We took a 7 evening Mediterranean cruise with Explora cruise line earlier this month touring down the coast of Italy and over to Spain. Right here’s the primary of a sequence of posts recapping our journey!
We’re again from our Mediterranean cruise!!
The journey went nice, and I’ve SO a lot to share. This week and the subsequent be all journey themed as I recap every of our stops.
This journey was quick journey! Our purpose was to see as many cities / locations as doable with out having to maneuver our suitcase 10 instances, and we undoubtedly completed that. That mentioned, we received only a style of our stops, and the subsequent time we journey throughout the ocean, I’d love to do extra sluggish journey type.
General, I completely LOVED Explora, and the cruise half was wonderful. The boat, meals, drinks, setting had been all beautiful (Thomas, nonetheless, is “over cruises” for now). I’m able to plan a Greek Isle cruise with Explora subsequent! I like the sensation of getting off the ship to discover a spot after which coming “residence” every night. You both love or hate cruising, and I like it. It was by far the nicest cruise line I’ve been on.
A giant thanks to my sister, Laura Allen, for planning all the main points of this journey! She is a journey advisor with Fora and really helpful the cruise line. She additionally really helpful and booked our metropolis accommodations and helped us make preparations for drivers. In the event you’re all in favour of planning a visit – attain out to her (for free of charge to you, as journey advisors are paid on fee from the accommodations/cruises)!
Listed below are the weblog posts coming:
- Journey day + Rome
- Explora Cruise Overview + Day at Sea
- Naples + Amalfi, Italy
- Trapani, Sicily
- Tunis, Tunisia / Ship day
- Carloforte, Sardinia
- Mallorca, Spain
- Barcelona, Spain
Touring To Rome
We drove to North Carolina to drop the boys off with my dad and mom, after which we took a flight from Raleigh to Dulles, after which a direct flight from Dulles to Rome. We used bank card factors to guide United Polaris enterprise class! (Study extra about that right here.) The Polaris lounge in Dulles was SO NICE, and it was nice to have free meals and drinks and comfortable chairs for our six hour layover.
Right here’s my Polaris lie-flat seat for the 8.5 hour in a single day flight.
Having now skilled such a flight, I admit we didn’t do it proper. We left round 6pm and as an alternative of making an attempt to sleep for the 8 hours, we received caught up within the champagne and multi-courses of meals. I did precisely what I mentioned I wouldn’t do and principally received 3 hours of damaged sleep! Subsequent time I might 100% prioritize sleep and forgo the frills. I did love the skincare goodies we received at our seat. And it was considerably extra comfy than sleeping at a proper angle in economic system.
The various programs of meals was fairly respectable! I might barely eat breakfast which was served at my physique clock’s 1AM.
We landed in Rome at 2AM physique clock time, and went via passport management and baggage declare with out points. An enormous bonus was that our resort had a complimentary shuttle so we didn’t need to stress about discovering a cab!
Sleep Strolling Round Rome
Our room wasn’t fairly prepared upon arrival, so we tried to clean up as greatest we might and so they saved our baggage whereas we went on the lookout for breakfast after which walked across the metropolis. First cease: espresso + croissants.
Our resort was a pleasant stroll to the Colosseum. It was superior to see in individual! We weren’t effectively traveled sufficient to know that tickets had been bought out for the entire day, or we’d have gone inside.
However we had been nonetheless capable of get very shut.
We had been simply so completely happy to be there!
We walked via a residential neighborhood seeking a restaurant for lunch.
And we discovered one tucked into an alley that was stuffed with Italians having fun with their lunch.
We had a fried eggplant appetizer, pasta, and bread – basic Rome!
Corso 281
Throughout lunch, we received a textual content that our room was prepared, so we took an Uber again to the resort. My sister booked us at Corso 281, which was so beautiful! It’s a tiny resort, however it had some good perks together with the airport shuttle and a free breakfast. The situation was nice, too.
We took a pleasant afternoon nap, showers, and dressed up for dinner out. We additionally had a glowing rosé in our room, compliments of our journey advisor and had a few of that on the balcony earlier than heading out!
We went to the well-known Trevi Fountain on our stroll to dinner.
We simply liked the slender streets and eating places tucked into each nook.
We had dinner at Maccheroni Ristorante out on their patio.
Afterwards, we strolled again to our resort. It’s wonderful how previous and well-known every little thing is!
After a fairly respectable evening’s sleep, we had breakfast delivered to our room! Trying again on this meal, I want I might eat all of it! However I had little or no urge for food within the second.
We went for an influence stroll round within the morning earlier than showering and heading to our cruise port on the coast. It was a quick 24 hours in Rome. Rome wasn’t in-built a day, however it was seen in a day – hahahah.
Coming subsequent: boarding the Explora cruise!
