scissorwizard

We are going on a cruise early sept./14 leaving from Barcelona, stopping in Toulon,France...Florence, Italy...Rome, Italy...Naples, Italy...Mykonos, Greece...Istanbul, Turkey...Kusadasi, Turkey...Athens Greece...Venice Italy
I know we have excursions offered by the ship but always so much more then taking a tour on our own.
We're not totally green at this. We have spent a week in Paris and 2 weeks in Greece .
We have 2 days in Barcelona so I would like to know what to visit there.
Toulon, we want to visit friends.
Florence, not sure .
Naples,want to visit Pompeii.
Mykonos, not sure.
Istanbul , not sure.
Athens, being there and loved the ruins and people.
Venice, not sure.
We get off the ship in the morning and back on by 5:00pm
Any suggestions that are a "must see" at those places?
I thank you in advance to all that can help.
We so appreciate your time.
We researched like this before going to Greece and it so helped.

nytraveler

Well - you just have to be careful in places like Florence and Rome, where the boat docks in places far from the city you want to visit. If you make your own arrangements you need to allow for not just transit back and forth - but the ? factor (train delay? can;t get cab? etc). If you're late the boat doesn't wait.

As for what to see and do - start with a good gudiebook - since you haven't given us your interests we don't know YOUR must sees.

suec1

You need to get the Rick Steves guide to Med. ports - it will be a big help on planning your time and giving you the logistics of the different ports. For example, for Rome, you will most likely want to take a train from the port into the city if you want to DIY. Florence is also a challenge - Venice is easy peasy. Istanbul also easy on your own using the local tram.

Then go on over to Cruise Critic boards - tons of info there. There is a section on your cruise line, a section on ports, and a place where you can join the roll call for your sailing. You might want to connect there with fellow cruisers for small group tours, cheaper and more comfortable than the big bus tours that ship will run.

Sounds like a wonderful itinerary - enjoy!

ira

Hi S,

your ship will dock in Livorno for Florence and in Civitivecchia for Rome.

We took a guided tour from Kusadisi to Ephesus, which we liked very much.
Kusadasi Head Office:
Türkmen Mh. İstiklal Cd. Gürhan Ap. No: 4B/1 Kuşadası / Aydın-TÜRKİYE
Tel: + 90 256 614 12 82 Fax: + 90 212 355 75 06
Web: www.kusadasi.biz e-mail: [email protected]

Have you looked up your ports of call under "Destinations"?

Heimdall

While on Mykonos go to the archaeological site on the island of Delos. Boats leave from Mykonos old port several times in the morning, and take about 30 minutes to reach the island. If your cruise ship docks at the new port, there is a new shuttle boat service from there to the old port.

scissorwizard

Oh my goodness...,I guess I am a little green Nytraveler.
Good to know .
Thanks to all of you. I'm taking notes. This helped so much.
Florence and Rome, definitely not on our own then.
Suec1, Ira, Heimdall, great info, thanks so much!

Peter_S_Aus

If your cruise ends in Venice, give yourself another day or two there at least. The ship tours won't show you much, other than the Piazza, Bridge of Sighs, Rive Schiavoni, and a couple of shops. Crowds in Venice can be a real problem

travelerjan

Scissors, u have excellent advice and I echo Suec"s sound suggestion to get the Rick Steves guide to Mediterranean ports -- it is ideal for cruise newcomers like you. You are investing a good deal of money on this trip, don't go tightwad & try to do it without the aid of a book that is designed precisely for your questions. Have a lovely time!

scissorwizard

Thanks Peter, what do you suggest I see in Venice if we stay an extra day?
Thanks for the good thoughts, Travelerjan!

scissorwizard

I just bought Rick Steve med. cruise port guide...IT'S PERFECT! Thanks!

geetika

You might want to go to your ship's Roll Call on the Cruise Critic forum where you can interact with others on your sailing, this is the best way of finding like-minded people to share shore excursions, etc, you'll also get tips about various dos and don'ts.

Peter_S_Aus

Scissors (don't on any account run with them, please), I'm the worst person to ask what one should see in Venice, if you have a couple or three days.

I'm a Venice nut-case!

We have stayed in Venice for three extended periods, and we are in Venice right now. I blogged a bit, and unfortunately they are a bit long.

You'd find them here:
2009 - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...st-verbose.cfm

2010 - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm

2013 - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...over-again.cfm

and the present Work in Progress:

2014 - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-thoughts-.cfm

So, what to do in Venice. I think that I'm going to commit an atrocity with what I suggest, and others will disagree. You'll have spent the last week on a cruise, mixing with many, some thousands, of others. Time maybe for some peace and quiet. I think that in the time you have, you can either see the sights of Venice, or see Venice, but probably not both. So, don't "do" the Doges Palace or the St Marks Basilica. They are furiously crowded unless you arrive really early - say 8:30 AM.

