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Viking Cruise Tours (Barcelona and French Riviera)-- Please Help

Viking Cruise Tours (Barcelona and French Riviera)-- Please Help

Old Nov 8th, 2017, 11:46 AM
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Viking Cruise Tours (Barcelona and French Riviera)-- Please Help

Hello All

Ill be taking a Viking Cruise End of December to Early Jan. Itinerary is Barcelona to Rome, with the following port stops:

I was hoping for recommendations on your favorite things to see/ do as I'm trying to figure out which tours to book (information is limited on their site and you can't ask them info as they want you to only go through your travel agent. My travel agent does not have any information)...


Barcelona, Spain first night and a whole day

Marseille, France 7 am to 11 pm

St. Tropez, France 7 am to 6 pm

Monte Carlo, Monaco 8 am to 6 pm

Livorno, Italy it says Florence not sure why. 7 am to next day 6 pm ... 2 days

Rome, Italy debark 7 am.

Any help or insight would be so much appreciated. Thank you so much,
Lilly
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:04 PM
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Suggest you head over to cruisecritic.com and look up your cruise there.

Also suggest you borrow/buy a copy of Rick Steves' Guide to Mediteranean Cruise Ports, which will tell you how to DIY if it makes sense, and give you some ideas of what there is to see. Actually, if you don't know "why Florence" you should probably borrow some standard guidebooks to Spain, France and Italy as well. Why did you pick this cruise?

Barcelona can easily occupy much more than one day, I would recommend getting there early, and also staying on in Rome.
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:07 PM
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Livorno is the port - a ways from Florence but many people will want to visit Florence while ship is docked there.

Do go to CruiseCritic and checkout the Rick Steves book - you will get alot of helpful info from both.

I second the suggestion to stay longer in Barcelona and Rome.
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:29 PM
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Thursdaysd, I was hoping I would get your input..

Thursdays d and Suec1 - Thank you for responding.

the cruise was booked by family and I made plans to go later, it was their choice.
I am leaving my child and can't stay longer in Barcelona as i have to be home for Christmas Day ... and I'm hoping my family (husband and child) can do a Spain trip in the summer.
I will be able to add 2 days (Jan 4 and 5 maybe 6th ) to the End of the trip (Post Cruise ), which would be staying in Rome, or vicinity.

that is my only option. Thus, that is the time frame I was hoping to be able to see some sites in Rome or vicinity that others recommend.

I will def check cruise critic and get the Rick Steves book, was not aware they had a port one. Thank you

With respect to Florence - I meant, it seems like its far from Livorno, so I wasn't sure why they listed the ports like this. Suec1 thank you for explaining it.

Do you think it's better to see Livorno or Florence - we only have a day at port so it's one or the other.

Again my interests are mostly Art, local culture, culinary , and shopping .. Not a fan of looking at architecture
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:42 PM
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It's better to see Florence !!!
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:56 PM
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"Not a fan of looking at architecture"

Most of my favorite things in Barcelona involve architecture (Gaudi buildings, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Hospital Sant Pau, Mies van der Rohe pavilion, Pedralbas Monastery).

Of the 3 art museums I visited, my very favorite was MNAC (Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya), followed by the Miro and then the Picasso a distant 3rd (his early works).

I also enjoyed wandering around the Barri Gotic area, away from the Ramblas and La Bouqueria market.

You might want to get a concert ticket at the Palau de la Musica.

In Rome definitely visit the Vatican Museums for a huge dose of art. Rome's churches are spectacular, each one more beautiful than the last.

If you like sculpture, Santa Maria del Vittoria with Bernini's Ecstasy of St. Teresa and San Francisco a Ripa with the ecstasy of Beata Ludovica Albertoni are first-rate as well as Michelangelo's Moses in St. Peter in Chains church.

