On the Go with Josie O - Adventures in the Mediterranean
Published Thursday, September 12th 2024 - Updated Thursday, October 31st 2024
If you know me, you know blogging is WAY outside of my comfort zone. To be honest, I know almost nothing, except how to spell BLOG! That being said, I am not above trying new things, so here we go!
This summer I had an amazing opportunity to cruise the beautiful Mediterranean on the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) Escape with over 100 of my favorite friends and family.
Embarking on our Mediterranean cruise, a first for most, was everything we dreamed of and more! Our vacation was truly an unforgettable experience.
This initial blog of mine will provide a very brief summary of each stunning port we visited. Assuming I do not fire myself, I plan to go into more detail about each place we had an opportunity to explore. I hope to include fun photos, details about our shore excursions and a few tips to help those that have not been. My goal, someone please hold me to it, is to release a new blog every couple of weeks with more information. Please feel free to reach out to me if I am behind!
- Barcelona, Spain
Our Mediterranean adventure began in Barcelona, a beautiful, exciting city! The Gothic Quarter, where we stayed, is rich in medieval history. We also visited the Sagrada Família, designed by Antoni Gaudí. Absolutely stunning!
- Cannes (Eze, Monaco), France
Our first stop was Cannes, France famous for the Cannes Film Festival. It seems like everyone’s a movie star, or at least their sunglasses say they are! Of course I bought myself a brand new hat within 5 minutes of disembarking the ship. We visited the charming medieval village of Eze which looks it like came straight out of a fairy tale! But wait, there's more... We also went to Monaco (the kids and hubs LOVED it there) and we pretended we were rich and famous as we hobnobbed with the wealthy at the Monte Carlo Casino.
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Livorno (Florence and Pisa), Italy
Livorno was up next, and Florence and Pisa are the highlights! A bit of a drive by bus, but so worth it. Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance! Many spent time viewing the stunning art and architecture in Florence, while others ventured out to Tuscany. Don't forget the Leaning Tower of Pisa. That's my buddy " Last Minute Lori" doing her best to hold up the tower!
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Rome, Italy
The next port was Civitavecchia, and off we went to see Rome! History is everywhere you look!
The Colosseum is huge and the stories we were told were unbelievable.
Some in our party took a tour of the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. This is a don't miss opportunity to see some of Michaelangelo's stunning works of art.
We also ate, have I not mentioned food yet? WOW! More to come on the delicious meals we had for lunch in Rome! Oh, and gelato! EVERY. SINGLE. DAY!
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Naples, Italy
Naples is the home of the Neapolitan pizza! Some people say if you don't eat pizza while you're here, did you even visit? Don't worry, we did have pizza! It was even Gluten Free! Stay tuned for those details. Naples is also a gateway to stunning sights like the Amalfi Coast and the amazing ruins of Pompeii. Sorrento was a crowd fave! The shopping, adorable town and the Limoncello did not disappoint!
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Cagliari, Sardinia
A gorgeous port, and beautiful beaches. You may want to take a motorboat excursion like we did, where you can swim, snorkel and sunbathe. What a fabulous experience!
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Palma Mallorca, Spain
I'll be honest, I did not know much about Palma Mallorca before this stop. Wow, I am happy to report it was so beautiful and I would fly back to Europe to stay on this island for a weeks' vacation. Many of our group spent time on the beautiful beaches, walked or biked through town and spent time at the local shops and markets. We were in port until 10pm that evening, so some of us took the opportunity to eat dinner in town. The tapas we had included meatballs, pasta, shrimp, cheese, potatoes followed by what else, gelato for dessert!
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Ibiza, Spain
Our final stop was to the island of Ibiza, famous for its nightlife and beaches. Since we arrived in port at 7am, we did not see Ibiza in all it's glory! We did however enjoy a half a day at the beach and some midafternoon shopping. I am not sure even if we had spent the evening there we would have made it to the night clubs. After 9 days of touring, we were all ready for a break.
So there you have it -- my first attempt at this blogging thing. We had such a fun experience on and off the ship. There were so many memories made by each and every family that joined us. I am so grateful for the opportunity to escort this group.
Please check back soon, as I plan to chat about each port in more detail. I will do my best to include fun ideas; excursion and tour possibilities; and restaurant and food suggestions. 