Visit the Frari church, my favourite in Venice, pure soaring Gothic, take your breath away..
Have a coffee or drink in the bar, Al Archivo, just over the bridge in front of the Frari.
Visit the Rialto market, first thing in the morning, and mix it with Venetians buying fish and veg.
Visit the Foundazione Querini Stampalia, a museum - I've blogged about this in the 'Venice - some thoughts" post noted above, look for the entry for May 1st.
Try and avoid the San Marco area, unless you want to mix it with tour groups of forty or fifty.
Ride a traghetto across the Grand Canal at the Rialto. Costs 2 euro.
Take a No 1 vaporetto for the length of the Grand Canal. Get on at Piazzle Roma, and maybe you will get a seat outside. Vaporettos can be very crowded.
Take a look at the Grand Canal from the Rialto bridge.
Maybe the Accademia gallery, if you are into Art.

Hard to know, really, but maybe this helps.

.

nytraveler

You can absolutely do Florence and rome on your own - but you need to understand at what time you will really disembark, how to get from the ship to the train station, have the train schedules ready and have all the details of the return to the ship.

You will have limited time in Florence and Rome and need to pick out 1 or 2 sights for each one - or risk not making a train that will get you back in time for a train (allowing time for cab from train station to the ship).

scissorwizard

Thanks Nytraveler, had know idea how much info was out there.
We are travelling with another couple. Can't wait to give them all this info.
Peter S Aus, thanks for your time . Anxious to read your other reviews...
I'm anxious to visit Venice now. Have a good holiday there.
Thanks to ALL for your time. I'm reading Rick Steve's med. cruise port book.

Sassafrass

Have to second Peter_S_Aus' suggestions and philosophy. I have been to Venice a half dozen times and not been inside a single museum yet. I toured the Doges Palace on only about my fifth visit. There are so many beautiful churches with artwork hanging in the spot it was painted for and the city is like being inside of a painting. I never tire of going up or down the Grand Canal and love it especially at night and when it is raining or misty. I do love St Mark's Square. Standing at the far end and turning to face the Basilica is one of the great visual gifts in life. With only one day, choose a couple of churches to visit and walk and walk.

Sassafrass

In Naples, it is easy to visit Pompeii. Walk, taxi or take the Ali bus to the train station. Catch the Circumvesuviana train to Pompeii. The station for the Circumvesuviana line is underneath the main station. For convenience, I would probably take a taxi to the station, then depending on the time, walk back to see a bit of Naples. If you want a guide, you can hire one right at the entrance to Pompeii.

One little warning. This is the one place that I have felt taxis tried to take advantage of us. When the driver quoted an outrageous price, I replied that we would just take the bus, that it was only a couple of blocks. He said, "Oh, you have been to Naples before?" and cut the price in half.

Definitely go to Ephesus. It is a beautiful and very interesting archeological site. Read as much as you can about it first. We just joined up with a few people from the ship and hired a van to take a group of us. Once there, some people hired a guide. Others did not. We also went to Mary's House and a couple of other places. They were interesting, but not like Ephesus.

A couple in the group wanted to stop and see rugs and buy a jacket so we made short stops at those places. I would have preferred not to, but by going as a group and hiring the van, we only paid about $10.00 per person for the day, so we all compromised a bit. Actually, the leather was so lovely, I almost gave in to the most beautiful, orange-red, perfect style, perfect fitting coat I have ever seen. Unfortunately, I practiced self control, did not buy the most perfect coat ever, and lived to regret it.

geetika

Peter and Sassafrass, am noting your tips, will try to get in as much as possible. I do plan on seeing the Doge's palace though, hadn't done it on previous trips. Peter, have also tied up with Gianluca for the topa tour, looking forward to it

scissorwizard

Peter and Sassafrass, I am also.
Peter, I've been reading your notes from 2009/ 2010/ 2013/ 2014...
You're hilarious and knowledgable . Thanks for the great read. If you wrote books...I'd buy them!
I love history and art. Coming from young Canada, compared to ancient Europe, I so appreciate it.

mariha2912

If you've been in Athens before, depending on your interests you may want to check other areas than the city center. Piraeus itsself features one of the largest ports in Europe and is a large city, but outside the port area there are some interesting spots. There are 3-4 different harbours with different ambiance each, there is a small nautical museum, there is a small but very interesting archeological museum, nice market areas and great areas to sit down for a coffee and people's watch. http://www.piraeus-greece.org/
Then depending on what you want to do, you could always take a bus to Glyfada or Vouliagmeni area for some swimming or window shopping or a meal. Other than the beach, many people rate highly a visit to Vouliagmeni lake, which actually has warm water all year around. http://www.limnivouliagmenis.gr/
If you are interesting on ancient sites, you may organise a visit to some important but less visited one's, on Attica area but outside Athens itsself. There are many which can be combined with near-by sea-side towns/beaches etc such as MArathon, Vravron, Ramnous, Lavrion...
If you are deep into museums, there are many scattered on different wider Athens areas too. Here is a thread from an other forum with many interesting info/suggestions:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ns_Attica.html

clausar

If you decide to go to downtown Athens, there will be a new Express bus line , X 80, connecting the cruise ship terminal with the Acropolis and Syntagma Square.