Looking for suggestions on Mediterranean Cruise

[TLCOhio]

Hello Everyone. We are sailing this summer to the Mediterranean and a friend suggested that we get private tours instead of getting the ones the ship offers. I have one in Rome, Naples, and Florence and I need suggestions for Monte Carlo, Istanbul, Mykonos, Athens, Kusadasi if we need tours on these places at all. My travel agent isnt much of a help. HELP?

 

We have been in all of these ports and it is hard to generalize to say only go private tours. Much depends on your personal needs, budget, travel interests, past Europe experiences, etc. Ship tours are not perfect, but they do help solve some of the logistic challenges without too much added work or worry. It's a personal choice and is also affected by how many are in your party.

 

Below are a few of my "visual suggestions" on key options to consider, what you can see in Mykonos on your own, Athens, Eze near Monaco, etc.

 

You can check out my earlier post on “Athens Tips, Suggestions, Examples to Enjoy!” for many details, ideas and interesting visuals on this great city. Lots of ideas here from me and others experienced with Athens.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

 

For those who have not yet visited Greece, the good news is that the wonderful Plaka is right handy and next door to the famed Acropolis area. That makes things so much easier. On going up the hill, be careful as the stone steps can be slick in areas. And you will be looking up and forgetting to watch where and how you are stepping. It's well worth the effort getting there to the top. It is amazing history and architecture!! Also, we had a private guide to help us on this spectacular site. It's not cheap, but it was well worth it to know more on what you are seeing and why it is so important.

 

COASTAL SUGGESTION: The old village of Eze, along the coast between Nice and Monaco, hangs up in the mountains above the water and crowds. It's wonderful to visit. Great, great views! Totally charming! Have lunch or dinner there at one of the two great eating places and feel like you're sitting on the edge of paradise! We ate at the Château Eza. Its website: http://www.chateauezarestaurant.com. At 1,407 feet above the Mediterranean, Eze offers commanding views of cliffs, sea, sprawling estates and off-shore islands. The village's narrow streets or more really paths among the buildings lead to the Jardin Exotique It is a maze of paths flanked by mammoth flowering plants and spiky cactuses. For about $3, you can walk up to the best view on the French Riviera. On a clear day, you can see Corsica! It does not get much better than Eze. Their tourism office:

http://www.eze-riviera.com

 

Reactions? Added questions and comments? Tell us more on your exact interest, past Europe experiences, etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 81,704 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

Here was our first views of Istanbul in 2006 from our just-docking cruise ship as we smelled the sweet blend of this historic Turkish city. YES, you could really smell how “special” is this unique city with so much culture, charm and interest!:

 

 

 

In 1856, Sultan Abdul Mecid I moved his court to the newly-built Dolmabahce Palace, the first European-style palace in the city. Located on the European side of the Bosporus, it served as the main administrative center of the Ottoman Empire from 1856 to 1922. Fourteen tons of gold in the form of gold leaf were used to gild the ceilings. It is the largest palace in Turkey. The world's largest Bohemian crystal chandelier is in the center hall of the palace. A gift from Queen Victoria, it has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tons. Dolmabahce has the largest collection of Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers in the world and one of the great staircases has bannisters of Baccarat crystal. Below the outside of this “new” Palace used by Sultans in Istanbul:

 

 

 

Looking downhill towards the library and other ruins from when Ephesus, along the Turkish Coast, was Rome's capital of Asia Minor. The history here is real and totally amazing! Ephesus has the famed outdoor theater that hosted Saint Paul preaching, plus rock stars, etc. At this large, 25,000 seat outdoor theater in the 1st century AD, the Apostle Paul did a famed sermon condemning pagan worship. He spent over three years in Ephesus preaching the Gospel.:

 

 

 

Here’s a sampling of the narrow, flowered street in Mykonos in the Greek Isles with its many shops. The streets were made so narrow in order to fend off pirate attackers. It is an island with lots of history and legend dating back thousands of years, including connections to ancient Greek mythology. Ionians settled on Mykonos in the early part of the 11th century BC. As Delos developed as a sacred center, Mykonos was under the influences of the different people, including Phoenicians, Macedonians and Athenians. With the rise of Alexander the Great, the fate of Mykonos became a commercial center for agriculture and maritime trade. Mykonos flourished with enormous wealth during Roman occupation during the reign of Augustus Caesar. During the Middle Ages, Mykonos fell under the Venetians and later were victimized by the Saracens and latter the Turks. Starting in the 1950’s, its unique architecture, seclusion and hospitality have made it a haven for the rich and famous.:

 

 

 

This harbor view in Mykonos shows one of the charming windmills. From as early as the 16th century, these are one of the most recognized landmarks of Mykonos. The island is 33 square miles in size and has a population of 9,300, mostly in its main village.:

 

 

 

This picture shows more of the gardens at the top of Eze that offers great views along the coast:

 

[bongd1983]

We have reservations at the Hotel Principal in Barcelona, so close or in the las ramblas area, does anyone know or have stayed at this place. I was reading the reviews, and although majority of the reviews are 4s and 5s, the not-so-satisfied guest stated that this is not a safe place? Can someone please suggest a good, good-priced hotel in Barca that is close to the city center? Thank you again.