Author: Debbie Lee Wesselmann

I am a world traveler, foodie, and the author of three works of fiction: Captivity, Trutor & the Balloonist, and The Earth and the Sky.

Archives Travel

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date April 9, 2026

When I visited the Willamette Valley in Oregon to tour the region’s wineries, I had little idea of what to expect. Yes, I knew that pinot noir ruled the way cabernet sauvignon does in Napa. And yes, I knew that many of the wines were critically acclaimed, even if I hadn’t tasted many. But I also knew that the valley had none of the tourist power of Napa Valley, maybe more reminiscent of the Finger Lakes than of California.To my surprise, I found a wine region somewhere between the high-end Napa experience and the low-key Finger Lakes.

The Willamette Valley spans 150 long and 60 miles wide, so I was only able to touch part of it. Because we stayed in Dundee, we limited ourselves to the many critically-acclaimed wineries nearby, mostly in the Ribbon Ridge and Dundee Hills portion.

When To Visit

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Vineyard in October

Early October proved to be an excellent time of the year to visit. Although many of the tourists had moved on, wineries remained open most days of the week. Our gamble on the autumn weather paid off. Several locals told us we were lucky since October weather can be rainy, but we encountered mostly sunny days, although we did have one overcast day and rain one evening.

Harvest generally occurs from mid-September through October, depending on the specific grape, microclimate, and weather conditions. Even though we visited during harvest, we did not see anything indicating that other than trucks transporting grapes. Usually, picking occurs overnight to keep the sugar in the grapes stable.

Where to Stay

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: La Bastide Bed and Breakfast

We stayed at the La Bastide Bed and Breakfast located on a country road in Dundee where we could hear roosters crowing at all times of the day. Despite the rural vibe –– and most of the Willamette Valley has it –– the wineries (and restaurants) we visited required only a short drive.

La Bastide didn’t have the charm of many B&B’s I’ve stayed at, but the innkeepers were friendly, and the breakfasts tasted delicious. Our room, while spacious, had a strange quirk: the bathroom sink was outside the bathroom. I didn’t love our room, but I also did not hate it.

Where to Eat

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: The Painted Lady in Newburg

Because of the agricultural nature of the Willamette Valley, restaurants tend to be casual and down-to-earth. We did find fine dining at The Painted Lady, a cozy, upscale restaurant in a converted Victorian house located in the town of Newburg. You put your meal in the hands of the chef with a tasting menu.

Slow-roasted Coho salmon with porcini mushrooms, white lentils, and chestnut cream at The Painted Lady

We also enjoyed Trellis (which supplies some wineries with food from their truck), Wooden Heart (walking distance from La Bastide), and Rosmarino Osteria Italiana, where I highly recommend the bresaola appetizer.

Bresaola with arugula and shaved Grana Padano cheese at Rosmarino Osteria Italian

The Wineries

Below you’ll find a list and description of some of the best wineries to visit. I’ve ordered them from my favorite to my least favorite. Please note that this list cannot be considered comprehensive since many wineries call this region home. For example, I had to skip Penner-Ash because of time limitations. There’s always next time!

Pinor Noir is king in the Willamette Valley; however, wineries make good versions of other varietals, both red and white. Still, my primary purpose of the trip was to explore pinot noir, something I knew little about. Before the trip, I was decidedly a Bordeaux-style girl: cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc, petite verdot.

Most wineries require reservations, and some offered optional food pairings for an added cost. Although none of the tastings were free, they ranged in price. Check out the individual websites for reservations, prices, and hours.

I ordered these based on the quality of the wines, the tasting experience, the ambience, and the attention of our tasting host.

Bergstrom

My visit to Bergstrom combined excellent wines with an intimate tasting inside the winery’s Ekollon farmhouse. When we drove in, we weren’t sure we were in the right place because it looks like a private residence.

Before we began our tasting, our hostess took us on a tour around the outside property, explained the history of both the winery and the property, and pointed out features of the herb, vegetable, and flower gardens as well as the vineyards.

Once inside, we sat at a tasting table set for two. (The table had room for perhaps 8 people.) My first inkling that this would be an elevated tasting? Individual wine glasses. Too many other Willamette wineries gave us a single wine glass – shades of the Finger Lakes – which we then had to empty before trying the next wine. Only Archery Summit and Drouhin did the same automatically. Purple Hands gave me an extra glass upon request when I wanted to compare pinots.

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Tasting room at Bergstrom

Favorite wines: 2023 Le Pré Du Col Vineyard Pinot Noir and 2018 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir.

Archery Summit

Out of all the wineries we visited, Archery Summit had the most classic (and classiest) tasting room. It had well-spaced tables, floor-to-ceiling windows through which you could view the gorgeous scenery, a cave carved into the side of a mountain (where you can reserve special events and tastings), a knowledgeable staff, and excellent wines. I learned only later that it belongs to the same wine group as Pine Ridge Vineyards, one of my favorite Napa wineries.

