gardens, one with more than a thousand
cacti – and superb views – and the other
with a Japanese theme.
Sailing round to Italy, there's the benefit
of an overnight stay in Livorno, the
gateway to Tuscany.
Deservedly popular is Florence, the
powerhouse of art treasures from the likes
of Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci
as well as astonishing architecture. The
Duomo cathedral, its green, pink and
white marble recently cleaned and
polished, is one of my favourite buildings
in Europe.
Talking of marble, with two days to
explore, an admiration of the city can be
combined with a trip to the quarry where
the glistening Carrara marble used by the
great architects and sculptors is mined.
If you prefer, a fun drive in a classic Fiat
500 and a Chianti wine tasting in a
quaint Italian village are among the other
enticing options.
Be sure to see Pisa. The Leaning Tower is
the emblem of the Piazza dei Miracoli
(Square of Miracles) and the other
buildings here are treats too, including
the splendid Piazza dei Miracoli.
The cemetery, the Camposanto
Monumentale, has courtyards lined with
carved Roman sarcophagi, or stone coffin,
surrounding a meadow. It's said to be the
most beautiful cemetery in the world.
Your journey ends in Civitavecchia near
Rome, where you can extend your stay.
Here, if you enter the Pantheon Roman
temple, gaze up at its spectacular ceiling
and reflect on the marble used in its
construction – the very same Tuscan
Carrara that Michelangelo used to create
his David in Florence and the stone
favoured by architect John Nash, used for
the Marble Arch in Central London.
Mediterranean
Sea
ITALY
SPAIN
Rome
(Civitavecchia)
Barcelona
Florence/Pisa
(Livorno)
Monte Carlo
Marseille
FRANCE
MONACO
Montpellier
(Sète)
–
C r ui s e
••
O ve r night in Po r t
GETTING THERE: The 8-day
Iconic Western Mediterranean
voyage from Barcelona to Rome
or vice versa, starts from $4,995pp
in Veranda stateroom
viking.com
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