9 Night Best Of Italy & Spain Cruise

Civitavecchia, Rome's seaport, is the gateway for excursions into the Eternal City. Marvel at the Sistine Chapel and Michaelangelo's 'Pieta' in St. Peters Basillica, one of the largest churches ever built.Visit the centuries-old Pantheon and the Colosseum where gladiators fought.

Livorno, Italy is one of the largest commercial ports of call along the Mediterranean Sea, a gateway to beautiful Tuscany or any number of Mediterranean cruises. On cruises to Livorno, Italy, be sure to explore La Venezia, a Venetian-style canal district in the historical center of the city dating back to the Medici era. Tuscany itself is a destination like no other, boasting a seemingly-impossible mix of ancient and new, rolling hillsides and industrial skylines, the juxtaposition of slow living in remote fishing villages with the masterworks of Renaissance art and architecture you’ll find in Florence and Pisa. Travelers can meander through Livorno for a taste of modern, coastal Tuscany before continuing on to destinations like Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Cinque Terre, and the vast Chianti wine region. On your Tuscany cruise, dock in Livorno and be in Florence in just two hours. Only a little over an hour from the port of Livorno is Pisa, a highly-visited town known for its Gothic architecture, home to the vibrant University of Pisa, and of course, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which remains famously tilted since construction finished in 1372. On your Tuscany cruise, you’ll find the city’s reputation precedes it. Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance, home to the largest Franciscan church in the world, the Basilica of Santa Croce, and one of the world’s most culturally, artistically, and intellectually significant cities.

The Amalfi Coast is one of the jewels of Italy’s long, boot-shaped coastline. Located on the southwest side of the country, the Amalfi Coast is nestled against the teal blue of the Atlantic Ocean and is a favorite destination for Italy cruise passengers. The region is home to mesmerizing hilltop towns with colorful buildings and relaxing beaches with unforgettable views. On an Amalfi Coast cruise, you’ll dock in Salerno, the largest city along the coast. Spend your time in port visiting the top attractions of this beautiful coastline, strolling through the picturesque streets, and savoring local delicacies.

Pristine waters and white sand beaches surround visitors in Cagliari, the capital of the island of Sardinia. This Mediterranean paradise is filled with great opportunities to scuba, snorkel and swim, in addition to exploring local attractions like the ancient churches and monuments of Castello, the city's oldest sector.

Best known as the birthplace of paella, Valencia has steadily moved onto the radar of savvy travelers. It's a vibrant, friendly, mildly chaotic place with two outstanding fine-arts museums, an accessible old quarter, Europe's newest cultural and scientific complex – and one of Spain's most exciting nightlife scenes. Whole sections of the old city, for example the Carmen Quarter, have been extensively renovated. One of the best spots for exploring Valencia's history is at the museum L'Almoina, which opened three years ago in the Carmen on the site where Valencia was founded by the Romans in 138 B.C. Here, you can walk over glass floors, looking down at a stunning assemblage of ruins excavated in the area. The exhibition includes Roman baths, tombs and a medieval Moorish ward for plague victims.

This island enclave is often described as a mini-Barcelona, with a Gothic feel that has overtaken centuries of Roman and Moorish culture. Visit El Baluard, the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, which was built on the site of the remnants of the 16th century Bastio de Sant Pere, or shop for bargain pearls at the city's many jewelers.

Formerly a sleepy Spanish city, Barcelona has recently been reborn as an eclectic fusion of the modern and medieval. Seek inspiration from the creations of its modernist architect, Antonio Gaudí, or the Picasso Museum. Or, take in the breathtaking cathedrals in the Gothic Quarter.