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Inside the cave at Archery Summit

We booked the Precision Pairing Experience, a tasting that pairs estate pinot noirs with chef-inspired bites. The wine paired beautifully with the innovative canapés. Our host was friendly, informative, and professional. During our conversations, he honed in on our tastes and knowledge. He offered to pour a taste of a top-end wine not on our official menu. By doing that, he earned the winery a sale.

Our tasting set-up inside the main tasting room of Archery Summit

Archery Summit had all the glamor of a large tasting room without the production of Domaine Serene (below.) I felt comfortable, well-cared for, and unhurried. I almost rated this winery as my favorite, but I preferred the more intimate setting at Bergstrom.

Favorite wine: 2023 Arcus Vineyard Pinot Noir

Purple Hands

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Harken/Lenai Tasting Room

I booked a tasting at Purple Hands’ Harken/Lenai Tasting Room. While the wines were good, they were not among the best I tried, but the experience itself ended up as one of the most memorable. The tasting room is perched on a hill that overlooks the vineyards and the Dundee Hills. From the front, it looked like nothing much –– more like an accessory dwelling unit than a winery. Inside, however, the tasting room had an inviting vibe. Yes, the space was tiny, but that was part of the charm. The tasting room also has an outdoor deck and lower patio for busier and warmer times.

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Tasting on the deck at Purple Hands

Our hostess gave us the option of tasting inside or on the deck just outside.Because the afternoon was warm and sunny, we opted for outside. After our hostess described each wine, she would leave so that we could sip and chat. Our tasting was so relaxing, with good wine and a bucolic view, that my husband declared Purple Hands to be his favorite tasting room. If not for his endorsement, I might have placed Purple Hands lower on my list, but he had a point: we thoroughly enjoyed our time at the Haakon/Lenai tasting room.

The Purple Hands tasting room at the Harken/Lenai location

Favorite wine: 2023 West Wind Vineyard Pinot Noir

Résonance

Like Domaine Drouhin just up the road (see below), Résonance has close ties to a French winemaker, in this case Maison Louis Jadot. I booked the Route to Burgundy tasting at the Dundee Hills tasting room, with the optional cheese and charcuterie board. Our wonderful host led us through a comparison of French and American Burgundy-style wines. Out of all the wineries we visited on this trip, I learned the most about pinot noir at Résonance. Weirdly, though, the wine that blew me away was the 2022 Décourverte Vineyard Estate Chardonnay. It was by far the best white wine I tasted on the trip.

Cheese and Charcuterie board for the Route to Burgundy tasting

Despite my loving the chardonnay, the pinot noirs were also delicious. During the comparison, I preferred the French wines, and my husband preferred the Oregon ones, which highlights how taste always comes down to personal preference.

Because of the knowledge I gained, I would have loved Résonance’s Route to Burgundy as the first stop on my trip. The tasting gave me a solid perspective on Oregon’s wine styles versus Old World ones.

Favorite wine: 2022 Découverte Vineyard Estate Chardonnay

Domaine Drouhin Oregon

Like Résonance, Domaine Drouhin Oregon has ties to a Burgundy winery, this one Joseph Drouhin. You can taste the Burgundy style of winemaking in the pinots and chardonnays, but of course the grapes reflect the Oregon terroir. The pinots here tasted more complex than those at Résonance, but the tasting experience itself wasn’t as memorable.

Inside the tasting room at Domaine Drouhin Oregon

The tasting room’s décor can best be described as contemporary rustic, with its clean lines, exposed wood ceiling, and hard tiles. I liked the wines here, but was not in love with the lack of attentiveness from our server.

Favorite wine: 2023 Laurène Pinot Noir

Domaine Serene

Domaine Serene’s tasting room reminded me of Domaine Carneros in California because tasting wine here turned out to be a larger production than elsewhere in the Willamette Valley. The large, open tasting room hummed with activity — bachelorette parties, large social groups, and generally festive wine tasters. This tasting room seemed more attuned to having a good time than critical tasting. That’s not to say that the wines aren’t good.

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: The tasting room at Domaine Serene

Our server knew his stuff, and once he determined that we knew something about wine, he poured freely, inserting some wines not on the tasting list in the hopes of making a sale, which of course he did. The pours were more generous than elsewhere, so watch your intake.

Favorite wine: 2022 Aspect, Grace Vineyard Pinor Noir

Beaux Frères

What a change in pace from Domaine Serene! To get to Beaux Frères, you go up a long driveway to what looks like a shack. This turned out to be the most rural of all the tasting rooms — we even saw a bobcat run across the road.

Fittingly, the rural vibe continued to a low-key tasting of Beaux Frères’ pinot noirs and pinot blanc.

Favorite wines: 2022 Windborn Pinor Noir and 2022 Reserve Pinot Blanc

The Four Graces

Because we belong to the Foley Family Connoisseur Club, we could book a complimentary tasting at The Four Graces, a member of the Foley Family group of wines. Despite the pedigree, The Four Graces fell below some of the higher-end wineries in the region. We did love the view, though.

Favorite wine: 2022 Windborn Weatherford Estate Pinot Noir

Adelsheim

We arrived at Adelsheim on a gorgeous, though a little cool, day to enjoy our tasting and charcuterie plate (purchased separately.) The tasting room and patio, where we sat, had few people. The winery did appreciate that we had made a reservation.

