Aurora Expeditions

Daily Itinerary

1. Day 1

   Rome

   Italy

   

   Rome, the Eternal City, offers nearly three thousand years of history from the Colosseum and Pantheon to St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, layered with Renaissance masterpieces, Baroque fountains, and one of Europe's most celebrated culinary traditions. Essential experiences include the Roman Forum, Vatican Museums, and authentic cacio e pepe in a neighborhood trattoria. Visit April-May or September-October for ideal weather, reaching the city from Civitavecchia port in about 70 minutes by train.

2. Day 2

   Rome

   Italy

   

   Rome, the Eternal City, offers nearly three thousand years of history from the Colosseum and Pantheon to St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, layered with Renaissance masterpieces, Baroque fountains, and one of Europe's most celebrated culinary traditions. Essential experiences include the Roman Forum, Vatican Museums, and authentic cacio e pepe in a neighborhood trattoria. Visit April-May or September-October for ideal weather, reaching the city from Civitavecchia port in about 70 minutes by train.

3. Day 3

   Livorno

   Italy

   

   Purpose-built as a Medici utopia in the late sixteenth century, Livorno was conceived from the outset as a city without discrimination — its founding Leggi Livornine granted equal rights to Jews, Christians, Muslims, and merchants of every nation, making it one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Renaissance Europe. Today, the Venetian-style canals of the Venezia Nuova quarter reflect colourful palazzi with a distinctly faded glamour, while the Mercato Centrale's fish counters display the cacciucco ingredients — a robust Livornese brodetto of five sea creatures — that make this port city a pilgrimage for serious eaters. Day trips to Pisa and Lucca are effortless from here. The season runs April through October.

4. Day 4

   Gaeta

   Italy

   

   Gaeta is a fortified promontory town on Italy's Tyrrhenian coast between Rome and Naples, where two millennia of strategic importance have left a medieval old quarter of castle ruins, Romanesque churches, and the dramatic Montagna Spaccata cleft in the cliff face. Must-dos include the Split Mountain sanctuary, tasting tiella gaetana octopus pie and local olives, and hiking Monte Orlando for views across the Pontine Islands. Visit May, June, or September for warm seas and coastal light without peak crowds.

5. Day 5

   Naples

   Italy

   

   Naples — Napoli — is Europe's most operatically alive city, a sun-battered baroque metropolis where Vesuvius broods on the horizon and the streets below pulse with 2,500 years of continuous human drama. The unmissable Museo Archeologico Nazionale houses the world's finest collection of artefacts from Pompeii and Herculaneum, while the Spaccanapoli, the arrow-straight artery that has bisected the city since Greek times, delivers an unfiltered encounter with Neapolitan life. A single slice of pizza Margherita from one of the centro storico's historic pizzerias is a culinary pilgrimage in itself. Visit between April and June or September and October for warmth, manageable crowds, and the city at its golden best.

6. Day 6

   Salerno

   Italy

   

   Salerno is a historic Campanian port city nestled between the Amalfi Coast and Cilento National Park, home to Europe's first medieval medical school and a magnificent Romanesque cathedral with Byzantine bronze doors. Visitors should not miss the Lungomare Trieste promenade at sunset and a plate of hand-rolled scialatielli ai frutti di mare in the atmospheric old town. The mild Mediterranean climate makes Salerno enchanting year-round, though late spring through early autumn offers the most luminous light and the fullest expression of its coastal character.

7. Day 7

   Messina

   Italy

   

   Messina guards the storied strait that separates Sicily from the Italian mainland — the passage Homer mythologised as Scylla and Charybdis — and its Norman cathedral's astronomical clock, one of the world's largest mechanical clocks, puts on a captivating automated display each noon as gilded figures enact scenes of the Resurrection. The city was catastrophically rebuilt after the 1908 earthquake, but its markets and waterfront convey the fierce energy of a Sicilian port that has witnessed two and a half millennia of Mediterranean history. Messina is the perfect gateway to Taormina, a 40-minute drive into the hills above the Ionian coast, with views of Etna at their most dramatic. Spring and autumn are ideal.

