Le Bougainville, 8 Night A Celebration of Art Featuring the 61st Venice Biennale ex Valletta, Malta to Venice, Italy

This cruise is part of a collection of PONANT themed voyages that are specially-tailored for English-speaking travelers who want to engage with the world. In addition to the usual elements of the PONANT experience, the listed price for these voyages includes transfers to and from the ship, talks and discussions aboard ship by world class experts, and a shore excursion or activity in each port of call that encourages guests to embrace the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells of the local environment and culture.

This carefully curated voyage from Valletta to Venice revels in the rich diversity of art and architecture found in Sicily and in the cities along Italy's Adriatic coast—the Greek and Roman ruins at Syracuse; the proudly Baroque architecture of Lecce; the Renaissance treasures of Urbino; and the Byzantine mosaics in Ravenna. But the true highlight of the journey is at its end in the glorious city of Venice, where our ship remains docked for two full days as we join in the world's premier celebration of contemporary art—the 61st Venice Biennale—with exclusive visits to the Pinault Collection.

Our first port of call is the Sicilian city of Syracuse, which long rivaled Athens as one of the most powerful cities of the ancient world. You may choose to explore the extensive archaeological park, including the Roman Amphitheater of Augustus and a 15,000 seat Greek Theater. Or you may prefer to tour Ortygia, Syracuse's old town, home to many ancient monuments, including the city's Cathedral and the Palazzo Bellomo Museum.

During an afternoon in Otranto, visit the recently renovated Castello Aragonese, an art museum with marvelous views over the sea, and spend time exploring the Cathedral, known for its magnificent mosaics. Alternatively, you may travel to the hilltop town of Lecce, famous for its unique architectural style—Barocco Leccese—an exuberant blending of Baroque and Rococo. A walking tour of this remarkable city includes the Piazza del Duomo and Cathedral and the Basilica of Santa Croce.

From the port city of Bari, drive through olive groves and wheat fields to reach Alberobello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features over 1,500 trulli houses. These remarkable, white-washed structures with conical, domed roofs are constructed of local corbelled limestone without mortar, using a prehistoric building technique that has survived to this day.

Ancona offers the opportunity to travel to the town of Jesi, where the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II was born, to tour its well-preserved center of Renaissance and Baroque palaces and churches. Or you may choose to spend the day exploring nearby Urbino, birthplace of Raphael and home to the Palazzo Ducale, which houses the National Gallery of the Marche, one of the most important collections of Renaissance art in the world.

Ravenna is an ancient city that in the early Middle Ages served as the center of Byzantine power in Italy. The churches built here in the 5th and 6th centuries were collectively designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in large part because of their stunning mosaics. You will visit several of these churches, including the Basilica of San Vitale, the nearby Mausoleum of Galla Placidia, which contains the earliest mosaics in Ravenna, and the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare.

Your voyage comes to an end with two glorious days in Venice celebrating the Biennale with a series of very special events. A tour of the Contemporary Art Biennale, conducted by official Biennale guides, is followed by a private tour of the Punta della Dogana, a former customs house converted to a museum to house part of the extensive Pinault Collection. And your final day of this extraordinary journey ends with an exclusive tour of the Pinault Collection's Palazzo Grassi and a festive dinner in the palace's atrium.

Featuring innovative and environmentally-friendly equipment, elegantly designed cabins, spacious suites with large windows, and lounge areas that open onto the outside, this new limited-capacity yacht boasting just 92 cabins and suites will offer you a truly unique cruising experience.

As the first ship in a new series that remains true to the Ponant spirit, Le Bougainville will embody the unique atmosphere that is the cruise line’s hallmark: a subtle blend of refinement, intimacy and comfort.

Aboard this ship that flies the French flag, you will experience the incomparable pleasure of an intimate cruise, with the possibility of exploring an ever-increasing range of destinations in an ethnic-chic ambiance with luxury service.

Experience a luxurious setting where the accent is on authenticity and passion for travel.

EXPERIENCE CRUISING ANOTHER WAY, DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF YACHT CRUISES.

Our mission is to transport you to mythical destinations and secret ports only accessible to small capacity ships.

To offer the delights of a French-inspired cuisine in an intimate environment - a discreet service where no attention to detail is spared - and unforgettable moments of relaxation on board elegant yachts of character.

To combine sophistication and conviviality, with priority given to authentic experiences, emotions and the ongoing quest for excellence.

Yacht cruises: more than a cruise, a privilege...

Attentive, professional, discreet and elegant, the fully bilingual service on board will meet your every desire. Our unique atmosphere is filled with a signature sentiment: a warm welcome from an experienced crew who are passionate about what they do, in the tradition of private yachting.

In the dining areas, our gourmet cuisine is worthy of top fine dining restaurants: exquisite wines are available, and menus are created with expertise by our skilled chefs with a French-inspired menu enhanced by specialties from our various ports of call.

Pleasure, enrichment, discovery: relax - we take care of everything...