I haven't been to Livorno so can't comment but Florence is one of my favorite places for art.
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 12:56 PM
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not much to see in Livorno - go to Florence - try to find some others on your ship to share a private tour (check your roll call on Cruise Critic). It should be cheaper and better than the ship tour.
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Old Nov 8th, 2017, 01:05 PM
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Well, if you like art, especially Renaissance art, Florence is a no-brainer. (I prefer architecture, which is why I enjoy Barcelona and in several trips to Italy have skipped Florence.)

I haven't cruised, but I hear good things about the roll calls on cruisecritic.
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Old Nov 20th, 2017, 07:05 PM
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Adrienne thank you sooo much -- very helpful, I took notes on your suggestions. Yes, Barcelona would love to see the architecture, but other places not sure if I would.

and Thank you Suec1 and Thursday, I will def go to florence. After much trouble with weird AAA travel agent who messed up our flights, I was able to straighten out our flights we will be able to stay in Rome for 2 days now.


In Marsaille - should I stay in the port or go to Aix-en-Provence, there is a few tours they have... ! I'm asking if anyone has experience with these two ?

also-- the way the shore excursions are listed, I'm not sure if they would be ok in the winter? (Dec-Jan).
ps I did buy the port book
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Old Nov 20th, 2017, 09:29 PM
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You do not have to book an excursion to Aix or Marseille. Have a plans, but you can wait until you are there to decide. You can take the ship shuttle to the port and walk to the bus station, or a taxi to the bus station, and take the bus into Aix.

I cannot say how the weather will affect your enjoyment as I have been only in early Spring and late Fall. Both times the weather was cool early and late in the day, but warm at mid-day. I suspect it will be quite cold at your time. Dress warmly.

Aix is beautiful with one wide boulevard, Cours Mirabeau, lined with giant Plane trees, cafes and small, old style hotels and cafes. A warren of narrow cobbled streets with great little shops (linens, serving dishes, Provence themed things.), cafes (fabulous breads and pastries) and squares lead off the boulevard on one side. Have lunch at a place serving Tajines! There is a big open market with soap, flowers, food, etc at the other end. On the other side is a lovely neighborhood where Cezanne had a studio. We were also on a cruise the first time we went to Aix. I fell so in love I cried when we had to leave, but other people with us were not so charmed! Too old and crumbly. W returned twice to Aix on a longer DYI trip. Hope this helps.

We were only in the port of Marseille for walking and a bit of shopping. It is really pretty and people who were with us liked their tours. It s a real city with busy streets and a melting pot of people from all over. Looked like fun.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 05:14 AM
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I visited Aix in late November a couple of years back and was not impressed. Of course, I might have liked it more if my room had not been up a great many steps, and if it had not been very cold. Plus, I am not a shopper, so the shops didn't interest me, although it was somewhat interesting to watch the stalls for the Christmas market going up.

I have not spent time in Marseille, but from what I have read there is more to see there. Aix is more of a strolling and shopping town, but December is unlikely to be good weather for strolling.
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Old Nov 21st, 2017, 07:58 AM
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Thursday's, glad you posted your experience too. I was afraid it might not be so nice in winter. It does make a difference. When we were there, flower boxes were filled with blooms and windows were filled with blooms and trailing vines. All the cafes had tables and chairs outside. Our apartment was just off one of the pretty squares. I felt I was inside an impressionist painting. Perhaps it is bleak in winter.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 02:06 PM
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Hi Lilly2016, It's difficult to make really good recommendations after only one trip but here goes for Livorno: DH and I visited there in March to see the Art Deco signs along the beach. Things were quiet. I expect they will be even slower in winter. No doubt your cruise will take you to Florence which is what you should see, IMHO.

We based in Aix for several days. Again, check with your cruise folks but we stayed in the area around Place Richelme and loved it. See if you have time after Deux Garçons to get to that area. A market in the morning, tables and seats and music in the afternoon!

Please report back about your trip.
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Old Nov 22nd, 2017, 03:53 PM
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In Barcelona, Gaudi's Architecture is Art, so do not miss seeing some of it. Sagrada Familia is astonishing! See some of his other work if you can. They are each different and each worth seeing.

The Palau de la Musica is also a work of art. Try to see the inside.
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