Insignia Nov. 2010 Med Itinerary Tips

[~Fianna]

I second (or is it third) the recommendations to skip Monaco and head for Eze and Nice. Eze is magical, but skip the Frogonard perfume factory - tourist trap.... The views of the Cote d' Azur from high atop Eze are magical. Nice is a great wandering city. Take in the market there if you can which I believe happens most mornings.

 

I'm jealous. :o

 

Joe

 

Try and join us, then! :)

 

Roll call for this sailing is very, very slow, and looking at O's website, it doesn't seem to be selling much yet. Lowest inside is WL, but the rest of the cats seem to show very good avail.

 

I just can't wait to book. Waiting on a check to come in, and as soon as it gets here, it's going right back out for the deposit.

 

Thanks for the tip about the market. Those are the kind of things we love, and I'm hoping we can find some cheeses that we aren't able to get at home.

 

Because of US import laws, a lot of the "real" European cheeses made the traditional way are illegal here.

[JoePDX]

Try and join us, then! :)

 

Believe me! I wish we could. :( We are stuck on land at least until 2011. We are still worker bees and have to replenish the vacation banks. I have my eye on Marina's Transatlantic in November 2011.

 

 

Because of US import laws, a lot of the "real" European cheeses made the traditional way are illegal here.

 

And what a pity that is!!! :mad: So many wonderful European foods not available. Although I think I read somewhere that if you have your cheese vacuum packed, which some shops can do, then it is importable. I just wish Serrano and Iberico Jamon (fresh from the hoof) where available here, although I think that may be changing soon.

 

As for the market in Nice. I read somewhere that it was a favorite of Julia Child. That speaks volumes in itself. I know it mesmerized me and my partner. :D

 

Cheers,

Joe

[Paulchili]

LILynn (& JoePDX, Tropicalkerry2002),

I plan to do much of what you outlined out of Monaco (minus Nice where we had stayed for a while in the past).

I plan on renting a car for the day to be more flexible.

How is the parking situation in Eze and St. Paul?

I appreciate your input

[tropicalkerry2002]

we had a guide take us from Monaco to Eze, St Paul de Vence and Nice. As I recall, for Eze and St P., we parked outside the town, there were no cars in town. Both may have been walled cities. I'll have to go again to refresh my memory!

Walking into Eze from the parked van, we passed a little stable with donkeys. The guide explained they carry the luggage into town for people lucky enough to be staying there!

[Paulchili]

we had a guide take us from Monaco to Eze, St Paul de Vence and Nice. As I recall, for Eze and St P., we parked outside the town, there were no cars in town. Both may have been walled cities. I'll have to go again to refresh my memory!

Walking into Eze from the parked van, we passed a little stable with donkeys. The guide explained they carry the luggage into town for people lucky enough to be staying there!

 

 

Did you also have a driver who stayed with the car or just the guide who left the car in a "parking lot"? How far did you have to walk?

Do you still have the name and contact info of your guide?

Thank you.

[Paulchili]

I just wish Serrano and Iberico Jamon (fresh from the hoof) where available here, although I think that may be changing soon.

 

Joe

 

While it's not the same, we can get authentic Spanish chorizo in the Bay area, which I love (mild and spicy)

[tropicalkerry2002]

no, the walks from parking into the town were minimal, in both towns.

 

I 'll be more specific, we had a "driver". He told us places to see, where to have a coffee/drink with a view, highlights of the town, but was not actually with us in the town.

 

In Nice, we drove along the coast and he pointed out famous spots, then we parked fairly close to the market, and had time to do what we liked. Same thing in Monte Carlo, saw homes of the rich and famous, then parked to wander around the palace and area.

 

Let me know if you would still like contact info, or it is in my cruise review here on CC from Oct 2007, on Regatta.

 

As I said, my favourite day of the cruise!

[LILynn]

Just my 2 cents...

 

Most of the drivers that we priced for this port were very expensive. Even with 6 of us , the cost was over $100 per person. The driver cannot drive into the towns - they can drop you off and wait for you, but cars are not allowed in Eze or St. Paul de Vence.

