After completing our last season as managers at the Beaver Island Lodge, we were exactly back where we were 10 years ago when I wrote the story “Wide Open Spaces Ahead of Us”. Our first …
With a little more than 130 nautical miles to go, the Regal Princess still took off for Naples early in the evening, which told me that the Captain wanted to get to the next Port …
The storms over the water had disappeared for our second day in Civitavecchia’s port and we were ready for a trip out to Port of Call Rome, the Eternal City. We used the free port …
Port of Call : Civitavecchia/Rome Storms have been severely affecting the port of call schedules on this cruise, probably a result of the time of year. The new captain of the ship, who took over …
Port of Call: Marseille France. Here is a thing to remember for the future: the guests on a transatlantic cruise are completely different from the ones embarking for a Mediterranean cruise. The first group is …
Our next Port of Call Barcelona was also going to be the end of our Transatlantic cruise. Impulsive as we are, especially where it comes to travel, we looked at options to extend our cruise …
The next port of call Málaga, had been on the menu for several days and finally the weather allowed us to anchor in the cruise port. It was still mostly overcast, but a visit to …
Again there was a last minute change as future Port of Call – Palma de Mallorca was placed ahead of the Andalusian City of Malaga. Reason? The same storm system that had taken Gibraltar out …
The message from the Captain came the evening before, while departing Madeira: a weather system in the southwestern Mediterranean forced the ship to set course for Cadiz, rather than Malaga. Perhaps because of its out-of-the-way …
After seven days on the Atlantic, the time had arrived for a day at Port of Call Madeira, Portugal’s Year-round Resort Island. The weather had been pretty good, so the island of Madeira was on …
After completing our last season as managers at the Beaver Island Lodge, we were exactly back where we were 10 years ago when I wrote the story “Wide Open Spaces Ahead of Us”. Our first trip then was also to Nashville, where Han’s oldest friend in the US had moved to. Sadly Ric passed away a couple of years ago, so now we visited Kay his widow in Brentwood TN, a suburb of Nashville, for almost a month in Dec/Jan of 2026. This is also our last trip south in our trusty Nissan Murano which we purchased exactly 10 years ago. And the end of this trip she goes to another dear friend, while we take a transatlantic cruise over to Europe for an extended stay. But first some travel impressions from this last north-south trip.
There are so many amazing restaurants near her home, that we did not have to venture far to experience something new and delicious.
With a little more than 130 nautical miles to go, the Regal Princess still took off for Naples early in the evening, which told me that the Captain wanted to get to the next Port of Call: Naples for a day in Pompeii, early rather than the next morning.
Although Naples has a handful of interesting sites to see, most visitors only frequent the city for great pizza and as a start off for a trip to the nearby Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri or the historic wonders of the ancient Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Naples is a typical Mediterranean Port City; industrious, loud and busy and the entrance to Southern Italy, which is a totally different experience from the central and northern parts of the country. Southern Italy is laid back, agricultural or seafaring, yet fiercely proud. There is no pretense in fashion, food and family.
This was already Han’s 5th or 6th trip to the area as his family often came to a camping in the town of Terracina, about midway between Rome and Naples. Since our grand Liam was just studying the events of the year 71AD in Pompeii in school, we decided that our destination for the day would be Vesuvius and Pompeii.
Now the ship offers day tours to Pompeii at a steep $250 per person for the day, but we decided to once again decline the offer and find our way via local taxi service. The roundtrip was $175 plus tip and our driver gave us clear instructions how to find him when we were ready for the return trip. He didn’t even want to get paid until he dropped us off back at the ship.
Having a Refreshment before entering Pompeii’s Horrific History
We had refreshments in a bar/café across from the entrance and spoke extensively with the woman who owned the place. They were glad to see more tourists arriving, since Covid had practically obligated their income in the last two years. After strolling through the streets of old Pompeii, we decided to have a late lunch at the women’s brother’s place from where our cab driver picked us up and returned us to the ship.
A lot has changed in 65 years, says Han. When he first visited in the summer of 1962, the old Roman city ruins were comingled with the new village that had been build around it. There was a little museum where you could witness to gruesome results of the volcano’s eruption coming down on an unsuspecting population of Rome’s aristocracy. Pompeii was a summer place for Rome’s elite, more so then neighboring Herculaneum that housed many of the servants.
