DepART Volume 3: Experiences & Shorelines

In this third and final installment of our DepART blog series, we step fully into the world of artistic inspiration. 

Creative Encounters is an invitation to see the world through the lens of imagination. Here, art isn’t confined to frames or plinths — it’s embedded in temple carvings, handmade textiles, and the quiet mastery of traditional craft. This is travel that connects you not just to what is seen, but to what is felt.

In Shorelines & Showpieces, the voyage itself becomes a curated experience. Each sailing is shaped by culture and creativity — from cities steeped in artistic legacy to landscapes that inspired masterpieces. These are cruises where the canvas changes daily, but the theme remains constant: art, in all its forms, as the heart of the experience.

Creative Encounters

Some places speak in colour, in texture, in form. They whisper through temple walls and echo down gallery halls; they live in the hands of artisans and the quiet rhythm of age-old craft. This is travel that doesn’t simply show you the world, it lets you step inside its imagination. Let curiosity lead and you’ll find that the art is all around you, waiting to be experienced.

Bagru Village Block Printing

Near Jaipur

Bagru may be a small town near to Jaipur, but in the world of block printing, it leaves a much larger footprint. It’s the heart of a centuries-old tradition kept alive by the Chhipa community – artisans who have called the area home for over 400 years and whose mastery of the craft is extraordinary. 

Defined by its earthy palette and repeating floral and geometric motifs, Bagru printing is tactile, slow, and all about nature – each piece is an imprint of time, skill, and culture. Today, this humble town has grown into one of Rajasthan’s most important textile hubs, a spot where tradition and industry walk hand in hand.

For a deeper appreciation of the process, it’s worth spending time with the artisans themselves. During your time in Jaipur we recommend a trip that visits five to seven local homes, as no two are the same. You’ll begin to trace the artistry from root to thread: the grinding of natural pigments, the carving of intricate wooden blocks, the rhythmic stamping of dye onto fabric, and the boiling that seals it all into place.

ASK US ABOUT... Adding more craft experiences into your exploration of India. Our favourites? Jewellery making in Jaipur, marble inlay art in Agra, leather book binding in Udaipur, and fashioning saris in Varanasi.

 EXPERIENCE THIS DURING… Any of our Tailor-Made Holidays that visit Jaipur. We recommend the 8-night-long trip: India’s Golden Triangle – it’s an incredible way to experience the country and its 5* hotels, as prices start from just £1,999 per person. 

Restoration:  a Focus on Caravaggio

Rome, Italy

In the heart of Rome, behind the quiet façade of Sant’Agostino Church, this intimate encounter with the art of Caravaggio begins. This is a glimpse into the lives of those who are devoted to preserving centuries of precious brushstrokes and pigment. 

It starts with a visit to Caravaggio’s Madonna di Loreto (Pilgrim’s Madonna), a piece that hangs within the church’s cool stone walls. Here, in the company of acclaimed restorers Valeria Merlini and Daniela Storti, you’ll learn about the delicate process that revived the painting in 2000, hearing how hundreds of years worth of grime and neglect were painstakingly removed to reveal the luminous beauty beneath. 

From there the experience moves into the Merlini Storti Art Restoration and Conservation Studio, where ancient works and modern tools sit side by side. You’ll see masterpieces mid-transformation, watch the restorers at work with needle-fine brushes, and gain rare insight into the materials, pigments, and methods used by the great artists of the past and the quiet masters of present day restoration. 

As a final flourish, you’ll be shown exclusive images from the restoration of three Caravaggio canvases, each one revealing new dimensions of the artist’s dramatic, chiaroscuro-drenched style. This is where stories really unfold – in microscopic cracks, in the chemistry of colours, in the invisible touch of infrared analysis.

 EXPERIENCE THIS DURING… Our favourite way to explore Italy is our Tailor-Made Holiday itinerary: Rome and the Amalfi Coast. Across 7 nights you’ll visit Rome, Naples, Amalfi and Capri staying in 5* hotels – prices start from £5,295 per person. 

