BARCELONA: The Fat Tire Bike Tour of Barcelona was one of the best parts of our entire trip! Here's a tip on finding the meeting place in Plaza Sant Jaume. If you take the Metro, get off at Sant Jaume I, and when you come outside you'll see a bakery called "Bombon Patissetellerie." Walk past the bakery's SIDE entrance and go up the street for about two blocks, and you'll come to the Sant Jaume Plaza where the bike tour meets. (Of course, you may not be able to pass the bakery without stopping to buy something delicious! :)

The bike tour is absolutely fantastic -- simply the best way to discover Barcelona as we went down little alleys where cars cannot go, along bike paths, and through parks. We saw why Barcelona is rated as one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world! We really enjoyed our guide, Jill from Ireland; she is very knowledgeable and personable. Our tour was on a Sunday evening -- a great time to see the people of Barcelona out enjoying the lovely parks, streets and beaches.

EMBARKATION / SHIP: Embarkation went remarkably smoothly, and we were soon enjoying our beautiful cabin. We like to save money whenever possible, but we were so thankful that we spent the extra money for a balcony cabin. This cruise has so many fantastic ports - it was great to wake up and open the door to see a different city nearly every day. Plus, sailing through the Med is incredibly scenic. It was thrilling to sail through the Straits of Messina between mainland Italy and Sicily, between Corsica and Sardinia, and among the spectacular Greek islands. Read more