Valencia and Marseilles

[louirish]

We are leaving on our cruise on May 4th out of Rome on Legend of the Seas. I'm trying to book excursions and can't seem to find what we are looking for. Any suggestions on a good day trip from either Valencia or Marseilles? We are not much into a city guided tour. :)

[Sailmore]

We were in Marseille in May 2012, and booked 2 days with Catherine of Tour Designer in provence. We did one day to Aix-en-Provence and one day to several hill towns in Luberon area. She does tours up to a group of 8 and we found her very good. http://www.provence-travel.com

 

We hope to be on a cruise again in the area next year,and would very likely contact her again.

 

Good luck

[nellydean]

Can't give any advice on tours but, whatever you do, don't go into Marseille itself before checking out if the old port/marina redevelopment has been completed!

 

We were there in September and were really looking forward to going back again, and wandering around at leisure, as our previous visit there a few years prior had been very rainy and we'd been forced to sit on a bus.

 

We took the ship's shuttle (Grandeur of the Seas) in but, to our horror, the entire marina area was dug up was and a complete building site. It was so, so disappointing, and spoiled it for me. Husband went off walking anyway, but I headed straight back and caught the next shuttle.

 

I've since found out that the redevelopment is for Marseille's Capital City of Culture year this year, so it's possible it might already be completed/nearing completion, and we were just very unlucky.

 

However, I really think the cruise line should have informed passengers, so that we at least had a choice. If we'd known how bad it was, we'd have gone to Aix on Provence instead, and not come away with horrible memories of what is a lovely old city.

 

As for Valencia, again, if you have not been there before, stick around, it's an amazing city, combing both old and new, and some serious tapas bars.

[vivian02]

louirish,

In the past my wife and I have sailed four Meditterean Cruises. Marseille was a toss up of just what to do. I booked a half a day trip up to Les Beaux in Providence and it turned out to be one of the better choices form what people told us on the ship. The farther you get out of the city the more qaint the countryside becomes. I remember seeing the sunflowers growing in the fields as we drove along the tree line country road. Then it was pointed out to us that the destination was the old castle that we could see nested in the high mountain peak ahead. Looking back this was one of the nicest tours that I have ever taken in Europe. To this day I can still hear the tour guide speaking of the area in half english and half French. I would do this tour again if I had the chance. Tim