Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.
Tip: If you’ve toured extensively, you’re tired at this point. Do something relaxing or stay on the ship
Majorca was a half-day stop for our cruise. We had planned two days in Paris following
the cruise and were going to travel by train.
Due to a rail strike, we were forced to use a couple of hours making
alternate travel arrangements. With the
strikes, you are not informed until 24 hours before your departure that you
will definitely need to make alternate arrangements.
From the city and ship, Majorca looked beautiful. We used the short time that we had to see the city on a Hop On Hop Off Tour that included a stop at Castel Bellever. While we enjoyed the overview of the city and the castle, it was our last stop, and we felt like we would have enjoyed the time more walking the quaint streets near the port or stayed on the ship.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.
Let the tour company make reservations/purchase tickets for you to optimize your time. The Pantheon and Trevi Fountain are free of charge.
Plan for the weather-we traveled in late May/early June and days were hot with little relief from the sun. Some destinations require that shoulders and knees be covered. Plan accordingly.
Wednesday, we arrived in the port of Civitavecchia which is about an hour’s drive from Rome. Interestingly, the only other time I’d been to Rome was when I was pregnant with Leah 17 years prior. History came to life for me during that trip, and I had anxiously awaited my return! Of course, there were things that I wanted Leah to see, so again, we reserved a private tour from the port. Our guide, Cristiano, from “Private Tour Italy“, was waiting at the port for us and whisked us away in another Mercedes sedan. I’d done some legwork myself and reserved tickets for tours of the Sistine Chapel and the Coliseum in advance. It turned out my attempt at efficiency had made things more complicated. Navigating the city wasn’t easy and trying to do all that I wanted became somewhat constrained by the entrance times for the sites. I also wanted to attend an audience with Pope Francis. In addition, I’d told Cristiano to try to incorporate the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Forum. He said it wouldn’t be possible but couldn’t resist the challenge! Keep in mind, I started the day with “I know there’s a lot to see and we don’t care about food.”
Pantheon
Altar inside the Pantheon
The Oculus is nearly 30 feet in diameter
One of the best preserved monuments from Ancient Rome, Cristiano couldn’t let us miss the Pantheon on our way to hear Pope Francis speak. He dropped us off close to the entrance and stayed with the car. The Pantheon is a church and former Roman temple. A huge oculus (circle) in the center of the dome shaped ceiling provides the only light and must be beautiful on a starry night. I was told on a tour years earlier that it serves as a view of heaven. With a circular interior and floor slanted to allow for rain to run off, the building is an architectural marvel. Sadly, we were unable to stay long here.
St. Peter’s Square, Vatican Museum/Sistine Chapel
St. Peter’s Square
On our way to the audience, we passed the Circus Maximus, where the chariot races had taken place. Mind boggling that this is thought to have been built in the late 7th or early 6th century B.C.. I hadn’t seen this during my last trip so it was an amazing site. He quickly drove us to the audience where we listened to Pope Francis speaking in St. Peter’s Square. Again, Cristiano waited with the car in an opportune location so that we could get to the Sistine Chapel for our entrance time.
I mistakenly assumed that St. Peter’s square would adjoin the entrance to the Vatican Museums; Cristiano quickly drove us to the entrance. Leah and I made our way as quickly as possible through the Vatican Museums in an attempt to maximize the sites and see the Sistine Chapel. The Vatican Museums are incredible and there is so much to see even as you quickly pass through. After a few wrong turns, we arrived at the Sistine Chapel. I’m hardly an art aficionado, but you cannot help but be in awe of the incredible work contained here! Even after so many years, it is breathtaking. After racing through so much of our morning, I was grateful for the chance to stand still and appreciate what was around me. I was equally grateful that the employees gently reminded people to speak in a whisper with their frequent requests for softer conversation. We were somewhat saddened by the fact that we were rushed through the museums, but given one day in Rome, it was simply logistics.
Colosseum
The Roman Colosseum-notice the tunnels under what would have been the floor.