Although the wines at this vineyard didn’t blow me away the way some of the above wines did, we still enjoyed our afternoon overlooking the Chehelem Mountains. We were even encouraged to take our glasses for the short walk up the hill to the winery’s event gazebo.

Favorite wine: 2021 Calkins Lane Vineyard Pinot Noir

Optional charcuterie and cheese "board" at Adelsheim — Optional charcuterie and cheese “board” at Adelsheim

Ken Wright Wine Cellars

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Ken Wright Cellars

Located in an old train station, Ken Wright Wine Cellars had perhaps the most unique wine tasting locale. Ken Wright has an excellent reputation for fine wines, but I just wasn’t feeling it. Maybe I had too many pinot noirs already. Or maybe the server’s near 100% attention to the club members there at the time soured me.

Although I enjoyed the time at Ken Wright, I did not fall in love with any of the wines.

Favorite wine: None

Wine Tour of the Willamette Valley: Inside the Ken Wright tasting room

Argyle

Going into my wine tour of the Willamette Valley, I had tasted wine from only two of the many wineries, Adelsheim and Argyle. Oddly, those two were among my least favorite visits, with Argyle sitting at dead last. We had booked a reservation at Argyle, although they didn’t seem ready for us. The outdoor patio had almost every table taken, making the interior almost empty.

Argyle’s tasting room is located in town. You choose between an all-sparkling flight and a mixed flight. The afternoon we visited, they were featuring Halloween themed flights, which cemented the idea that they were not as serious as other wineries. We felt shuffled off to the side with a server who didn’t seem to want to serve us (he was more interested in a group of young women outside.)

Favorite wine: 2021 Spirit Hill Blanc de Blancs

Tasting Tips

I’ve always found that expressing my likes and dislikes results in a better, more personal experience with the host. Especially if a tasting room is not busy, we often get to taste wines not on the tasting menu at no additional fee.

Be careful, and know your limits. I did three tastings a day, but I also didn’t drink all that was poured. If I had been offered multiple glasses, I would have found my favorite and finished that, but because we usually had to reuse our glasses, I couldn’t do that. In some cases, I had to ask for a dumping bucket.

In the future, I’ll probably stick to two tasting a day, just so I don’t get overwhelmed or deaden my palate. I also pre-ordered food at several of the wineries so that I wasn’t drinking on an empty stomach.

The Verdict

I enjoyed my trip to the Wilmamette Valley more than I thought I would. I definitely would go back, both to revisit my favorites and to seek out different wineries. Because the valley is so long, I’m glad we were able to stay in an area where many of the best wineries were located. If you plan a trip there, I recommend designating some of your must-visit wineries and then finding a central area where you can stay.

Tags Oregon, Pacific Northwest, United States, wineries

Archives Travel

Antarctica Cruise on the NCL Star, 2025

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date December 19, 2025

Antartica Cruise on the NCL Star: Mountains behind the fog in Paradise Bay

My husband and I took an Antarctica cruise on the NCL Star in early January 2025. The Star, one of the smaller and older ships in Norwegian Cruise Lines’ fleet, has a small enough profile to get Antarctic certification but is still substantial enough to add stability, especially during the famously rough seas of the Drake Passage.

Rather than start at the southernmost point of Argentina, Ushuaia, as smaller cruises often do, we began our long journey from Buenos Aires. The 14-day cruise had more sea days than we were used to, but it also promised an unparalleled destination.

Below you will find descriptions of the excursions I took as well as a section of Critical Things to Know.

Critical Things to Know

Weather

The cruise sails only during the Antarctic summer –– winter in the U.S. –– but don’t let the word “summer” fool you. You will transition from usually hot Buenos Aires to the whipping winds of the Southern Ocean. One day, the listed temperature on my phone was 34 degrees F with a wind chill of 2 degrees F. On another day, we set off on an excursion in the Falkland Islands, with an estimated high of 54 degrees, only to encounter driving sleet and whipping rain. Air temperature does not equal the “feels like” one. Many passengers did not pack winter coats or heavy sweaters, and they were forced to buy the few warm items in the ship’s store. Some actually wore shorts in the sleet.

Due to a storm, our captain had to cancel our second day in Antarctica when we were supposed to cruise the South Shetland Islands. Instead of subjecting the passengers to 30-foot swells, we and all the other ships in the area skirted the storm. I’ve also heard that often the Falkland Islands port can be canceled due to weather –– it was the only tendered port –– but fortunately we were able to get off the ship and see some amazing king penguins. Weather in Antarctica is famously unpredictable, and all cancellations are made with safety in mind. Yes, it’s disappointing, but you have to accept that it may happen to you.