 

We took the bus - it was easy (and I am not a very adventurous person) and cheap - bus was less than 2 dollars each. There is a tourist information booth when you get off the tender at the pier. The people that worked here are very helpful - they gave us all the bus schedules and told us exactly where to go. It worked out great and I think it really added to our adventure - we felt like a local!

 

Driving seemed pretty easy here too - I think renting a car would also be a lot more cost effective than a driver. The were parking lots where the bus dropped us off in Eze and also in St. Paul de Vence.

 

I am not trying to talk anyone out of getting a driver - we use them all the time in many of the ports but this is one port that is easily doable on your own and a chance to save some money!

 

One more thing - if you want to go to the market in Nice - try and get there in the morning. If you want to see the flower market, I think by noon they shut that part down. Vieux (Old) Nice is a great place to wander around and it is very close to the bus station just a few blocks away.

[jpalbny]

Eze is gorgeous - the town, the location, the views... The market and the seaside promenade in Nice were very interesting and we didn't have nearly enough time to look around there. IMO, Monte Carlo was only OK; the cathedral was interesting enough but basically you're herded through to take a picture of Grace Kelly's tombstone and that's about it.

 

Taormina is one of my favorite places on earth. Climb the steps up the mountain from the back of the village all the way up to the church for even better views. The amphitheater was closed (they were filming a movie there) the day we visited.:( We did drive up Mt. Etna partway but it was foggy and cold (high 30s, in November) so you may not be interested in that. Please bring back a large bag of salt-packed capers for me, as I just ran out of the kg bag I brought back a year ago, and I can't find them in the states!

 

Driving in Spain is not difficult - but you do need to have a sense of adventure. We just spend a week in Costa del Sol (Marbella, outside of Malaga) and drove everywhere. I have a GPS which includes Europe and it was incredibly accurate, but you still do end up making wrong turns and backtracking. We drove to Granada, Cordoba, Gibraltar and a number of tiny towns where the streets looked like alleyways and I had to fold in the side-view mirrors so that I didn't scrape them against the houses on either side (really, that's not a joke). People tried to discourage me from driving because they said that the drivers there are "crazy" but I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary - though this may be saying something about me...

 

Just keep in mind if you're wine tasting, that Spain has a lower BAC limit than the US - I think their limit is 0.05%. Practice your swish and spit...

[~Fianna]

Believe me! I wish we could. :( We are stuck on land at least until 2011. We are still worker bees and have to replenish the vacation banks. I have my eye on Marina's Transatlantic in November 2011.

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to get someone to pay me to travel.

 

Oh, well, a girl can dream...

 

 

And what a pity that is!!! :mad: So many wonderful European foods not available. Although I think I read somewhere that if you have your cheese vacuum packed, which some shops can do, then it is importable. I just wish Serrano and Iberico Jamon (fresh from the hoof) where available here, although I think that may be changing soon.

 

As for the market in Nice. I read somewhere that it was a favorite of Julia Child. That speaks volumes in itself. I know it mesmerized me and my partner. :D

 

Cheers,

Joe

 

We can't get them fresh from the hoof, but we do have a wonderful cheese and wine shop that does their best. :)

 

I think it is getting better. More and more Americans are starting to have broader tastes and exposure to non-USian foods, and want them when they're at home, too. More people are starting to complain and really, the research doesn't bear out the thought that traditional foods are any more risky than manufactured foods.

 

Thanks for pointing me in that direction. This has made me drool over this stop.

 

I <3 you guys. Thanks for all the help!

 

Just booked our Barcelona hotel... is it November yet?????

[~Fianna]

 

Just keep in mind if you're wine tasting, that Spain has a lower BAC limit than the US - I think their limit is 0.05%. Practice your swish and spit...

 

Yup. That's a big part of the reason why I think, in the long run, doing something like Vintage Spain's semi-guided tours are probably worth it.

 

The last thing I want is a DUI in a foreign country.

[JoePDX]

Just booked our Barcelona hotel... is it November yet?????

 

If you need any tips for Barcelona let me know. I dream of retiring to Barcelona one day..... :rolleyes:

 

Joe

[brown's fan 1]

We will be in Monaco in early November on Regatta, also our longest day in port. Using info from these boards, we have decided to rent a car for the day in Monaco, skipping the city and heading for Nice, Eze and St. Paul de Vence. Rental with Hertz is close to pier and $110 for the day. With our GPS with European maps and many comments on these boards that it is easy driving in this area, we are most excited about the day. I understand that Eze and St. Paul de Vence will be quite empty in November.

