Although I’ve been to Europe a couple of times, there are still plenty of places I want to explore. The Western Mediterranean coastline is one of them —Italy’s coast (Cinque Terre & Amalfi), Spanish islands and beaches (Ibiza) and the French Rivera (Nice, Monaco & Cannes). But this time it wasn’t my typical European adventure with friends. Instead, I took a cruise with my parents.

The Norwegian Epic was a 7-day Western Mediterranean cruise that embarks into Rome, Florence, Cannes, Palma, Barcelona & Naples. The cruise had surprisingly great food and many options (I guess I was expecting Caribbean resort food?).

Cinque Terre, Italy

I’ve seen beautiful photos of colorful houses perched upon a seaside hill. This was Cinque Terre. I was hesitant on taking a shore excursion to this place as it was 2 hours drive, expensive and we just arrived from Toronto the day before. Nonetheless, it was too beautiful to pass up this opportunity and I’ve already been to Florence/Pisa, which is the nearest tourist town. 

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The first village was Riomaggiore. It was a steep decline to the seaside but the main road was beautifully lined with rustic Italian buildings with painted window shutters, local flora and laundry hung out to dry. It was beautiful and charming. 

The next village, Vernazza was smaller, more accessible but busier. There was a small beach area where people laid out to sunbathe and swim in the emerald waters. 

I could have spent a few days exploring this area and seeing the other 3 villages. But  I knew that I would only get a glimpse and leave wanting to return. I’ll be back.

Cannes, France 

Instead of taking an excursion to Nice or Monaco, we explored Cannes while the cruise was docked. We hiked up to the Musée de la Castre for a panoramic view of the city. 

I was pleasantly rewarded with a beautiful stroll through the picturesque old town, Le Suquet. Each alley was quiet, quaint and romantic —very French. Rue Meynadier was a charming pedestrian street lined with boutiques and cafes. It was a great walking and shopping area. 

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Rue d’Antibes was a modern shopping street with trendy shops like Mango and Zara. It was clean and chic. 

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La Croisette was a little disappointing. While it was nice with the beach on one side,  and the other sidelined with high fashion shops like Chanel… it wasn’t that impressive. Maybe because the beach was hidden with pop-up festival booths.  

Although it was a short visit, I thought Cannes was great and easily could have spent another day here and add time to visit Nice and Monaco. Upon departure, the view from our ship was also beautiful. Something I wouldn’t be able to see had I not be cruising. The French mountains with houses perched on top and boats lining the marina and piers were lovely to see as our ship sailed away during sunset. 

Palma de Mallorca

I had no idea what this place had to offer until I saw the cruise itinerary and did some research. Even so, I had minimal expectations but was pleasantly surprised at how unique the architecture and old town was! It was so “instagrammable” and underrated!  

The medieval architecture and vibe was a mix of Spanish, Portuguese and Moroccan. While some areas were touristy and busy, some alleys were quiet and simply beautiful. 

We took a taxi to Playa Illetas and it was a busy beach. That was a little disappointing but the clear cool water and soft yellow sand were as promised. Taking a taxi in Mallorca is interesting as you have to go to a taxi stand and can’t really hail one off the streets. We tried a few times but failed and had to locate a stand or catch a bus.

I definitely want to return and spend 2-3 days on Mallorca and explore some of the less accessible and busy beaches —not to mention visit Ibiza while I’m somewhat still young. 

Barcelona

This is my second time here and I remember not falling in love with it the first time. I don’t remember why. While I loved seeing Gaudi’s work, I think the city was a little busy and bland compared to other European cities. But boy, do they have good churros!

I took my parents to Sagrada Familia which was insanely busy. The line to get in looked horrid but luckily my parents didn’t care to go inside. Only two more years until it is finished and it looks better than I saw it 11 years ago! We continued our self-walking tour to wandered by Casa Batlló and strolled down La Rambla. This was nice but insanely busy and crowded.  

Then we entered the Gothic Quarters which was fascinating as it was like stepping back into the Medieval era. I don’t recall if I made it here last time but this was my favorite part of the day… it reminded me of Mallorca? We only explored for 15 minutes before heading back to our ship.