Anime & Adventure

Tokyo, Japan

Anime is famed the world over for its hand-drawn characters and action-packed adventures, but at its core it is art – a lens into the modern Japanese imagination, a globally celebrated creative force. For those with an eye for illustration, character design, and visual storytelling, a trip to Tokyo offers the rare chance to explore the world of animation as a fan and a connoisseur.

In a quiet Setagaya neighbourhood sits Shiro-Hige’s Cream Puff Factory, where Studio Ghibli’s spirit is alive in hand-piped pastries shaped like Totoro. Part patisserie, part homage, it’s a charming start. At the Suginami Animation Museum, the story broadens with behind-the-scenes sketches, cel animations, and interactive exhibits that trace the evolution of anime from its hand-sketched origins to its digital present. Later, Akihabara is a different kind of gallery – an electric, living museum of the medium’s cultural impact. Known for its dazzling store fronts and collector’s rarities, this is where commercial meets the cult following: concept art books, limited-run figures, and nostalgic nods to titles both classic and obscure.

And what would a delve into anime be without a hint of Pokémon? The experience draws to a close at the franchise’s cafe, where design, character branding and culinary whimsy meet in a final artistic flourish.

 EXPERIENCE THIS DURING… Our Tailor-Made Holiday itinerary: Classic Japan. Across 10 nights you’ll hop from Tokyo to Hakone and Kyoto – prices start from just £4,850 per person. Or, if you had something different in mind, we can tailor-make a trip for you that visits Tokyo alongside other destinations in Japan. 

Morocco’s Craft Workshop

Marrakech, Morocco

Step away from Marrakech’s souks - as addictive and alive as they are - and into the workshops for a true meeting with Morocco. Hidden away in the city’s ateliers are highly skilled artisans willing to demonstrate and share their creative spirit. It’s how some of the most magical jewels of Morocco are made: classic Babouche slippers, warm toned, flatweave rugs, rich coloured, zinc finished lanterns, wood carvings and intricate pottery – all fashioned by the hands of experts and all as diverse and unique as the country itself. 

“Morocco is a destination for foodies – and the most beautiful thing is that the slow-cooked tagines and spiced couscous dishes the region is famous for are served in equally beautiful dishes. It turns mealtimes into an experience.” 

Ryan Creeney | Personal Travel Concierge

 EXPERIENCE THIS DURING… We offer a variety of ways to experience Marrakech – you can choose just one hotel to visit, or you can create an itinerary around the city. For first time visitors, we love our Tailor-Made Holiday: Marrakech & Coast. You get 3 nights in the city, as well as 3 nights at a 5* Fairmont hotel on the coast. Prices start from £2,360 per person. 

Sacred Sites in Uluru 

Uluru, Australia

The closer you walk to Uluru, the more it begins to eclipse everything around it. Rising 348 spectacular metres from the earth, this ancient sandstone monolith is seen and felt. At sunrise or sunset, as a palette of reds, purples and golds ripples across its ochre surface, you begin to grasp the extent of its history – a tale that stretches magnificently across 550 million years.

Sat at the heart of Australia’s Red Centre, Uluru is both a geological wonder and an incredibly sacred landscape, best explored with the guidance of someone who truly understands its cultural resonance. With a local expert by your side, each trail and rock are accompanied by stories that enrich each step. You’ll hear the Dreamtime tale of Liru, the venomous snake, learn of the Mala people’s legacy, and interpret the symbolic language of Aboriginal rock paintings. The art of the ancients is a bit like a portal into a spiritual heritage that still ripples through this land, representing how, for the Anangu people, Uluru is a living and breathing presence, not just a monument of the past. 

For those inspired by the stories woven into the landscape, Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre is another way to engage with the region’s heritage, and the Walkatjara Art Centre is owned and run by artists from the nearby Mutitjulu community. You can watch as works take shape, hear the stories that inspire them, and learn more about Anangu culture and Tjukurpa creation lore.

