20-Days Abu Dhabi to Genoa

Abu Dhabi is a cosmopolitan metropolis rich in splendour, from the magnificent Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, one of the largest in the world with its 800 domes and 1,000 columns, to the Heritage Village, Emirates Palace and Al ain archaeological site with palace museum. Experience the thrill of a roller coaster above the dunes and some of the finest shopping on the planet.

Khasab, is also known as the Top of the Emirates, a play of words to define its position – it’s the most “northern” city in the Emirates – and the appeal of this Oman port located in the northernmost exclave of the Sultanate. Sailing on an MSC cruise to Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Qatar you will notice that Khasab guards the Ormuz strait that separates the Arabian Sea from the Indian Ocean. Here the cruise proceeds into the Musandam, the longest and most famous fjord of these coasts, with its long inlets dug out of the limestone, that open towards the hinterland through cliffs rising vertically from the clear blue waters, populated by dolphins and a vast varied marine life, which is why it is known as the “Norway of Arabia”.

One of the most fascinating ways to explore these lands is aboard a dhow, typical boats used in the Arab peninsula, nowadays also propelled by a motor, if not rigged with one or more Latin sails. During your visit to Oman, you can choose an excursion to Telegraph Island, the historic island in which, in the middle of the 19th century, the British built an intermediate station of the telegraph that connected Bombay to Bharain. Khasab is a town founded by the Portuguese at the beginning of the 17th century in the best possible natural port of the area and offers many interesting excursions. One of the most appealing is the Khasab Fortress. Now farther from the sea, it has maintained its original charm and… some typical boats of the region which, just as in the military buildings, are decorated in the traditional style of the Musandam peninsula. Or you can visit the town of Bukha with its two beautiful forts built in the Portuguese period: Fort Bukha, perfectly preserved with its uninterrupted crown of rounded merlons and Fort Al Qala, with its fairfaced stone walls.

Port Safaga (Bur Safaga in Arabic), where your MSC cruise ship awaits your return, is a village on the Red Sea coast. The town, whose economy is driven by the nearby phosphate mines, consists of a single windswept avenue running straight on, past concrete boxes with bold signs proclaiming their function. Silos and cranes identify the port, which runs alongside (but remains out of bounds) for most of this distance. However, inland from Port Safaga, a shore excursion on your MSC Grand Voyages cruise can be the opportunity to discover Luxor and the overwhelming concentration of relics in the area. A tourist mecca ever since Nile steamers began calling in the nineteenth century, visitors come to view the remains of Thebes, Ancient Egypt’s New Kingdom capital, and its associated sites. The town itself boasts Luxor Temple, a graceful ornament to its waterfront and “downtown”, while a mile or so north is Karnak Temple, a stupendous complex built over 1,300 years. Across the river are the amazing tombs and mortuary temples of the Theban Necropolis, an attraction not to be missed on your holiday in Egypt.

During an MSC cruise in the Mediterranean, Haifa, a large port located in northern Israel, is the perfect setting off point for excursions of great interest, especially if you would like to learn more about the world’s three greatest religions during your voyage. In Israel, the three Religions of the Book, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, encounter each other at every angle. MSC Cruises offers, for example, a tour of places described in the Bible. After visiting places such as Bethlehem, Nazareth, Cana and Jerusalem, you will be able to truthfully say that you have tread on the same ground as the prophets, the disciples of Jesus and the Arab conquerors. Or, if you are more interested in history and are not afraid of to get a little tired, an excursion to Massada will take you to the top of the mountain where the Jews took their last stand against the Romans. While docked at Haifa during your cruise, you will also get the chance to admire Israel’s nature at its most extreme. A short distance from Massada sits a landlocked lake that is so salty that it has been nicknamed the Dead Sea. In Mt. Carmel Park, on the other hand, there are trails that wind between the natural beauties of the Middle East, the woods, archaeologic sites, and sacred places. A cruise in the Mediterranean Sea offers both must-see natural and historical excursions, and less demanding pass times; from Haifa, with another MSC excursion, you will be able to reach the bubbling city of Tel Aviv. It is considered, for good reason, the most modern city in Israel, not just for its skyscrapers but also for its way of life. During a comfortable bus tour that will take you through the city’s old quarter, you will also be able to admire Tel Aviv’s architectural heritage dating to the early 20th century.

Sitting on the stunning Cypriot coastline, Limassol makes for a fascinating MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination. The city is celebrated for its medieval castle, waterfront sculpture park, and vast array of museums. Beyond Limassol lies the fascinating town of Paphos and a host of natural and archaeological wonders including Millomeri Waterfalls and Apollo’s Sanctuary.

Rhodes, a Greek Dodecanese island and MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination, is celebrated for its beautiful beaches, archaeological ruins, and magnificent museums. Its historical Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest medieval city in the European continent!

During the 18th-century, Mykonos’ maze of tangled lanes would confuse even the most well-travelled pirates. Nowadays pretending to get lost in these winding alleys makes for a day of entertainment! This MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination is known for its romantic Greek Island glamour. See brilliant beaches, turquoise waters, and picturesque whitewashed villages.

Salerno boasts one of the loveliest cathedrals in southern Italy, reached through an atrium with 28 columns. Venture on to Paestum and see the Temple of Neptune.

On the west coast of Tuscany lies the cosmopolitan port city of Livorno, an MSC Mediterranean Cruises destination. This Italian getaway is known for its historical architecture, sumptuous seafood, and checkboard waterside promenade. Livorno is the perfect launch pad for visiting Tuscany’s beautiful art cities, Florence and Pisa. What’s more, you’ll find great natural environments, like Macchia della Magona, spread across the region.

Genoa is marvellously eclectic, vibrant and full of rough-edged style; it’s a great cruise excursion. Indeed “La Superba” (The Superb), as it was known at the height of its authority as a Mediterranean superpower, boasts more zest and intrigue than all the surrounding coastal resorts put together. During a holiday to Genoa you can explore its old town: a dense and fascinating warren of medieval alleyways home to large palazzi built in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries by Genoa’s wealthy mercantile families and now transformed into museums and art galleries. You should seek out the Cattedrale di San Lorenzo, the Palazzo Ducale, and the Renaissance palaces of Via Garibaldi which contain the cream of Genoa’s art collections, as well as furniture and decor from the grandest days of the city’s past, when its ships sailed to all corners of the Mediterranean Sea. The Acquario di Genova is the city’s pride and joy, parked like a giant ocean liner on the waterfront, with seventy tanks housing sea creatures from all the world’s major habitats, including the world’s biggest reconstruction of a Caribbean coral reef. It’s a great aquarium by any standards, the second largest in Europe by capacity, and boasts a fashionably ecology-conscious slant and excellent background information in Italian and English. Just 35 km south of Genoa, there’s no denying the appeal of Portofino, tucked into a protected inlet surrounded by lush cypress- and olive-clad slopes. It’s an A-list resort that has been attracting high-flying bankers, celebs and their hangers-on for years, as evidenced by the flotillas of giant yachts usually anchored just outside. It’s a tiny place that is attractive yet somehow off-putting at the same time, with a quota of fancy shops, bars and restaurants for a place twice its size.