Cruise Region : Europe |
Company : Oceania Cruises |
Ship : ALLURA |
Journey Start : շբթ 18 մրտ 2028 |
Journey End : չրք 05 ապր 2028 |
Count Nights : 18 nights |
Day | Date | Port | Arrival | Departure |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 18.03 շբթ | Պիրեուս (Աթենք) / Greece | 05:00 | 17:00 |
2 | 19.03 կիր | Սանտորինի, Կիկլադներ / Greece | 07:00 | 16:00 |
3 | 20.03 երկ | Արգոստոլիոն, Քեֆալոնիա (Իոնիկ կղզիներ) / Greece | 10:00 | 17:00 |
4 | 21.03 երք | Կոտոր / Montenegro | 12:00 | 19:00 |
5 | 22.03 չրք | Դուբրովնիկ / Croatia | 07:00 | 16:00 |
6 | 23.03 հնգ | Կորֆու / Greece | 07:00 | 14:00 |
7 | 24.03 ուր | Վալետտա / Malta | 11:00 | 20:00 |
8 | 25.03 շբթ | Մեսինա, օ. Սիցիլիա / Italy | 08:00 | 17:00 |
9 | 26.03 կիր | Սալեռնո / Italy | 08:00 | 17:00 |
10 | 27.03 երկ | Հռոմ (Civitavecchia) / Italy | 07:00 | 17:00 |
11 | 28.03 երք | Սալեռնո / Italy | 08:00 | 17:00 |
12 | 29.03 չրք | Սիցիլիա Պալերմո / Italy | 07:00 | 16:00 |
13 | 30.03 հնգ | Նարնջագույն ծոց | 09:00 | 18:00 |
14 | 31.03 ուր | ՖԼՈՐԵՆՑԻԱ ՊԻԶԱ ՏՈՍԿԱՆԱ | 07:00 | 19:00 |
15 | 1.04 շբթ | Մոնտե Կառլո / Monaco | 08:00 | 17:00 |
16 | 2.04 կիր | Տուլոն / France | 08:00 | 17:00 |
17 | 3.04 երկ | Սետ / France | 08:00 | 17:00 |
18 | 4.04 երք | Պալամոս / Spain | 08:00 | 17:00 |
19 | 5.04 չրք | Բարսելոնա / Spain | 07:00 | 17:00 |
Your World Included
With Your World Included, you’ll enjoy a wide array of included amenities for the ultimate comfort and value in ultra-premium cruising.
Unforgettable dining experiences at a variety of exquisite restaurants — all at no extra charge.
Complimentary specialty coffees, sodas, freshly pressed juices, and still and sparkling Vero Water® served throughout the ship.
Unlimited free Wi-Fi available in your suite, stateroom, and all public areas.
In-room dining with a superb variety of hot and cold selections.
Smoothies, milkshakes, gelato, and signature Humphry Slocombe ice cream — always included.
Group fitness classes at Aquamar® Spa + Vitality Center are complimentary.
Gratuities are included for your convenience.
Laundry is free for all guests.
With complimentary self-service launderettes on board, plus laundry and pressing services for Concierge and Suite categories, you’ll always look your finest.
Along with our hallmark personalized service, you’ll enjoy an enriching cruise experience with no hidden costs or nickel-and-diming.
Elevate Your Experience
Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms offer an unrivaled combination of luxury, privilege, and value. A wealth of amenities and exclusive benefits elevate your experience to the sublime — from in-room dining selections from The Grand Dining Room and complimentary laundry services to unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace.
On board Oceania Marina and Oceania Riviera, you’ll also enjoy the services of a dedicated Concierge and exclusive access to the private Concierge Lounge.
Located in the most desired areas of the ship, Concierge Level Veranda Staterooms are far more than just staterooms — they are an experience in themselves.
