5 nights, Barcelona to La Valletta
Explora's name for it: A Journey of Layers, Light and Living History
This is a one-way run along Italy's spine, west to east and then south: Barcelona to Spain's coast, then four Italian calls before finishing across the water in Malta. Five nights, six ports, no sea days, so the pace is brisk and front-loaded with gateway days. La Spezia is your door to the Cinque Terre and Portovenere, reached by train or ferry, and the smart move is to treat the boat and the rail line as a weather hedge rather than a preference. Civitavecchia is purely Rome's deepwater port, about 80 km out, with the FL5 regional line doing the work. Naples drops you at the foot of the historic center, a choice between the city core on foot or Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast for the whole day. Siracusa is the standout call: the ship docks right on Ortigia, and one day handles both the Greek theatre at Neapolis and the Baroque island.
Pick this if you want a fast survey of the western and Tyrrhenian coast and don't mind that two of the six days, Civitavecchia and arguably Barcelona's distant Adossat quay, eat travel time getting to the real destination. Skip it if you want slow days in port or a single deep stay; this rewards travelers who plan transfers and move quickly.
Explora II is all-suite, all-oceanfront.
The itinerary, port by port
6 calls over 5 nights, Barcelona to La Valletta. Open any port for my full day-ashore guide, what to see, when to go, and how the day actually runs.
Getting there: Flights to Barcelona (BCN) are already bookable for these dates. I watch the fare for booked clients so you book at the right moment. When to book your flights →
- Embark
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- Disembark
Fares on this departure, decoded
Reading the fare fine print is the job. Here's what this sailing currently carries:
- Invitation to Discover More
- Explora's discovery fare, available across most of the calendar. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
The ship and your suite
This sailing is aboard EXPLORA II, all-suite, every suite with a private ocean-front terrace. Suites run from the entry Ocean Terrace to the Owner's Residence; the right tier depends on how you travel. Compare suites → · What's included →