Discover more of the Western Mediterranean on relaxed day trips, tasting itineraries and by bike.
Costa Diadema (www.costacruise.com/diadema), Costa Cruises’ new flagship that will be christened in Genoa on 7 November 2014, will offer a wide range of high-quality excursions from each port along its route including three new tour types: Easy, Scoperta e Sapori (Discover and Taste) and Bike Tours.
Costa Diadema will be the Regina del Mediterraneo (Queen of the Mediterranean Sea), offering seven-day cruises in the Western Mediterranean. From 8 November 2014 until the end of the summer season in 2015, the new flagship will visit Savona, Marseille, Barcelona,Palma de Mallorca, Naples and La Spezia every week.
Uncovering the most fascinating and classic attractions in the area, Costa Diadema’s shore excursions will go beyond the cities of call, catering to both first-time visitors and frequent travellers with diverse interests including culture, history, architecture, shopping and food.
There will also be exclusive excursions for the three inaugural cruises on 8, 15 and 22 November, including a thrilling one-day excursion from La Spezia to the Ferrari paradise of Maranello which will allow guests to taste delicious local specialties such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and Parma ham.
Costa’s guests now have even more choice with three brand new types of excursion: Easy, Scoperta e Sapori and Bike Tours. These different ways to experience each destination allow Costa’s guests to not only choose the location of their excursion, but also how to visit it!
Easy day trips are targeted specifically to guests who want to discover destinations in a relaxed way, visiting attractions at their own pace but counting on transfers and tour guides provided by Costa. From Savona for example, Costa Diadema guests can reach Genoa for a tour of the Aquarium or opt to admire the glamour and architectural beauties of the old city such as the Palazzi dei Rolli which are included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List. In Marseille, guests can explore France’s oldest city with visits to St. John’s fortress, the Cathedral of St. Mary Major and the old town district of Le Panier. The call in La Spezia will include trips to the Tuscan cities of Florence, Pisa and Lucca, to discover unique art and architectural treasures including Piazza dei Miracoli, the Basilica of Santa Croce and Piazza della Signoria – as well as the wonderful landscapes of Portovenere and Cinque Terre, further locations named as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Both natural and cultural gems can be appreciated during the Easy tour of Naples and Barcelona, while Palma de Mallorca is also within ‘easy’ reach thanks to Costa’s tours.
Anyone looking to experience authentic local traditions will be amazed by the themed Scoperta e Sapori tours which will allow them to taste traditional dishes from each destination while admiring top tourist attractions.
Gourmet lovers can opt for a savoury excursion in Barcelona where the Taste of Tapas and Barcelona tour combines a gastronomy tour with a walk through the Catalan capital, while guests will enjoy authentic pizzas as well as the historic sites of Pompeii and Hercolaneum in Naples. Costa’s most adventurous guests will love the jeep excursion to the Alpuane Alps in Tuscany which incorporates a visit to the Carrara marble quarries where the carrarini diggers extract the precious marble that was used in the masterpieces of Michelangelo and Giovanni Pisano. During the final moments of the tour, guests will enjoy some tasty croutons with lardo di Colonnata before returning to La Spezia. Street food will be savoured in Marseille while Focaccia bread will be offered to guests in Genoa.
Costa Diadema will also satisfy more energetic guests with dedicated Bike Tours, which are already available with Costa Favolosa and Costa Fortuna’s summer itineraries. Ideal for both keen cyclists and beginners, Costa Bike Tours include the guidance of expert Costa cyclists who can provide any necessary technical assistance. Guests can discover the beautiful island of Palma de Mallorca by riding through the old town promenade towards Parc de la Mar, enjoy cycling along the western Ligurian coast in Savona and take in views of Barceloneta beach in Barcelona.
Costa experts can also help guests with useful information about each port of call and assist them with bookings at the Tour Office on board Costa Diadema, where personal excursions can be booked with a dedicated guide and transfer so that guests can enjoy a unique shore side excursion. Excursion totems will be another facility on board Costa Diadema which will let guests choose their favourite day trip with a simple click, view videos or photos of the destinations and share their experiences and comments with other guests. Information on the excursions and bookings can also be arranged before departure on Costa Cruises’ website www.costacruises.co.uk.
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For further press information please contact:
Nick Wheywell / Laura Jackson / Sakhita Sharma / Kevan Barber
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0) 20 3440 8930
E: [email protected]
About Costa Cruises
Costa Cruises is Europe’s no. 1 cruise company (www.costacruises.co.uk). For over 60 years its ships have plied the seas of the world, offering the best in Italian style, hospitality and cuisine and providing dream holidays with the utmost in terms of fun and relaxation. Its fleet, the largest in Europe, has a total of 14 ships in service and 1 new ship to be delivered in October 2014. Costa Cruises has been certified by RINA (Italian Shipping Register) with the BEST4, an integrated system of voluntary certification for social accountability (SA 8000, issued in 2008), environment (UNI EN ISO 14001, 2004), safety (OHSAS 18001, 2007) and quality (UNI EN ISO 9001, 2008). All the ships in the Costa fleet have been assigned RINA’s Green Star notation certifying that they are operated in compliance with the highest environmental protection standards.
