What is your favorite Mediterranean port?

[az4ship]

Kotor, Villefrance and Venice

[buggins0402]

Glad to hear this about Kotor. We will have a port day there in October. First time for us.

 

My favorite Mediterranean ports so far are Venice, Dubrovnik, and Barcelona.

 

We were fortunate to spend a week in Barcelona in 1991. Have spent some port days there since then. Will spend three post-cruise days there in April.

We will spend two pre-cruise days in Venice in October.

 

If you've spent a major amount of time in Barcelona, you might consider switching it out for some time in Seville. I'm writing this from a hotel room there...it has become my absolute favorite Spanish city.

[lackcreativity]

Thanks for so many helpful suggestions. I do look forward to visiting some of these places in the future. The world is full of beautiful and interesting places. Hoping one day it may be peaceful as well.

[SPacificbound]

I can't name just one. Ephesus, Kotor, and Madeira.

[NMLady]

If you've spent a major amount of time in Barcelona, you might consider switching it out for some time in Seville. I'm writing this from a hotel room there...it has become my absolute favorite Spanish city.

 

Our transatlantic ends in Barcelona so that is why we are spending post-cruise days there. With hubby's mobility problems now it is not as easy to do land travel anymore.

 

In 1991 though when we did six weeks on our own in Spain and Portugal we did spend three days in Seville. Did lots of sightseeing. I can easily understand why you like it so much.

 

We also spent time in Madrid, Santiago de Campostelo, Valencia and on Majorca as well. We had an Iberia flight pass good for 10 flights and we used them, as well as trains, buses and metro so saw lots of Spain before we took the train to Lisbon to see some of Portugal.

[pseudoware]

For the immediate port area, we like Villefranche.

 

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[crystalspin]

New to cruising, have booked our first trip (Viking Star Empires of the Mediterranean : Istanbul to Venice), and I am already looking for future trips. I am especially interested in suggestions for smaller, lesser known (to me anyway!)ports, but would appreciate information even about the more popular ports. Thanks

 

On your booked route: Dubrovnik. We took a cab from the taxi station intending to go to the gate of the old city and ride the cable car to the top. The driver offered to take us to the top of the cable and stop 5 or 6 places for photo ops, then back to old town to explore there. Since the cable car itself was not the attraction, we took him up on it -- The cost was less than catching the public bus to the gate plus the cable car fares would have been! and we also had a nice narration along the way.

 

Not on your current itinerary, but for your future pipe dreams/plans -- Barcelona. But do not take the Hop On Hop Off bus! The lines are awful and you will be afraid to get off in case the next bus has no seats (at least if more than one large ship is in port, which was the case for us). Either take a ship's excursion, or arrange a private one. Is my recommendation, and if possible pick a cruise with a LONG day there. Between the HOHO bus lines and an early all aboard, we were really robbed of much time there at all... but I picked our next land-based tour based on two nights/three days in that city!

[euro cruiser]

Naples, both because you can simply walk off the ship and be there and because there are so many options beyond the city itself. An embarrassment of riches.

 

Barcelona is another favorite because there is so much to see there and you can walk right into town from the ship. Venice for the same reasons.

[Cruzaholic41]

New to cruising, have booked our first trip (Viking Star Empires of the Mediterranean : Istanbul to Venice), and I am already looking for future trips. I am especially interested in suggestions for smaller, lesser known (to me anyway!)ports, but would appreciate information even about the more popular ports. Thanks

 

For me, it's the Greek islands. For the lesser knowns, I love Argostoli (Kefalonia) and Mykonos. The more popular stop, and rightfully so, is Santorini. Further up the Adriatic, Split and Dubrovnik (Croatia) are beautiful.

[navybankerteacher]

Rome and Athens are ideal embarkation or debarkation ports as that allows days, not hours, to experience them; but terrible as ports of call because all that allows is a frustratingly short taste - and dismal actual port areas. Venice and Valetta are beautiful sail-in/sail-out ports.

[paul929207]

Venice, if you sail in or out during the day

[sail7seas]

If you've spent a major amount of time in Barcelona, you might consider switching it out for some time in Seville. I'm writing this from a hotel room there...it has become my absolute favorite Spanish city.

 

I agree Seville is a beautiful city. We very much enjoyed our time there.

[Amelie1214]

Another vote for Kotor! Loved it, it was so beautiful. Also enjoyed argostoli rented a scooter right off the ship and went exploring :)

[lackcreativity]

I really do appreciate all your thoughtful suggestions. We have a land based tour of Spain in the works for 2016, and I have definitely added Malta to my "Must See" list. Once we have completed our first ocean cruise in April 2017 (and can confirm that sea sickness does not create difficulties for either my husband or me), then I can put all your helpful hints in place to select our next itinerary.

 

Has anyone been to Taormina? At least in pictures, it looks charming!

[Aquahound]

Has anyone been to Taormina? At least in pictures, it looks charming!

 

Yes! I've been there a couple times and I love it. Unfortunately, it's become a lot more commercialized since my first visit with some high-end shops and more traffic, so I think a lot of the charm was lost.

 

If you look into private tours, for charm, I much more recommend towns like Castelmola or Savoca. Savoca is where they filmed The Godfather (called Corleone in the movie).

[crystalspin]

Has anyone been to Taormina? At least in pictures, it looks charming!

 

Yes we had a stop there on the western Med continuation of our TAtl. We were sorely disappointed not to be able "get into" any private (non-ship) tours -- the one I wanted was to include both scenic Mt Etna and a lunch a a winery. If you have a port stop at Taormina, line up your shore choice ASAP, whether with ship or private!

 

That said, the public bus trip around town and the shopping/cafe district were fun and "productive" of souvenirs! I'm sure it is commercialized from years back, but it is still quaint and not like anything back home!

Edited December 3, 2015 by crystalspin

[Poppy42]

Barcelona - without a doubt. What a beautiful city. The architecture is amazing. Clean. Great beaches. We loved it so much that we spent a week there the following year.