What to Pack For an Antarctic Cruise

Many passengers made the mistake of equating summer in Antarctica with summers in more temperate climates. After all, we began in summer (January) Buenos Aires where daytime temperatures can reach 90 degrees F or more. And the cruise itinerary included a stop in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Things I’m glad I packed: rain/wind pants (to be worn over jeans), long underwear, waterproof winter coat with hood, waterproof mid-rise hiking boots, knit hat/beanie, wool socks, jeans, thick gloves, looped scarf (to cut down on packing space), a couple of sweaters, sunglasses, lightweight long pants for the warmer climates, a couple of short-sleeved shirts, one pair of shorts, comfortable walking shoes, one more dressy pair of shoes for onboard restaurants, lightweight rain jacket with hood.

Things I wish I had packed: more long-sleeved shirts since they were needed for most of the cruise. I also would have liked a dressier jacket or sweater for dinners.

Things I packed but didn’t use: waterproof mittens. I normally favor mittens in cold weather, but my gloves sufficed, especially since I could still take photographs while wearing them.

I had a pair of snow pants that I almost packed but didn’t because of space. I’m glad I left them behind. The waterproof rain pants worn over jeans and long underwear kept me plenty warm and dry. Even though we encountered snow at sea, none of the ports had snow on the ground.

Because of the wind, baseball caps became useless except in the warmer ports.

Onboard Lectures

The onboard lectures ranged from how to take wildlife photographs to the history of Antarctic exploration to iceberg formation. NCL staffed the ship with a naturalist, geologist, historian, and photographer. It was well worth planning my day around the lectures because I learned much that I wouldn’t have otherwise known. These talks enhanced the experience beyond what you normally get on a cruise.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Antarctica Cruise on the Norwegian Star: An overview of Buenos Aires

The ship departed from Buenos Aires, a city filled with a mix of stately architecture, colorful buildings, and pedestrian shopping streets. See the famous Casa Rosada where Eva Peron spoke, the Plaza de Mayo where the Abuelas of Plaza de Mayo protest the disappearance of children, the Teatro Colon, San Nicholas church, the Cementerio de la Recoleta (similar in style to New Orleans cemeteries) and the La Boca neighborhood (only during the day.) If you have time, seek out the rose garden and park in Palermo.

We took a Historical Guided Food Tour of San Telmo that gave us a sampling of local foods while teaching us about history, culture, and places to see. Don’t miss this! The food was fabulous, and our knowledgeable guide had tons to share with us.

We found it well worth spending a few days before the cruise in Buenos Aires. Make sure you stay hydrated since the temperatures can soar in January.

Antartica Cruise on the Norwegian Stars: Scene in Buenos Aires

Ushuaia, Argentina

Antarctica Cruise on the Norwegian Star: The port at Ushuaia

Known as “the end of the world” because the town sits on the southernmost tip of South America, Ushuaia hosts cruise ships and expedition boats alike since it’s on the Beagle Channel, the gateway to the Drake Passage and Antarctica beyond. Although Ushuaia belong to Argentina, the land abuts Chile and is part of Patagonia.

We booked an excursion by boat to traverse the Beagle Channel and explore the waters on the edge of Patagonia. We saw cormorants, albatrosses, Arctic terns (yes, in Antarctica for the summer!), and tons of Patagonian sea lions.

Paradise Bay

Although we couldn’t step foot on land from a cruise ship of our size, we found ourselves in the morning on the other side of the Drake Passage and within the Antarctic circle. Icebergs floated by, and penguins leapt from the water. Humpback whales and orcas fed not far from the ship. Thanks to the naturalists on board, they could guide us to look in specific spots for the wildlife.

Paradise Bay skirts the glaciers of the continent. Although our progress through the waters had to be altered due to stormy seas, we still saw some amazing sights.

Antarctica Cruise on the Norwegian Star: Gentoo penguins "flying" through the water — Antarctica Cruise on the Norwegian Star: Gentoo penguins “flying” through the water

Antartica Cruise on the Norwegian Star: Another gorgeous iceberg

Falkland Islands

Until I went on this cruise, I honestly did not know where the Falkland Islands were located, and I had no idea that they were so close to Antarctica. My only knowledge of the tiny nation had to do with the British and Argentinian war there. (The British won, and the Argentinians still feel bitter about it.) Many more penguins than humans call the islands home.

The Falklands have many different kinds of penguins, but the most awe-inspiring has to be the king penguin. Only the emperor penguin is larger.

Falkland Islands: A "conference" of penguins standing higher than the rest — Falkland Islands: A “conference” of penguins standing higher than the rest

For us to reach these stunning creatures, we took an off-road vehicle across rough terrain for about an hour. I sat in the middle seat in the back, with nothing to hang onto, and my neck and back took a hit. You have to be able to haul yourself inside a rugged Jeep. The penguins were worth every ache and pain, but people with back, neck, and hip problems should (sadly) avoid this excursion. Each vehicle holds four guests and a driver, so we were subdivided between cars.

Out of all the excursions I took, this one became the most memorable. I cannot effectively convey what it’s like to stand among thousands of large penguins. Because of the month, big fuzzy babies stood among them. Although you aren’t allowed to approach them, nothing keeps them from walking right up to or past you.