The Roman Colosseum, home to the famous gladiatorial fights, was next on our agenda, and Cristiano was waiting again with the car for us. He was very concerned about lines, but we got lucky. It was hot at this point, so we made quick work of our tour. We did the audio tour but really spent our time taking in the arena. The remains are amazing and the history itself is mind boggling. Construction began in 72 AD and concluded in 80 AD, and it is the largest amphitheater ever built, holding an estimated 50,000 spectators. It has been significantly damaged by earthquakes, weather, and vandalism but will still take your breath away.
Forum
View of the Roman Forum from Palatine Hill
Quite simply, the Forum was the center for daily life in any city housing government building, shops, markets, banks, etc. Cristiano said the best view of the Forum could be seen by following a path at the base of Palatine Hill. It did not disappoint. While we were unable to walk through the Forum, we were able to see the remains as well as other parts of Rome from this lookout point. Having seen a much smaller version in Pompeii the day before, this was a nice contrast, and you can get a sense of how powerful Rome was. Even as ruins, the Forum is spectacular.
Trevi Fountain
As with any city, you need to plan your travel times, and we were now approaching rush hour. Cristiano decided to squeeze Trevi Fountain in as our last stop. He dropped us at the top of a street leading to Trevi Fountain and suggested we grab a bite to eat on our way there, and of course, a gelato on our way back. We did just as he said. Trevi Fountain was mobbed but we both managed to throw a coin in and make a wish to return to Rome. Time to get back to the ship!
If you have read this lengthy description of our day, you know there is so much to see in Rome. One day isn’t enough, but it’s what we had. I am so glad that we had a private tour and truly couldn’t have hoped for more. I would strongly encourage anyone to let the tour company make reservations on your behalf because they know the city, traffic patterns, and when the best times are to go. Again, we knew that a cruise would only allow us to sample the cities we visited. Where Rome is concerned, it was truly just a taste. Keeping my fingers crossed that my coin in Trevi Fountain is working on my behalf!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.
7-Day Western Mediterranean
Please note that the posts about Barcelona, European Cruise and Paris relate to a single trip. The trip started in Barcelona where we stayed for two days prior to boarding a 7 day cruise. Following the cruise, we flew to Paris for two more days.
Tootsie’s Bottom Line:
o Type of Trip: International-Europe o Travel Type: Cruise o Cruise Line: Norwegian o Cost: $800+/per person plus airfare o Kid Friendly: 15+ o Tips: Check cruise to see if boarding is permitted in multiple ports and compare airfares to cities where cruise boards passengers o Good to Know: Cruising allowed us to sample a variety of cities; there simply isn’t time to really get to know any one place well
Cruisin’ Europe
My daughter has always wanted to visit Italy and France become of great interest when she began studying French in middle school. She’d been asking for several years to visit Europe but as anybody knows, it’s incredibly expensive. She and I had the travel bug so I researched and researched to find economical ways to see as much as possible in a limited amount of time and on a BUDGET. The trip was still expensive but I feel like we maximized our dollars.
How to Travel: Norwegian Epic
Interior room of Norwegian Cruise Lines Epic
A cruise quickly surfaced as the easiest way to visit several cities and allow us to enjoy day long tours but not be responsible for transportation between cities. We narrowed the broad range of cruises down based upon the cities we most wanted to see. In addition, both my daughter and I are vegetarians and far from foodies so we knew from the start, we’d hit the ground running in the morning and grab food on the go. A great meal would be a bonus, not a requirement! I began searching cruise lines for the best price given the itineraries that were available. We’ve cruised to the Bahamas with Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean before so we had some experience with those lines. Norwegian Cruise Lines offered the best price and allowed us to save money by boarding in Barcelona rather than Rome. We selected the 7-Day Western Mediterranean from Barcelona cruise on the Epic (link at the bottom of article). When I was booking, they were offering a discounted drink package which I added to my ticket. Of course, to keep costs to a minimum, we booked an interior room. We boarded the Epic on a Sunday afternoon and found our room to be cozy but comfortable. The interior room was perfectly adequate for the two of us but if you’ve never cruised before, be aware that the rooms are tight. Clearly, it had been recently redesigned and our room was incredibly functional with lots of cubbies and smart storage solutions. We were at sea on Monday so we had the opportunity to explore the ship.