So make no mistake, today’s Pompeii is a place for tourism. The old ruins are discreetly separated from the new town with fences, impenetrable hedges and tree lines. You are naturally guided towards the various entrances to the ruins and with clear instructions and an admission ticket, you are allowed to enter and encouraged to stick to the clear pathways. Pompeii has been re-designed to be a worthy tourist destination for today’s day and age; a far cry from the Wild West it was in 1962. But to be honest the story of horror is still the same. You just need to use your imagination a bit.
Han is understandably a bit ambivalent about our’trips to nostalgia’. He remembers traveling here with his family. His father taking them to a small Cameo manufacturing business, where they bought some jewelry for his mother. It was simpler and more affordable then. Italy’s money was the Lira, not the Euro and life seemed to play at a more accessible level.
Through the ages, the centers of cameo cutting remained in this part of Italy and, in fact, the majority of today’s cameo artists still reside in Italy and are now concentrated in the small city of Torre del Greco, a small town situated opposite from Pompeii at the foot of the Vesuvius, overlooking the Bay of Naples. We decided to buy some souvenir cameos as well as a book about Pompeii and a postcard for Liam and mailed both from the post office.
Sadly the post office never forwarded the package to the US.
Arriving in Naples Cruise port
Modern Pompeii enjoys a beautiful city layout
Be careful walking on these roads
Take me to the ballgame was once heard here
Just contemplating what once was...
Almost as if nothing ever happened here
Mt.Vesuvius patiently waiting in the distance?
What once was the playground for Rome's elite...
Living a quiet life of luxury until...
Mt. Vesuvius patiently laying in waiting for a replay?
Roman elite seems to have enjoyed art on the walls and spacious rooms
Vesuvius, one of the deadliest eruptions in history
The storms over the water had disappeared for our second day in Civitavecchia’s port and we were ready for a trip out to Port of Call Rome, the Eternal City. We used the free port shuttles to the main gate, walked over to the train station, and boarded the train to Rome’s Termini station, a trip of about 55 minutes at a cost of $7 per one way ticket. This option worked best for our day in Rome plan.
Rome is nicknamed the Eternal City because ancient Romans believed that no matter what happened to the world or how many empires came and collapsed, Rome would go on forever. Well to a degree they were right, so far.. The city is still there almost 3 thousand years after the empire started and Rome excels in Roman Empire architectural antiquities, global Roman Catholic presence, fashion, shopping and an all around cosmopolitan atmosphere.
Piazza Navona
If your interests in life’s offerings cover all of those areas, don’t go and visit just for one or two days. Rome needs a week at a minimum to scratch the surface of its culture and history, just like Paris or London. Amsterdam, Brussels, Madrid, Barcelona, Florence, Lisbon, Athens, Berlin, Vienna and Budapest are more like 4 to 5 day European destinations, while cities like Dublin, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, Luxembourg, Prague, Malaga, Sevilla etc. are adequately serviced with a full three day stay.
Just a list of architectural must-sees in Rome encompass at the minimum the Colosseum, The Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Forum Romanum, The St. Peter’s Basilicum, the Sistine Chapel, Palatine Hill, the Spanish Steps, Circus Maximus, the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, the Via Appia Antica and that’s not even talking about any of the museums or the Villa Borghese Gallery or any of the other “lesser” basilicas, such as my favorite San Giovanni de Laterano or the magnificent fountains (Trevi) and bridges over the Tiber River, the lifeline of old Rome.
So in our travels, we have come to the conclusion that the Hop On Hop Off Bus City Tour gives us the best overview of where we want to go a little deeper in our discoveries. We’ll usually do the entire tour loop in one go and then on the second go-around we’ll get off where we want to walk around and learn a bit more.
Now there are of course a number of tours available to choose from. We decided on the Red Route mostly out of convenience as the Hop On point was right at the Rome Termini Railway station where the train from Civitavecchia dropped us off. The route offers 8 stops and 22 points of interest, runs daily from 9am to 7pm, with buses arriving every 15 minutes. The full loop trip lasts almost 2 hours in busy traffic, so plan wisely, because you only have 6 hours or so to explore Rome before heading back to the ship in Civitavecchia, which takes another hour of train travel.
