Costa Cruises has announced that it will provide 10x National Geographic /Nat Geo day tours this summer as part of its Mediterranean, Canary Islands, and Madeira cruises.
These shore-based tours, available from June 2023, have been carefully crafted to offer guests a responsible and immersive way to experience the local cultures of the destinations they visit. The tours will be led by local guides who have received Nat Geo training.
Among the tours, three will take place in the Canary Islands. They will offer experiences such as volcanic wine tasting in La Geria, Lanzarote (Arrecife), where guests can learn about the unique cultivation methods developed by local farmers after volcanic eruptions. Other activities include hiking in Gran Canaria and engaging with locals to explore cultural traditions and sample local cuisine in Teno Alto, Tenerife.
In Italy, guests will have the opportunity to visit Mount Raschio in Rome, a beech forest protected by UNESCO, or learn about the conservation of sea turtles at Turtle Point in Portici, Naples.
Two tours will be hosted in Greece, allowing guests to enjoy traditional food and island life with a local family in Mykonos, as well as learn about Blutopis, a family-run business in Rhodes that promotes the preservation of the natural marine environment and encourages young scientists to remain on the island.
Other tours include an excursion in Ibiza with a herbalist guide, covering the use of wild herbs and the importance of bees for the ecosystem. In Mali Ston Bay near Dubrovnik, Croatia, guests can learn about oyster aquaculture. Additionally, at Quinta Pedagogica da Camacha farm in Funchal, Madeira, visitors can gain insight into the environmental impact of specific agricultural practices.
A portion of the proceeds from each tour will be donated to the National Geographic Society to support further research and sustainable programs worldwide.