Concierge Level Veranda — Exclusive Privileges
Expanded in-room dining menu for lunch and dinner from The Grand Dining Room
Laundry service — up to 3 bags per stateroom
Exclusive key-card access to the private Concierge Lounge aboard Oceania Marina, Oceania Riviera, Oceania Vista, and Oceania Allura, featuring complimentary beverages, coffees, snacks, and the services of a dedicated Concierge
Welcome bottle of fine Italian Prosecco
Priority online reservations for specialty restaurants
Unlimited access to the Aquamar Spa Terrace
Oceania Cruises logo tote bag
Cashmere lap blankets — perfect for relaxing or snuggling
Pressing of garments upon embarkation
Complimentary shoeshine service
Deposit and Payments – Oceania Cruises
General Deposit:
For Owner’s, Vista, and Oceania Suites, a deposit of 20% of the cruise fare per person is required.
For all other suite/stateroom categories, the deposit is $500 per person.
For Grand Voyages, the deposit is $1,500 per person.
Deposit and Final Payment Deadlines:
Bookings more than 150 days from sailing:
Deposit 20% for Owner’s, Vista, and Oceania Suites and $500 for all other categories is required within 5 days of booking.
Bookings 90–120 days from sailing:
Full payment required within 3 days of booking.
Bookings 0–90 days from sailing:
Full payment due on the day of booking.
Important:
Bookings that are not deposited or paid in full according to this schedule will be automatically cancelled.
Unless otherwise noted, final payment must be received by Oceania Cruises 150 days prior to departure for cruises less than 15 days, and 150 days for cruises 15 days or longer.
Oceania Cruises reserves the right to cancel any booking not fully paid at the time of final payment.
Additional Information:
Passport details and special onboard service requests are due at final payment.
Payment may be made by personal check, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, or Visa.
For convenience, final payment may be automatically charged to the credit card used for the initial deposit.
Oceania Cruises is not responsible for foreign currency or transaction fees independently charged by issuing banks. These fees do not benefit Oceania Cruises.
Third-party credit card payments are accepted only with valid authorization from the cardholder.
Deposit and Payment – 180-Day Voyages
For 180-day voyages, a deposit of 20% of the cruise fare per person for all suites and staterooms is required within 7 days of booking.
Final payment must be received no later than 181 days prior to departure, along with passport details and any special onboard service requests.
Otherwise, the booking may be immediately cancelled, and applicable penalties will apply.
Oceania Cruises accepts payment for reservations by credit/debit card or bank transfer.
Unfortunately, personal checks are not accepted.
Credit/Debit Cards:
American Express, Visa, and Mastercard are accepted.
Please note: Oceania Cruises assumes no responsibility for foreign currency/transaction processing fees assessed by your issuing bank.
Piraeus is the gateway to Athens , which, in turn, is rightfully considered the center of the centers of the whole world, with the main attraction - the acropolis. Piraeus is an old port city serving the port of Athens, the largest port in Greece to date. Piraeus is part of the great Athens, which boasts an abundance of attractions, including unique monuments of national fine art. More than two hundred museums and galleries, including the University History Museum, the Ceramics Archaeological Museum and many others, will hospitably welcome you within their walls and familiarize themselves with the culture of this area.
Santorini, classically Thera, and officially Thira, is an island in the southern Aegean Sea, about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece's mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago, which bears the same name and is the remnant of a volcanic caldera. It forms the southernmost member of the Cyclades group of islands, with an area of approximately 73 km2 (28 sq mi) and a 2011 census population of 15,550. The municipality of Santorini includes the inhabited islands of Santorini and Therasia and the uninhabited islands of Nea Kameni, Palaia Kameni, Aspronisi, and Christiana. The total land area is 90.623 km2 (34.990 sq mi).Santorini is part of the Thira regional unit.
The island was the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: the Minoan eruption(sometimes called the Thera eruption), which occurred about 3,600 years ago at the height of the Minoan civilization. The eruption left a large caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits hundreds of metres deep. It may have led indirectly to the collapse of the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete, 110 km (68 mi) to the south, through a gigantic tsunami. Another popular theory holds that the Thera eruption is the source of the legend of Atlantis.
It is the most active volcanic centre in the South Aegean Volcanic Arc, though what remains today is chiefly a water-filled caldera. The volcanic arc is approximately 500 km (310 mi) long and 20 to 40 km (12 to 25 mi) wide. The region first became volcanically active around 3–4 million years ago[citation needed], though volcanism on Thera began around 2 million years ago with the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around the Akrotiri.