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Magellanic penguins: a parent and two chicks

Penguins, penguins, and more penguins! Further north, we docked at Puerto Madryn, home to large numbers of Magellanic penguins. These smaller penguins (but not as small as the Little Penguins of Australia) dotted the landscape. Unlike their larger cousins, they nest in burrows. Again, because we visited in their summer, we could see babies everywhere, staying mostly close to their parents.

We also spotted some guanacos sharing the habitat.

Montevideo, Uruguay

Summer heat came back by the time we reached Montevideo. The excursions in this cosmopolitan city were not compelling so we merely did a Highlights of Montevideo tour. After all we had seen, the excursion was as low-key as you could get. We walked around by ourselves after the tour. I wouldn’t mind coming back for a relaxing vacation.

The Verdict

This cruise turned out to be a trip of a lifetime. Norwegian used an smaller, older ship to qualify to enter the waters around Antarctica. While the Star itself needed some work, we wouldn’t have been able to see what we had with all the comforts of a cruise ship. The smaller expedition boats that crossed the Drake Passage had a rougher time than we did, and they still couldn’t go everywhere planned due to the weather.

On this cruise, you spend a lot of time at sea to get all the way to Paradise Bay. We’ve been to Alaska and cruised Glacier Bay. While I loved that, this trip ended up being more stunning than I expected.

Tags Antarctica, argentina, South America, Uruguay

Archives Travel

Best Things to Do in Naples, Plus Day Trips

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date April 2, 2025

Before I spent a full week exploring Naples, I had already briefly visited the iconic Italian city – once on the way to Pompeii and once on the way to Herculaneum (see below for both.). I knew from those glimpses that I wanted to come back, not only to explore the city more thoroughly but also to see more of the surrounding area. Seven days turned out to be perfect to accomplish that. Below, you’ll find out what I discovered about the best things to do in and around Naples.

Underground Naples

I was skeptical about Underground Naples (Napoli Sotterreanea) since it sounded like a tourist trap that couldn’t possibly be worth it. How wrong I was. We received a fascinating group tour through the ancient, subterranean maze of waterways that the Greeks first built and that the Romans expanded. The aqueduct still supplies some water to the city.

Best Things to Do in Naples: A cistern in Underground Naples

You should book tickets in advance, especially during high tourist season. Because you will be climbing up and down stairs, wear comfortable shoes with good treads. To get to some areas, you will have to sidle through a narrow passage. If you have mobility issues, then this attraction should be skipped.

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

Given the rich ancient history of Naples, a visit to the National Archaeological Museum of Naples should be included on your itinerary. Although the museum is best known for its Roman antiquities, it also houses artifacts from Pompeii, Herculaneum, Egypt, and other ancient cultures.

Food Tours

As a self-described foodie, I’ve taken to including at least one food tour in my destination city. Because I wanted to sample a range of Neapolitan dishes, I booked three food tours, two of which explored Naples and the third, Sorrento. (For Sorrento, see below for the section on day trips.) As with all food tours, expect to substitute them for a meal. You’ll get plenty to eat and drink.

The first tour met at Piazza Dante. Since we were the only two people taking the tour, we had a wonderfully personalized experience.

The second street food tour, a couple of days later, started nearby (but on another day!) at the Piazza Bellini and turned out to be more of a group experience.

Sansevero Chapel and Museum

The Sansevero Chapel and Museum houses a collection of marble sculptures from the 1700’s. Among the masterpieces, you’ll see the amazingly detailed Veiled Christ, Il Disinganno, and Pudicizia. The optional audio guide offers an easy-to-follow analysis and history of the pieces before you, and it lasts about 25 minutes. Because photographs are not permitted, you will have to trust me that this was worth the stop.

You’ll need to purchase a ticket for a specific entry time. During peak season, I recommend buying tickets online and in advance.

Galleria Borbonica

My husband feared that the underground tour of the Galleria Borbonica would be too much like Underground Naples. While you do indeed descend into part of the ancient aqueduct, this portion was widened and fortified for King Ferdinand II as a quick, underground exit from castle to port. Although Ferdinand II’s passage was never finished, much of the populace hid in these tunnels during the bombardments of World War II. The military used the tunnels to protect men and equipment. You can see displays of some of the vehicles left behind.

Best Things to Do in Naples: Abandoned vehicles from World War II

The Galleria Bourbonica has two entrances, and you must choose between them when you book your tickets.

Castel Sant’Elmo

We took the funicular up and then walked further to reach the medieval fort of Castel Sant’Elmo, on Vomero Hill. Because the fort overlooks the city, the views are spectacular. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought at the counter when you arrive.

Best Things to Do in Naples: View of Mt. Vesuvius from Castel Sant'Elmo — Best Things to Do in Naples: View of Mt. Vesuvius from Castel Sant’Elmo

Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo

The exterior of the impressive Chiesa del Gesù looks more like a fortress than a church. Don’t let the façade fool you. Inside you’ll find one of the most ornate and beautiful churches in Naples. Free admission.

