Explora Journeys Adds Shore-to-Table and Wellness to EXPLORA II Winter

Explora Journeys has unveiled a new programme of food and beverage, wellbeing and entertainment experiences for ‘A Serene Mediterranean’, the Winter 2026-2027 Journeys Collection of EXPLORA II. Announced in July 2026, it gathers chef-led market mornings, a complimentary 12-day wellness course and a truffle season into a single winter itinerary set.

The culinary thread is the most tangible. Under the heading Immersive Culinary Discoveries, Explora Journeys has built Shore-to-Table experiences in five ports — Palermo, Marseille, Barcelona, Bari and Brindisi — each following the same structure. Guests go ashore with an Explora Journeys chef for a guided visit to the local market, then return to the ship for an interactive masterclass in the Chef’s Kitchen using what they have just seen bought and handled. It is a format that closes the usual gap between the port day and the dining room.

The individual ports give the idea its character. In Palermo, the Mercato del Capo comes first, followed by hands-on preparation of Sicilian coastal dishes. In Marseille, guests travel by private boat to the Vieux-Port fish market, after which the Chef’s Kitchen turns to an interpretation of bouillabaisse paired with regional wines. In Barcelona, La Boqueria supplies the morning — tapas with cava or cerveza among the stalls — before an on-board session preparing Paella Valenciana. Bari and Brindisi complete the set of five.

Alongside the market work sits a Meet the Winemaker series, and the address that will draw attention is Il Palagio in Livorno, the Tuscan estate of Sting and Trudie Styler. The visit takes in the vineyard and cellars with guided tastings and lunch, which makes it a full day ashore in the country behind the port. For guests who plan their itineraries around wine, this is the kind of access that shapes the choice of sailing.

The season also carries The Truffle Season, a complimentary fleet-wide offering timed to the Mediterranean truffle harvest from October to November. Piedmont truffles are finished tableside and matched with Piedmont wine pairings. Truffle service is often a supplement elsewhere at sea; here it is folded into the fare across the fleet for the duration of the harvest, which is worth knowing when comparing autumn departures.

On the wellbeing side, Ocean Wellness introduces ‘A Path to Inner Discovery’, a complimentary 12-day programme running on the Barcelona to Lisbon Journey from 11 to 23 February 2027. It works through mind, body and conscious awareness by way of yoga, journalling, mantra and pranayama, with practices scheduled at sunrise, sunset and by moonlight, plus gong baths and electronic music meditation. Twelve consecutive days is long enough for a programme of this kind to build rather than sample, and it is tied to one specific sailing.

The teaching roster is specific too. Expert-led workshops span neuroscience, holistic wellbeing, nutrition, astrology and natural movement, led by Dr Helena Boschi, Carlie Barlow, Belinda Matwali, Kate Cook and Shane Benzie. All Ocean Wellness experiences are included as part of the journey fare. Running in parallel across the season, an Inspiring Voices enrichment programme brings internationally acclaimed speakers, performers and experts to the ship, covering neuroscience, human connection, wellbeing, natural movement and classical music.

Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, framed the collection around what guests are asking for, saying they are seeking experiences that feel more connected, more immersive and more personal. The season itself takes its cue from the Mediterranean’s quieter rhythm — softer light, milder temperatures and an unhurried pace — the months when Palermo’s markets belong to the people who shop in them and La Boqueria can be walked at a civilised hour.

For the discerning traveller, the planning points are clear enough. The wellness programme is fixed to a single 12-day sailing with published dates, so it needs to be booked as the reason for the trip. The truffle offering belongs to October and November, which sits ahead of the deeper winter itineraries. And the Shore-to-Table days are attached to specific calls, so the choice of route determines which markets and which masterclasses come with it. Read the itinerary first, and the rest of the season arranges itself around it.

Source: Explora Journeys