Barcelona is a gorgeous city with lots to see. We loved the excitement and intensity of the Flamenco dancers and enjoyed the Tapas. La Sagrada Familia is not to be missed. It is so grand and unique that it's hard to find words to describe it. The tour guides on all three excursions were excellent.

We took a bus to the theatre where we were entertained by five guitarists who also sang and five female Flamendo dancers who were intense in their performance. We loved the party atmosphere, enjoyed the wine, and the tapas.

We had seen La Sagrada Familia five months ago on another cruise, but it never fails to impress the visitor with its grand stained glass and immense ceilings. It is such a unique experience to visit the cathedral and admire its amazing facade and tremendous altar.

Toulon was lots of fun because we found a Christmas market in the city center. It was fabulous with lots of vendors, houses with animated elf statues, and a parade of very imaginative creatures including reindeer costumed dancers, men dressed in white "riding" white horses, and fairy princesses. We also were able to visit several villages, Sanary and Le Castellet, which provided wonderful photo opportunities. Sanary is a fishing village with colorful boats and narrow streets of shops. There was even a ferris wheel. Le Castellet is the epitome of quaint with adorable shops, a beautiful church with a live-in cat, and narrow cobblestone streets.

Monaco is a picturesque city on a hillside. The city is famous for its casino and the king's palace. I had been there before so we did not take an excursion, but right near the ship's dock was a Christmas market. It was a true fantasy land with tiny houses, colorful lights, food vendors, and wonderful souvenir booths. We loved taking pictures of the colorful atmosphere.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of those things that you have to see. Florence is a city of such beauty and antiquity that it would take a month to see everything. The tour director was very knowledgeable and made the tour special.

We had a wonderful tour director who enjoyed her job immensely. She provided lots of information and gave us space to enjoy Lucca on our own. Lucca is picturesque with narrow cobblestone streets and fabulous shops with high end merchandise. There also are some inexpensive souvenir shops.

The city tour was helpful in getting an overall picture of where the main tourist areas are in Rome.