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: At Sea
Day 6: 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 7: Civitavecchia (Rome)
Civitavecchia (Rome) is often described as the Eternal City and is filled with breath taking treasurers of almost every description – The Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Trevi Fountain where a tossed coin promises your return to this city of Romance. Take a walk along the famous (and expensive) Via Veneto which came to fame in the 1960’ as the centre of la dolce vita (the sweet life) attracting jet setters and stars from around the world. Tour its many historical landmarks and enjoy the food, the culture, the ambiance, and the surrounding scenery. There is no doubt you’ll learn the meaning of la dolce vita when you visit Rome.
Day 8: Livorno
Livorno.is claimed to be the cradle of the Renaissance and is home to the Uffizi Gallery which is only rivalled by the Louvre for its collection of Renaissance masterpieces. You can also make your way to the world-famous tower of Pisa which took over 177 years to build and has been leaning since construction began in 1173.
Day 9: Toulon
Toulon is not at the top of most tourists “must see” lists. Thankfully this allows you to wander crowd free. Take a walk through the cobbled street of its lovely old town surrounded by Mont Faron or gaze across the Mediterranean from the magnificent harbour, built entirely by mother nature. Don’t miss a visit to Aix, the city of a thousand fountains, one of the ‘jewels’ of Provence.
Day 10: 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 11: At Sea
Day 12: Lisbon
Lisbon. The wonderful city of Lisbon is simply full of Neoclassical buildings and wide plazas. Famed as the port from which the ships departed on their discovery of the Americas and the New World. Lisbon’s magnificent harbour is spanned by the longest suspension bridge in Europe. Other landmarks include the World Heritage Sites of Belém Tower and Jerónimos Monastery, both built in Lisbon’s native Manueline architectural style.
Day 13 Vigo
Vigo is set in a beautiful natural environment and its cultural scene far exceeds its size. Try the local seafood at the port, go shopping at the Rua do Príncipe, or brave the blue fire of the traditional Galacian punch drink queimada.
Day 14: At Sea
Day 15: Southampton
Disembark your ship – Independence of the Seas®
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