Most unique activities in Eastern Mediterranean ports... opinions please!

We have booked a cruise on the Orchestra for next April. Researching ports now. I know from experience though that there is an amount of vacation fatigue that sets in- that time when all the art museums or Roman ruins start looking alike. So I'm trying to find the most unique or "best" experience in each port. We are do-it-yourself people, who like to walk and explore. Keeping in mind that we only have a "cruise ship day" in these cities (6 hours!) what would you suggest? Thanks in advance for the opinions 🤓

Rome - the only place we have been before - we have 2-3 days here pre cruise. We haven't seen the catacombs yet.. is there a "best"one to tour? Any Unusual or secret tours?

Genoa-

Marseille-

Barcelona-

Malta-

Corfu-

Olympia-

Crete-

Athens- I assume the Parthenon. What else?

Civitavecchia- don't want to go back to Rome. What is a good local option?

We have booked a cruise on the Orchestra for next April. Researching ports now. I know from experience though that there is an amount of vacation fatigue that sets in- that time when all the art museums or Roman ruins start looking alike. So I'm trying to find the most unique or "best" experience in each port. We are do-it-yourself people, who like to walk and explore. Keeping in mind that we only have a "cruise ship day" in these cities (6 hours!) what would you suggest? Thanks in advance for the opinions 🤓

Rome - the only place we have been before - we have 2-3 days here pre cruise. We haven't seen the catacombs yet.. is there a "best"one to tour? Any Unusual or secret tours?

Genoa-

Marseille-

Barcelona-

Malta-

Corfu-

Olympia-

Crete-

Athens- I assume the Parthenon. What else?

Civitavecchia- don't want to go back to Rome. What is a good local option?

I am like you don't want to go to boot camp on my vacation. If I miss some ruins I will not cry I rather seat in nice restaurant and watch the life of city . Can only comment on some ports .

Corfu- we took a taxi for 80E and went to see Paliokastrica monastery. Beautiful view on way and some shopping in DT after.

Olympia - I know everybody's goal is to see Olympia but for me it was not attractive at all and I love history and ruins.:confused: Almost nothing left and whatever is left probably not real. We just had nice lunch and nice walk around port .

Athens - Hop on bus a good option gives you taste of city but you can only go out on sites you need. Pantheon must see for me.

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see what there is, and how to do it on your own. He doesn't include Genoa or Malta. After you've seen the Acropolis and Santorini, all you need do is sit in a sidewalk cafe and watch the passing scene. I never get tired of Gothic churches, but Greek ruins all look alike. EM

I am like you don't want to go to boot camp on my vacation. If I miss some ruins I will not cry I rather seat in nice restaurant and watch the life of city . Can only comment on some ports .

Corfu- we took a taxi for 80E and went to see Paliokastrica monastery. Beautiful view on way and some shopping in DT after.

Olympia - I know everybody's goal is to see Olympia but for me it was not attractive at all and I love history and ruins.:confused: Almost nothing left and whatever is left probably not real. We just had nice lunch and nice walk around port .

Athens - Hop on bus a good option gives you taste of city but you can only go out on sites you need. Pantheon must see for me.

Excellent! Thank you for your opinions. Sometimes there is just so much information out there that makes every place sound like it can't be missed. But that gets so exhausting!

Here are my views!

Rome - the best thing is just to walk around the city & take in the sights!

Stay somewhere central, there are lots of great b&b's around the city. Walking enables you to see lots including the Forum. Ostia Antica may appeal to you too.

Genoa - we took the MSC excursion to Portofino. Easy to DIY though & would do this next time.

Marseille - the ship docks a distance back from the city. We took the shuttle bus - very easy. Walked around the old port & took the tourist train to the church on top of the hill. Fantastic viewpoint. We explored & took the tourist train back to the old port area & had lunch.

Barcelona - take the red line HoHo bus. Lots to see, lots to do. Recommend seeing one of the Gaudi houses & La Sagrada Familia but book tickets online well in advance! The Gothic Quarter is a very lovely part of the city plenty to see, eat & drink. A food tour is a great introduction to Barcelona & the Gothic Quarter.

Malta - fabulous place. Get off the ship & take a horse drawn carriage ride round the city walls & then take the lift into town. It was a very hot day so we didn't do a lot. We wanted to visit Mdina & will do so next time we cruise there. Malta is actually very small.

Corfu - beautiful island, go hire a car & visit Mouse Island, palaces & Paleokatrista! Corfu Town is also great for shopping.

Olympia - like you, I've seen a lot of ruins & Olympia didn't appeal to me as there isn't a lot there. Got off the ship, walked in the small town area, some nice shops. Got the tourist train to the winery which was fabulous. Got back to the town & had lunch at one of the waterfront tavernas. That was an excellent day!

Crete - I have visited on a land holiday. Enjoyed visiting Agios Nicolaos but it's a fair journey on a cruise stop. Heraklion isn't the prettiest capital town at all but is the gateway to visit Knossos which was interesting but more ruins!

Athens - the Parthenon is great but then so is the area flanking the Plaka & I love walking around the Plaka area but to get views of the Parthenon & beyond - take the funicular to Lycabettus Hill. Amazing views. You can also visit the Olympic Stadium.

Hope that helps!

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Hey Kikki21, I read your review when I was planning my Caribbean trip this year! Thanks for that, by the way. And for your opinion here too. It helps. It looks like Malta is going to be a surprise gem of a port.

Watch "The Durrells on Corfu" on BBC America or PBS then do a Durrells tour. It's based on an autobiography of a well known British naturalist who had an uncommon upbringing on Corfu.

And food tours. I don't have specifics for your ports, but I've done food tours all over Europe and they are frequently one of our favorite excursions. You get a bit of history, you get tasty food, what more could you need?

Get a copy of Rick Steves' Mediterranean Cruise Ports and see what there is, and how to do it on your own. He doesn't include Genoa or Malta. After you've seen the Acropolis and Santorini, all you need do is sit in a sidewalk cafe and watch the passing scene. I never get tired of Gothic churches, but Greek ruins all look alike. EM

Of course! I bought that book when I first started planning this trip and I have gotten so wrapped up in internet searching that I had forgotten about it! Sheesh. Thanks!

Watch "The Durrells on Corfu" on BBC America or PBS then do a Durrells tour. It's based on an autobiography of a well known British naturalist who had an uncommon upbringing on Corfu.

 

And food tours. I don't have specifics for your ports, but I've done food tours all over Europe and they are frequently one of our favorite excursions. You get a bit of history, you get tasty food, what more could you need?

I just ordered the first book in the Durrell trilogy. Great ideas! Thanks:cool: