"D Ball" wrote in message
...
On Mar 6, 5:16 am, STAR wrote:
I have chosen the Silversea cruise from Barcelona to Nice for
May....haven't been on a cruise in years, way too long for my liking,
so decided to treat myself for my birthday. Thanks to everyone for
their imput and I wouldn't mind any other help/tips along the
way....I've been to Europe several times but these ports are new to
me, however I am familiar with them through their reputation....Gail

Gail, what a wonderful birthday treat! And May will be a lovely time
to sail that itinerary.

For tips/tricks on Silversea, check out the Cruise Critic discussion
forum dedicated to Silversea:
http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=183

Michelin online is fabulous for identifying starred restaurants and
attractions, producing custom maps, etc. in the event you want to make
independent plans for any of your days in port. http://www.viamichelin.com/

It looks like the Barcelona-Nice itinerary includes port stops in Port
Vendres, Sete, Marseille, St. Tropez, Monte Carlo, Portofino, Calvi
(Corsica) and Nice.

We have visited Barcelona, Portofino and most of that Riviera stretch
by land trips, and we made a one day port stop in the Nice area on a
Med cruise. Barcelona is self-directing based on your interests--
hopefully, you'll get to arrive a few days before embarkation to shake
jet lag and see the sites. A lot of what one does along the Riviera is
simply gaze at the gorgeous vistas, eat, drink and be merry! For my
own personal tastes, I would research whether any of the towns will
have market days when you visit. There is nothing quite like a
Provencal market, and wherever we travel, an early morning market
stroll is a favorite way to start the day. You may enjoy a casual
breakfast (here, think fresh fruit, fromage, French pastries and
French roast coffee--yum!), it generally doesn't take time away from
other plans for the day and you have a chance to engage with locals in
a non-touristic environment. (A nice "souvenir" is Provencal table
linens--you will be reminded of your trip every time you use them.) Of
course, artists have always flocked to Provence, so you can find many,
mostly intimate museums and galleries, e.g., I recall an interesting
Chagall collection in one of the coastal towns, but am not remembering
which one at the moment! Another thing to do is to look at the shore
excursions Silversea offers and consider taking one (or emulating it
on your own--renting a car and driving is pretty easy) to get up into
the highlands overlooking the coast, there are some charming towns
with a totally different feel than the seaside resorts. Similarly, I'm
sure they will offer full day excursions you may want to take if the
port town doesn't hold your attention, e.g., Aix or Arles are common
day trips from Marseille. For active pursuits, the hiking is fabulous.
It's a little too early for water sports (IMO--I like conditions to be
a tad warmer than spring!). And there are plenty of shopping and
gambling opportunities, of course!

Sorry to ramble. If you have any specific questions, there are many
well-traveled contributors here--just ask!

Have fun planning,

Diana Ball

Hi,

Several years ago, a reader of this board reported back on a similar
itinerary. They were wine lovers and raved about the small town
restaurants, especially in France, and the drinkability of the local red
wines. Don't know if this suits your pleasure, but thought I would pass it
along.

Harry Cooper
Austin, TX