John and I just got home from a Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona to Rome, and I’m still thinking about it. The trip was the NEST Elite Retreat, October 8 to 18, a reward trip I don’t take lightly. I’m grateful to my team and to our clients for making it possible.
It was also a working trip in the best sense. I went to learn, to connect with partners, and to see more of the places we recommend, because firsthand knowledge makes us better advisors. We know because we go. That isn’t a slogan for us, it’s how we work.
Barcelona and the Wrong Cathedral
We arrived a day early, and Barcelona gave us our first funny story of the trip.
Before we left, John sent me an article on the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe, and Barcelona was on the list. So, jet lagged, we went for a walk. I typed “Barcelona cathedral” into Google Maps and it took us to Barcelona Cathedral, the Gothic cathedral in the old Gothic Quarter. John said it was disappointing. It was pretty and all, but it didn’t compare to what we saw in Cologne on our river cruise this summer.
I may have called him a prima donna. I may also have told him he was spoiled.
So we had lunch, walked back to the hotel and ordered a cocktail on the rooftop. I went to the restroom, and when I came back John pointed at a huge church on the skyline and said, “I think that was the one we were supposed to go to.” It was the Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s famous basilica. He wasn’t spoiled after all. He was just at the wrong church. 🙂 Off we went again, and it was worth the extra steps. LOL
Lesson learned, and the reason I still tell everyone to arrive a day early: you get time to stretch your legs, find your bearings, and even make a wrong turn or two before the ship. Then we boarded Sun Princess and the Mediterranean part of the trip began.
Ibiza, No Excursion Required
Our first stop was Ibiza, and we loved it without booking a single excursion. We went ashore, looked around, and got a feel for a place we had only seen in pictures. Not every port needs a packed plan to be worthwhile.
Ibiza is also where I found my favorite souvenir of the trip: chair cushions for my kitchen. LOL. Packing them was fun! John was a good sport about it, and now every time I sit down at my kitchen table I think about that sunny day in Spain. Pretty, useful, and it comes with a story. That’s my kind of souvenir.
France Surprised Me in the Best Way
If you’d asked me before the trip which day would stick with me, I’m not sure I would have picked France. I would have been wrong.
The Pont du Gard was worth the trip on its own. The Romans built it around 50 AD, three tiers of stone about 160 feet high, fitted together without mortar, and it carried water to Nîmes for centuries. Two thousand years later it’s still standing strong.
Avignon was a perfect afternoon. We toured the Palais des Papes, the 14th-century palace from the years when seven popes in a row ruled from Avignon instead of Rome. Then we found a wonderful lunch and wandered the shops. History you can walk through, a long lunch, and time to enjoy where you are. That’s why I love France.
Corsica on a 10 Euro Bus
We loved Corsica too, and again we skipped the ship excursion. Instead we hopped on a double decker bus that loops the island. It was 10 euros, about an hour, and a simple way to see the place without a big plan or a big price tag.
We do have one Corsica story we’ll be telling for a while. Up top on that bus, John got whipped by a magnolia tree. He was fine, and we laughed about it, but consider yourself warned. If you ride up top, watch for the trees!
After that we spent the day shopping and eating, two of my favorite pastimes. Corsica reminded me the Mediterranean isn’t just the famous names.
Genoa and Cinque Terre
The next morning brought a beautiful sunrise in Genoa, then one of the prettiest afternoons of the trip. We visited three of the five colorful villages of Cinque Terre on the Italian Riviera.
Pictures don’t do this place justice. Colorful buildings, a gorgeous coastline and a little Italian sunshine. If Cinque Terre is on your list, enjoy the photos before you go, then be ready for the real thing to be better.
Pisa Was Fun. Florence Blew Me Away.
We docked in La Spezia and drove to Pisa, then through the Tuscan countryside to Florence.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of those things you see so you can say you’ve been. You look at it, take your pictures, and go, “Okay, what’s next?”
But Michelangelo’s David? WOW. I knew it would be impressive, but I had no idea how much. The detail is unbelievable, especially his expression. You can almost feel the tension and determination as he prepares to face Goliath. I read somewhere that Michelangelo believed the sculpture was already inside the marble and his job was to chip away the extra. Can you imagine looking at a giant block of stone and seeing that? I can’t wrap my head around it.
