SlowBlueSkies

On 4/3/2018 at 4:30 PM, notamermaid said:

I was going to write a little about Stuttgart but could not resist linking this article when I found it on Deutsche Welle. Heidelberg on the Neckar, visited of course by many Rhine river cruisers on an excursion: http://www.dw.com/en/10-reasons-to-love-heidelberg/a-19190864

 

notamermaid

I am a bit late in responding to this thread, but I second any recommendations to visit Heidelberg. I was lucky to live there for 10 years, and think it's one of the prettiest cities in Germany.

Heidelberg is popular with tourists, however, if you wander onto some of the Old Town's lesser-visited lanes, have a picnic on a quieter part of the castle grounds, or visit the Philosophers' Walk (Philosophenweg), you can have a more relaxing experience. 

Since I lived in Heidelberg for so long, I wrote an informational blog post about the city. My article covers some of my favorite historic details (Mark Twain spent time in Heidelberg, for example), cafés, and places to take in a great view: 

https://triciaannemitchell.com/2015/06/21/things-to-do-heidelberg-germany/

Here's hoping you have sunny weather when you visit as the Neckar River Valley is stunning when it's bathed in sunshine. 🙂

I'd be very interested in what anyone did in these ports please. We will be visiting them on our next cruise.

Hi Suzez,

Last spring, we traveled from Singapore to Cape Town, stopping in Port Elizabeth. As I recall, there were a lot of game reserve options to pick from. We went on a sunset safari at Addo Elephant National Park. We saw lots of wildlife, including elephants, lions, zebras, warthogs, and kudu. A sighting of a mother elephant and her baby was a highlight.

Here's a video my husband made:

I also did a blog post, which includes lots of photos of the animals, as well as what the open-safari vehicle was like:

https://triciaannemitchell.com/2017/08/12/addo-elephant-park-south-africa-safari/

Whatever option you choose, here's hoping you have a nice time!

That's really kind of you to say, Ka Honu. My blog is a labor of love, for sure.

Wish you a wonderful trip! :) We've been away from Malta for a few months now, but I sure miss that little island's sunshine.

Thank you, and glad you found it useful! I hope you enjoy Rampila as much as we did. Here's hoping you'll have lots of sunshine during your visit too. Of course, Malta's known for its great weather. :)

Happy travels!

Thank you for posting that beautiful photo. Valletta, Malta is one of the ports on our Med cruise in May. The sail in does look like it will be magnificent from all the photos I've seen!

 

We are debating on not even doing a ship excursion and just enjoying some of the highlights in Valletta on our own. So far I have Grandmaster's Palace, Saint John's Co-Cathedral, Fort Saint Elmo and Upper Barrakka Gardens on my list!

Seahawk Siren,

I just spent the last twelve months living in Valletta. It's a gorgeous capital city, with much to keep you busy. Depending upon how much time you have and what you like to do, you might be content just exploring Valletta. There is certainly lots to see and do outside of Valletta (Mdina, Hypogeum, Hagar Qim Temples, St. Paul's Catacombs, etc.) but the traffic can be really challenging, particularly during rush-hour.

I just wrote an in-depth piece on my travel blog about what to see/do in Valletta, which might give you some more ideas:

https://triciaannemitchell.com/2016/12/04/things-to-do-in-valletta-malta-attractions-hotels-guide/

Either way, here's hoping you have a wonderful time in Malta!

I will be on Spendida in December stopping in Malta

What do you recommend to do. Two moms and their 30 year old daughters

Thank you

Sandi07054,

My husband and I just spent the last year living in Valletta. It's a beautiful city, with lots to see, especially if you like museums and history. Simply strolling the streets, or soaking up the sunshine in one of the lesser-visited gardens is also enjoyable.

I have a travel blog, and I just wrote an in-depth piece on what to see/do in Valletta: https://triciaannemitchell.com/2016/12/04/things-to-do-in-valletta-malta-attractions-hotels-guide/

Here's hoping you have a wonderful time in Valletta. The capital city sure has a lot to offer despite being a tiny one! We feel very lucky to have spent an entire year there.

Anyone have any info/recommendations/suggestions on renting a taxi or car (w/driver) for an island tour? We'd kind of like to see some of Valetta, the Hypogeum (if it's reopened by the time we get there and we can get tickets), Mdina, and Blue Grotto. Seems like a bit much for public transport or Hop On - Hop Off so thought a taxi or car & driver might be the way to go.

 

Thanks.

Ka Honu, my husband and I just spent the last year living in Malta. While I don't have any tour guide recommendations (because we used Malta Public Transport, and had lots of time to explore independently), I can say that we had good luck with eCabs. We only used them when we needed to get to the airport, but the driver was polite and on time, and the price was fair. Whatever you decide, be mindful of travel times, as rush-hour traffic on Malta can be brutal.

We lived in Valletta, and I recently wrote a piece on what to see/do there: https://triciaannemitchell.com/2016/12/04/things-to-do-in-valletta-malta-attractions-hotels-guide/

Here's hoping you have a wonderful time. Malta has a lot to offer despite being a tiny country!

BermudaBound,

It depends upon your travel style. If you like to absorb a city at a relaxed pace, then make the climb up to the church (roughly half-way) or the fortress. Before or after, you can also walk Kotor's back streets and visit the city's outdoor market (to purchase in-season produce, perhaps homemade cheese and treats). The nearby town of Perast is also worth seeing if you find that you like to experience more than one place in a day.

Here's an article & video detailing a climb to the fortress:

https://triciaannemitchell.com/2015/06/28/kotor-montenegro-fortress/

Enjoy!

We are couple in 50's. Pretty Active. Looking for Kotor advise. We are there from 7-4 on a Saturday in August. The views from far above the city look breathtaking. Here are my thoughts, please help me choose:

 

1) Just hike to top of church. Get good view of Kotor (not as stunning as the higher points). Then spend time walking in the city. Is there good sites there? Enough to do in the old town to keep us interested? Pluses, we'd get a bit of exercise and minimal cost.

 

2) Take a tour that goes up into the mountains with many different views of Kotor and the surrounding cities. The pluses of this are the scenery and variety.

 

Can anyone shed some light on either of my ideas? Am I missing something?

Hi Mike, I've been to Split twice, and there's lots there to keep you occupied. What are your interests?

If you like cafe-culture, there are plenty of restaurants and cafes on Split's main promenade, which overlooks the water. For those who appreciate museums, there is the Meštrović Gallery, plus the city's archaeological museum. Just walking around the city (which is actually built within the walls of Diocletian's former palace) is fascinating. It's possible to do with or without a guide.

There are lots of resources on the internet. Here are some guides to get you started:

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/croatia/dalmatia/split/things-to-do

http://triciaannemitchell.com/2014/01/04/diocletian-palace-split-walking-tour/

http://www.roughguides.com/destinations/europe/croatia/split-south-dalmatian-coast/split/

Hi there,

 

We are going to be stopping in Split. What is there to see if we want to stay in the city and not take a trip away from it? Is it walkable from the ship? Thanks a lot.