7-Day Western Mediterranean from Barcelona. Help

[Lovetocruisefar]

I need help on a good excursion for wine or champagne for this cruise, it looks like Moet is too far from the ports we are traveling to, anyone have any other ideas?

 

Also is Monte Carlo a nice casino to visit during our stop?

[mskaufman]

Remember to check the dress code if you are going to the casino. For me, it was not a big deal.

[marazul]

The Champagne area is in Northern France, inland. You will be nowhere near it. If you are spending some time in Barcelona, you can visit the cava wineries just outside the city to satisfy your interest in bubbly. And they can be outstanding.

 

I presume you will go to Marseille or Toulon. You have two options for high quality wines:

Chateauneuf-du-Pape (reds) just north of Avignon, and Bandol (roses and reds) just east of Toulon/Marseille. Pick one, it would be a stretch to go to both areas in one day.

 

I would arrange for a private excursion with one of the many well-reviewed companies in this area.

Also, I would recommend you get the Michelin Green Guide "Wine Regions of France" to help you choose where to go. It has excellent info on wine and vineyards and also on tourist attractions in the areas. You can get it at Barnes and Noble or Amazon.

 

It would be useful to know which other ports you are visiting.

 

I don't know what you mean by a "nice casino" - to play or to look at? The Monte Carlo casino is a gorgeous building and very interesting. I visited it once for an event when I lived in the area. However, playing bores me to tears, so I didn't.

Edited March 9, 2018 by marazul

[Hlitner]

Looks like their only stop in France is at Cannes (which is a tender port). I am assuming the OP is on the Epic's 7 night Barcelona itinerary (have to guess since that info was not posted). Cannes is not a very convenient port for many of the best wine regions but is certainly within range of some of the Languedoc-Roussillon wineries. If there are no wine tours offered by Norwegian...you could try to organize a private tour (get together with some others on the CC Roll Call for your specific cruise). An alternate plan is to rent a car in Cannes and drive yourself to some of regional wineries. But as Marazul posted, you are a very long way from the Champagne area (over 500 miles).

 

Hank

[marazul]

Hank, thanks for the research. Cannes is more in the Cotes du Var area which has mostly good house wines. (Languedoc-Rousillon is from Nimes west to Spain.;))

 

If the OP's only port in France is Cannes, he has a different dilemma. Monte Carlo or wineries? The good wineries I know in the area do not welcome large groups and are not easily accessible, so he would have to do a private tour. If he wants to visit a winery, he should follow my suggestion about the cavas in Barcelona and then go to Monte Carlo from Cannes.

Edited March 9, 2018 by marazul

[Hlitner]

Hank, thanks for the research. Cannes is more in the Cotes du Var area which has mostly good house wines. (Languedoc-Rousillon is from Nimes west to Spain.;))

 

If the OP's only port in France is Cannes, he has a different dilemma. Monte Carlo or wineries? The good wineries I know in the area do not welcome large groups and are not easily accessible, so he would have to do a private tour. If he wants to visit a winery, he should follow my suggestion about the cavas in Barcelona and then go to Monte Carlo from Cannes.

 

Good advice on doing some wineries in Spain. I will admit to not being a big fan or Provencial wines. We have had a few decent Roses....but DW and I don't generally drink Roses. You probably already know what we think of Monte Carlo :).

 

Hank

[LondonTowner]

The main Cava area is Sant Sadurni Anoia which is just outside Barcelona. The two best known cavas, Codorniu and Freixenet have their cellars here.

 

They both do visits most days of the week and put on transport from Barcelona, or you can take the train from Santa station. Look on their websites for information about visits.

 

 

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[Lovetocruisefar]

Thank so much.

 

my ports are

Barcelona, Spain

Naples, Italy

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Cannes, France

Palma, Majorca, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

im sorry for not giving details up

 

Anyone got any good ideas fr excursion for this cruise?

 

Thanks all

[ollienbertsmum]

Thank so much.

 

my ports are

Barcelona, Spain

Naples, Italy

Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy

Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Italy

Cannes, France

Palma, Majorca, Spain

Barcelona, Spain

im sorry for not giving details up

 

Anyone got any good ideas fr excursion for this cruise?

 

Thanks all

 

I have done this cruise three times and love it. I answered this question asked by someone else a week or so ago

if you search my recent posts I am sure you will find it. Without knowing how many are in your party and a little more about your travel preferences it is hard to advise. There are so many options.

 

One thought if you enjoy wine - is a wine tour in Tuscany. We used https://www.guidos-tours.com/ He really knows his stuff about wine and we did a little sightseeing on the way.

 

Also I seem to recall wine tasting being a ship tour in Palma. I may have got confused because I haven't done it.

 

Enjoy the Epic.