 EXPERIENCE THIS DURING… Any of our Tailor-Made Holiday itineraries that venture into Uluru. Our favourite? Australia's Sydney, Rock, Reef & Rainforest – 15 nights hopping from Sydney to Uluru, Daintree to Port Douglas from £4,590 per person. 

Shorelines & Showpieces

These cruises are curated with the same care as the collections they celebrate – where galleries glide with you and each destination deepens the story. Disembark into cities shaped by visionaries, wander gardens that stirred the greats, or trace the brushstrokes of culture through museum halls and hidden ateliers. Art isn’t a mere stop along the way; it’s the very reason to go.

PONANT EXPLORATIONS: Artistic Adriatic with Pinault Collection

15–22 June 2026 | Dubrovnik to Venice | Le Dumont-d’Urville

There are many cruises that promise culture. But this one? It lives and breathes it. Sailing the Adriatic in partnership with the legendary Pinault Collection, it feels less like a holiday and more like slipping backstage into the world of art itself. Spaces where the doors are opened quietly, and only for a select few.

It begins in Dubrovnik, that theatrical city of sundrenched stone and quiet glamour. From there you drift north through Croatia’s cultural crown jewels - Split, Trogir, Zadar - each one layered in centuries and alive with its own rhythm. Rijeka, a brand-new stop, may be the most surprising: relaxed, soulful, and unmistakably local. Then there’s Ravenna, where the tiny fragments of the mosaics that adorn sixth-century domes catch the light like stars – a craftsmanship that’s so intricate and perfect, it’s almost spiritual. 

But of course, Venice is the crescendo. And what a finale it is. You’ll experience the Venice Biennale through the eyes of Emma Lavigne, the Pinault Collection’s General Director and Chief Curator, who’ll join the sailing for a few unforgettable days. You’ll walk through Palazzo Grassi and Punta della Dogana after hours with curators as your guides, and there’s even a private dinner in the Palazzo itself. It promises to be one of those evenings you’ll replay in your mind for years to come. 

This voyage is for those who know that real luxury lies in access, in atmosphere, in the quiet privilege of standing still in front of something beautiful and truly understanding it. If that speaks to you, then we think you’ll feel right at home with Ponant.

 View this art-focused PONANT EXPLORATIONS itinerary 

Markets, Minarets, Mosques & Majesty Exploring Istanbul with Explora Journeys

Many cities promise history, but to deliver it in a way that astounds and impresses the modern day traveller is a whole other feat. In stone and mosaic, silk and spice, minaret and market, you’ll see layers of Istanbul’s past begin to unfold with Explora Journeys – a city that doesn’t simply preserve its history, artistic legacy, and architectural brilliance, but performs it with each turn.

Mosques, markets, and monuments: the capital city is a living museum of human expression, and there’s nowhere where this is more evident than in the historic Fatih district, the city’s ancient heart. The Blue Mosque rises in a choreography of domes and pencil-thin minarets, its outer walls dressed in hand painted Iznik tiles that shimmer in hues of cobalt and turquoise and give the building its nickname. Step inside and you’ll find a masterclass in sacred geometry and Ottoman craftsmanship. 

Nearby, the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque was a church, then a mosque, then a museum, and now it’s a mosque once more. Its vast dome seems to float on light alone, and inside, Byzantine mosaics tell stories of emperors and saints beneath a canopy of Arabic calligraphy. A place where two empires still seem to breathe side by side.

And then there’s the Grand Bazaar. A labyrinth of vaulted arcades and flickering lanterns, it’s a canvas of colour and texture, art and commerce – handwoven carpets, hammered copper, delicate ceramics, and the perfume of saffron. It’s Istanbul in miniature: layered, luminous, and always wonderfully alive. 

