What I remember most about my Mediterranean cruise is...

[FloatYourBoatSince2003]

Hands down...St. Mark's After Hours tour. There were only 20 of us in St. Marks and the lights were off. Then, they slowly turned the lights on and all the mosaics began to glitter. We were able to stand (and get a crick in our necks) and really look at all the mosaics and understand the purpose and stories of them. Also we stood at the Pala d 'Oro (the golden and bejewelled altarpiece) for a good 15 minutes learning about how it was made, stolen, and altered the Venetians own purposes. It was completely amazing...a once-in-a-lifetime experience to be sure.

 

Was this a ship excursion?

[princessebird]

that sounds wonderful!! who did you book that thru? do you remember? thanks for any info, i just did a google search and :( bye for now martha:)

 

It was wonderful. We booked through Context Travel. It wasn't cheap, but it was definitely a once in a lifetime event. They only offer the tour one night a month during the high season. In April 2008, that one night happened to be when Legend OTS overnighted in Venice. I think they also have an after hours of St. Peter's and we are contemplating another Med trip next year so we can see that.

 

http://www.contexttravel.com/venice/tours/out-of-context/

[PersistenzaretiniKa]

The best experience I have had in Europe is sailing into Venice with Andrea Bocelli's "Time to Say Goodbye" playing in the background. And I had already been to Venice five times. Sailing in is surreal.

 

Second would be the Cinque Terre.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0ccQVy1og&feature=related

 

for u ;)

[texancruzer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sp0ccQVy1og&feature=related

 

for u ;)

 

 

GOOSEBUMPS !!!!!!!!! :D

[rebeccalouise]

I didn't know the name of the song when we sailed into Venice. It wasn't until a few months later when my boss was playing the song on YouTube that I recognized it- bought the album and have listened to it over and over.

 

I will always associate that song with Venice (a place I have visited several times in the past few years and never tire of).

[Denisern2]

Wow there were so many!! Capri and Pompeii were right up there. Seeing the actual David Wow.Venice at night was the best. What a great trip can we go again?

[vacationhappy]

There are so many once in a lifetime moments -

 

1. Sailing into Venice in the early eveing with Italian opera playing in the background was spectacular

2. Waking up and seeing Santorini at sunrise for the first time. The caldera had a surreal pink hue. Stunning.

3. Sailaway at sunset along the Amalfi coast.

4. Seeing the Sistine Chapel for the first time

5. Standing in a huge field of sunflowers in Tuscany only seeing sunflowers as far as the eye can see.

[teach2travel]

As everyone else has said...so many memories...........

• hearing the call to prayers in Istanbul
  
• being so proud of my son as he helped an older lady navigate the rocky streets of Pompeii
  
• standing on the very front of the ship and watching the sun rise over Istanbul
  
• Visiting Mary's House in Turkey
  
• Looking down over the city of Florence from Piazza Michangelo
  
• the Vatican
  
• The gelato!!!
  
• The shopping!!

[keesu89]

Oh so true about all the memories.

 

Toplist for us was:

 

Early morning in Venice watching a local woman scolding (unsuccessfully)a local cat who was wandering through the windowboxes at the front of the restaurant. Still have this picture as my screensaver, it is just so Venice, different from the usual photos.

 

Lunch in a small restaurant in Santorini overlooking the cliff and the water, with our ship anchored below.

 

Lunch in a small restaurant on the waterfront on Mykonos

 

Sailaway at Naples, waving to the statue to ensure that we return

 

Sailaway out of Venice with Time to Say Goodbye playing in the background

 

Touring the Doge's palace in Venice, looking out at the bridge of sighs.

 

Wandering through Old Town in Rhodes.

 

Baklava in a cafe in Athens.

 

So many wonderful memories the list could go on forever!

 

Keesu89

[threeofus]

Wow - after reading your posts I am even more excited about our upcoming cruise. We sail in 29 days - we leave in 25 day! I better start packing:eek:

[bellagirl]

I,too,marvelled at the call to prayer in Istanbul. There is nothing like it. I was worried that I might not be able to hear it and there it was as we were exiting the Blue Mosque-that haunting wailing sound that sends goosebumps up your arms. That, too, I shall never forget.

Thanks for reminding me of that! Shelly