Արգոստոլիոնը Կեֆալոնիայի մայրաքաղաքն է, Իոնական կղզիների ամենամեծ կղզին, որը գտնվում է Հունաստանում։ Քաղաքը, որը գտնվում է կղզու արևմտյան ափին, հայտնի է իր նկարահայեցային ափամերձների, էքզոտիկ սրճարանների և նեոկլասիկ շենքերի համար։ Արգոստոլիոնում կա նաև բազմաթիվ պատմական հուշարձաններ, այդ թվում՝ Կեֆալոնիայի հնագիտության թանգարանը և Վալիանոս հրապարակը, որտեղ կարելի է տեսնել 1953 թվականի երկրաշարժից հետո մնացած ավերակները, որոնք գրեթե ամբողջությամբ ավերեցին քաղաքը։ Քաղաքում քայլելով՝ այցելուները կարող են վայելել ավանդական հունական ճարտարապետության և արդի կյանքի համադրման մթնոլորտը։
Քաղաքը նաև հիանալի Ausgangspunkt է Կեֆալոնիայի բնական գեղեցկությունները ուսումնասիրելու համար։ Մի քանի կիլոմետր հեռավորության վրա արգոստոլիոնից գտնվում են հայտնի լողափեր, ինչպիսիք են Լուրդասը և Մելիսանին, ինչպես նաև հայտնի Դրակոներա քարանձավը, որտեղ կարելի է դիտել ստալակտիտներն ու ստալագմիտները։ Արգոստոլիոնից նաև հարմար է մեկնել եզակի բնապահպանական տարածքներ՝ օրինակ՝ ծովախեցգետինների պահեստարան, որտեղ ապրում են հազվագյուտ Կարետա կարետա ծովախեցգետինները։ Քաղաքը կատարյալ վայր է մշակութային հանգիստը համատեղելու համար կղզու բնական հրաշքների հետ.
Kotor is a coastal town in Montenegro. It is located in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor. The city has a population of 13,510 and is the administrative center of Kotor Municipality.
The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska), one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Some have called it the southern-most fjord in Europe, but it is a ria, a submerged river canyon. Together with the nearly overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovćen, Kotor and its surrounding area form an impressive landscape.
Since the early 2000s Kotor has seen an increase in tourists , many of them coming by cruise ship. Visitors are attracted by the natural environment of the Gulf of Kotor and by the old town of Kotor. Kotor is part of the World Heritage Site dubbed the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor.
The fortified city of Kotor was also included in UNESCO's World Heritage Site list as part of Venetian Works of Defence between 15th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra – western Stato da Mar in 201
Dubrovnik is a Croatian city on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean Sea, a seaport and the centre of Dubrovnik-Neretva County. Its total population is 42,615 (census 2011). In 1979, the city of Dubrovnik joined the UNESCO list of World Heritage sites.
The prosperity of the city was historically based on maritime trade; as the capital of the maritime Republic of Ragusa, it achieved a high level of development, particularly during the 15th and 16th centuries, as it became notable for its wealth and skilled diplomacy.
In 1991, after the break-up of Yugoslavia, Dubrovnik was besieged by Serbian and Montenegrin soldiers of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) for seven months and suffered significant damage from shelling. After repair and restoration works in the 1990s and early 2000s, Dubrovnik re-emerged as one of the top tourist destinations in the Mediterranean.
Corfu or Kerkyra is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the northwesternmost part of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality, which also includes the smaller islands of Ereikoussa, Mathraki and Othonoi. The municipality has an area of 610,9 km2, the island proper 592,8 km2. The principal city of the island and seat of the municipality (pop. 32,095) is also named Corfu. Corfu is home to the Ionian University.