We ended the day with gelato. Because, well, Italy.
24 Hours in Rome, and We Made Them Count
Rome was our grand finale. We checked into Palazzo Manfredi, and what a hotel. The views, the beautiful room, the spectacular service, and a view of the Colosseum. I started the day with coffee for John and tea for me, looking right at it.
Then we headed to Vatican City for a private tour with LivTours. We explored the Vatican Museums, stood in awe of Michelangelo’s work in the Sistine Chapel, and toured St. Peter’s Basilica. We even saw the area where St. Peter is believed to be buried, along with the tombs of several popes.
The art and the history were almost overwhelming. A private guide was absolutely the way to go, because there’s just so much to see and learn. We also saw the Altare della Patria, the enormous white marble monument to Italy’s first king.
We finished with a lovely dinner and our last gelato of the trip, and I wrapped up the night soaking in a bathtub with a view of the Colosseum. Seriously, how cool is that? Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it certainly can’t be seen in one, but we sure tried.
The Biggest Lesson From My Mediterranean Cruise
After a week on a mega ship, I learned big ship travel isn’t for me. I’m grateful for the opportunity to go, and plenty of travelers love everything a big ship offers. It just isn’t my style. Even so, there is something really nice about cruising that I love on any size ship: you unpack once and wake up somewhere wonderful almost every morning. Spain, France, Corsica and Italy, all in one week, from the same cabin.
That may sound surprising from a travel advisor, but it’s exactly the kind of thing an advisor should say out loud. Ship size changes everything about a trip: the crowds, the dining, the pace, and how a port day feels.
Smaller ships, where every restaurant is a specialty restaurant, are another level of travel, and I’m all in. I wrote more about that in my post on luxury small ship cruising, and it’s why I chose Explora for my own 50th birthday cruise.
That’s the real value of a trip like this. Not just pretty pictures, although we have plenty. It’s coming home able to say, “If you love this kind of travel, choose this. If you don’t, let’s choose something else,” and mean it because we’ve lived it.
Planning Your Own Mediterranean Cruise
A few things I would tell you first.
- Go a day early and walk your first city. You’ll start rested instead of rushed. ✈️
- Don’t skip the less famous stops. France and Corsica were highlights for us, not filler between the big names. 🗺️
- Leave room for a day with no big excursion. Ibiza and Corsica were two of our favorites, and we didn’t book a ship excursion in either one. 🏖️
- Book the private guide for the Vatican. Rome in a day is a lot, and a good guide turns overwhelming into unforgettable. 🏛️
- Choose your ship for how you like to travel, not just where it goes. Size matters more than most people realize. 🚢
Frequently Asked Questions About a Mediterranean Cruise
Yes. A day in Barcelona before you board lets you recover from the flight, walk the city, and board rested instead of rushing straight from the airport to the ship.
No, and we learned this the funny way. Barcelona Cathedral is the Gothic cathedral in the old Gothic Quarter, while the Sagrada Família is Gaudí’s famous basilica in another part of the city, so type the full name into your map app.
No. Some of the best port days are unplanned. We booked no ship excursion in Ibiza or Corsica, and both were favorites, with a 10 euro bus loop in Corsica doing the job nicely.
Yes. We docked in La Spezia, stopped in Pisa, then drove through the Tuscan countryside to Florence for Michelangelo’s David, all in one day.
Yes. The Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica are a lot to take in, and a private guide turns an overwhelming day into one you understand and remember.
Yes. Corsica was one of our favorite stops, and it is a good reminder that the less famous ports on a Mediterranean itinerary are often the ones that surprise you.
The highlights, if you plan well. In one day we toured the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica with a private guide, saw the Altare della Patria, and still had dinner with a view of the Colosseum.
It depends on how you like to travel. Big ships offer more onboard activity, while smaller ships mean fewer crowds and a calmer pace, which is the style I prefer.
Ready to Plan Your Mediterranean Cruise?
If Barcelona, the south of France, Corsica, Cinque Terre, Florence or Rome is on your list, I would love to help you plan it well, including choosing the right ship for the way you travel. We know because we go, and we would love to help you go well. Call me at 800-838-1830 or start below.