Mediterranean cruises may be one of the rare holidays of any type where you can experience such a diverse sampling of cultures and history.
You can discover and explore ancient civilizations in Turkey and Greece, see the Holy Land, and revel in the coastal beauty of Italy, France, and Spain. There are also some lesser-known destinations that feature in this region like Croatia and Bulgaria.
Mediterranean Cruises Offer some Fascinating Shore Excursions
There are so many ports from which to choose to start Mediterranean cruises as well as ports of call throughout the cruise. There are a number of cruises from Athens that sail around the Greek Islands. On smaller, luxury ships you can stay within the islands or with larger ships your cruise can include bigger ports in cities like Rome.
Rome and the port of Civitavecchia is a popular place to begin a cruise. Enjoy a day or two in Rome and then take the one-hour bus ride to the port to begin your cruise. Just about every major cruise line operates out of Rome for the Mediterranean. Venice cruises also go to just about everywhere in the Mediterranean and afford the opportunity to sail through the Giudecca Canal. This is considered to be one of the best experiences of cruising. More than a million people a year start their cruise in Barcelona and enjoy the food, shopping, nightlife, and architecture of this great city before departing for the Mediterranean.
Ports of call on Mediterranean cruises and possible excursions while in port include places like:
Seville, Cadiz, Spain– The cultural capital of southern Spain is another must-see destination. The architecture, colourful streets and impressive array of landmarks is guaranteed to make a lasting impression.
Athens, Greece – Athens is the gateway to such ancient sites as Hadrian’s Arch and the Acropolis. You can also see the stadium from the 2004 summer Olympics.
Istanbul, Turkey – Over its long history this city has been known as both Byzantium and Constantinople. Excursions here take you to see things like Topkapi Palace where the Ottoman Sultans lived and the amazing Blue Mosque.
Dubrovnik, Croatia – This city is a World Heritage Site that is surrounded partially by medieval walls. A possible shore excursion would include a tour of the city and visit to Croatia’s countryside.
Windstar Cruises offers Greek Island cruises on tall-masted sailing vessels that carry only 300 passengers. It doesn’t matter which cruise line you choose when the destinations are as exciting as they are on Mediterranean cruises.
Many cruise lines offer Med Cruises from Southampton. They include P&O, Celebrity, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Cunard and Fred Olsen.
© Cruise Holidays Guide
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