Cruising Around the Mediterranean

Last week was Spring Break! This break was especially memorable because I got to go on a Mediterranean cruise! I was a little hesitant at first about going on the cruise since I had never been on one before and I wanted to spend more than just a few hours in each country. However that hesitation quickly faded when I learned about all the cool places we got to go visit, especially since I had never been to any of the stops before. So by the time Spring Break came around I was super pumped!

Nine of us ended up going on the cruise but only four of us left Friday after class to get an extra day in Italy before the cruise. After catching our flight to Milan and traveling from the airport to our hotel it was about 11 p.m. and the four of us were exhausted. We wanted to grab some yummy Italian food for dinner but everything was closed, so we went to a Turkish restaurant before heading bed. Luckily we had all Saturday to explore Milan so we woke up early the next morning to go see everything we had planned out. Our first stop was at the Duomo, which is a beautiful cathedral located at one of the main city centers in Milan. We first went to see the rooftop of the cathedral. Although it’s not as big as the Cologne cathedral, the rooftop was still very impressive and had a great view of the city. Afterwards we went inside the cathedral and again I was impressed! The cathedral had beautiful stain glass windows that were super colorful with the sunlight shining through them. Next we walked through several shopping areas filled with some of the most expensive shops around and then stopped for lunch at a café. From there we went to go see the Sforza Castle. At the back of the castle we found this pretty park filled with people enjoying the beautiful day and the carnival that was going on there. Later we went back to the Duomo for mass and then headed back towards our hotel to finally find the yummy Italian dinner we were looking for. On the way there we ran into the other group of four that had arrived in Milan that day, so we all went to dinner together at a small Italian restaurant. Sunday consisted of a lot of traveling. We had to go from our hotel back to the airport to catch a shuttle to the port in Salerno. Although the day wasn’t super exciting, it ended well because we finally made it to the cruise! Plus the bus ride included some gorgeous views of the port, Mediterranean Sea, and Italian mountains. Once we were all checked in, we got to explore the huge boat and see all it had to offer. I don’t think we ever got to see everything and we kept getting lost (even on the last couple of days), this cruise was that big!  

The Duomo in Milan

Us on the roof of the Duomo

Enjoying the nice day in a park in Milan

Hanging out on the cruise while it was docked in Salerno

Our first stop on the cruise was in Naples, Italy. This day was our shortest visit so we decided to take advantage of it and head straight to Pompeii. However, between us taking a while to figure out the local public transit and the long commute to Pompeii from the port we ended up getting to the ruins just after the exhibits had closed. Fortunately for us, there was a pathway along the outside of the ruins that we could walk along and see some of the ruins. After seeing as many ruins as we could, we walked around some tourist stores just outside the ruins before heading back to the port. Even though we didn’t get to go see all the ruins and Naples wasn’t my favorite city to see, the few ruins we saw were really cool and I’m glad we got to see at least some of Pompeii!

Pompeii

Tuesday we stopped in Palermo. We decided to sleep in a little that day since we didn’t have much planned for this stop, but when we finally got off the boat we decided to explore the city surrounding the port. We walked around the city and found some very nice buildings in addition to some of the neighborhood areas of the city. Also, we stopped in a bakery filled with delicious-looking pastries so Robert and Nicole could get a cannoli. Sadly, the weather was overcast and slightly rainy but overall I liked Palermo and this stop was very laid-back and relaxing.

Nicole and David at a cool-looking building in Palermo

Cannoli

Next on the list was Tunisia and I had no idea what to expect going into Wednesday. Since we didn’t know much about what there was to do (and how to get around) we decided to go on one of the excursions with the cruise. I’m really glad we did that because all the tourist attractions were pretty far away and the tour guide was very informative! The first stop on the tour was the Souk where we got to see some of the traditional houses in the area and go shopping in the various clothing and jewelry shops. We then went to Carthage to see some of the ruins along the coast. The area around the ruins was really pretty and it was a beautiful day out which was the cherry on top of a wonderful excursion.

In one of the shops at the Souk

Us at the Souk

Carthage

The following day was pretty laid back since it was a day at sea. After getting plenty of sleep and brunch, a group of us went swimming on the boat. That didn’t last very long since the pool was packed and colder than what us Texans are used to. Then we got ready for our first fancy dinner on the ship. The dinners each night one the cruise were very nice, but this dinner in particular was set out to be super fancy. Everyone got dressed up and enjoyed a yummy dinner together before going to watch the dance show in the evening.

Friday we were in Barcelona. We got off the boat as soon as we could in order to meet up with a few of the guys who were spending the week in Barcelona. After walking along the main street and going to the local market to get some delicious fruit smoothies, we headed towards La Sagrada Família. This basilica is still in the process of being built but it is already an incredible church. The inside was modern with high ceilings and colorful stained glass windows, and I hope to see it once it is finished! For lunch we went back to the main street to get some of the food I was most looking forward to: paella. It did not disappoint; I enjoyed every bit of it! We then finished off the day walking around the city and soaking in as much of the lovely weather as we could. Barcelona was definitely one of my favorite stops and I really hope I can go back one day!

Inside La Sagrada Família

All of us at La Sagrada Família

Our last stop was in Marseille, France. We didn’t have much planned for this stop but we were very lucky that the city had a lot to offer because we found several cool things to see. One of my favorite sites was the Marseille Cathedral, or Cathédrale de la Major, which wan another nice church. I also enjoyed walking around the main port and seeing all the sailboats and cafes lining the coast. The area was beautiful and all the sites we so happened to run into were cool! We also had to get some croissants and crêpes while we were in France, so we stopped by a bakery and one of the cafes along the port to try some. Both were super yummy! 

Cathédrale de la Major

Delicious crêpes

Sadly this fun week had to come to a close on Sunday. We arrived back in Salerno where we headed back to the Milan airport to catch our flight home. Looking back on this trip I can say with 100% certainty that this was one of the best (if not the best) spring breaks I’ve had. I’m incredibly happy that I go to travel so much and see all of these interesting cities with some great friends. We had a blast and I’m very thankful for this once in a lifetime experience!