Best Things to Do in Naples: The fortress-like exterior of Chiesa del Gesu Nuovo

Naple’s Most Famous Food: Pizza

Best Things to Do in Naples: A rare pizza with toppings from Pizzeria Enrico Porzio

Pizza goes with Naples as no other food does. The classic Marguerita pizza of tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and basil –– the colors of the Italian flag –– can taste slightly different from establishment to establishment, so knock yourself out trying as many as you can. If you want to try something uniquely Neapolitan, buy a portofolio, a pizza folded like a wallet and meant to be eaten as you walk, or a pizza fritta, a folded and fried pizza similar to a calzone.

Pizza di Napoli is a distinct kind of pizza, usually with a puffy edge and thin middle. The bottom is charred in spots, and the sauce can range from semi-thick to soupy. While everyone has their favorite places, the following are mine, in order:

Pizzeria Enrico Porzio (a little out of the way but worth it)
Pizzeria Vincenzo Capuano (where you cut your pizza with a pair of scissors)
L’Antica Pizzeria Da Michele (of Eat, Pray, Love fame)
Ristorante L’Oro di Napoli (a sit-down restaurant where you can also order a portofolio at a window)

Out of the above, L’Antica Pizzeria De Michele has the most soupy sauce. Because of the pizzeria’s fame, a long line begins almost as soon as it opens, with a to-go window across the street. Because they serve only three kinds of pizza which take mere minutes to cook, the production line ensures that you get your order within five minutes of ordering and that the line moves quickly.

Marguerita Pizza from L'Antica Pizzeria de Michele — Marguerita Pizza from L’Antica Pizzeria de Michele

People argue about how to properly eat a pizza in Naples. I had been told that you always use a fork and knife, but one of our food tour guides insisted that you could eat it with your hands, as she always has. For the more soupy pizzas, that could spell disaster. Just know that however you choose to eat your pizza, no one will judge.

Duomo di Napoli

The official name of what is commonly known as the Duomo di Napoli or, simply, the Duomo, is the Cattedrale di Santa Maria Assunta. According to locals, the blood of San Gennaro, the patron saint of Naples, liquifies three times a year during a special ceremony. Free admission to the church.

Best Things to Do in Naples: Inside the Duomo

Palazzo Reale di Napoli

The Royal Palace of Naples boasts an opulent grand staircase that leads to the apartments, open to visitors. Period artwork, furniture, and decoration have been gorgeously restored. You feel as though you’re in a different era as you tour the rooms.

Best Things to Do in Naples: One of the royal apartments in the palace

Opera at Teatro di San Carlo

Best Things to Do in Naples: Teatro di San Carlo

Nothing is more Italian than the opera. We bought tickets to La Traviata in the Teatro di San Carlo. If you get tickets in a box, as we did, make sure you purchase seats in the front. The boxes have chairs, not traditional theater seats, and other people will have bought tickets for your box. If your assigned chair is in the back, you may have trouble seeing over the people in the front.

Best Things to Do in Naples: The Royal Box and others at the Teatro di San Carlo

I loved that the performance used superscripts in English so that I could understand what was going on. Besides the performance, which I enjoyed despite not being a huge opera fan, you get to see the interior of a traditionally decorated Italian theater.

Basilica of San Francesco

Across the Piazza del Plebiscito from the Royal Palace, you will find the Basilica of San Francesco. Its curved façade, with columns, looks imposing. Inside, you’ll find a dramatic dome above a spacious, marbeled space.

Interior of the Basilica of San Francesco

Wander the Narrow Streets

They say you’ve never been to Naples if you haven’t gotten lost in its streets. Today’s phone navigation apps take away some of that mystique, but wandering the narrow streets is still one of the best things to do in Naples. Yes, the old part of the city will be flooded with tourists; however, you still get a lot of the flavor of the city.

Galleria Umberto I

The majestic Galleria Umberto I is a towering but small shopping mall, with a Zara and a McDonald’s sharing space with a more traditional café. You don’t go here for the shopping but rather to take in the architecture. You’ll need just a few minutes to walk through, end to end. Most of the shops in the area are outside the Galleria.

We stayed in the Hotel Matilde, located above the Galleria, and our room overlooked the interior. Even though our window was actually an interior one, it had a fantastic view.

Day Trips From Naples

Pompeii

You shouldn’t go to Naples without also going to Pompeii. Nothing had prepared me for how it felt standing in an intact ancient city whose inhabitants had died in a flash. Photos and video do not do it justice. I strongly recommend hiring a guide or booking a small group tour since otherwise you won’t necessarily know what you’re seeing. Even then, you’ll only be able to see a fraction of the site.

Day Trips from Naples: Pompeii with Mt. Vesuvius in the background

Sorrento

You can easily reach Sorrento from Naples via ferry. This small, bustling city has many boutiques and restaurants, perfect for those who like to shop or just explore. Look for the lemon groves with their famously enormous fruit.

Day Trips from Naples: Shopping in Sorrento

For our day in Sorrento, we incorporated a food tour into our plans. Even though we had booked two foodie tours in Naples, we wanted to sample Sorrento’s fare. There, I ate the best eggplant parmigiana I’ve ever had. Our guides, two British expats who had married Italian men, gave us a wonderful and understandable tour through local restaurants that tourists were unlikely to find on their own. Out of our three food tours, we had by far the most food on this one.