8. Day 8

   Palermo

   Italy

   

   Palermo is the Mediterranean's most intoxicating crossroads of civilisations — Arab arches meet Byzantine gold mosaics beneath Norman royal chapels in the extraordinary Palatine Chapel, a monument to 12th-century multicultural brilliance that is Sicily's single greatest work of art. The Ballarò and Capo street markets, among southern Italy's most atmospheric, tumble through the ancient city in a sensory barrage of swordfish, blood oranges, jasmine, and street food improvised across centuries. Do not leave without tasting arancini and sfincione, Sicily's gloriously thick street pizza. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer the ideal climate — warm enough for the sea, cool enough for extended walking.

9. Day 9

   Porto Empedocle, Italy

   Italy

   

   Porto Empedocle is Sicily’s gateway to the Valley of the Temples—a UNESCO ridge of seven Doric masterpieces including the extraordinarily preserved Temple of Concordia, rivaling anything in Greece. Must-dos include dawn visits to the Valley of the Temples, exploring Camilleri’s Montalbano country, and breakfast granita with brioche. Visit March through June or September through November for comfortable temperatures; evening visits offer illuminated temple views against the Mediterranean sky.

10. Day 10

    Siracuse, Sicily

    Italy

    

11. Day 11

    Valletta

    Malta

    

    Valletta, Europe's smallest capital, is a fortress city of exceptional grandeur raised from bare limestone in just fifteen years after the Knights of St. John repelled the great Ottoman siege of 1565 — its rigid Renaissance grid of sun-drenched streets concealing a density of baroque palaces, gilded oratories, and subterranean World War II shelters unrivaled anywhere in the Mediterranean. The Grand Harbour, framed by golden bastions plunging into startlingly blue water, offers one of the most dramatically photogenic arrivals in the world for arriving vessels. Spring and autumn deliver the most comfortable temperatures for exploring this UNESCO-listed gem.

12. Day 12

    Valletta

    Malta

    

    Valletta, Europe's smallest capital, is a fortress city of exceptional grandeur raised from bare limestone in just fifteen years after the Knights of St. John repelled the great Ottoman siege of 1565 — its rigid Renaissance grid of sun-drenched streets concealing a density of baroque palaces, gilded oratories, and subterranean World War II shelters unrivaled anywhere in the Mediterranean. The Grand Harbour, framed by golden bastions plunging into startlingly blue water, offers one of the most dramatically photogenic arrivals in the world for arriving vessels. Spring and autumn deliver the most comfortable temperatures for exploring this UNESCO-listed gem.

Cabin Categories

Balcony Stateroom Category A

Balcony

226–288 sq ftMax 2BSAD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 21.07m2 - 26.77m2 (226.8ft² - 288.2ft2) We have three categories of our Balcony Staterooms. These are classified as A, B or C depending on the stateroom size. Our 25 Balcony Stateroom A rooms are our premium room, and the most abundant on board. These staterooms are located in preferred positions on Deck 4 and 6 which provides easy access between Decks via the internal stairs or elevator.

King or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+6

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Balcony Stateroom Category A – Solo

Balcony

248–288 sq ftMax 1BA1D

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 21.07m2 - 26.77m2 (226.8ft² - 288.2ft2) To support your solo travel adventures, from our 2026 Arctic and Beyond season, we will offer 4 dedicated Balcony Stateroom Category A - Solo cabins on every sailing, with no single supplement. We have three categories of our Balcony Staterooms. These are classified as A, B or C depending on the stateroom size. Our 4 Solo Balcony Stateroom A - Solo rooms are our premium room, these staterooms are located in preferred positions on Deck 4 which provides easy access between Decks via the internal stairs or elevator.

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedSafe+5

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Balcony Stateroom Category B

Balcony

226–288 sq ftMax 2BSBD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 21.07m2 - 26.77m2 (226.8ft² - 288.2ft2) We have three categories of our Balcony Staterooms. These are classified as A, B or C depending on the stateroom size. Our 17 Balcony Stateroom B rooms are our standard room, many fitted with interconnecting features making them great for families or groups. These staterooms are located at the fore and aft of Deck 4 and 6.

