Embark your ship – Independence of the Seas®
Day 2: At Sea
Day 3: At Sea
Day 4: Gibraltar
Gibraltar. The Rock of Gibraltar crouches guard like, protecting the entrance to the Mediterranean from unwelcome visitors. Many countries have fought for control of this passage between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, resulting in a vibrant cultural melting pot. Narrow steep lanes are busy with English tourists, veiled Moroccan women in caftans, and Spanish residents. Stroll below the white cliffs among a profusion of palm, pine, and cypress. Go below to Gibraltar’s caves, or up above to see the Rock’s Barbary apes.
Day 5: Cartagena
The port of Cartagena, in the Mediterranean’s Costa Cálida, has been prized since Carthaginian times. Thanks to its strategic position on the Murcia coast, it has been inhabited by several cultures which have left their mark on its artistic heritage. A tour of the place and its museums will draw us into the history of a city closely tied to the sea.
Day 6: Palma (Mallorca)
Palma a major port, and the summer holiday spot of choice for Spain’s royal family. Explore the lovely old quarter and step into the past in the historic churches, then get a taste of contemporary Palma in the city’s lively tapas bars. Visit the Arab Baths, the Moorish Palace and the Mallorca Museum, buy a string of Mallorca pearls or for outstanding views of the harbour take a ride on the wooden train to Soller.
Day 7: Barcelona
Barcelona combines everything that is most charming about Mediterranean cities – a relaxed pace, months of endless sunshine, unbeatable food – with the cultural and design sophistication of almost any city in the northern hemisphere. Its patchwork of architectural styles displays dark, Gothic façades next to the harlequin buildings of the Modernistas and the skyline-piercing constructions of Jean Nouvel or Herzog and de Meuron, and a day spent admiring them can be topped off with a sun-downer on one of the city’s seven beaches before dinner at any number of Michelin-starred gastronomic temples or humble, family-run tapas bars.
Day 8: Nice
Capital of the Cote d’Azur, the perfectly located port city of Nice spreads itself around the Bay of Angels, overlooked by the surrounding hills and luxury properties of the French Riviera. Explore the Cimiez museums and Roman ruins, shop for flowers in Cours Saleya or Sip a glass of chilled wine on Place Massena and watch the rich and famous go bye.
Day 9: Corsica
Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Stroll past the cathedral where the future emperor of France was baptized and take a look at the Casa Bonaparte a museum devoted to the Imperial glory of France. But Corsica is also known as the “scented isle” because of the aromatic bush, le maquis, that covers much of the island and was also the name of the French resistance movement during the German occupation in World War 2.
Day 10: At sea
Day 11: Malaga
Malaga. Gateway to Andalusian and the famed Costa del Sol resorts the Spanish port of Malaga stands out as a bustling destination with its own unique character. Rising high above the city with spectacular views, are the ruins of the 14th century Moorish castle, and of course its most famous son Pablo Picasso is recognized with a history of the artist’s life at the city’s fascinating Picasso Foundation.
Day 12: Seville (Cadiz)
Seville is very much an “unsung” city on the Southern tip of Spain. Known for its laid back attitude to life, outstanding seafood and its sun-drenched atmospheric streets. The Alcazar, the Seville Cathedral, and the Archivo de Indias are World Heritage sites. Walk its narrow-cobbled streets bathed in centuries of Andalusian sunshine where the elegant mirador-fronted facades painted in pastel shades take you back to days long gone or walk the narrow lanes of the Jewish Quarter, the expanse of the Plaza de Espana, or the halls of the Museo de Bellas Artes.
Day 13: At Sea
Day 14: At Sea
Day 15: Southampton
Disembark your ship – Independence of the Seas®
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