several of these churches, including the Basilica of San Vitale, the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which contains the earliest mosaics in Ravenna, and the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare.
Your trip comes to an end with two glorious days in Venice celebrating the Biennale with a series of very special events. A tour of the Contemporary Art Biennale, conducted by official Biennale guides, is followed by a private tour of the Punta della Dogana, a former customs house converted to a museum to house part of the extensive Pinault Collection. And your final day of this extraordinary journey ends with an exclusive tour of the Pinault Collection's Palazzo Grassi and a festive dinner in the palace's atrium.
Your voyage
All-inclusive

Destination
Mediterranean
Valletta to Venice
Duration
9 days, 8 nights on board
Timeless, Art & Literature

Kathryn Widing, Adrien Meyer
Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included
No single supplement, PONANT Bonus 30%
Ref: VVKT45US - EG010726






Journey
Your daily itinerary
- A specially tailored voyage including transfers before and after your cruise and an included excursion in each port of call.
- Engaging lectures and discussions aboard with accompanying experts on Italian art.
- Two full days of exclusive access to exhibits and events of the Venice Biennale, including exclusive visits and dinner at the museums of the Pinault Collection.
- The Greek and Roman ruins in Syracuse.
- The unique Baroque/Rococo architecture of Lecce.
- The Renaissance art of the National Gallery of the Marche.
- The trulli houses of Alberobello.

Customize your journey:

Date
29 Jun 26
Sharing your journey with

Kathryn Widing

Adrien Meyer
Staterooms and suites
Elegance and refinement

Deluxe Stateroom
Guests
2
Size
204 ft²

Prestige Stateroom
Guests
2
Size
204 ft²

Deluxe Suite
Guests
3
Size
290 ft²

Prestige Suite
Guests
4
Size
409 ft²

Privilege Suite
Guests
3
Size
344 ft²

Grand Deluxe Suite
Guests
4
Size
484 ft²

Owner's Suite
Guests
4
Size
484 ft²
*Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability, and subject to change at any time. The category of stateroom to which this price applies may no longer be available.
Details
More information
What's Included
Important travel details
In your luggage
A Celebration of Art Featuring the 61st Venice Biennale
Itinerary
Embarkation 01/07/26 from 16:00 to 17:00 Departure 01/07/26 at 18:00
1 Jul 26 - Valletta

Arrival 02/07/26 early morning Departure 02/07/26 early afternoon
2 Jul 26 - Syracuse, Sicily

Arrival 03/07/26 midday Departure 03/07/26 evening
3 Jul 26 - Otranto

Arrival 04/07/26 early morning Departure 04/07/26 midday
4 Jul 26 - Bari

Arrival 05/07/26 early morning Departure 05/07/26 evening
5 Jul 26 - Ancona

Arrival 06/07/26 early morning Departure 06/07/26 evening
6 Jul 26 - Ravenna

Arrival 07/07/26 early morning Disembarkation 09/07/26 at 8:00
7 Jul 26 > 9 Jul 26 - Venice

A Celebration of Art Featuring the 61st Venice Biennale
Included package
Shore excursion in each port of call + transfers included
A Celebration of Art Featuring the 61st Venice Biennale
Customize your journey
Maltese highlights (2 nights)

This specially designed program is an opportunity to get a sense of the extraordinarily rich history of this small island nation in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. Learn about the importance of Malta as a crossroads of trade and as the headquarters of the Knights of St. John, as well as something of the island's Neolithic past as preserved in the prehistoric megaliths of Hagar Qim. Enjoy all of this while staying at one of the world's truly grand hotels.
Day 1 – Valletta, Malta
On arrival at the Malta International Airport, you will be met and transferred to the Phoenicia Malta hotel (or similar), your home for the next two nights. Official check-in time is 3:00 p.m. A local representative will be present at a hospitality desk in the afternoon to welcome you and answer any questions you may have.
Join your fellow travelers for a welcome cocktail reception this evening. Dinner is independent and at your leisure.
Day 2 – Valletta
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before joining a guided walking tour of Valletta, Malta’s fortified capital city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Begin with a stroll to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for panoramic views over the Grand Harbor. Your visit to the extraordinary interior of the 16th-century Co-Cathedral of St. John affords the opportunity to see Caravaggio’s massive masterpiece, The Beheading of St. John the Baptist. And during your tour of the Palace of the Grand Master, which serves today as the office of the president of Malta, you will see the richly decorated state rooms and tapestry chamber.
The balance of the day is at leisure, with independent lunch and dinner.
Day 3 - Valletta | Embarkation
After breakfast and check out of the hotel, drive inland to the city of Mdina, the capital of Malta until the Knights of St. John moved it to Valletta in the 16th century. Your walking tour includes the stunning Baroque Cathedral of St. Paul, built on the site where it is said Paul converted the Roman governor to Christianity in the months following his shipwreck on the island in the year 60. From Mdina, drive to the a nearby winery for a tasting of some of Malta's finest wines before stopping at a historic local restaurant for a lunch of traditional Maltese specialties.
After lunch, drive to the southern coast of the island to visit the Hagar Qim Temples, a UNESCO World Heritage site dating to 3600 BC. Located on a hilltop overlooking the sea, Hagar Qim is among the earliest free-standing stone buildings in the world. Following your guided tour of this extraordinary site, transfer to the pier to embark your ship.
Your hotel:
The Phoenicia Malta, a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, is Malta’s landmark hotel with a storied history spanning over 60 years. Surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, the hotel is situated in an ideal location just outside the walled city of Valletta and its 16th-century bastions. From the hotel’s front door, the historic wonders of Valletta, including St. John’s Co-Cathedral, are all within easy walking distance. The hotel boasts 136 rooms and suites combining old-world elegance and a fresh style. Its modern conveniences ensure a comfortable and luxurious stay.
Your program includes:
· 2 nights at The Phoenicia Malta (or similar), including breakfast
· Transfer and luggage handling from the airport to the hotel on the scheduled program arrival day
· Transfer and luggage handling to the pier on embarkation day
· Welcome cocktail reception on Day 1
· Breakfast on days 2 and 3
· Lunch on Day 3
· Sightseeing and programming as noted in the itinerary
· Local English-speaking guide
· Gratuities for the drivers and local guides
Your program does not include:
· Transfer from the airport to the hotel on any day other than the scheduled program arrival day
· Personal expenses and other services and meals not mentioned as included in the program
Please note:
· It is imperative that your flight arrival details are communicated at least 60 days prior to the beginning of your cruise in order to secure your transfer from the airport to the hotel.
· Early check-in and/or late check-out are available depending on availability and at a supplement. An additional night is possible, upon request and depending on hotel availability. Please, contact reservations or your travel agent for further details.
· The official currency is the Euro. Credit cards are largely accepted in hotels, shops, and restaurants.
· The duration of the visits is given as a guide only, and the order of the visits may change.
· This pre-cruise program is offered as a package. There will be no refunds for unused accommodations, meals, or excursions.
· Program is offered on a space available basis.
· Program is subject to change without notice.
Hotel contact information:
The Phoenicia Malta
The Mall
Floriana FRN1478
Malta
Telephone: +356.2122.5241
£1,210/person*
Price is per person, based on double occupancy, based on availability.