The Loop of the Hop On Hop off tour
The 8 stops of our day in Rome included Termini Station (1) to The Colosseum (2) to Circus Maximus (3) to Trevi Fountain (4) to Piazza Venezia (5) with access to the Pantheon and Capitoline Museums, further on to the Spanish Steps (6) and the shopping quarters, followed by the Vatican (7) and the St.Peter and ending at Piazza Barberini (8).
The loop passes most of the major points of interest including – The Trevi Fountain – Piazza Venezia isthe central hub of Rome, Italy, acting as a major traffic intersection and a key starting point for exploring the city. It is dominated by the massive white marble Altare della Patria (Victor Emmanuel II) monument) and the historic Palazzo Venezia. It is well worth visiting for its central location, stunning architecture, and proximity to the Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill. – Piazza Barberini and take the Via del Corso and the shopping district to the Spanish Steps (abt. 1/2km or a 7 minute walk)
Ms Adidas (TJ) on the Hop On-Hop Off at the Coliseum
– Campo De’ Fiori, the big open flower and fresh market. In the morning it hosts one of the most characteristic markets of the city, with stalls selling fruit, flowers and spices. At sunset it comes alive with cafes and bars, becoming a meeting point for Romans and tourists. A square that speaks of a popular and convivial Rome, always in motion. – Piazza Navona with its three fountains – Vatican City and the Vatican Museums / Ancient City St. Peter’s Basilica Castel Sant’Angelo Basilica di San Pietro in Ciel d’Oro Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore – National Roman Museum, close to the Termini stop, actually includes 4 museums – If you’re into Roman-Greco architecture and art, you will need at least a full day to visit this jewels of the ancient times including The Baths of Diocletian and Piazza del Campidoglio – Circo Massimo (Circus Maximus, Pantheon)
Spanish Steps
Rome, a city of fountains and piazzas
Piazzas Everywhere
Building and square dedicated to Pope Benedict XIV
Piazza Campo de Fiori
Victor Emmanuel II monument
The old is artfully integrated for preservation.
The-world-is-still-in-the-grip-of-Covid
Roma Santa Maria in Trastevere
The-Forum-Romanum-from-a-distance
Now nothing is free in Rome, although there are differently scaled admission prices for different people. Just go online and find opening hours and admissions to all of them.
We only had a good 5 hours to spend in Rome, so we decided to stay on the bus for a little over 2 full loops, which dropped us back to Termini Station for a train ride to Civitavecchia.
At the train station we learned, that the last direct train from Termini to Civitavecchia departed from a platform way outside the station itself and we had 6 minutes to get there before departure. The race almost killed us. Literally! A whole group of cruise passenger were running the aisles and platforms in panic, because missing this train almost certainly meant, we were on our own getting to Naples to catch up with the Cruise ship.
We made it with less than a minute to spare, fell into our seats and thankfully sat across from the ship’s nurse, who was so nice to share some nuts with TJ, as we discovered that we had not had anything to eat since that morning’s breakfast.
Exhausted and only mildly impressed boy our day in Rome, we acknowledged that we were not in shape for this type of travel. We probably could have prevented the death run to the train, had we prepared our itinerary better. Suggestion is therefore to use Apps such as Google Maps, Google Translate, WhatsApp and CityMapper, which are most useful when they support a well-structured itinerary, not when they’re used reactively.
Storms have been severely affecting the port of call schedules on this cruise, probably a result of the time of year. The new captain of the ship, who took over the reigns in Barcelona, is a native Italian. He first tried to get us to Livorno, after the port city of Genoa became a serious non option. From Livorno the cruise director could service the Florence, Pisa, Siena, Volterra of the Tuscany region better, while even waterfront areas like gorgeous Cinque Terra could still be reached inside of 90 minutes by bus.
But the storm weather was relentless and in the early afternoon the captain announced that we were going to race another cruise ship for the last safe berth available at the Civitavecchia Cruise Port, which is Rome’s primary seaport, located about 45 miles northwest of the eternal city.
During our 2016 visit to Italy, we never made it to Rome. Florence was as far south as we came and we were not impressed by (mainly) the Italians. But with Civitavecchia we now had access to Rome, the Eternal City, Civitavecchia often only considered as the sea gateway to Rome, offers an extra opportunity to explore its historical sites and local culture as it dates back to the early Roman society. Whether you’re interested in history, architecture, or local markets, the city provides a variety of experiences to enrich your visit. Here is what we did during our extra time at the port.
