"Footsteps of Peter & Paul" - Mediterranean Cruise

Wherever you turn aboard Norwegian Spirit, you''ll discover something new. Like 11 restaurants. And with NCL''s Freestyle Cruising, your choices are endless - feel like starting your day at the pool? Take a dip. Or pamper yourself, get a manicure, shoot some hoops, get a hot stone massage - the possibilities are endless. Norwegian Spirit''s accommodations give you whatever you need to vacation your way.

Ancient Corinth, founded in the 10^th century BC, was a powerful commercial center near two seaports connecting Southern Greece to the mainland. We will make a memorable stop at the Corinth Canal which has been cut through the isthmus joining the Aegean and the Adriatic Sea saving 200 miles of sailing around southern Greece. You will marvel at this extraordinary canal and you will never forget it!

At the ruins of Corinth we will ponder the teachings of the Apostle Paul. As we stroll around this site our guide will point out all of the major points of interest. We will then have lunch at a local restaurant where we will enjoy authentic Greek cuisine.

We will stop at the ancient Olympic Stadium for a memorable Kodak moment.We drive by the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Old Parliament, University, Academy, Omonia Square, a Russian church, and Theater of Herodus Atticus. We view Mars Hill and then walk up 140 feet to the Acropolis, one of the most recognizable monuments of the world. 

Today we will explore Ephesus, the crown jewel of the Seven Churches of Revelation and one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the world. It was famed for the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We will journey to the magnificent ruins of Ephesus where we will see the Odeon—the marble street where Paul held daily discussions, the Library of Celcus, the Temple of Hadrian, and the great theater where Paul preached to the masses.

We will take a scenic drive through orchards of fruit and olive trees to visit the House of the Virgin Mary where local history says the Apostle John cared for the mother of Jesus. The House of the Virgin Mary is a sacred site for both Christians and Muslims. We will actually walk through this ancient and surreal dwelling where the Christian world’s belief is that Mary died.

Our exciting day begins with a tour of the Hippodrome, once a huge stadium seating over 100,000 people who gathered for chariot races. Two large obelisks and one small one are all that now remain of the Hippodrome. We will walk over to the famous Blue Mosque which was built between 1609 and 1616 by Sultan Ahmed. It is popularly known as the Blue Mosque because the interior walls are covered with twenty thousand blue Iznik tiles. 

We then will visit the domed Basilica of St. Sophia, one of the oldest standing churches in the world, which has inspired architects and religious leaders for over fifteen hundred years. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years.

After our memorable lunch we will get the chance to explore and shop in the Grand Bazaar. Built in 1457, this covered bazaar is famous for its never-ending selection of goods (leather, jewelry, clothing, spices, souvenirs, etc.) and is the largest bazaar in the world with over four thousand shops.  

We will begin our tour by strolling through the small, narrow winding streets of the unique village of Mykonos. This picturesque Greek Island offers constant picture taking moments for our wannabe photographers. We will see and learn about the famous windmills dating back as early as the 16^th century which are now one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos.  

We will then explore the island by bus, stopping to see some of the most famous beaches and the inner landscape. We will stop for a refreshing drink and some photo moments as we walk barefoot in the Mediterranean Sea. 

In the idyllic second main village of Mykonos, Ano Mera, we will visit the monk monastery, Panagia Tourliani, which was built in the 16^th century. After strolling inside the monastery we can usually see and even take a picture of the elderly Monk who lives there.  

Our tour begins with our scenic bus ride down the coast of the Bay of Naples on our way to the ancient city of Pompeii. We will see Mount Vesuvius, best known for its eruption in 79 AD that led to the destruction of Pompeii and the death of up to 25,000 people. As we stroll around the ruins of Pompeii we will marvel at the tragic ending to this once bustling metropolis. We will view the buildings and plaster castes of the figures entombed in ash.

After spending a couple of hours exploring Pompeii we will take a scenic drive through the beautiful Tuscany countryside on our way to Sorrento, one of the most charming cities of Italy. We will enjoy a delicious authentic Italian lunch there and a short shopping time before taking descending steps down from the upper city to the boat haven which offers Kodak views of cliffs and beautiful villas. 