Food on the Epic:
There were lots of dining options on the Epic. As I said, we are not foodies so we didn’t opt to go to any of the upgraded dining options. We ate most of our dinners at The Manhattan Room and unlike the other cruise lines, there were no assigned seating time for meals. There was a vegetarian selection each night and we enjoyed our dinners very much. We ate breakfast at the Garden Cafe (buffet) most mornings. I enjoyed made to order omelets; they also served fresh fruit, waffles, eggs, cereal, pastries, etc. There’s surely something for everyone here. We ate at O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill when we boarded the ship and one other evening. This was a big disappointment, maybe because we are vegetarians and this is more pub style food. In any case, I wouldn’t recommend. We also got snacks and ice cream on the pool deck during the day at the Great Outdoors. A great place to grab a bite between meals or a late-night snack.
Entertainment on the Epic:
We splurged the first night and went to the Svedka Ice Bar. There was an up charge (around $20.00 per person) to go and it included two drinks per person. If you’ve never been to one, it’s worth the cost. Everything is made out of ice-literally everything! Before you enter, you’ll be given what you need to stay warm while you’re inside. My daughter is a minor so she enjoyed a creamsicle (non-alcoholic) while I sipped on a Northern Lights (SVEDKA Citron, Cointreau, and Blue Curacao). You’re only given 45 minutes inside but that’s plenty of time. You must have a reservation to enter so plan accordingly. We also enjoyed several nightly shows that served as a relaxing end to a long day on our feet.
Svedka Ice Bar
Getting There:
Leah’s a high school student so our travel time is limited primarily to summer vacation. Luckily, schools here get out just before Memorial Day weekend. We seized the opportunity to travel then before the flights skyrocketed for the peak season. We flew in and out of Barcelona simply because it was the cheapest city from which to board our cruise. Selecting our travel date came down to spending two days in Barcelona before our cruise or spending the same amount of money on a flight two days later. Slam dunk! We left two days earlier and used the time and money to see a little of Barcelona.
After the Cruise:
Since we saved money on other parts of our trip, we tacked two days on the end to travel to Paris. I’d booked rail tickets thinking it would be nice to see the country side; however, a rail strike forced us to re-book and fly from Barcelona to Paris. I’m disappointed that we didn’t get to enjoy the train ride but we did make the most of our day in Paris. The additional cost incurred was painful but given the circumstances, we made the best of it.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.
Tips: To get the classic leaning tower picture, go to the back left side of the tower as you face the entrance
Good to know: many cathedrals require shoulders and knees covered
Pisa
View of Pisa from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Thursday was our day in Florence and Pisa. My mom was in Florence on her last trip to Italy and told me that she was looking forward to returning since everyone she knew loved it! We used a semi-private tour this time through Share a Shore Excursion. Unlike the other tours this was a small group of 5. We met our guide and the rest of our group and traveled in a small van. Our guide wanted to get us to Pisa before the large buses. Pisa is a small town that is really only known for its famous leaning tower. Unlike Rome, we didn’t pre-purchase tickets so when we got to Pisa we went directly to the ticket office. We had a short wait, then climbed the tower. It’s strange, and you can absolutely feel that the tower is leaning. The tower was recently reinforced so there is no danger to visitors. The view from the top was pretty, and the town was super cute. Due to a tight schedule we weren’t able to visit the beautiful Pisa Cathedral. We were able to visit the Pisa Baptistery, which was absolutely beautiful. This site has some interesting information about Pisa and the Square of Miracles that we wish we’d read before visiting. Overall, Pisa was a really pretty town and we both agreed that we’d like to come back and spend a little more time here. We spent far too much time trying to get the right picture before we realized we were taking it from the wrong place!!!
