9 nights, Barcelona to Barcelona
Explora's name for it: A Journey through Mediterranean Wonders & Ancient Echoes
This is a nine-night loop out of Barcelona and back, seven stops, no sea days, so the pace runs full. You trace the western Mediterranean down through Italy to Malta, cross to Tunisia, then climb back up through Sicily and the Balearics. The hooks are real and varied: Sagrada Família's forest of stone columns in Barcelona, Caravaggio's largest painting inside Valletta's cathedral, the cable car from Trapani's baroque seafront up to Erice at 750 meters, and ancient Carthage scattered across the coast above Tunis. Naples gives you a choice the moment you walk off at Molo Beverello: the city core on foot, or the whole day spent reaching Pompeii.
Be honest with yourself about pace. Two of these days are gateways, not destinations. Civitavecchia is Rome's deepwater port, about 80 km out, and Rome will eat the day on a regional train. La Goulette is functional, and Carthage, Tunis, and Sidi Bou Said need a driver to connect. If you want to linger over each town, this dense, port-a-day rhythm will frustrate you. It rewards travelers who like range, who would rather sample four countries and decide later where to return, and who do their homework before each port rather than after.
Explora I is all-suite and all-oceanfront.
The itinerary, port by port
7 calls over 9 nights, round-trip from Barcelona. 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
- 6
- 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.
- Spontaneous Summer Invitation
- A near-term fare on a small set of summer-season sailings. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
- Air-Inclusive Fare
- A fare that folds airfare into the voyage price on a smaller set of sailings.
The ship and your suite
This sailing is aboard EXPLORA I, 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 →