2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise

Seabourn Odyssey

The 2010 Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise will be a nine (9) night cruise on the beautiful Seabourn Odyssey.  We are going to cruise a bit later in the year, November 13, 2010, so a fresh look at some of the ports…long after most tourists have left…affords us an opportunity to enjoy more of the local way of life.

The Goldring Travel Exclusive Complimentary Food & Wine Event will, for the first time in a while, not be immediately prior to the cruise.  I am presently working on an event with an "Autumn in Sicily" theme involving some of the comfort foods and ambiance of a typical rustic Sicilian vision.

This event is in addition to the Annual Goldring Travel Food & Wine Tasting assisted by Seabourn's Executive Chef and Sommelier; complimentary, of course!  and the complimentary Ensemble Experience in Valletta, Malta (or a $150.00 per person onboard credit – your choice...but check out the restaurant's menu!) and, as usual, some little surprises along the way.

Piraeus (Athens), Greece - Nov 13 Saturday (5:00 p.m.) - I never tire of Athens.  Whether it is a visit to the Acropolis or the brand new museum (which is truly outstanding) or shopping and dining in the Plaka, Athens is a great city to visit.  With varied pre-cruise hotel options (I love the St. George Lycabettus Hotel with its view of the Acropolis as you lie in bed or enjoy the morning breakfast buffet), many tour options (I have a longtime relationship with one of the best operators in Greece) or even a fun  Greek dinner show, Athens will keep your interest.  I have arranged, at a very modest extra cost, a half day tour of Corinth and the Corinth Canal, followed by a local lunch, before being delivered to the Seabourn Odyssey for embarkation early this afternoon.

Patmos, Greece - Nov 14 Sunday (12:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.) – After enjoying a sleep in or some of the wonderful amenities on the Seabourn Odyssey (such as her two story indoor/outdoor spa), you can visit the monastery St. John the Devine was said to have written the Book of Revelations in or wander around the narrow walks of the town designed to confuse any pirates that attacked this attractive little island.  Of course a Greek lunch accompanied by some ouzo, or slipping into a fairly nice wine shop to purchase some excellent wines from Santorini are possibilities.

Heraklion, Crete, Greece - Nov 15 Monday (8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) – I am excited that our next day brings us to Greece's largest island with its varied scenery and heavy influences from Arab, Egyptian, Venetian and Ottoman occupations.  Its major attractions are the Archaeological Museum, dedicated solely to Minoan archaeology, the Venetian Square with its Morosini Fountain, the Church of St. Mark and the 17th century Loggia, which once served as the center for Venetian administration. Not far from the Morosini Fountain is what is supposed to be a great market with spices, herbs, masses of fish, fruits and vegetables, local baskets and typical everyday notions. From the square in front of the museum are several shopping streets and a pedestrian mall lined with numerous shops, boutiques, restaurants and cafes. 

Pylos, Greece - Nov 16 Tuesday (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) - An unusually stylish town, Pylos, with a pair of medieval castles, is a beautiful town and, as I understand it, has some very nice local wines and popular suckling pig (unusual for this area, but supposedly brought in to confuse the Ottoman attackers whose Muslim beliefs caused them to avoid the animals!)  The day allows for the leisurely exploration of this town, which spreads across the slopes of the hill, its picturesque cobbled lanes lined with two-story houses. Opposite the harbor, in the Square of the Three Admirals, a three-sided column rises between two canons - one Turkish and the other Venetian. A visit to Niokastro, one of the two castles guarding the harbor, affords wonderful views out over the bay. 

Cruising the Ionian Sea - Nov 17 Wednesday – If you are not relaxed enough yet, enjoy this day at sea and all the Seabourn Odyssey has to offer…like champagne and caviar while soaking in one of the many whirlpools.  This may well be a great day for our Food & Wine Tasting!

Catania, Sicily, ItalyNov 18 Thursday (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) - For me this is the beginning of a great exploration of Sicilian food and wine!  It has two large street markets which are particularly interesting, and the churches and palaces have a distinctly Baroque aura. Thirty miles to the northeast, perched on a terrace overlooking the sea, is the enchanting storybook village of Taormina which features numerous small shops offering fine quality embroidery, ceramics and lace. 

Valletta, Malta - Nov 19 Friday (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) – Malta's rich heritage is reflected in the architecture of Valletta, the current capital, and Mdina, the capital until 1565. In Valletta the Knights of St. John built such masterpieces as St. John's Co-Cathedral and the Palace of the Grand Masters, along with the fortifications that guard the town's magnificent harbors.  The Complimentary Ensemble Experience:  Experience Malta- Island Panorama with Lunch at Ta’Marija. After visits to various scenic villages, wandering markets for Maltese lace or strolling the waterfronts their colorful boats and fishing nets spread on the quay, we travel to the island’s south coast and its Blue Grotto then continuing on to the Dingli Cliffs, Malta’s highest point, for more magnificent views. From the cliffs drive to Rabat (visiting the Roman Villa) and then Mosta, a town located in the middle of the island, known for the Rotunda, a round church with what is believed to be the third largest unsupported dome in Europe.  The highlight of this day is Ta’ Marija Restaurant where a complimentary lunch and a chance to experience authentic Maltese cuisine. (Ta' Marija Restaurant was awarded Best Maltese Food Restaurant for six consecutive years, 2005 - 2010, by the Definitive(ly) Good Guide to Restaurants, sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. In addition, the restaurant was also awarded the Best Maltese Wine List award for 2006, top rated in 2005, 2007 and 2009 and awarded as the Most Lively Restaurant in 2009).

Trapani (Sicily), Italy - Nov 20 Saturday (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.) - Time to explore and enjoy more Sicilian foods and wines; especially seafood and Marsala wine (though not necessarily at the same time!).  Places of interest include the medieval walled hill-town Erice, Marsala and the ancient Greek site of Selinunte.  A lovely collection of their work can be seen in the Pepoli Museum.

Naples, Italy- Nov 21 Sunday (8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) - The options in Naples are boundless.  Take a high speed ferry to the glamorous island of Capri, take a tour of the underground city below Naples, visit Pompeii, see Sorrento without the crowds. So much to see…even if you have been there before.

Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy - Nov 22 Monday (8:00 a.m.)

You can enjoy this incredible experience starting at less than $3,750 per person including all fees and taxes.