Still my least favorite stop but I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up back in Barcelona en route to another part of Spain or Europe.  

At Sea Day

This is a day spent on the ship to mega-relax… and maybe even allow yourself to be bored. The pool is too small and filled with kids. It is a nice day to catch up on blogging, photo sharing and just do nothing but eat and wait until you’re hungry to eat again. 

Naples / Amalfi Coast

Through my research on Naples, I quickly discovered it as a gateway to the beautiful Amalfi Coast. I was then determined to take an excursion there. 

With a private driver, we took the reverse route of the usual tours. We started in Ravello, a small hilltop town. We stopped for an hour to see the stunning mountain-top view. I also went into Villa Rufolo but ran out of time to see all the gardens. Ravello was lush with greenery and purple and pink Bougainville flowers.

Next, we stopped at Amalfi, the town that the coastline is named after. It was pretty small and a quick stop but the view from the sea was charming. 

Positano was next coastal town. It was the most beautiful but also the most crowded and touristy. Apparently it would have been even busier had it been the morning with the day tours. It was a very vertical town. I couldn’t imagine staying in a hotel near the top and hiking up and down to access the beach, shops, and restaurants. It was 35C hot… My lemon slush (a specialty of the area) hit the spot. We didn’t spend long here due to the heat and the need to hike up and downstairs. 

We lucked out with minimal traffic and the reverse route was a great idea. The roads were hairpin turns, narrow and some only one direction. The coast was beautiful and the excursion was just a sampler. I’d love to be back in cooler temperatures and shoulder season in Sept/Oct.

On our way back, we didn’t hit any traffic and had time to get authentic Neapolitan pizza in Naples. We went to Perfectoo Pizza, a shop recommended by our driver, Frederica. The tomato sauce was sweet and tart, the mozzarella was creamy, the basil was a nice touch and the wood-fired dough was chewy and tasty on it own. It came together deliciously and it was just the way I like my pizza. 

I didn’t see much of Naples except for the Pizza stop. It’s definitely an ancient city that shows… dirty with plenty of graffiti and worn-down buildings. Not sure if I’d love hanging out here in the evening. 

Rome

After the cruise dock, we took a transfer to our guesthouse in Rome to drop off our luggage. We walked to Trevi fountain which was a mere 1-minute walk. It was just as beautiful as I remembered but incredibly busy with tourists. 

We then walked to the Pantheon and Piazza Navona. It was getting hotter and hotter but it was a charming stroll in the shaded alleys. My dad wanted to see the Castel D’angelo so that was our destination before turning back. We had gelato at Gelateria Della Palma, where you could choose from 150 flavors.

We checked into our hotel to take a break from the heat and relax until it was cooler in the afternoon. It didn’t get much cooler when we ventured out again… We had a quick bite near the Trevi fountain —Roman-style pizza, crispy compared to Neapolitan style. The fountain was still packed with tourists. We walked towards the Roman Forum and Colosseum. It was getting cooler as the sun was setting and glowed beautifully on this world wonder. 

We had some local pasta nearby which was quite good. The lasagna was the best I’ve had. Of course, I had to get another dose of Italian gelato before I leave Italy. And this nearby shop was creamier than the last. Before calling it a night at 10pm, we wander to the Trevi fountain again to see if it is emptier but it was busier than ever. 

We woke up at 7:30am to visit the Trevi fountain one more time and this time… it was finally quieter. There were tourists but we were able to take photos without crowds in the back. We left Rome and although I don’t plan to be back anytime soon… I wouldn’t be surprised if I did en route to somewhere.  

While cruising isn’t my favorite travel style, I can see this being a great option for large family reunions and parents with kids or teens. It’s also great for people who don’t plan, want a small taste of a new country or city or just love being on a floating resort ship. My parents loved it and it was a great way to introduce them to Europe with the comfort of all-inclusive eating and resort amenities (onboard entertainment, hot tubs, live music, etc.) 

I’ll be on a cruise again.. Alaska 2020? But my heart will always be more full with immersive inland traveling where I can leave a place feeling like I saw it all rather than a small glimpse with a burning desire to return. The world is simply too big to explore… especially with a full-time job and a mortgage.