Jeddah to Valletta

After two days exploring Saudi Arabia’s second city, Jeddah, we set out to sea for a day, bound for European shores. Our first stop is Aqaba, Jordan, for the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra, a city pre-dating Christian times that is carved into the rose-hued sandstone cliffs. Next, Safaga, Egypt, gateway to Luxor. With two days in hand, there’s time to view treasures including Tutankhamun’s tomb in The Valley of The Kings. A day at sea, and another cruising the Suez Canal, brings us to Cleopatra’s capital, Alexandria. Explore its formidable heritage at ancient and modern sites such as the Kom El Shoqafa catacombs and the Biblioteca Alexandria. Another sea day begins our journey around the Mediterranean. First stop Souda for Chania, a pretty harbor graced by Venetian villas on the Greek island of Crete. Then Katakolon for the ancient site of Olympia, birthplace of the Olympic Games. And Sicily’s Siracusa, rich with Greco-Roman ruins. Our final stop is Valletta, Malta’s tiny architectural gem of a capital, an exercise in elegance built by the Knights of St John.