14-night Africa cruise: Venice (Fusina), Italy to Barcelona on Viking Vela
The Italy, Africa & Iberia Discovery from Venice is a 14-night Africa cruise aboard Viking Vela, operated by Viking. Departing Venice (Fusina), Italy on June 20, 2028 and arriving in Barcelona on July 4, 2028, the voyage visits 13 ports including Sibenik, Bari, Crotone. Fares start from $9,398 per person.
Fixed editorial images from the places on this itinerary. They stay stable each time you return to this sailing.
Sibenik
Lesser known than the beautiful, yet well-trodden cities of Split and Dubrovnik, Sibenik offers all of the quintessential delights than one might have come to expect from destinations situated on Croatia’s glorious Adriatic Coast.
Sibenik is situated within a deep bay, one of the best-protected harbours found anyway in the Adriatic region, and boasts spectacular surrounding landscapes, while the city itself is a sight to behold from the first moment it comes into view; typically Croatian scenes of white-washed, terracotta-topped buildings hint at the type of treasures awaiting discovery ashore.
Wander the little, steeply-angled streets and attractive squares framed by a mix of centuries-old architectural gems, shops and cafés reveal themselves; particular highlights to see-out include the impressive town hall, the churches of St Barbara and St Fran, and the piece de resistance: Cathedral Sveti Jakov. Built in the early 15th century, UNESCO-listed Sveti Jakov is considered one of Croatia’s finest and most important Renaissance-era landmarks, built from limestone and marble under the supervision of the great Croatian stone masters Juraj Dalmatinac and Nikola Firentinac.
Bari
Bari, capital of the province of Apulia, lies on southern Italy's Adriatic coast. Its busy port is a leading commercial and industrial centre as well as a transit point for travellers catching ferries across the Adriatic to Greece.
Bari comprises a new and an old town. To the north, on a promontory between the old and new harbours, lies the picturesque old town, or Citta Vecchia, with a maze of narrow, crooked streets. To the south is the spacious and regularly planned new town, which has developed considerably since 1930, when the Levant Fair was first held here.
The heart of the modern town is Piazza della Liberta. The busy thoroughfare, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, separates the new town from the old. At the eastern end of the Corso begins the Lungomare Nazario Sauro, a magnificent seafront promenade that runs along the old harbour.
Bari and the Apulian region were long recognized for their strategic location, attracting a succession of colonizers such as the Normans, Moors and Spaniards, each leaving their mark. Romanesque churches and powerful castles built by 13th-century Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II of Swabia are among the most impressive buildings in the region. Bari's Basilica of San Nicola became famous as the final resting place of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus). According to local tradition, sailors from Bari went to Myra in Turkey, stole the saint's remains and brought them back to Bari. St. Nicholas was the popular bishop of Myra, who was revered as the patron of sailors, virgins and children.
In addition to unspoiled scenery and historical sites, Apulia is also known for its hearty cuisine that has evolved from more than 2,000 years of foreign influences. While not as famous as other areas in Italy, Bari and its surrounding region hold many surprise attractions that make it well worth exploring this ancient land and its capital at the heel of Italy's boot.
Messina, Italy
Messina may well be your first sight of Sicily, and – from your MSC holiday cruise ship – it’s a fine one, the glittering town spread up the hillside beyond its sickle-shaped Mediterranean harbour.
On a shore excursion you can discover Messina’s most important monument, the Duomo, which epitomizes the city’s phoenix-like ability to re-create itself from the ashes of its last disaster. It’s the reconstruction of a twelfth-century cathedral erected by Roger II, one of a series of great Norman churches of Sicily that include the sumptuous cathedrals of Palermo and Cefalù. The Duomo’s detached campanile, or bell tower, claims to be the largest astronomical clock in the world, and puts on its best show at noon every day, when a bronze lion (Messina’s ancient emblem) unleashes a mighty roar over the city that can be quite alarming if you’re not expecting it!
Just back from the Duomo, the truncated section of the twelfth-century Chiesa Annunziata dei Catalani squats below pavement level, and is Messina’s only surviving example of Arab/Norman church-building.
When you are cruising the Mediterranean Sea with MSC Cruises, the most obvious excursion from Messina is to the almost too charming hill town of Taormina, spectacularly located on a rocky bluff between the Ionian Sea and the soaring peak of Mount Etna, whose summit with its bleak lava wilderness is one of the most memorable landscapes Italy has to offer.
Once the beloved retreat of poets and writers, Taormina is now the most illustrious resort on the entire island, captivating its visitors with its famous ancient theatre, grand hotels and engaging small-town charm.
Prices come from third-party data feeds via Viking and may differ from the cruise line's current fare. Confirm the final price before booking. How our pricing works
Lowest fares with no residency, age, or service requirement — verify eligibility at booking. How our pricing works
Not ready to book?
Get price alerts
We’ll email you when fares drop or return.
Check your email to finish
We sent a confirmation link to your inbox. Your alert is not on yet — click that link to switch it on.
We count visits anonymously without cookies. Accept cookies to let us remember you across visits and connect activity if you create an account, or decline and we'll still count you anonymously. Read our privacy policy
ESC
The Captain
I'm the Captain. Tell me what you're after — "Caribbean under $2,000" or "7 nights from Miami" — and I'll find the sailing and its price history.
