a mediterranean culinary and cultural journey: cruise & stay

The capital of Spain's Catalonia region is one of the country's -- maybe even Europe's -- most beautiful and vibrant places. A city of contrasts, it is like no other in Spain; this is most evident in its architecture, a marriage of Gothic spikes and modern curves. (One name to keep an eye out for is Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona's most famous architect.) Barcelona is also a city of distinct neighbourhoods. The old city -- Ciutat Vella -- is the heart of everything, with museums, shopping and cafes. Then there's the port area, Port Vell, which features bars, restaurants, shops, an IMAX theatre and the largest aquarium in Europe. (Port Vell is different from the working port area where cruise ships dock, but it's not too far away.) Enchanting and ancient, the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) is the centre of the old city and brings together the best of Barcelona in a series of narrow streets, shops, cafes and magical corridors. One of Barcelona's best attributes is that while it seems large and spread out, its neighbourhoods are surprisingly walkable and easily accessible by bus, metro or even on foot (in comfortable shoes). Don't miss a stroll along Las Ramblas, replete with produce and flower stands, a historic opera house and maybe even a glimpse of Marilyn Monroe calling to you from the balcony of the Erotica Museum. Just be sure to rest your feet now and then over a few plates of tapas (which are meant to be shared, but we won't tell if you don't) and an ice-cold pitcher of sangria or a bottle of cava, the region's sparkling wine.

Marseille, gateway to Provence, is France's largest port and second largest city, with a vast history stretching back more than 2,000 years to its foundation by the Greeks in the 6th century BC. While much of the city is urban sprawl, it has a spectacular setting between dramatic limestone hills and the Mediterranean, and the once-industrial streets now feature stylish shops and cutting-edge art galleries, thanks to investment from its role as European Capital of Culture 2013. Most cruisers make a beeline for Le Vieux Port, a buzzing, picturesque harbour lined with boutiques, restaurants and cafes. This district attracts an eclectic crowd, from local fishermen to millionaires venturing ashore from James Bond-style mega-yachts. All gather to soak up Le Vieux Port's charming atmosphere, browse its bustling markets and tuck into a bowl of Marseille's classic signature dish, bouillabaisse (a rich fish stew).

Sometimes, cities are lucky enough to reinvent themselves. Genoa, given short shrift in travel guides 20 years ago, has undergone a striking renaissance since 1992, when it hosted an international expo to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of the discovery of the New World. Nowhere is that benefit more evident than at Porto Antico, the old port close to the marine terminal, where many of today's cruise ships now dock. What once was a seedy waterfront on Northern Italy's Mediterranean is now a charming blend of old and new structures, featuring cafes, shops, a movie complex, a maritime museum, a spectacular play and cultural center for kids and, most importantly, the largest aquarium in Europe. From a distance, the Genoa cityscape -- climbing up a steep, green hillside from the Ligurian sea -- is awash in Mediterranean color: ochre, pink and red. It's a big town with more than 600,000 people, but it has a small-town feel and layout that make it imminently walkable. In fact, Genoa's foremost calling cards -- its historic center; the Piazza de Ferrari, where the Opera and Palace of the Doges are located; the chic shopping avenue, Via XX Settembre; and the largely pedestrian-only streets that hug the Cathedral of San Lorenzo -- are all within a 10- to 20-minute walk of Porto Antico. Genoa, or Genova in Italian, has a rich history dating back to ancient times, but it's probably best known for Christopher Columbus, its most famous native celebrity. It has long been associated with the arts, and in 2004 the European Union designated Genoa as a European Capital of Culture. In 2006, a mid-16th century district on Via Garibaldi that houses an architecturally important ensemble of Renaissance and Baroque palaces was included on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Genoa typically serves as a port of embarkation or disembarkation, so it isn't often given high priority as a shore excursion. Our best advice? Enjoy a day here before or after your cruise. It's worth it.

You know instantly when you're docked in Naples. First of all, where else is there a Norman castle overlooking the port, a royal palace above the castle and a fortress, Castel Sant'Elmo, right on the top of the hillside overlooking them all? But beyond these historic fortifications, there is the unmistakable shape of Vesuvius. Very few volcanoes look more like those of your imagination than Vesuvius. Amazingly, suburbs climb up its flanks; if Vesuvius explodes again, 600,000 people will have to be evacuated from the city.