With Explora Journeys, Istanbul is no simple, run-of-themill port of call. With guided excursions and experts who reveal more of the city’s stories than ever before, you’ll delve headfirst into one of the world’s most culturally rich cities and find that the past isn’t hidden behind carefully guarded glass. It’s painted, carved, and calligraphed into every surface.

Why Visit Istanbul with Explora Journeys?

• Disembark in the heart of the city, steps from Istanbul’s iconic sites

• Choose from a broad selection of curated, smallgroup excursions for deeper cultural immersion

• Benefit from expert guides who bring Istanbul’s artistic and spiritual legacy vividly to life

• Return to refined onboard spaces that reflect the richness of the world you’ve just explored

 View all Explora Journeys itineraries 

Beyond Blueprints: A New Look at Barcelona with Oceania Cruises

Oceania Cruises’ Beyond Blueprints tours offer rare and in-depth peeks behind the scenes at some of the world’s most iconic architectural landmarks. In Barcelona that means special stories from an architectural historian that cover the inspiration, reasoning and genius behind two of the city’s most debated modern landmarks. 

Step inside the shimmering, bullet-shaped Torre Glòries, innovative and futuristic. Learn how the tower’s daring design - something that’s often compared to Gaudí’s steeples - challenged expectations, and how its once criticised quirks now symbolise a bold, forward-thinking Barcelona. From there, explore the Forum Building, a dramatic triangular monolith that has moved from sparking controversy to quiet admiration. Its raised structure, textured skin, and avant-garde use of light and space are showcased in fascinating detail. 

If You’re Chasing Gaudi... Barcelona is inseparable from its most visionary architect. Once you’ve admired the spires of the Sagrada Família, carve out time for Parc Güell, a hilltop dreamscape of tiled lizards, playful pavilions and panoramic views. Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera), both along the elegant Passeig de Gràcia, showcase Gaudí’s wild imagination in full flourish – think warped stone facades, kaleidoscopic windows and chimneys that could pass for sculpture. Each site reveals a different brushstroke in the city-wide canvas Gaudí painted.

Why Visit Barcelona with Oceania?

• Shore excursions are handpicked to reflect Oceania’s focus on cultural depth and discovery

• Intimate group sizes mean more meaningful encounters and insider access – quieter moments and richer storytelling

• With longer port stays and overnight calls in key cities, there’s time to go beyond the surface

• Between excursions, return to a ship where art, architecture, and design are celebrated  in abundance

• As well as Beyond Blueprints Tours, Oceania Cruises also offer: Culinary Discovery Tours™, Evening Excursions, Food & Wine Trails Tours, Go Green Tours, Go Local Tours, Oceania Exclusive and Oceania Select Excursions, and Wellness Discovery Tours by Aquamar

 View all Oceania Cruises itineraries 

Swan Hellenic: Ancient Symbols & Indigenous Expression

30th March - 8th April 2026 | Chile to Peru | SH Vega

For those who see the world as a canvas, set a course with Swan Hellenic that traces natural and human artistry along Latin America’s Pacific coast. 

Begin in Coquimbo, where the ancient wisdom of early civilisations is carved into petroglyphs that have withstood centuries. Towering above the city, the Sculpture of Christ in the monumental Third Millennium Park invites contemplation of both faith and human creativity across time. 

In Antofagasta, the surreal meets the sublime with one of Chile’s most extraordinary landmarks: the Mano del Desierto. This colossal hand reaches skyward from the Atacama Desert, outstretched fingers creating a silent monument to humanity’s endless dialogue with the earth and stars. 

From Matarani, journey inland to Arequipa, Peru’s ‘White City’, where colonial elegance is found in domed churches and courtyards painted with volcanic stone. Colour explodes from handwoven textiles and baroque details, and every doorway seems to attract artists and adventurers. 

