Windstar Cruises: Wind Spirit

Civitavecchia is the port city for Rome. Rome has always been and remains the Eternal City. With its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafés and elegant shops, Rome is one of the world’s most attractive cities. Among the most famous monuments is the Colosseum where spectators watched combats between muscled gladiators and ferocious animals. Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once a political and commercial center. Rome’s squares were enhanced with such imposing structures as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di Trevi. Awe at Christendom’s most magnificent church, the Sistine Chapel. The busy square Piazza Venezia is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio Emanuele II Monument. Take a stroll to Rome's famous Trevi Fountain. Vatican City is the site of lovely St. Peter's Square and St. Peter's Basilica, where for 200 years, Renaissance masters worked on its design and created an unparalleled masterpiece. Visit Vatican Museum.

Suggested Private Excursions

Civitavecchia: Imperial Rome & The Vatican City - 8 hours

Civitavecchia: Rome for Repeat Visitors - 8 hours

Civitavecchia: Gastronomic Rome and Time at Leisure - 8 hours

Civitavecchia: Museums of Rome - Capitoline and Borghese - 8 hours

Portoferraio, with its lemon-yellow buildings, is among the most elegant of the old Mediterranean ports. Beyond the town lies an island of great natural beauty. The hills are covered with pine forests and the scent of wildflowers fills the air; discover the island's medieval and Napoleonic history on a countryside tour.

Bastia’s industrial sprawl is offset by its aged charm. The presence of overwhelming Italian character adds to the city’s attraction. Two distinct areas comprise the city: Terra Vecchia, the old quarter with its haphazard streets and flamboyant Baroque churches, and the more orderly Terra Nova, representing the administrative core of old Bastia. The city’s origin can be traced to a settlement established by the Romans just south of Bastia. The Genoese put this port on the map as the island’s capital for four centuries and a base from where local wine was shipped to the Italian mainland. They built a fortress, or bastiglia, from which the town took its name. The Genoese laid the foundation for the area’s prosperity, which it has managed to retain.

Calvi, with its long sandy beach, boarded by parasol pine-trees, is dominated by a Genoese citadel planted on a promontory with the small town below, extending along a waterfront, bustling with fishing boats and yachts. Not surprising its idyllic setting is so attractive for ships of all sizes.

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Mahon is a town known since antiquity for its natural harbor. Its coastline includes beautiful natural coves, rocky cliffs, and long beaches. Menorca is an open-air museum with archaeological remains giving evidence of Mediterranean cultures of thousands of years ago. Traces of English rule remain, especially in the design of tall houses with sash windows overlooking the harbor. Watersports are most popular of the wide range of leisure activities available. Sail boat rentals are available at numerous beaches and a golf course is located in Son Park. Menorca was declared a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1993 - an acknowledgement of the island's environmental importance and artistic and cultural heritage. Santa Maria Church, located in Plaza de la Constitucion, was founded in 1287 and rebuilt in neo-classical style in the 18th century. Its 19th-century organ is one of the world’s largest, with 3,004 pipes. Sa Mesquida and Cala del Pilar are the two best beaches.

The Balearics are comprised of 16 islands; the three principal ones are Mallorca, Ibiza and Menorca. Lying just 60 miles off the Spanish mainland, the islands’ lush and rugged landscape combined with an extremely mild, sunny climate prove irresistible. The Balearics boast cosmopolitan resorts with lively nightlife and plenty of sports activities. Palma de Majorca is the capital of the archipelago. A cosmopolitan city with sophisticated shops and restaurants, it also offers buildings of spectacular Moorish and gothic architecture. Museo de Mallorca housed in the Palacio Ayamans boasts an interesting collection of Moorish, medieval and 18th- to 19th-century art. Those who wish to explore the northern end of the island will enjoy the dramatic land and seascape of Cabo Formentor at the end of a long, narrow peninsula. A winding road with magnificent views leads to the luxury Hotel Formentor, beautifully situated above the bay. The lighthouse of Cabo Formentor is the most northerly point on Majorca.

Barcelona, the self-confident and progressive capital of Spain, is a tremendous place to be. Though it boasts outstanding Gothic and Art Nouveau buildings, and some great museums – most notably those dedicated to Picasso and Catalan art – it is above all a place where there's enjoyment simply in walking the streets, stopping in at bars and cafés, drinking in the atmosphere. A thriving port and the most prosperous commercial centre in Spain, it has a sophistication and cultural dynamism way ahead of the rest of the country. In part this reflects the city's proximity to France, whose influence is apparent in the elegant boulevards and imaginative cooking. But Barcelona has also evolved an individual and eclectic cultural identity, most perfectly and eccentrically expressed in the architecture of Antoni Gaudí. Scattered as Barcelona's main sights may be, the greatest concentration of interest is around the old town (La Ciutat Vella). These cramped streets above the harbor are easily manageable, and far more enjoyable, on foot. Start, as everyone else does, with the Ramblas.

Suggested Private Excursions

Barcelona: A Walk Through Barcelona and The Sagrada Familia Park Guell for Families- 6 Hours

Art and Architecture in Barcelona (8 hours)

Gaudi’s Barcelona (4 hours)