Civitavecchia War Memorial
Storage of fishing nets
The Port of Civitavecchia, built by Emperor Trajan (one of the 5 Great Emperors) at abt. 100 AD, throughout its 2,800 year history has played a central role in the exchanges and contacts of all Mediterranean peoples.
The port of Civitavecchia is clearly divided into a northern and southern area. The southern area is dedicated to tourist activities and cruises. Serving as a major hub for Mediterranean home base and port of call cruises and ferries to islands like Sardinia and Sicily, the port offers sometimes complex shuttle/train connections to Rome’s city center via the Largo de Laachcee train terminal. We found out on our second day in port, how complex the connections can get.
As we are getting a bit older (and wiser) we have learned to pace ourselves when it comes to visiting big cities. For this reason we decided to use the first day in port to explore Civitavecchia and dedicate the second day to Rome.
We used the free port shuttles to the main gate and from there we walked Civitavecchia’s old town center from Piazza Leandra – in the heart of the old Medieval district where there is the small Chiesa della Stella (“Church of the Star”) – then through the Archetto Passage which leads to Piazza Saffi: in this square you can see the old city walls built between 1513 – 1521.
San Lorenzo Fresh Market
The San Lorenzo Market (not to be confused with the San Lorenzo Leather market in Florence) – is located in the heart of the historic city center, near Piazza Regina Margherita. Here local people come to buy fresh food products (such as fruit and vegetables) and to buy fish in the well-known Fish market, which is the flagship of the city. Visiting the morning market is a pleasant experience, because it is very lively and busy: there are not only market stalls, but also many bars, pizzerias and shops.
The Cathedral of Civitavecchia is devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi, the Saint of the Animals and was destroyed in 1943 during the second world war, the church was rebuilt in 1950.
The National Archaeological Museum of Civitavecchia is located a few steps away from Fort Michelangelo, inside the eighteenth-century building commissioned by Pope Clement XIII in the eighteenth century. The museum has got three floors and presents a dive into the past among Etruscan finds, bronzes and ceramics from the dawn of Western civilization, the ancient and the Middle Ages.
If you have the time, grab a taxi (abt $12) and visit the Taurine Baths of Civitavecchia, also known as Baths of Trajan, are a remarkable archeological site located in the northern area of the city, about 3 miles from the port. They are open all year long from 9.30 a.m. to 13.30 p.m. and gave a concise insight into how Roman elite spent their daily afternoons.
If you can pull yourself away from the cruise ship fare and decide on an Italian treat, Civitavecchia is a maritime city and the real specialty is represented by fish restaurants. Traditional cuisine is bound to the sea, so there are many typical fish dishes like Civitavecchia’s Fish Soup, “Fettucine allo Scoglio” (long fresh pasta with seafood), Civitavecchia’s Poached Baby Octopuses, Periwinkles, Filled Calamari and much more.
MacDonalds for great WIFI
We decided instead to visit the local McDonalds, right outside the port gates, because it was time to check on family and friends with the help of McDonald’s guaranteed WIFI. Italy’s Wifi network is a still a little iffy for us spoiled people. After a couple of hours checking upon family, answering emails and learning more about the Russian aggression against Ukraine, we went back onboard the ship.
Cruise Ship port of Civitavecchia
Seaman' statue Civitavecchia
Fort Michelangelo in Civitavecchia cruise port
Cathedral of St Francesco di Assisie in Civitavecchia
Of course our day in Marseille was rainy and blustery. Not at all like this beautiful shot of the Basilique de Notre Dame de la Garde
Port of Call: Marseille France.
Here is a thing to remember for the future: the guests on a transatlantic cruise are completely different from the ones embarking for a Mediterranean cruise. The first group is mostly adult, attentive and respectful, the latter act much more entitled and the pools and sundecks are all at once covered with children and teenagers. Gone is the quiet, respectful and laid back atmosphere from the wide open spaces of the Atlantic and noise levels are up several decibels beyond a car engine’s roar.
It sounded like the “newbies” had taken the city loudness of Barcelona with them on board. True, the night before arriving in Barcelona, we had partied loudly with our new Australian friends Jason and Kathi and closed down (if that would be possible) Churchill’s cigar lounge, but our quiet stroll down Barcelona’s Las Ramblas did not prepare us for the return back to the ship. The smoker’s lounge on deck 16 was taken over by a Kardashian type crowd that spoke Italian and acted as if they had just purchased the ship. Dancing, screaming, making out, running?! Well, just let’s wait and see what would happen after they disembarked in Rome, before we pass final judgement.