Take to the skies in a light aircraft and marvel at the Nazca Lines that find a home on the Paracas Peninsula – vast geoglyphs of hummingbirds, monkeys, and abstract forms etched into the desert floor. Their creators and purpose remain one of archaeology’s greatest enigmas. Back on the ground, the Paracas National Reserve offers even more epic-scale artistry in the form of giant geoglyphs carved into cliff faces.

On board the SH Vega, your journey of expression continues. Hone your photography skills under expert guidance, whether practising to get the perfect shot of a flamingo silhouetted against the desert, or framing the contours of a petroglyph. By night, the Atacama Desert’s ink-black sky turns into a celestial gallery, perfect for stargazing sessions that blend science, storytelling, and the sheer scale of the universe. 

Wildlife lovers with an artistic eye won’t be disappointed either. Seek out guanacos perched on rocky outcrops and catch flashes of Peruvian boobys and Humboldt penguins amid the spray of the Pacific. Even the desert itself surprises with colour in the form of resilient pink flamingos. Their feathers are vivid against the barren backdrop, a reminder that nature often outdoes us all in style and palette.

 View this desert art Swan Hellenic cruise 

Realms Reimagined: Middle Earth to Māori Mastery with Seabourn

20th December 2025 - 4th January 2026 | Sydney to Auckland | Seabourn Quest

If landscapes could tell stories, New Zealand’s would speak in tongues of myth, magic, and ancestral memories. On Seabourn’s 15-day voyage through Australia and New Zealand this December, you’re invited to delve into places where fantasy and folklore collide. 

In Lyttelton, a high-country adventure takes you to Mt. Potts Station, better known to Tolkien fans as Edoras. It’s impossible not to feel the cinematic spell here: the Southern Alps looming like giants, the wind whistling across the plains, the very earth where Rohan’s riders once thundered into battle. A moment suspended between reality and reverie, you’ll also have a chance to wield replica swords… if the mood takes you.

Then it’s on to Wellington, where the depth behind The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Avatar, and more comes to life at Weta Workshop. It’s where movie magic is sculpted into being: leather becomes armour, silicone becomes skin, and swords are forged not in fire, but in artistry. With insider access to the studio, you’ll discover the painstaking creativity that breathes life into fantasy. Then walk through the real-world locations where Frodo and the Fellowship once ran - Buckland Forest, the Outershire, Mount Victoria - feeling every footstep of the story beneath your own. 

For those who want even more of Middle Earth made real, Tauranga is your launchpad to visit Hobbiton – just a 50-minute car journey away. Stroll through the shire where hobbit-holes peek from hillsides and the Party Tree still sways over the Green Dragon Inn. It’s a lovingly preserved film set, but it also stands as a triumph of set design and storytelling, where fantasy merges with landscape in one of the most detailed and enchanting pieces of environmental architecture ever created for cinema.

You’ll also find that New Zealand’s greatest epics aren’t confined to cinema. Tauranga also serves as the gateway to the geothermal wonderlands of Rotorua, where you’ll find a living cultural legacy that’s every bit as captivating as any on-screen tale. Inside the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute - a nationally revered space where traditional skills are practised - you’ll watch master carvers and weavers training the next generation in ancient techniques: chiselling intricate patterns into native timber, weaving flax into ceremonial garments, and honouring centuries of knowledge passed through expert hands. 

This is the Seabourn difference: not just seeing the world, but stepping into its stories, layer by layer, legend by legend. It’s cinematic, it’s spiritual, and - best of all - it’s real.

 View this Middle Earth & Maori cruise with Seabourn 

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We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring the DepART series as much as we’ve loved creating it. From immersive spaces to curated voyages, quiet encounters to grand masterpieces, it’s all been about one thing: the art of travel. How it moves us, shapes us, and stays with us long after we return.

Whether you're planning your next journey or simply dreaming of what's possible, we hope these stories have sparked a little inspiration — and perhaps helped you see the world, and its wonders, in a new light.

Discover the full brochure now — and let your imagination lead the way.

 Explore DepART