King or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+6

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Balcony Stateroom Category C

Balcony

226–268 sq ftMax 2BSCD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 21.07m2 - 26.77m2 (226.8ft² - 288.2ft2) We have three categories of our Balcony Staterooms. These are classified as A, B or C depending on the stateroom size. Our 15 Balcony Stateroom Category C rooms are our most economical, fitted with all the necessities and comfortable for up to 2 people. These staterooms are scattered throughout Deck 4 & 6.

King or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+5

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Balcony Stateroom Superior

Balcony

298–390 sq ftMax 2SBSD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 27.77m2 - 36.27m2 (298.9ft2 - 390.4ft2) With a bit more room to stretch the legs, the Balcony Stateroom Superiors are perfect for polar adventurers who travel with plenty of gear. Located on Deck 4 and 6, the Staterooms feature floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathrooms and a comfortable desk area. Some of these rooms are equipped with wheelchair accessible bathrooms.

King or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+5

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Aurora Stateroom Single

Outside

106 sq ftMax 1AS1D

Stateroom size: 9.85m2 (106ft2) There are two Aurora Stateroom Single cabins featuring portholes, all with private en-suites. Located on Deck 3, they're close to the mudroom and loading platforms.

One Single BedVanity AreaToiletries ProvidedTVSafeDesk+4

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Aurora Stateroom Superior

Balcony

150–174 sq ftMax 2SASD

Stateroom size: 13.97m2 - 16.17m2 (150.4ft2 - 174.1ft2) With a bit more room to stretch the legs, the Aurora Stateroom Superior are perfect for polar adventurers who travel with plenty of gear. Located on Deck 7, the Staterooms feature french balconies, floor to ceiling windows, en-suite bathrooms and a comfortable desk area.

King or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+6

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Aurora Stateroom Superior Single

Outside

118–163 sq ftMax 1SA1D

Deck 3 Stateroom size: 15.18m2 (163.4ft2) Deck 7 Stateroom size: 10.97m2 (118.1ft2 ) There are four Aurora Stateroom Superior Single cabins featuring portholes, all with private en-suites. Located on Decks 3 & 7.

One Single BedVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTVSafe+5

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Aurora Stateroom Twin

Outside

165–171 sq ftMax 2AS3D

Stateroom size: 22.57m2 (242.9ft2) There are two Aurora Stateroom Triple cabins featuring portholes, both with private en-suites. Located on Deck 3, they're close to the mudroom and loading platforms.

Sofa BedKing or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTV+7

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Aurora Stateroom Twin

Outside

165–171 sq ftMax 2AS2D

Stateroom size: 15.37m² - 15.97m² (165.4ft² - 171.9ft²) The Douglas Mawson features two Aurora Stateroom Twin cabins featuring windows, all with private en-suites. Located on Deck 3, they're close to the mudroom and loading platforms, perfect for adventurers who are looking for a comfortable base that's close to the action.

Sofa BedKing or Twin ConfigurationVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedTV+7

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E Team Share

outside

E2D

E Team Share

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ETeam Single

outside

E1D

ETeam Single

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Captain's Suite

Suite

486 sq ftMax 2CSD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: 45.22m2 (486.7ft2) The largest of all our rooms, the singular Captain's Suite will take you to the polar regions in ultimate style and comfort. Complete with large lounge area, balcony, walk-in wardrobe and en-suite, you'll need to get in early to secure this suite.

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedSuite Benefits+7

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Junior Suite

Suite

446–450 sq ftMax 2JSD

Stateroom & balcony combined size: Up to 41.47m2 - 41.87m2 (446.4ft2 - 450.7ft2) The four Junior Suites take in some impressive scenery from their vantage points on Deck 7. When you aren't enjoying a landing, you can relax in the suites' separate lounge area, or just watch the world float by from the private balcony.

King or Twin ConfigurationLounge AreaVanity AreaShowerToiletries ProvidedSuite Benefits+6

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