Over the centuries, Naples was ruled by many European families. You'll see some of them represented by statues on the facade on Palazzo Reale: Charles V of the Hapsburgs, Charles III of the Bourbons, Joseph Murat of the Bonaparte family and finally Victor Emmanuel II of the House of Savoy who became king of Italy in 1861. Unfortunately, with the Italian capital moving to Turin, then Florence and finally Rome, Naples lost much of its importance. A civic decline set in during the 19th century, and the city has yet to recover. The historic center still has far too many boarded-up palazzos.

The city is home to architectural highpoints -- the Gallerias Principe di Napoli and Umberto II, the royal palaces, churches and former convents -- but there are also some unfortunate 1970's-style apartment blocks that wreck the view up to Vesuvius or down to the sea. This is a city of broad corsos (avenues) as well as narrow alleyways. Judging by the gesticulations of those who drive around its streets, it's also a very passionate city. Naples is unmistakably less self-conscious than Rome or Florence and more real than Venice.

The port of Naples serves as a gateway to key destinations -- Pompeii, Sorrento, Ravello, Positano, Capri and Ischia -- but it is also a city to be enjoyed in its own right.

Take a deep breath, plunge in and enjoy.

Messina is Sicily's most important city and port on the north east coast. From here you can take a tour to Taormina, a beautiful city overlooking Mount Etna. Visit the Palazzo Corvaia which dates from the l5th Century and the acoustically perfect Greek Theatre offering outstanding views of the Sicilian countryside.

Sailing into Valletta, Malta, is akin to stepping into the pages of a J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy; once you are in the protected harbour, it feels as though modern civilization has disappeared. Oh, you can see a car or two driving on the winding streets amid the limestone battlements, crenelated castles and hillside structures, but they seem terribly out of place and unexpected. Never mind that Malta, which owns 7,000 years of intriguing history, is fully modernized and contemporary. What you see when entering Valletta Harbour are the formidable defensive stone battlements of forts pockmarked by war guarding the strategic waterway. Cream-colored buildings and ancient church steeples grow out of the twisting streets and hillsides. In the bay and channels, Malta's colourful luzzo boats, fishing craft resembling an elf's shoe, ply the waters in the wake of modern giant cruise ships and tankers. Valletta was built by the Knights of St. John as a place to take care of wounded soldiers and pilgrims during the Crusades in the 16th century. Its unique landscape and ancient buildings have appeared in films such as "Troy," "Gladiator," "Captain Phillips" and "World War Z." This tiny Mediterranean country is part of an archipelago of five islands, only three of which are inhabited. Cruise ships visit the island of Malta and the port of Valletta (designed by a colleague of Michelangelo). Malta has been inhabited since 5000 B.C. and was colonized by the Phoenicians in 1000 B.C. Then, the islands went in turn to the Greeks, Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Normans and the Spanish, who handed them over to the Knights of the Order of St. John in a "perpetual lease" in 1533; this lasted until Napoleon seized control in 1798. The Maltese did not like the French, however, and rebelled by seeking aid from Great Britain; Malta became a British protectorate in 1800 and a part of the British Empire in 1814. Later, it shook off the British, as well, and was granted independence in 1964. Since 1974, Malta is a republic under the British Commonwealth. The influence of all of these cultures is evident in Malta, with the Roman period seemingly taking precedence.

The capital of Spain's Catalonia region is one of the country's -- maybe even Europe's -- most beautiful and vibrant places. A city of contrasts, it is like no other in Spain; this is most evident in its architecture, a marriage of Gothic spikes and modern curves. (One name to keep an eye out for is Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona's most famous architect.) Barcelona is also a city of distinct neighbourhoods. The old city -- Ciutat Vella -- is the heart of everything, with museums, shopping and cafes. Then there's the port area, Port Vell, which features bars, restaurants, shops, an IMAX theatre and the largest aquarium in Europe. (Port Vell is different from the working port area where cruise ships dock, but it's not too far away.) Enchanting and ancient, the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) is the centre of the old city and brings together the best of Barcelona in a series of narrow streets, shops, cafes and magical corridors. One of Barcelona's best attributes is that while it seems large and spread out, its neighbourhoods are surprisingly walkable and easily accessible by bus, metro or even on foot (in comfortable shoes). Don't miss a stroll along Las Ramblas, replete with produce and flower stands, a historic opera house and maybe even a glimpse of Marilyn Monroe calling to you from the balcony of the Erotica Museum. Just be sure to rest your feet now and then over a few plates of tapas (which are meant to be shared, but we won't tell if you don't) and an ice-cold pitcher of sangria or a bottle of cava, the region's sparkling wine.