Silversea Cruise: Barcelona to Monte Carlo

There’s no shortage of colour on this journey – whether it’s Gaudi’s mosaic sculptures, which frame majestic city and ocean views from Park Güell, or the vibrant colour splashes of fishing villages, which tumble down some of Italy’s most dramatic cliffs at the secluded Cinque Terre. Incomparable luxury and exclusive glamour aplenty also waits in Monte Carlo and St. Tropez.

The Silver Muse ship is the new Flagship vessel for Silversea Cruises. Silver Muse redefines ultra-luxury ocean travel – enhancing the small-ship intimacy and spacious all-suite accommodations that are the hallmarks of the Silversea experience. This new ship significantly raises the bar in the ultra-luxury cruise market with a wealth of enhancements to the onboard experience, while satisfying the uncompromising requirements for comfort, service, and quality of the world’s most discerning travellers.

Cruise Itinerary 

Day 1: 1st July-  Barcelona, Spain 
The infinite variety of street life, the nooks and crannies of the medieval Barri Gòtic, the ceramic tile and stained glass of Art Nouveau facades, the art and music, the throb of street life, the food (ah, the food!)—one way or another, Barcelona will find a way to get your full attention. The capital of Catalonia is a banquet for the senses, with its beguiling mix of ancient and modern architecture, tempting cafés and markets, and sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches. A stroll along La Rambla and through waterfront Barceloneta, as well as a tour of Gaudí’s majestic Sagrada Família and his other unique creations, are part of a visit to Spain’s second-largest city.

Day 2: 2nd July- Marseille, France
Since being designated a European Capital of Culture for 2013, with an estimated €660 million of funding in the bargain, Marseille has been in the throes of an extraordinary transformation, with no fewer than five major new arts centres, a beautifully refurbished port, revitalised neighbourhoods, and a slew of new shops and restaurants. Once the underdog, this time-burnished city is now welcoming an influx of weekend tourists who have colonised entire neighbourhoods and transformed them into elegant pieds-à-terre (or should we say, mer). The second-largest city in France, Marseille is one of Europe’s most vibrant destinations.

Day 3:3rd July-  Calvi, Corsica
Calvi, Corsica’s slice of the Riviera, has been described by author Dorothy Carrington as “an oasis of pleasure on an otherwise austere island.” Calvi prospered by supplying products to Genoa; its citizens remained loyal supporters of Genoa long after the rest of the island declared independence. Calvi also claims to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus. During the 18th century the town endured assaults from Corsican nationalists, including celebrated patriot Pasquale Paoli. Today Calvi sees a summertime invasion of tourists, drawn to the 6-km (4-mile) stretch of sandy white beach, impressive citadel overlooking the Old Town, lively restaurants, and buzzing nightlife.

Day 4: 4th July – Livorno, Italy
Livorno is a gritty city with a long and interesting history. In the early Middle Ages it alternately belonged to Pisa and Genoa. In 1421 Florence, seeking access to the sea, bought it. Cosimo I (1519–74) started construction of the harbor in 1571, putting Livorno on the map. After Ferdinando I de’ Medici (1549–1609) proclaimed Livorno a free city, it became a haven for people suffering from religious persecution; Roman Catholics from England and Jews and Moors from Spain and Portugal, among others, settled here. The Quattro Mori (Four Moors), also known as the Monument to Ferdinando I, commemorates this. (The statue of Ferdinando I dates from 1595, the bronze Moors by Pietro Tacca from the 1620s.

Day 5: 5th July – Portovenere, Italy 
The colourful facades and pedestrians-only calata (promenade) make Portovenere the quintessential Ligurian seaside village. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, its harbour is lined with tall, thin “terratetto” houses that date from as far back as the 11th century and are connected in a wall-like formation to protect against attacks by the Pisans and local pirates. Its tiny, carruggi (alley-like passageways) lead to an array of charming shops, homes, and gardens and eventually to the village’s impressive Castle Doria high on the olive tree covered hill.

Day 6: 6th July- Sant Tropez, France
At first glance, it really doesn’t look all that impressive. There’s a pretty port with cafés charging €5 for a coffee and a picturesque old town in sugared-almond hues, but there are many prettier in the hills nearby. There are sandy beaches, rare enough on the Riviera, and old-fashioned squares with plane trees and pétanque players, but these are a dime a dozen throughout Provence. So what made St-Tropez an internationally known locale? Two words: Brigitte Bardot. When this pulpeuse (voluptuous) teenager showed up in St-Tropez on the arm of Roger Vadim in 1956 to film And God Created Woman, the heads of the world snapped around.

Day 7: 7th July- Monte Carlo, Monaco 
On one of the best stretches of the Mediterranean, this classic luxury destination is one of the most sought-after addresses in the world. With all the high-rise towers you have to look hard to find the Belle Époque grace of yesteryear. But if you head to the town’s great 1864 landmark Hôtel de Paris—still a veritable crossroads of the buffed and befurred Euro-gentry—or enjoy a grand bouffe at its famous Louis XV restaurant, or attend the opera, or visit the ballrooms of the casino, you may still be able to conjure up Monaco’s elegant past. Prince Albert II, a political science graduate from Amherst College, traces his ancestry to Otto Canella, who was born in 1070.