The weather did not significantly improve during the first couple of days of the central/eastern Mediterranean part of the cruise and the French Port City of Marseille became hazily visible through the rainy portholes this morning.
The Port City of Marseille France marks the point where the Provence (Rhone River) dives into the Mediterranean Sea and the famous French Côte d’Azur begins. As a port city, it is the oldest ( founded by Phocaea Greeks from what is today Western Turkey abt. 600 BC) and second populous city (almost 2 million people) in France. Marseille’s openness to the Mediterranean Sea has made it a cosmopolitan city marked by numerous cultural and economic exchanges with Southern Europe, the Middle East, North Africa and Asia. In Europe, the city has the third largest Jewish community after London and Paris.
Han, being very familiar with this part of France, suggested we walk into town, grab some lunch (after all this is the area where his favorite Bouillabaisse comes from), take some pictures and settle back aboard.
The ship’s organized tour bus took us from the cruise port to a spot just around the corner from where the old marina connects with the old town. It’s a good walk and the sidewalks are safe and protected from traffic. Where the stores and restaurants start, catacomb like passage ways keep the heat and rain away and you can leisurely make your way up to town. Considering the blustery weather that day, we enjoyed our walk and stretching our legs. The old Hotel de Ville, built in 1653, the brand-new Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean, the Palais Longchamps and a nice walk around the city marina were all we got in before a nice lunch was consumed and we returned to the ship.
Palais Longchamp with ornamental fountains
Town Square in Marseille
The Old Lighthouse in Marseille Port
A blustery day in Marseille
A rainy day in Marseille
Museum of Civilisations & Europe and the Mediterranee
New Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean in Marseille
Ornamental Façade on City Hall built in 1653
Graffiti Artistry and Car parking
Anchors Away
Marseille's stairs to the city
Marseille's Old Town up to the Basilique
Lunch in The city Marina in Marseille
Bullabessa or Bouillabaisse originated in Marseille
Even though Marseille is an interesting city with a very cosmopolitan culture and character, it is a primary port city and thus not really well suited for cruise ship visitors. It’s a workmen’s city, the largest port in France and the second largest in the Mediterranean Sea. We think the cruise ships made it a port of call because of the attractive tour packages to the Gypsy area of the Camargue (1 hr by car) and Aix en Provence (32 min. by car or bus). Even Cannes is only just over 100 miles away.
Tomorrow’s schedule calls for another Mediterranean port city in Italy with the name of Genoa (Genova). We spent several days there about 6 years ago when we traveled Europe by bus, train and car. The same conclusion goes for that city (birthplace of Cristoforo Colombo); it’s a working port city and probably only of interest for the cruise ship day trip tours to Tuscany (Florence, St.Gimignano), Siena, Pisa and Livorno. We’ll see if we will even get off board.
Oh here’s another tip for starting cruisers. The cruise ship companies inform you that they will charge you a standard 15% gratuity tip for the crew and service on board. We felt that we would only tip our direct service personnel (cabin steward, favorite restaurant servers, bartender(s) and whosever service we thought to be exceptional). YOU CAN DO THAT, but let guest services know at the beginning of a cruise.
Our next Port of Call Barcelona was also going to be the end of our Transatlantic cruise. Impulsive as we are, especially where it comes to travel, we looked at options to extend our cruise and found that a bunch of our newfound friends were continuing the ride from Barcelona into the Mediterranean; some were going to Rome and some even further to Athens. We looked at each other, kind of reminded each other that visiting the Greek Islands had been part of a Christmas or Anniversary promise and we went to see the cruise director to buy a 2 week cruise extension that would take us all the way to Athens, with a day stop in Istanbul. Oh yeah, we were living it up, and our next 6 months of working hospitality would be arriving soon enough, inspite of Covid and its dangers. (little did we know that the 2022 season would be the most intense one in the history of the Lodge).
