| Description | Ports & Cities | Tours & Excursions |
| Barcelona, Spain local time GMT+1 hrs | ||
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Temperature: 17°C |
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| Weather data provided by weather.com® | ||
The magic of the Mediterranean stretches more than 2,200 miles from the 22-mile Straits of Gibraltar in the west to the Black Sea in the east and the Suez Canal in the south east. It has been called "the cradle of civilisation" offering a wonderful mix of geography, cultures and ancient history, all in a superb climate.
You can choose to sail on a round trip out of Southampton if you do not wish to fly or prefer to spend a few extra days relaxing at sea. Alternatively, fly direct to such ports as Palma, Venice or Barcelona to embark your ship.
With so many major cities on the water or within easy reach of the nearest port, it is far less expensive to take a cruise to explore than to fly and stay in hotels. As the region is diverse, cruise itineraries are often categorised into two regions:- Western Mediterranean and Eastern Mediterranean.
Western Mediterranean Cruises
Itineraries focus on Italy's west coast, the South of France, Spain and Portugal from the cosmopolitan cities of Rome, Florence, Barcelona and Palma, to the glittering French Riviera and Spanish coastal ports, such as Valencia and Malaga.
Eastern Mediterranean Cruises
Itineraries include ancient Greece and Turkey, the rugged Croatian coast and Black Sea. Visit a myriad of Greek Islands including Rhodes, Mykonos and idyllic Santorini to the ancient sites of Ephesus, Turkey. The Croatian coast and Dubrovnik together with Sicily and Malta are also popular ports of call.