After a short hydrofoil ride to breathtaking Capri we will stroll through the famous streets of this charming seaside village. Those who choose to, will ascend to Anacapri via a unique ride in a funicular (inclined railway) and enjoy the beautiful scenic views of this unique city and the spectacular Mediterranean Sea. The views and photo opportunities are all around us. White-washed shops, cafes, the limestone masses called Sea Stacks that stand out in the sea, and little cobblestone streets lined with bougainvillea will delight us.

We will take a morning walking tour of the Vatican. One of the highlights will be our visit to the remarkable Sistine Chapel, the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace which is the official residence of the Pope. 

We then will stop at a charming restaurant for lunch of authentic Italian cuisine. After lunch we will drive past the Roman Forum, the Arch of Constantine, and the famed Coliseum.We will visit the Piazza Venezia and stroll along cobblestone streets by many shops on our way to the famous Trevi Fountain.We can each throw in coins for a memorable picture moment. The Trevi Fountain stands 85 feet high and is 65 feet wide, the largest Baroque fountain in the city. 

We begin our journey in Livorno, the second largest port in Italy and gateway to the Tuscany region. Our first stop on our exciting tour will be to visit the fascinating leaning Tower of Pisa which is the bell tower of the cathedral in the Italian city of Pisa.

We will continue by bus to beautiful Florence where poets, painters, sculptors and architects produced a stream of exquisite works of art. We will see the Piazza del duomo, the religious centre of Florence, in front of the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. We will have the pleasure of seeing the exquisite statue of David in the Accademia Gallery along with other amazing works of art. David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo from 1501 – 1504. After lunch we will visit Santa Croce, one of the most beautiful gothic churches in Italy. We will see Donatello’s Annunciation, Giotto’s Death of St. Francis, and the tomb of Michelangelo.

This full day tour includes the Highlights of Toulon plus a chance to explore the small resort towns of Sanary, Bandoll and Le Castellet. Our first stop is the tiny fishing village of Sanary, a true Provencal town. We will be delighted as we tour the port which is the hub of activity. Our guide will take us on a walking tour of the city and explain the history of this charming seaside village. Be sure and snap a few pictures of the red, blue and green fishing boats we will find gathered at the wharf. It is quite a colorful scene.  

We will have free time for shopping in Bandol. The city is full of boutique shops and small restaurants.  Why not have a picnic lunch on the beach? Whatever we choose to do with our free time we will find this small city by the sea to be relaxing and invigorating at the same time! Le Castellet is a charming well-restored medieval village with narrow cobble stone streets just waiting to be explored. The city is perched on a hill with a breathtaking view. While here we can discover a medieval castle and a cute Romanesque church of the12^th century. After the walking tour we will end at the colorful flower market for a little free time before returning to the ship.

John W. (Jack) Welch grew up in Southern California where his father was a prominent attorney. Before his mission, he attended Brigham Young University and spent time studying in Salzburg, Austria. While serving in 1967 as a missionary in Regensburg, Germany, Jack discovered the remarkable literary form called chiasmus in the Book of the Mormon. Many regard chiasmus as one of the most significant Book of Mormon textual discoveries ever made. In 1970, Jack received his bachelor''s and master''s degrees from BYU where he studied under Hugh Nibley. He then spent two years at Oxford Studying Greek philosophy. From there, Jack went to law school at Duke where he was one of the two articles editors of the law review and studied with the eminent New Testament scholar, James Charlesworth. He practiced law in Southern California for five years, founding the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies (FARMS), a tax-exempt public charity, in 1979. When Jack moved to Provo in 1980 to assume a faculty position teaching tax and ancient law courses at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, he brought FARMS with him and the modern era of Book of Mormon studies was launched. Jack has dozens of series and titles to his credit as both an author and an editor, including The Collected Works of Hugh Nibley and The Encyclopedia of Mormonism. He has been the editor-in-chief of BYU Studies Quarterly for over 20 years. He is the Robert K. Thomas Professor of Law and as one of the most distinguished of Hugh Nibley''s students, Jack is generally considered one of the most highly regarded ancient scripture scholars of the Church today. He has been a bishop twice and has served in a stake presidency. An avid skier, he and his wife have four children and sixteen grandchildren.