[SKIHoliday]

Hi ~fianna, sorry to be off topic but you mentioned your love of fine food and wine, and you live in Vegas. I'm back there for another conference in the next few weeks (for about the 20th time,) and would love some suggestions on affordable good food in your home town

[~Fianna]

Hi ~fianna, sorry to be off topic but you mentioned your love of fine food and wine, and you live in Vegas. I'm back there for another conference in the next few weeks (for about the 20th time,) and would love some suggestions on affordable good food in your home town

 

There's a lot of it, too!

 

Shoot me an email and I'll give you some tips :)

 

kats AT cox DOT net

[~Fianna]

If you need any tips for Barcelona let me know. I dream of retiring to Barcelona one day..... :rolleyes:

 

Joe

 

This is our first visit :) We were in Madrid after our last Med cruise and when we came back, everyone told us we were idiots not to make it out to Barcelona.

 

It was the end in Barcelona that really, really sold DH on this itinerary.

 

I know that we want to get out to Penedes and Priorat from Barcelona (probably as day trips) any thoughts on how to do that?

 

Anything you particularly recommend we see/do in BCN?

 

We're booked at H10 Montcada which is on Via Laietana. We got a pretty good deal on it through venere.com (4*, 5 nights, with breakfast and spa access for €515) Looking at the map, it looked very near a Metro stop, which is almost the most important thing for us in Europe.

 

We're planning a very long Spain land trip as part of this vacation, so the current thought is 5 days in BCN, then some time traveling through La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro and then down to Madrid.

[lunarella]

If you have already seen the main tourist highlights of Venice, check out the island of Burano, the lace making island with all of the colorful buildings. Walk off the main street on Burano to enjoy some tranquility and to see how the "real people" live. We have also enjoyed visiting the Cimiteria (Cemetary) Island; a rather eerie experience on an island where the famous and not so famous are buried. And if you haven't been to the Frari Basilica in the heart of the San Polo district, it is filled with fabulous art....a truly stunning interior! You really can't go wrong in Venice. :)

[LILynn]

Sorry .. duplicate post

[LILynn]

I loved Burano too. What a lovely town. We went to Murano and Burano last year. Murano was fun as we went to one of the glass blowing demonstations but everything was so expensive we did not buy anything. When we got to Burano I really was suprised by how charming this town was - we walked around for awhile, went to a deli and got some lunch stuff and had our own little picnic. It was really a pleasant morning and a great way to spend some time away from the crowds of Venice.

 

Venice is still one of my favorite places to go. We walked everywhere and once you get away from Piazza San Marco, the crowds definitely thin out. We walked to the Jewish ghetto and toured the old (over 400 years old) synagogues. We walked through real neighborhoods to get there and it was lovely. The walk took awhile but we were not in a rush at all. I am a knitter and I found an amazing yarn store! We walked back later that day and we stopped at a bar for a wine tasting that was fantastic.

 

We ngot lost so many times but it did not matter - we eventually found our way and had a great adventure.

[katie31]

If you need any tips for Barcelona let me know. I dream of retiring to Barcelona one day..... :rolleyes:

 

Joe

Hi we will be in Barcleona pre cruise in July we would love some thoughts on what to do. Thanks

[tropicalkerry2002]

I wish we'd had a TON more time in the Sagrada Familia, and more time to enjoy Park Guell. Amazing city, incredible architecture.

[JoePDX]

I know that we want to get out to Penedes and Priorat from Barcelona (probably as day trips) any thoughts on how to do that?

 

Anything you particularly recommend we see/do in BCN?

 

We're booked at H10 Montcada which is on Via Laietana. We got a pretty good deal on it through venere.com (4*, 5 nights, with breakfast and spa access for €515) Looking at the map, it looked very near a Metro stop, which is almost the most important thing for us in Europe.

 

We're planning a very long Spain land trip as part of this vacation, so the current thought is 5 days in BCN, then some time traveling through La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro and then down to Madrid.