The island is bound up with the history of Greece from the beginnings of Greek mythology. Its history is full of battles and conquests. Ancient Korkyra took part in the Battle of Sybota which was a catalyst for the Peloponnesian War, and, according to Thucydides, the largest naval battle between Greek city states until that time. Thucydides also reports that Korkyra was one of the three great naval powers of fifth century BC Greece, along with Athens and Corinth. Medieval castles punctuating strategic locations across the island are a legacy of struggles in the Middle Ages against invasions by pirates and the Ottomans. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. As a result, Corfu's capital has been officially declared a Kastropolis ("castle city") by the Greek government. From medieval times and into the 17th century, the island, having successfully repulsed the Ottomans during several sieges, was recognised as a bulwark of the European States against the Ottoman Empireand became one of the most fortified places in Europe. The fortifications of the island were used by the Venetians to defend against Ottoman intrusion into the Adriatic. Corfu eventually fell under British rule following the Napoleonic Wars. Corfu was eventually ceded by the British Empire along with the remaining islands of the United States of the Ionian Islands, and unification with modern Greece was concluded in 1864 under the Treaty of London.
In 2007, the city's old quarter was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List, following a recommendation by ICOMOS.
Corfu is a very popular tourist destination. The island was the location of the 1994 European Union summit.
The capital of Malta - Valletta , is the first and almost the only city in Europe, which was once designed by architects and built according to all the rules and norms of construction. Valletta is considered to be one of the most beautiful cities on the Mediterranean. Klaipeda is on the list of the few remaining fortified towns. The center of the city is the Palace of the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, and today the residence of the President of the country, here is the seat of the Maltese Parliament. The list of places to visit in Valletta includes the Castilla Palace, the Admiralty (where the National Museum of Fine Arts is now located, with the largest painting collection in the country), a charming place in the city - the beautiful Hastings Gardens, and this is not the whole list of the riches of the capital of Malta .
Salerno is one of the most popular seaside cities in Italy, intended for recreation at sea. The climate here is warm and mild, which is typical for all cities of the Neapolitan Riviera. Tourism in Salerno is at a high level, as the city is a rich historical and cultural center. Salerno contains many attractions interesting for lovers of history, art and culture.
Rome is the capital city and a special comune of Italy (named Comune di Roma Capitale). Rome also serves as the capital of the Lazio region. With 2,872,800 residents in 1,285 km2(496.1 sq mi), it is also the country's most populated comune. It is the fourth-most populous city in the European Union by population within city limits. It is the centre of the Metropolitan City of Rome, which has a population of 4,355,725 residents, thus making it the most populous metropolitan city in Italy. Rome is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, within Lazio (Latium), along the shores of the Tiber. The Vatican City (the smallest country in the world) is an independent country inside the city boundaries of Rome, the only existing example of a country within a city: for this reason Rome has been often defined as capital of two states.
Rome's history spans 28 centuries. While Roman mythology dates the founding of Rome at around 753 BC, the site has been inhabited for much longer, making it one of the oldest continuously occupied sites in Europe. The city's early population originated from a mix of Latins, Etruscans, and Sabines. Eventually, the city successively became the capital of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire, and is regarded as the birthplace of Western civilization and by some as the first ever metropolis. It was first called The Eternal City (Latin: Urbs Aeterna; Italian: La Città Eterna) by the Roman poet Tibullus in the 1st century BC, and the expression was also taken up by Ovid, Virgil, and Livy. Rome is also called the "Caput Mundi" (Capital of the World). After the fall of the Western Empire, which marked the beginning of the Middle Ages, Rome slowly fell under the political control of the Papacy, which had settled in the city since the 1st century AD, until in the 8th century it became the capital of the Papal States, which lasted until 1870. Beginning with the Renaissance, almost all the popes since Nicholas V (1447–1455) pursued over four hundred years a coherent architectural and urban programme aimed at making the city the artistic and cultural centre of the world. In this way, Rome became first one of the major centres of the Italian Renaissance, and then the birthplace of both the Baroque style and Neoclassicism. Famous artists, painters, sculptors and architects made Rome the centre of their activity, creating masterpieces throughout the city. In 1871, Rome became the capital of the Kingdom of Italy, which, in 1946, became the Italian Republic.
