Getting Closer

I wanted to share with you the first cruise itinerary places and some of the places we plan to see..

• Day 1 - Depart Barcelona, Spain - As we arrive by plane in Barcelona, we will have two days to see the sights before beginning the first cruise. There are plenty of things to see. One of the things we intend to do is take a trip to the rugged Montserrat Mountain range, which is just northwest of Barcelona. We are looking forward to visiting the Montserrat Monastery which was founded as a Benedictine abbey during the 11th century. The Abbey is perched 2,400 above the Llogregat River.
• Day 2 - Monaco - As our ship docks in Monaco, we will be taking a bus to the city of Nice where we will see the Negresco hotel with its ornate Rococo facade, and pass by the Russian Orthodox Cathedral with six domes and colorful ceramics. Next, we will be able to stroll through the village of Eze, which is perched high above the sea on the face of a cliff. 
• Day 3 - Livorno, Italy - This is the gateway to Florence and Pisa. Obviously, no visit to Pisa would be complete without seeing the Leaning Tower of Pisa. We have tickets to actually go into the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which has a limited capacity. Will we walk to the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa? We shall see, but I intend to do just that.
• Day 4 - Civitavecchia, Italy - Rome is where we will be going when we dock here. There is so much to do in Rome, that we are thankful that we will be coming back to Rome a second time on the second cruise. You name it, we intend to see it. The Vatican, St. Peter's Square, St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum, and the Trevi Fountain are just a few of items on this trip.
• Day 5 - Naples, Italy - We will be walking through Pompeii, which was buried by ash and pumice stone in 79AD.
• Day 6 - Messina, Italy - As we visit this historical Sicilian city, we will visit a Greek theater built by the Greeks in the 3rd Century B.C. and later restructured by the Romans.
• Day 7 - Fun Day at Sea - Finally, a chance to rest from a whirl-wind of excursions.
• Day 8 - Palma de Mallorca, Spain - This is the capital of the Balearic Islands. We will visit Soller, a quiet and picturesque town, nestled in the mountains, with a rugged northern coast. We then take a train ride  across the island which provides a look at the rugged interior.
• Day 9 - Marseilles, France - As we dock at Marseilles, we will visit the Village of Cassis, which dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. Cassis is nestled in a cove at the base of a medieval castle.
• Day 10 - Arrive Barcelona, Spain - As we arrive back to Barcelona, our first cruise ends and we get ready for the second cruise which is longer. More about that cruise tomorrow.

I must be off!