 

We've been to BCN twice. Once for two days pre cruise and the other time five days pre cruise. It's one of my favorite cities in the whole world. There is such an energy about BCN. People who have been there know what I mean about this. It's hard to explain to someone who hasn't yet been.

 

I love the architecture in BCN. Gaudi, Art Nouveau, Gothic - it's all great. I second the other poster on time spent at the Sagrada Familia. We have spent several hours there on two separate trips to BCN and would definitely go back on a future visit. It's quite cool to see what more has been completed... Especially when you consider construction started in 1882!

 

Other Gaudi - Casa Mila (La Pedrera), be sure and check out the roof top "garden". Also Casa Batllo I believe is now open for tours. Parc Guell is also interesting and worth some time to stroll. There are nice views of the city from there.

 

Speaking of strolling - Barcelona is a wandering city. My best memories are just walking around and seeing all the people. Be sure and spend some time in the Gothic Quarter late at night. I know this sounds dangerous - but you won't be alone. The area will be crawling with the locals out for a stroll after dinner. There are often musicians playing in the squares of the Gothic Quarter after dark - the acoustics can be haunting.

 

Dinner suggestion: http://www.reialcercleartistic.com/rca_home/Default.aspx

This restaurant has an incredible terrace overlooking part of the Gothic Quarter. Go on a nice night when you can sit outside. The food as I remember was good (don't think it was memorable), but the location was stellar and that was what I remember. We also enjoyed tapas at Vildsvin (main floor) which is at 38 Carrer Ferran in the Gothic Quarter. They have a restaurant downstairs as well, but we didn't eat there. BCN City Hall and the Catalunyan Government offices are both on Carrer Ferran and often have demonstrations or spontaneous folk dancing out in front.

 

There is alot written about pick pockets and other dangers in BCN. That may be true. However we have never felt unsafe and as with traveling anywhere - you have to be a smart traveler. Don't wear lots of jewelry, don't flash wads of cash and separate your cash from your credit cards, etc. You know - don't be conspicuous.

 

The Picasso Museum in the Gothic Quarter is wonderful and highlights a lot of his early works. The Museo de Historia de la Ciudad (City History Museum) is also nice with wonderful exposed Roman ruins underneath it to explore.

 

Your hotel looks well positioned. We have spent most of our time between the Ramblas, Gothic Quarter and Xiample/Passeig de Gracia/Placa de Catalunya areas which are all easily walkable.

 

We haven't been to Penedes or Priorat so can't help there. I do want to visit Girona on a future visit which I belive is easily accessible by train. But for your road trip - a hidden Gem is Cuenca. The Posada de San Jose is a wonderful little hotel in Cuenca. We still talk regularly about our time in Cuenca - and that was 7 years ago... We also had a nice overnight stay in Requena which is in the wine region. Not a tourist city, but just a local town with it's own Ramblas to wander. We spent two weeks driving southern Spain from Barcelona, as far south as Sevilla and then back to Barcelona prior to a cruise back in 2002. We found the roads in wonderful condition and navigation easy.

 

Let me know if you have other questions. Happy to help.

 

Joe :D

[Paulchili]

Just to add to Joe's excellent suggestions:

Casa Battlo is definitely open and well worth a self guided visit (as is La Pedrera).

Check out the flower/produce market off the Ramblas:

Mercat de la Boqueria

For best tapas check out Cerveceria Catalana on Mallorca 236 - it gets very busy for lunch and dinner but if you go early (12 for lunch, 6 for dinner, as locals eat later) should be no problem.

My favorite day trip from Barcelona is to Montserrat.

Now you have enough things to do and see for a whole week!

[~Fianna]

Thanks so much for all the Barcelona tips!

 

I'm glad to know that the hotel looks like it's in a good spot. It seemed so from looking at googlemaps, but it's always hard to tell how accurate those are when you don't know the city at all.

 

We're in full-on planning mode for this trip now. I love the long ones, but planning them makes me feel like I've transformed in to General Grant.

 

The goal is to try and pre-pay for as much stuff as possible so that we can keep a handle on costs. Especially with the long land tour afterward, things start to add up very, very quickly!

[pratzert]

Oh My Gosh....

 

Soooo many Great suggestions and insights.

 

Thank you all for the tips.

 

We're on the 9-17 sailing on the Insignia and will make use of the knowledge.