Anyway, with another 14 days booked on the ship, we were not that interested in deeply diving into Barcelona’s belly on what looked like was going to be a rainy day. We were more interested in a smooth cabin transition, so we didn’t disembark until close 11am. Han knew the city quite well from his years in Europe – the last time he had been there was in 1998 – during an Iberian Peninsula monthlong vacation that included Lisbon and the Portuguese Algarve region and Spain’s Sevilla, Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona region. His take was that the city had become a bit too trendy and international and therefore also way too expensive.
Las Ramblas Port end with Columbus statue
But beyond that we have learned that a cruise should be enjoyed without pressure and trying to include a Port of Call’s total offering is pure lunacy – a bit like how Japanese visitors to Europe in the 1980s just came to take pictures. So we decided to just walk from the ship into the port and stroll onto Las Ramblas. The monument to Christopher Columbus (Colon) – very visible from the docked cruise ship -, marks the foot of the southern most end of the Ramblas and therefore a useful landmark to find your bearings when walking toward La Rambla from your cruise ship.
The entire length of Las Ramblas to Plaça Catalunya is a bit over 2/3 of a mile. La(s) Rambla(s) runs through the heart of the city center of Barcelona and divides the Barri Gòtic and El Raval neighborhoods. There is plenty to see and do all within a few minutes walk of this mostly tree-lined boulevard. About half way to the right, directly opposite from the famous La Boqueria Market, you will find access roads that will take you to the Cathedral in the Gothic Quarters and the very lively Plaça Real with the popular fountain to sit around. Pedestrian roads to the left, coming up from the Port, will connect you to MACBA, the Museum of Contemporary Art of Barcelona, famous for the display of major contemporary artworks created in the last 50 years. Admission is about $14.
Within walking distance from Plaça Catalunya (5 minutes) you can connect to the Rambla de Catalunya which takes you to one of Antoni Gaudi’s famous architectural designs, that are spread all over Barcelona. La Pedrera, aka Casa Milà is one of his more livable designs and the website focused on this building shows all Gaudi in one place. Personally I think wandering the twisting lanes of the Gothic Quarter and Passeig de Gràcia is much more interesting than the commerciality of Las Ramblas. Also another nice street for strolling …similar to Las Ramblas but much less crowded.
Han enjoying a beer and cig on a sidewalk café on Las Ramblas
Las Ramblas drinking water fountain
Cristopher Columbus Statue and Memorial
Mercat (Mercado) La Boqueria on Lass Ramblas during aftermath of Covid
Mercado de Boqueria Fresh Fish market
Narrow Street in historic Gothic Quarters
Interior of the Cathedral off Las Ramblas
Catedral Interior with pond and swans
Plaça Real with water fountain off Las Ramblas
TJ on Las Ramblas enjoying a drink while people watching
Shopping and dining on Square off Las Ramblas
The always popular Las Ramblas Mercado
But if you are short on time in Barcelona, -like one day cruise ship stop days – either make Casa Batlló and Sagrada Familia your main Gaudí visits in Barcelona, or do what we did, because there is so much more to see and do in Barcelona.
If you do have the time, like two or three days, your must-see attractions include, but are not limited to: La Sagrada Família, Park Güell, Casa Batlló, La Rambla, the Gothic Quarter and the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc (make sure to take the funicular up). This fountain puts on a display of color, water, and music several nights a week, depending on the season. People who watch the show rave about it. The fountain will not run during drought conditions.
By 3pm we started our route back to the ship to find our new cabin. Unfortunately the mini-suite of the first two weeks was not available for our continuation, but at least we had a balcony. Our steward had re-moved all our belongings and moved them to the new cabin. All good and excited we concluded our first 2 weeks of cruising!
The next two weeks would take us to Marseille, Genova, Civitavechia (Rome), Naples (Pompei), Crete, Kusadasi (Turkey), Mikonos, Istanbul and finally Athens.
Casa Batllo & Casa Amatller (chocolatier)
Casa Milà Barcelona - Antoni Gaudi
Casa Batllo architectural detail
Parc Guell - Designed by Antoni Gaudi
Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) Antoni Gaudi design
The next port of call Málaga, had been on the menu for several days and finally the weather allowed us to anchor in the cruise port. It was still mostly overcast, but a visit to this summer tourist jewel is a must for its renaissance architecture, magnificent food culture, waterfront avenues and close proximity to the City of Granada and the world-famous Moorish Castle “The Alhambra”.
