Our cruise was a very relaxing way to enjoy the many ports around the Mediterranean, Adriatic & Aegean Seas, with stops in Greece, Croatia, Montenegro,Turkey, Italy, France, Monaco and Spain. It was a wonderful 5 weeks traveling on a very beautiful and modern ship with great company, good food and outstanding weather. Our cruise started and finished in the coastal city of Civitivecchia the port for Rome Italy, a very nice coastal area with a very busy port but with a lovely coastal feel with beaches and cafes all around the port area.

The highlights of the ports of Greece were:

Corfu: A lovely Greek island with medieval fortifications in the port area still in great condition but dating from the 1400's. The town area was lined with market stalls and cafes all to cater for the cruise ship tourists who thoroughly enjoyed all manner of foods, wines, clothing and souvenirs sold.

Heraklion: Is the largest city of Crete. From the quaint port we bused out to the ancient ruins of Nossos a pre Greek city dating from around 400 BC which was very advanced in its design and build quality for its era. The old city had multi storey buildings with large carved columns, stone roadways and walls, underground drainage and very efficient natural lighting and ventilation for its quite large buildings.

Rhodes: The islands history dates back to the Neolithic age but was famous for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Rhodes is a fully enclosed medieval walled town and was built by the Knights Hospitaller of Saint John, commencing in 1309 as one of the many bases they used in their battles with the Ottomans and others over the centuries. The medieval town built on the port area is in remarkably good condition & is a charming area to walk around. Markets abound full of fake designer goods, handcrafts & lovely Greek delicacies.

Mykonos: This was an opportunity missed as we were unable to enter the port due to high winds making entry dangerous as many of the ports are quite restricted in size and facilities so we cruised on to the next port of call.

Santorini: This group of very unusual islands which are close to an active volcano are an unusual shape and they reflect the areas origins as the islands are sheer cliffs hundreds of feet high on one side and slope down to the water on the other side very much like a wedge shape. The main Santorini island is a lovely place with the towns built on the cliffs of the island and all the buildings huddled together with very narrow pathways between them. The buildings are mostly painted white to reflect heat and they are also highlighted with bright colours which make them stand out from each other. Being perched on cliff tops the views are breathtaking and a real drawcard for the multitudes of tourists who flock to the island.

Athens: Is a vast sprawling city which is quite modern but dominated by the the Acropolis hill and the Parthenon which was a joy to see with its sheer size quite breathtaking. Tourists in their thousands were wandering around the site happily snapping photos of this amazing group of buildings all in surprisingly good condition thanks to ongoing restoration work over the years. Views from the Acropolis show how large and diverse Athens is with historical sites dotted over the city with new sites being found on a regular basis when subway tunnels or foundations for buildings are dug out.

Katakalon: Is a very small coastal town in Greece with only a few hundred residents but is a pretty little port with fishing skiffs moored on the wharf areas adjacent to the many cafes and tourist shops which come alive when the cruise ships arrive. The day we arrived there were four cruise ships in port with a total of 8-9 thousand tourists on them all eager to view the town and the historical inland area of Olympia where the original Olympic games were held for over a thousand years. The games were famous and were open to all Greeks of the time with the games being held every 4 years. The ruins of this area were in very good condition after being buried in mud for thousands of years and to this day are still under excavation by archaeological teams. The area also has a very modern and interesting museum with artifacts from the site being added on a regular basis.

Kotor in Montenegro is a lovely town at the end of a large fjord surrounded by very steep rocky hills making access to the area by ship the only realistic way to get there in days gone by. The fortifications of this town are outstanding and have been added to over the centuries by the rulers of the time. The fortifications scale the hills around the old town and are a marvel of engineering and manpower as they extend over extremely rough ground to a position high in the hills giving stunning views over the valley below from which the occupiers could shoot cannon from at invaders trying to overrun the town below.

Today the area is a mecca for boaties and holiday makers with outstanding scenery and very protected waters on which to swim, cruise and fish to your hearts content.

Croatia is a beautiful country with the coastal areas surrounded by high rocky hills with many ports dating back thousands of years and dotted with ancient fortifications which are still in use today. The history is very diverse with many countries having ruled these areas such as the Venetians, Greeks, Ottomans and the Crusaders from medieval times.

The highlights of the ports of Croatia were:

Dubrovnic: A stunningly beautiful area with its fortified port, tourist beaches, cafes and hotels make it an extremely popular tourist destination. The old port is within a walled town area and filled with shops and cafes, markets and tour offices, all very busy. It seems you can buy most things in the area from designer clothes to handcrafted lacework, paintings and all manner of vegetables and fruits lots of which we had never seen before. The vendors are very friendly and not pushy like some we came across. By noon we had to leave the area as it was totally packed with tourists with hardly any room to move but still a very good atmosphere to have experienced.

Korcula: Is an island of Croatia with a beautiful walled medieval town on the coast, with wonderful views of the Adriatic from many vantage points. It was Sunday when we visited so as we wandered around the narrow streets of old town we enjoyed the beautiful voices of the choir performing at the local church. It was enjoyable to watch the locals, families & children swimming & playing at the beach. A beautiful island where the locals can enjoy an idealic lifestyle.