Rome has the status of a global city. In 2016, Rome ranked as the 14th-most-visited city in the world, 3rd most visited in the European Union, and the most popular tourist attraction in Italy. Its historic centre is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The famous Vatican Museums are among the world's most visited museums while the Colosseum was the most popular tourist attraction in world with 7.4 million visitors in 2018. Host city for the 1960 Summer Olympics, Rome is the seat of several specialized agencies of the United Nations, such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The city also hosts the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) as well as the headquarters of many international business companies such as Eni, Enel, TIM, Leonardo S.p.A., and national and international banks such as Unicredit and BNL. Its business district, called EUR, is the base of many companies involved in the oil industry, the pharmaceutical industry, and financial services. Rome is also an important fashion and design centre thanks to renowned international brands centered in the city. Rome's Cinecittà Studios have been the set of many Academy Award–winning movies.
Salerno is one of the most popular seaside cities in Italy, intended for recreation at sea. The climate here is warm and mild, which is typical for all cities of the Neapolitan Riviera. Tourism in Salerno is at a high level, as the city is a rich historical and cultural center. Salerno contains many attractions interesting for lovers of history, art and culture.
Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 20 regions of Italy. It is one of the five Italian autonomous regions, in Southern Italy along with surrounding minor islands, officially referred to as Regione Siciliana.
Sicily is located in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula, from which it is separated by the narrow Strait of Messina. Its most prominent landmark is Mount Etna, the tallest active volcano in Europe, and one of the most active in the world, currently 3,329 m (10,922 ft) high. The island has a typical Mediterranean climate.
The earliest archaeological evidence of human activity on the island dates from as early as 12,000 BC. By around 750 BC, Sicily had three Phoenician and a dozen Greek colonies and, for the next 600 years, it was the site of the Sicilian Wars and the Punic Wars. After the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD, Sicily was ruled during the Early Middle Ages by the Vandals, the Ostrogoths, the Byzantine Empire, and the Emirate of Sicily. The Norman conquest of southern Italy led to the creation of the Kingdom of Sicily, which was subsequently ruled by the Hohenstaufen, the Capetian House of Anjou, Spain, and the House of Habsburg. It was finally unified under the House of Bourbon with the Kingdom of Naples as the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies. It became part of Italy in 1860 following the Expedition of the Thousand, a revolt led by Giuseppe Garibaldi during the Italian unification, and a plebiscite. Sicily was given special status as an autonomous region on 15th May 1946, 18 days before the Italian constitutional referendum of 1946. Albeit, much of the autonomy still remains unapplied, especially financial autonomy, because the autonomy-activating laws have been deferred to be approved by the parithetic committee (50% Italian State, 50% Regione Siciliana), since 1946.
Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. It is also home to important archaeological and ancient sites, such as the Necropolis of Pantalica, the Valley of the Temples, Erice and Selinunte.
Monte Carlo officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Informally the name also refers to a larger district, the Monte Carlo Quarter (corresponding to the former municipality of Monte Carlo), which besides Monte Carlo/Spélugues also includes the wards of La Rousse/Saint Roman, Larvotto/Bas Moulins, and Saint Michel. The permanent population of the ward of Monte Carlo is about 3,500, while that of the quarter is about 15,000. Monaco has four traditional quarters. From west to east they are: Fontvieille (the newest), Monaco-Ville (the oldest), La Condamine, and Monte Carlo.
Monte Carlo (literally "Mount Charles") is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alpsalong the French Riviera. Near the quarter's western end is the world-famous Place du Casino, the gamblingcenter which has made Monte Carlo "an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth". It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo).
The quarter's eastern part includes the community of Larvotto with Monaco's only public beach, as well as its new convention center (the Grimaldi Forum), and the Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort. At the quarter's eastern border, one crosses into the French town of Beausoleil (sometimes referred to as Monte-Carlo-Supérieur), and just 8 kilometres (5 mi) to its east is the western border of Italy.
Toulon is a city in southern France and a large military harbour on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department.
The Commune of Toulon has a population of 165,514 people (2009), making it the fifteenth-largest city in France. It is the centre of an urban area with 559,421 inhabitants (2008), the ninth largest in France. Toulon is the fourth-largest French city on the Mediterranean coast after Marseille, Nice and Montpellier.