Of course, we had to take the obligatory picture of us holding up the famous tower!
Florence
The drive to from Pisa to Florence was about an hour and a half and really pretty. Our guide offered to take us to see “David” but it was either David or Florence. We chose to spend our limited time in Florence. We drove into town and our guide recommended, Finisterrae, for lunch.
My mom said that she had her favorite food in Florence and the salad, bruschetta, and pizza we had for lunch were my favorites of the trip. We only saw the outside of the duomo, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiorebecause the lines were huge. We explored the market and saw a replica of David instead. We enjoyed a walk across the Ponte Vecchio and visiting some of the shops before meeting our guide to head back to the ship. Overall it was a great day! Florence was pretty and our lunch was delicious.
One of my favorite places in Florence, Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through a link on this page, I may get a commission, at no cost to you. Any recommendations that I make are for products or services I have personally used and highly recommend.
Please note that the posts about Barcelona, European Cruise and Paris relate to a single trip. The trip started in Barcelona where we stayed for two days prior to boarding a 7 day cruise. Following the cruise, we flew to Paris for two more days.
Exchange some money for euros before traveling to Europe
Reserve tickets to Sagrada LaFamilia in advance of your trip (these can be purchased through the bus tour as well)
Take a morning stroll on “La Rambla”
Visit La Boqueria Food Market on La Rambla
Around Barcelona
This was the start of our big trip and both my mom and I were super excited for the trip. We were both exhausted starting the trip, so we had big plans to sleep the whole way to Barcelona. Well, as life happens, we didn’t sleep at all on the flight, so we were a mix of fatigue and excitement when we arrived in Barcelona. We grabbed a taxi at the airport and headed to our hotel. Our room wasn’t ready, but they allowed us to leave our bags. We used hotel points to keep costs down since hotels in Europe are expensive and not nearly as luxurious as the ones in the U.S. That said, our hotel was beautiful, the staff impeccable and the location was perfect!
My mom said she learned the hard way that you need to push through your fatigue that first day in order to adjust to the time difference in Europe. We powered through the day completely bleary eyed but still managed to fall in love with this beautiful city. Time didn’t permit us to do much research before arriving, so we decided to orient ourselves with a Hop-On Hop-Off Tour of the city; we paid the extra $10 for the red and blue routes. This provided us with a good overview of the history and layout of the city. We have to be honest, there was some dozing during the tour!
One of the stops on the tour was the Sagrada Familia, one of Barcelona’s most famous tourist destinations. We hadn’t pre-purchased tickets and none were available during our stay so we were only able to enjoy this beautiful cathedral from outside. Construction has largely been ongoing since 1882; Antonio Gaudi took over as chief architect in 1883. He spent the balance of his life working on it and was buried in the crypt. Scaffolding and all, it was awe inspiring!
The Gothic District became one of our favorite areas to explore. We spent a relaxing afternoon walking the area, enjoying street performers, eating a late lunch in an outdoor café, and more strolling through the narrow streets. Simply breathtaking!
We were walking distance to La Rambla (Las Ramblas to locals) one of the best-known areas in Barcelona. It is a street filled with shops, eateries, street performers, hotels, etc. It stretches from Port Vell on the southern end to Plaça de Catalunya on the northern end. We were here both during the day and evening and never felt unsafe, but, like any large city, you must be aware of your surroundings at all times. La Boqueria Food Market became one of the highlights of our trip. A fresh food marketplace that had everything you could imagine, it was stocked with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats of all kinds to either eat as you walk the city or take something home. It is a must-see. Check out my time-lapse video!
We would be remiss to not mention the influence of Antoni Gaudi. His influence as an architect creates a huge presence in Barcelona. We were unable to enter any of his buildings, but we did pass some on our bus tour and walks and they are certainly worth a visit. Our favorite was Gaudi’s Casa Mila or La Pedrera building. When we return to Barcelona, we will plan accordingly and enjoy a closer view of his fine work.