The highlights of the ports of Turkey were:

Istanbul: The tour highlight of all of the Turkish ports for us. We had two days in port which was wonderful as you got a chance to experience more of this wonderful city. We were unsure if the city was safe to wander around on our own, so we booked a tour of the main highlights being the Blue Mosque, St Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace & the Grand Bazaar which was for the 2nd day in port. Happily we found the people are very friendly & welcoming to visitors & on our first day in port we walked into the city to see the spice bazaar, which was used in the opening scenes of the Bond Movie Skyfall. From there we continued further into the city enjoying the sights & various parks where the locals were picnicking. The tour on our second day was excellent, the highlight being Topkapi Palace ( the ex Sultans residence) with its stunning buildings, beautiful ceramics, jewelry & of course the harem.

Kusadasi: Is a resort city with spectacular views of the Aegean coast. From here we took a ships tour of the famous ruins of Ephesus, which are the most impressive ruins we have ever seen. The city was originally built by the Greeks in the 10th century BC. In 129 BC it came under Roman rule. The current site is of the Roman ruins and is huge but currently only 20% has been excavated by archaeological teams. The quality of the remaining buildings is outstanding & it is very easy to imagine how beautiful it once was.

Bodrum: This port is a sailors mecca, we have never seen so many beautiful yachts , cruisers or large sailing ships in one place at one time. There are lots of boats for hire and also a huge number of privately owned boats in the many marinas there. The town is charming with market and shopping areas dotted around the medieval areas of the port.the town is a very relaxing place to be with crystal clear waters and pebbly beaches, holiday makers and locals all sharing the beautiful areas and enjoying the mediterranean sun. The cruise ships are a highlight as often there are multiple ships visiting the port and the market areas are busy with people bartering for their very important holiday purchases. It is fun to watch the process as prices are haggled down but we imagine the same has been going on for thousands of years as this is how long the port has been in operation but under many different masters, Venetians, Ottomans, Crusaders, and many different European countries even to modern times.

Dardanelles: The trip through the Dardanelle Straits going to and from Istanbul was also a highlight enjoyed by many of the passengers on the ship due to the many lives lost in this area during the first world war. There are many monuments in the area in memory of all the soldiers and sailors who lost their lives in the conflicts which raged for around a year on the beaches close to the small towns dotting the Dardanelle Strait area. The monuments are a stark reminder to all who travel past and we think all travelers pause and remember all who's lives ended in this hauntingly beautiful place.

The highlights of the ports of Italy were:

Venice: We spent two full days in Venice which was great. We got up early to watch the approach as we were docking at 6 AM. The tour presenter gave a commentary on the history of Venice as well as the current use of each of the islands as we made our way to the Grand Canal & on to the cruise ship terminal. It was certainly a site to remember. As we had already been to Venice we didn't bother with any tours or the obligatory gondola ride, instead opting to walk to the major tourist attractions after a shuttle from the cruise ship dropped us at Piazza San Marco. The numbers of tourists were huge so we headed to the quieter areas. The major tourist attractions are Piazza San Marco, Doge's Palace, Bell tower & Basilica of San Marco, Rialto Bridge as well as the Murano museum. It was so very tempting to purchase a peace of Murano but with many more months traveling not a great idea. I found out later postage is included in the purchase price. Oh well, maybe next time. Leaving Venice the following evening was even more spectacular with the city lights & a light show in the sky, courtesy of a spectacular lightning show in the distance.

Livorno: The port from where we could go to Pisa, Lucca or Florence. As we have been to each & Lucca & Florence were 3 hours return on tour we stayed in Livorno. Livorno is known as little Venice with canals branching off the port area but no gondolas to be seen. Instead modern power boats are parked where you would normally see roads full of cars avery interesting place to visit but not a high tourist area as all the tourism is away from the port.

Naples: From here we took a ships tour to Pompeii which is only about 15 kilometres from Naples & although accessible via train we opted for a ships tour for the commentary. This tour was too rushed for such a big site but we can always go back some time. The site is amazing & very well laid out but as it was a market town it isn't as beautiful as other sites we have visited such as Ephesus in Turkey. Interesting stops on the tour of Pompeii were the bakery, fast food shops & the brothel each with paintings of goods & services on offer.

The other highlights:

Monte Carlo: Monaco was a stunning sight from the ship when coming in to port, with magnificent buildings hugging the cliffs. Luckily we were able to dock in port with perfect conditions prevailing. Later in the day the breeze came up which made for a tricky exit from such a small area in which to maneuver. During our stay we walked around the port admiring the huge yachts & power boats & then continued up the hill to the Casino & enjoyed an expensive coffee at Cafe de Paris ($9.00 each).This was our third visit so we just wandered around but there is lots to do for such a small place, including watching the changing of the guards, a tour of the palace, visiting Prince Rainier's car museum & the oceanographic aquarium as well as enjoying the lovely parks & walks.

Barcelona: Spain was a real surprise with the city of Barcelona seeming to be quite affluent and full of tourists. A very attractive city with a successful mix of modern & historic building, as well as very being clean. We travelled around the city on the hop on hop off buses but found it took a long time to complete the tour loops due to the traffic. We will certainly return to Barcelona. We saw a few of the Gaudi buildings including the church which is not expected to be completed until 2029. The Gaudi buildings are totally different to anything we have seen before & are really quite beautiful with beautifully coloured mosaic tiles all over their facades. Barcelona seems to offer something for everyone with lovely weather, beaches in the city, lots of history & architecture, shopping, parks, museums & cultural events plus a very relaxed atmosphere.