Carefree Cruises: Wonderful West Mediterranean Magic

06-19-2013

Italy

Rome wasn't built in a day, so don't expect to see it in one. The Eternal City is home to the Colosseum, Pantheon, Sistine Chapel and numerous plazas and fountains sculpted by Mario Bellini. However, it's a modern city too, as this dichotomy gives it a surreal, movie stage quality.

The legend surrounding the Trevi Fountain says it's good luck for travelers to toss a penny in the water, as it means they'll one day return to Rome. That's a good thing, too, considering the Amalfi Coast, Italian Riviera and cities like Milan, Venice and Naples still need to be explored. To say that Italy is jam-packed with attractions is an understatement. After a while, you're just going to want to sit down, relax, sip a cappuccino and do some people watching. Just reading about all the things to see and do in Italy is enough to give your feet blisters.

The French Riviera

The one-time home of Grace Kelly, Matisse and Collette, the French Riviera (known to locals as the Cote d' Azur) is 80 miles of dramatic cliffsides, pastel villages and Belle Époque architecture. Nice, Monaco and Cannes are the three big seaside hamlets in the French Riviera, and this swath of French coastline has always been a hotspot for movie stars, diamond cuff-linked high rollers and jetsetters.

Mediterranean cruises dock at the Quai du Commerce, and when you look across the harbor all you can see are yachts and catamarans shining in the lemony, Fauvist light. The Bay of Angels is Nice's famous seaside promenade and a perfect place to eat ice cream, rollerblade and enjoy the sun. If rain happens to blow in, take shelter in either the Matisse or Chagall museum. Depending on how long the cruise ship is docked, you might have time to take a quick excursion to Paris.

Spain

Most cruise lines offering Mediterranean cruises stop in Barcelona. In a list of 20 great things to do in Barcelona, Timeout.com's top three include:

• Explore Las Ramblas promenade
• Check out the Gaudi architecture
• Visit a live music venue

We'd put "visit a pintxos bar" number one on the list. You probably know them better as tapas, which is how the rest of Spain refers to these shared, bite-sized foods. In Basque country, tapas are known as pinxtos.

There's nothing better than this laid-back, convivial style of eating. Spain is a large country, and each regions has its own particular traditions. From the Costa del Sol, which is near Africa, to the Costa Blanca, which (like its name suggests) is famous for its white sands, Spain has more Mediterranean beaches than any other country.

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