Capri

We arrived on Capri via ferry from Naples on a blistering hot day. That made it difficult to explore the steep streets. I’m glad we first booked a boat tour that rounded the island and pointed out the important formations. If you want to go into the Blue Grotto, you should go first thing in the morning since the wait to do so may be an hour or longer. Some boats will drop you off and come back later to retrieve you. Since I didn’t choose the Blue Grotto option, I can’t say exactly how it works. Those staying on the island have an advantage since the wait is notoriously long.

Herculaneum

Herculaneum, a wealthy city destroyed by the same volcanic eruption that wiped out Pompeii, is a smaller (but not trivial) archeological site mostly because much of the city remains buried under more modern buildings. Unlike in Pompeii, the volcanic ash and pumice covered the city after the residents had already perished, leaving little evidence of the people except for skeletal remains in the boat sheds.

I recommend a guide tour at this site, too, because you will learn much about this lesser-known casualty of Mount Vesuvius.

Day Trips from Naples: Building in Herculaneum, with paint still intact

The Verdict

You can easily find enough to do Naples without leaving the city. Despite that, day trips add another dimension to a trip, with the advantage that they will get you away from the urban landscape. If you do only one day trip, make it Pompeii. After all, whether you are in Naples or one of the other towns, Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that destroyed Pompeii and Herculaneum, looms over everything. History comes alive when you can easily visualize what it must have been like.

Neapolitan food tends toward the casual, with comfort food especially available. That’s not to say that Naples is all pizza and pasta. We ate at two memorable fine dining establishments, both with mentions in the Michelin Guide: Veritas and Michelasso. I highly recommend both.

If you plan to include Rome on your trip to Italy, check out my blog on that city.

Tags Europe, Italy, Naples

Archives Travel

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date December 5, 2024

On a trip earlier this year to San Juan, Puerto Rico, I had only two days to see the most iconic sights in the city. I wanted to fit in as much as I could. To do that, we stayed in Old San Juan at the 352 Guest House Hotel Boutique. This way, we could walk to almost everything while getting the flavors of the old city.

Keep in mind that my “best things to do” list is tooled to a compressed time frame. Another day or two could result in more leisurely and more complete sightseeing.

Note: Even though Puerto Rico is part of the United States, not everyone speaks English. You can get by if you don’t speak Spanish but shouldn’t be surprised if a random stranger cannot answer your question in English.

Take a Walking Tour

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Meeting point in Plaza Colon

Lately, I’ve tried to schedule a walking tour for my first day in a new city. It teaches me the layout of at least part of the city. In San Juan, our walking tour wound its way through Old San Juan as our guide detailed historical and cultural facts.

Old San Juan is such a colorful part of the city that exploring it feels downright cheerful no matter the time of year.

Best Things to Do in San Juan: Walking Tour Through Old San Juan

Visit San Juan Gate

La Puerta de San Juan

Best Things to Do in San Juan: The San Juan Gate viewed from the old city wall

Like so much of Old San Juan, the San Juan Gate stands out for its bold color. The red gate is one of the original entrances to the walled city. It dates back to 1635 (yes, the city is that old) and stands 16 feet tall. You can see it from above, or you can walk down and walk through it. Keep in mind that the interior side is plain, although clearly constructed of ancient stone.

Best Things to Do in San Juan: La Puerta de San Juan: from the ground and from the sea side. — Best Things to Do in San Juan: La Puerta de San Juan: from the ground, after having walked through it.

Explore Castillo San Cristóbal

The Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Castillo San Cristobal — The Best Things to Do in San Juan: Castillo San Cristobal

San Juan is remarkable both for how old it is and for how well-preserved its history has remained. The Castillo San Cristóbal stands watch over both city and sea. The fortress has withstood centuries of attacks and occupations.

Take your time to explore the different levels and passageways.

Passageway inside Castillo San Cristóbal

Because of its position on the old wall, you can easily imagine how this fortress managed to protect the inhabitants from attack. Make sure you take in the views of both San Juan and the Atlantic Ocean.

Tour Castillo San Felipe del Morro

El Morro

About a mile from Castillo San Cristóbal lies Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro. The construction of El Morro began in 1539, but it didn’t reach its full imposing power until the 17th century. Because it overlooks San Juan’s harbor, its strategic placement is evident.

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: View from El Morro

The U.S. National Parks Service manages the site. I love all the detailed descriptions of how the men stationed there defended it. The cannon tracks especially impressed me.

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Another view of El Morro

View a Historic Cemetery

Adjacent to El Morro but closer to sea level, you’ll find the impressive Santa Maria Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery. The interred represent some of the most influential people in San Juan. To those of us unfamiliar with Puerto Rican dignitaries, the most notable graves are José and Miguel Ferrer.

Because we were short on time and because access seemed to be a long walk, we contented ourselves with looking at it from above.

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Overlooking the famous cemetery

Visit Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Inside the Cathedral of San Juan

The Cathedral of San Juan was first constructed in 1511, although it has undergone many phases of construction, up until 1905. The diocese has kept the cathedral in stellar condition. As our walking tour guide proudly told us, it is the second oldest church in all of the Americas. The cathedral houses the tomb of Juan Ponce de Leon.

