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DISCOVER THE MEDITERRANEAN
A multiple holiday experience awaits on the doorstep of the UK and can be reached either without flying or with just a two-three hour low cost flight.
Walk through ancient structures, sample exotic cuisine, enjoy the thrill of a theme park, sink your toes into warm golden sand, wallow in azure seas or rub
shoulders with the rich and famous. It's all here in the Mediterranean waiting to be experienced on a single cruise!
In the cruising world we usually divide the Mediterranean
into either the Western or Eastern areas. The main point of
division is to the west or east of Italy.
Western Mediterranean cruises are more prolific as they
can easily be reached within a two week return cruise from
Southampton without having to fly. Plus there are more
ports of departure on the western side of the Med such as
Barcelona, Malaga, Genoa, Palma (Majorca), Civitavecchia (
for Rome), Marseille and Savona. Eastern Med cruises tend
to start from Venice, Piraeus (for Athens), Civitavecchia
(For Rome) and until recently Istanbul in Turkey. You will
also find a number of 10 - 12 night fly-Med cruises which
feature both parts of the Med such as cruise between
Barcelona & Venice or Rome & Venice.
The many varied ports of call in the Mediterranean offer
a diverse range of experiences - many of which are not
weather dependant such as sightseeing, historical, cultural
and gastronomic pursuits. As a result the Mediterranean
cruise season operates throughout the year.
The following ports of call tend to be the most sought after:
MAJORCA: a summer sun favourite for beach holidays .
IBIZA: another summer sun beach favourite with
hedonistic nightlife.
CORSICA AND SARDINIA: unusual ports of call for
scenery, beaches, food and a slower pace of life which are
harder and more expensive to visit on a land
based holiday.
GIBRALTAR: a British Overseas Territory - famous for the
views from the Rock of Gibraltar overlooking the gateway
to the Mediterranean and its monkeys!
MONTE CARLO: for royalty, the Grand Prix, casinos and
the big yachts.
CANNES & NICE: for the film festival, glitz and glamour.
PORTOFINO: for spectacular scenery and cuisine.
LIVORNO: for the historical & cultural delights of
Pisa and Florence.
BARCELONA: The airport is situated south along
the coast from central Barcelona. The city centre can be
reached in 25-30 minutes depending on traffic - taxis cost
approx 25-30 Euros. The best place to stay is Las Ramblas
which is a 1.2 Km pedestrian avenue full of shops, bars and
restaurants. At the end of Las Ramblas is the monument
to Christopher Columbus which marks the entrance to the
port. The nearest cruise terminal is about 10 minutes walk
from here & there are seven cruise terminals in total. In fact
the Blue Bus Shuttle departs from this monument and can
take you directly to your ship for just 6 Euros. Sightseeing
musts include the Sagrada Familia Cathedral (building
commenced in 1882 and has not finished), Barcelona FC
Museum, the Picasso Museum and the Magic Fountain of
Mon Juic for nightly light, water and music extravaganza's.
ROME: The main airport of Fiumicino is situated approx
16 miles from Rome City centre. The best place to stay
is near the train terminal where it is easy to get to all of the
main attractions either on foot or on the Metro. Whilst in
Rome you must visit the Coliseum, The Roman Forum ruins
(which are the old heart of the Roman Empire), the Trevi
Fountain, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Vatican.
Civitavecchia Port is situated 50km north west of Rome.
Roundtrip pre-booked transfers usually cost approx £100pp
and (unlike many cruise specialists) we usually include
these in the cost of your cruise holiday.
GENOA: Christopher Columbus airport is situated
just 6km from Genoa city centre passing the port on the
way. It is also the closest airport to the port of Savona -
56km away. Genoa is steeped in history, has lots of low
price cruises departing from here and is the gateway to
the Italian Riviera including Portofino - just 15 miles away.
Genoa is a dense and fascinating medieval warren of
alleyways where Christopher Columbus grew up. Steeped
in history - Genoa has always been a city of merchants
where tiny grocers, textile workshops, and bakeries jostle
for position with boutiques, design outlets and goldsmiths.
The rejuvenated Old Port area is a great place to stay with
its celebrated architecture and lots of things to do. Nightlife
can be found along the waterfront, there are also two
theatres, an opera house and even the Britannia Pub.
VENICE: The sail away from Venice through the
Grand Canal, past St Marks Square and out to sea is one of
the best in world. You can reach Venice by land using the
bus (approx' 15 Euros ) or a private taxi (approx' 45 Euros)
to Piazzale Roma. The journey takes about 30-40 minutes
depending on traffic . Alternatively you may want to arrive
James Bond style - by water taxi direct from the airport to St
Marks Square or to the lobbies of larger hotels with landing
pontoons. The cost for an airport water taxi is approx' £90
and the journey takes around 30 minutes. In many of our
cruise packages we include water taxi transfers.
SANTORINI: for the photographers paradise or
whitewashed Thira perched on the edge of the Caldera and
the legend of the lost city of Atlantis.
CRETE: the southernmost and largest of the Greek Islands
where the capital of Heraklion is gateway to Palace of
Knossos ( of Minotaur and Labyrinth fame) and the Minoan
civilisation from 4000 years BC.
CORFU: in the Ionian Islands - the birth place of Prince
Philip, the Achilleon Palace (home to the statue of Achilles
Heel) and Corfu Town - the largest "living" medieval town
in Greece.
RHODES: part of the Dodecanese islands where the
Colossus is once said to have stood straddling Mandraki
Harbour and the ancient walled city was the last bastion of
the crusades.
MYKONOS: part of the Cyclades chain of Islands famed for
its Greek charm and upmarket cosmopolitan atmosphere -
plus excellent beaches.
If you are visiting Venice the only place to stay is on Venice
Island - popular choices tend to be Saint Marks Square, the
Rialto Bridge, Piazzale Roma or close to Santa Lucia train
station. Many unscrupulous operators will include a hotel
stay in Venice and further investigation reveals they have
included hotels in Mestre -Venice which is on the mainland
three miles away from Venice Island- so beware!
The restaurants and bars lining Saint Marks Square are the
most expensive; but whilst in Venice you must at least have
a drink here to watch the world go by. Restaurants close
to the Rialto Bridge are much cheaper and just as scenic.
History, architecture, dining,, romance and pure wander
lust through the cobbled streets and by the canals is what
Venice is all about.
Choose a Mediterranean cruise for a
varied holiday experience - close to
home. They offer an inspiring holiday
experience at amazing low prices and are
perfect for singles, couples and families
of all ages.
a varied holiday experience close to home...
Santorini Nice Rhodes Rome Venice Genoa
Barcelona
Portofino