Just like Cadiz, Málaga was founded by the Phoenicians around 800 BC and later shaped by the Romans, who built the amphi-theatre that still stands today. The Moors arrived in the 8th century, leaving behind the Alcazaba fortress and Gibralfaro Castle that dominate the skyline. After the Christian Reconquest in 1487, grand churches and plazas were built.
Málaga’s history is evident throughout its streets, from ancient ruins to Moorish arches and Renaissance facades, there is over 2,800 years of fascinating settlement stories waiting to be explored. Just as most port cities, there is an air of acceptance and tolerance, created by centuries of exposure to human interactions.
It is the sixth-largest city in Spain and yet it doesn’t feel huge. One of the many pluses of Malaga is that you can explore most of its highlights on foot. Málaga Park, also known as Paseo del Parque, is the city’s green oasis and considered one of the most important subtropical gardens in Europe. Built in the late 19th century on land reclaimed from the sea, it was part of a project to expand the port. Planting began in 1899, and today the park covers 30,000 square metres with more than 350 plant species from five continents, from Mexican fan palms and Madagascan screwpines to Australian ficus trees. There is information on the flora for the green-fingered visitors!
The park isn’t just about nature. Scattered among its shaded paths are 19th-century fountains, sculptures, and monuments, like the Fountain of the Three Graces and the Nymph with a Seashell.
Again there was a last minute change as future Port of Call – Palma de Mallorca was placed ahead of the Andalusian City of Malaga. Reason? The same storm system that had taken Gibraltar out of the line up, prevented us from going to Malaga. So, the Regal sailed north to the island of Mallorca and then returned south a day later to visit Pablo Picasso’s birthplace on the Costa del Sol.
Mallorca, the largest of the Balearic Islands, gave birth to Spain’s best tennis player ever Rafael Nadal and today hosts celebrities like Catharina Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas, Brad Pitt who owns seasonally and many European celebrities. The island has a population of over 480,000 spread over about 1,400 square miles (about the size of Long Island), offering diverse landscapes from mountains to beaches. Even our Cuban friends Juan and Acéla from Matanzas, whom we visited in 2017, have moved since to the island of Mallorca.
The message from the Captain came the evening before, while departing Madeira: a weather system in the southwestern Mediterranean forced the ship to set course for Cadiz, rather than Malaga.
Perhaps because of its out-of-the-way location, Cadiz is a hidden gem that not everyone seems to know and visit, so we were happy with the change. Its historic old town and its many unique surrounding villages, make Cadiz a perfect destination for exploration. Gorgeous beaches, amazing local cuisine and an accessible city that is more than 3,000 years old, dating back to the Phoenician merchants from the Levant.
Located on Spain’s southwestern Atlantic coast, due west of Malaga in the Mediterranean, Cadiz played a significant role in Spain’s colonial history, serving as a launching point for expeditions to the New World. The city itself is a coastal gem—rich in history, lined with golden beaches, and exuding a laid-back charm that feels worlds away from the tourist-heavy spots further east.
After seven days on the Atlantic, the time had arrived for a day at Port of Call Madeira, Portugal’s Year-round Resort Island. The weather had been pretty good, so the island of Madeira was on the schedule. A great indicator on a cruise ship that you’re nearing land is that you all at once see birds sitting on railings or flying next to the ship. No diversions needed. Madeira is part of Portugal, as are the Azores, which are often featured on other cruise stops, and lately has become particularly known as the birthplace of soccer phenomenon Cristiano Ronaldo. Besides his own statue at walking distance from the cruise port, the islands international airport is also named after him.
Cristiano Ronaldo, son of Madeira and first billionaire soccer player in history
Madeira
Madeiro was “officially”discovered sometime in the 14th century as an unpopulated island in what later became and archipelago of 4 islands about 430 miles to the southeast of the Portuguese mainland, although archeological evidence exists that the Vikings were there between the years 900 and 1030. Today the island is an autonomous region of Portugal and part of the European Union, so the Euro is their official currency. The island has a population of a little over a quarter of a million people, with an additional million or so tourists annually.
The island, and especially its capital Funchal, became prosperous early on in its development, as a major producer of cane sugar. Sadly the island was used to test the concept of sugar plantations being worked by slave labor. Later, after sugar production was abandoned, the now famous Madeira wines became prevalent in its economy, which today is based on year-round tourism. Continue reading
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