Toulon is an important centre for naval construction, fishing, wine making, and the manufacture of aeronautical equipment, armaments, maps, paper, tobacco, printing, shoes, and electronic equipment.
The military port of Toulon is the major naval centre on France's Mediterranean coast, home of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and her battle group. The French Mediterranean Fleet is based in Toulon.
Սետ քաղաքը, որը գտնվում է Ֆրանսիայի հարավում՝ Թու աղի լճի և Միջերկրական ծովի միջև, հաճախ անվանում են «Լանգեդոկի Վենետիկ»՝ իր գեղատեսիլ ջրանցքների շնորհիվ, որտեղ շրջում են ձկնորսական և զբոսաշրջային նավակներ։ Քաղաքը հիմնադրվել է 17-րդ դարում՝ Միջի ջրանցքի նավահանգիստ լինելու համար և մինչ օրս մնում է կարևոր ձկնորսական և առևտրային կենտրոն։ Սուրբ Կլերի լեռը բարձրանում է քաղաքի վերևում՝ բացելով համայնապատկերային տեսարաններ աղուտների և ծովի երկնագույն ջրերի վրա։
Սետը հայտնի է ոչ միայն իր ծովային հմայքով, այլև հարուստ մշակութային կյանքով։ Այն բանաստեղծ Պոլ Վալերի ծննդավայրն է․ նրա անունով անվանվել է թանգարան և ծովափնյա գերեզմանոց, որտեղ էլ նա հուղարկավորված է։ Ամառը քաղաքում անցկացվում է յուրահատուկ փառատոն՝ նավակների վրա միջնադարյան ասպետական մենամարտեր (joutes nautiques), ավանդույթ, որ սկսվել է միջնադարից։ Տեղական խոհանոցը հայտնի է թարմ ծովամթերքով, հատկապես՝ խեցգետիններով և միդիաներով Թու լճից։ Սետը այն վայրն է, որտեղ միաձուլվում են միջերկրածովյան ոգին, պատմությունը, գաստրոնոմիան և պոեզիան։
Barcelona is a city in Spain. It is the capital and largest city of Catalonia, as well as the second most populous municipality of Spain. With a population of 1.6 million within city limits, its urban area extends to numerous neighbouring municipalities within the Province of Barcelona and is home to around 4.8 million people, making it the sixth most populous urban area in the European Union after Paris, London, Madrid, the Ruhr area and Milan. It is one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea, located on the coast between the mouths of the rivers Llobregat and Besòs, and bounded to the west by the Serra de Collserola mountain range, the tallest peak of which is 512 metres (1,680 feet) high.
Founded as a Roman city, in the Middle Ages Barcelona became the capital of the County of Barcelona. After merging with the Kingdom of Aragon, Barcelona continued to be an important city in the Crown of Aragon as an economic and administrative centre of this Crown and the capital of the Principality of Catalonia. Barcelona has a rich cultural heritage and is today an important cultural centre and a major tourist destination. Particularly renowned are the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner, which have been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The headquarters of the Union for the Mediterranean are located in Barcelona. The city is known for hosting the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as world-class conferences and expositions and also many international sport tournaments.
Barcelona is one of the world's leading tourist, economic, trade fair and cultural centres, and its influence in commerce, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science, and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. It is a major cultural and economic centre in southwestern Europe, 24th in the world (before Zürich, after Frankfurt) and a financial centre. In 2008 it was the fourth most economically powerful city by GDP in the European Union and 35th in the world with GDP amounting to €177 billion. In 2012 Barcelona had a GDP of $170 billion; and it was leading Spain in employment rate in that moment.
In 2009 the city was ranked Europe's third and one of the world's most successful as a city brand. In the same year the city was ranked Europe's fourth best city for business and fastest improving European city, with growth improved by 17% per year, and the city has been experiencing strong and renewed growth for the past three years. Since 2011 Barcelona has been a leading smart city in Europe. Barcelona is a transport hub, with the Port of Barcelona being one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port, an international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport, which handles over 50 million passengers per year, an extensive motorway network, and a high-speed rail line with a link to France and the rest of Europe.