So, how do you choose between choices? Plea: The truth is, one is no better than the other. They are equally excellent. Trying to choose a winner is like trying to choose between an apple and an orange. Apples are crisper. Oranges are more important. But does this make people a better choice?
Keep reading for our assessments, designed to help you determine which assessment you want to try first, but (positively) empirically, there is no (positive) the route that is better:
culture
The Eastern Mediterranean route has interesting and important attractions. exist Eastern Mediterraneanwhich is dominated by Greece and Türkiye, the most important locations tend to be ancient and collapsed historical sites. Parthenon in Athens is as shocking as you might think and stares at the metropolis in a grand manner. Ephesus is located in the port of Kusadasi, which is an amazing review.
exist Western Mediterraneandominated by Spain, France and Italy, you are more likely to see museums such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Picasso Museum in Barcelona. Of course, this is an oversimplified, and both fields have important religious connections, most notably the Vatican in Rome, Palais des Papes in Avignon and the Sagrada Familia Cathedral designed by Gaudí in Barcelona.
Our Choices: painting.
Both routes performed well in culture. Your preference will depend on the culture you are more interested in.
food
Likewise, the food on both ends of the Mediterranean is impressive. In the eastern countries of Greece and eastern Turkey you will find gyroscopes and kebabs, grilled seafood, bright salads, pita cakes, dips, everything is delicious but also fresh and generally healthy. A warning: coffee in both countries is a taste of gain. Turkish coffee is very strong and has sediment at the bottom. Greeks love their refrigerators… are made of instant coffee pellets.
In the western Mediterranean (i.e., France, Spain and Italy), food tends to be richer. In Spain, you will need to try tapas, corn tortillas and paella and start the day with fried dough sticks and hot chocolate. In France, look for croissants, bouillabaisse, daube, ta meals and vegetable lade eggs, and the classic Nissos salad with tuna and sandwich versions, Pan Bagnat. Italian cuisine is more diverse on the coastline, but you can’t go wrong with homemade delis, local cheeses, fresh pasta and seafood picking from Med. Of course, ice cream…you must not forget ice cream, although in southern Italy we love the hot weather with cold almonds or lemon granitas (muddy), and there is a ricotta-based pastry on the cooler.
Our Choices: painting.
This is the advantage of these routes, both of which will beat many other itineraries in the rest of the world.
Login port
Because the city you depart must have large airports from, it is no surprise that these cruises start and end with the most iconic attractions on the sailing boat. On the Eastern route, Athens and Istanbul are the most popular, both worth adding a few pre-or-pure days to make sure you dig into them. In Athens, you can see the Parthenon and wander around the Plaka area before checking the archaeological museum. In Istanbul, the Blue Mosque and the Sultan palaces are worth spending more time, and you usually have a day in the harbor.
On the western route, Barcelona and Rome are the most common ports of arrival and departure. While Rome is far from the port of Civitavecchia, both cities are worth spending more time exploring. Barcelona has several amazing art galleries, a cool Gaudi website, Las Ramblas and the Gothic neighborhoods. For sailing ships offering Eastern and Western ports, Venice is a frequent boarding or disembarking option and equally enriches culture and history.
Our Choices: painting.
These are amazing big cities that attract culture and excitement from the vast travelers. The Eastern Mediterranean sailboats all have fabulous boarding ports.
Suitable for children
While you may choose a boat based on the onboard amenities, it is important to see how many “sea” days you have, and it’s even more important when traveling with a small child. These kids’ clubs and water parks may sound fun, but the reality may be that if you sign up for a full-day tour without the sea days, you’ll be visiting in certain ports every day. Even for adults, taking a long tour after a day of international travel can make you feel like you need a vacation.
Our advice: Take a closer look at the time you choose for your shore excursion and if you pack too much sightseeing, consider using a quieter beach or lunch time for yourself and any older kids at your party. If your child is young, you may want to choose a day or two to stay on the boat, especially if you have been to the destination in the past. You might have the best attractions on board – including pools, spas and gyms – and do whatever you want without dealing with lines or crowding.
Our Choices: East.
There are many more ports, including Santorini and Mykonos, that can be used as beach days without feeling like you missed seeing important sites.
shortcoming
Although these are idyllic parts of the world, there are still some ports that are difficult to reach from the coast. In Western Medicine, Rome jumps out – in the worst rush hour traffic, it can be almost two hours per line, and it can be exhausted when you (consider when you are on a long day of sightseeing). Florence may also have a long time of traffic. In Eastern Medicine, Athens is not on the water, but it is a 30-minute drive from Piraeus.
Our Choices: East.
The long distance from the port to Florence and Rome on the Western Medical Cruise is a real drawback.
Comprehensive
Our Choices: tie!
We cannot or will not choose winners in this regard. If we had time, our perfect cruise would be a sailing in the Eastern Mediterranean, followed by a sailing in the West. They are all amazing experiences we think all cruisers should have on their bucket list. If you don’t have a specific holiday for two full weeks, but want to see it all, look for a route that combines the best (heaviest hitter) of the two. This would be especially good advice if you are not visiting the area at all and want to use your trip as a “taste” to help you determine which areas to revisit in future holidays for a deeper exploration. Nevertheless, it is important to remember that there are really no wrong choices when choosing between the Eastern Mediterranean routes.