Book a Rum Tasting

Puerto Rican rum is among the most famous in the world, thanks to centuries of making it., Despite that long history, San Juan has only a few small distilleries that offer rum tastings,. We booked one at Scryer Rum and Barrelhouse.

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Scryer Rum Tasting Room

Although Scryer doesn’t distill its rum in Puerto Rico — it is distilled in the equally rum-famous island of Barbados — they barrel-age it in a small bar and storefront in Old San Juan.

We enjoyed the brief tour of how rum is made and what makes Scryer distinct. Of course, the tasting at the end convinced us to buy a bottle to take home.

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Aging barrels at Scryer — Aging barrels at Scryer Rum

Visit The White House

Museo Casa Blanca

The oldest residence in San Juan, built for the governor Juan Ponce de Léon, now houses a museum. As you walk through the rooms. you’ll learn about the history of the house and the details of its expansions over several periods.

Be sure to allow enough time to stroll through the landscaped grounds. The tropical climate of Puerto Rico enables year-round botanical interest.

Check out Capilla del Cristo

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: The iconic Capilla del Cristo — The iconic Capilla del Cristo

This tiny chapel, located next to the Parque de las Palomas and at the end of Calle del Cristo, was built in the 18th century and still endures today as a much-visited site. It has become an iconic symbol of Puerto Rico.

Eat Like the Locals

Best Things to Do in Old San Juan: Casa Luna Rest

Puerto Rico has some local dishes that you can’t find on the U.S. Mainland unless you dine in a heavily Puerto Rican area. Thanks to the recommendation of our innkeeper, we ate at Casa Luna Rest., supposedly a favorite of locals who live in Old San Juan. We enjoyed mofongo, fried plantains, empanadas, and the server-recommended skirt steak.

The Verdict

We visited close to Christmas, and decorations abounded, but I’m sure that you can find a festive vibe any time of the year. I was surprised by the enduring structures that date back centuries, making Old San Juan an excellent destination for history buffs.

Tags Caribbean, United States

Archives Travel

Best Things to Do in Melbourne, Australia

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date December 2, 2024

Best Things to do in Melbourne: View of the Yarra River that divides the city

I visited Melbourne in October – spring in Australia – and found tons of things to do for foodies, culture buffs, and animal lovers. The best things to do in Melbourne usually don’t involve much history. Rather, they concentrate on more of what is unique to the city and the surrounding area.

We stayed at the Langham, in Southbank, right across the Yarra River from downtown. Our booked tours either picked us up at, or close to, our hotel or were within walking distance.

Book a Tour to See the Little Penguins

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: a Little Blue Penguin before the sun sets

No one should leave Melbourne without seeing the foot-high Little Penguins come ashore on Philip Island just after sunset. Yes, I know that my top thing to do while in Melbourne is something outside the city. You can book a penguin tour to get there, with stops along the way. (See below.) The later the sunset, the longer you’ll have to wait for the penguins to arrive and the later you’ll get back to the city. Although you aren’t allowed to take photos or even glance at your phone once the sun sets, the penguins that have stayed on land sometimes come out of their burrows beforehand.

Fortunately, the penguin viewing area is illuminated by special lights so that you can see them marching in small groups, shoulder to shoulder, across the sand toward land. The real show comes when they reach their burrows, also lit by the special lights. Then, you can watch them, just a few feet away, from the boardwalk. When we were there, the penguins immediately started mating, fighting, and making a racket. We even saw a bandicoot and a brushy-tailed possum in their midst.

Keep in mind that you will have a long day on this tour. You will sit on bleachers waiting for the penguins, and it can get cold. Dress warmly! On this tour, you not only get to see penguins but you also stop at other sights along the way. Expect to see wild wallabies alongside the road. Below you’ll find descriptions of the other stops.

Because a penguin tour is my number one thing to do, the following three sections, all on the same tour, are found outside the city.

Brighton Bathing Boxes

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: The row of bathing boxes on Brighton Beach

The iconic, colorful Brighton Bathing Boxes stand roof-to-roof along the beach. Even without electricity and plumbing, these cabanas sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: A koala at the Moonlit Sanctuary

The Moonlit Sanctuary has koalas, wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, emus, kookaburras, parrots, and more. All animals are native to Australia. For an extra fee, you can even feed the kangaroos and wallabies or hold a koala. I especially enjoyed watching a wombat eating a giant carrot and seeing the keeper take two dingoes for a walk on leashes. You can get amazingly close to all the animals.

Even though the website says that bookings are required, your admission ticket comes with the purchase of the penguin tour. The guide divides the group into those who want to purchase the special animal interactions.

The Nobbies, Philip Island

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: The view at The Nobbies on Philip Island

Once on Philip Island, we stopped at The Nobbies, a gorgeous view of the ocean and another home for Little Penguins. If you’re lucky, you might see a penguin peeking out of its burrow, but, if you don’t, don’t worry because you’ll be seeing tons of them later, down the road. Take in the breathtaking scenery.

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: More views from The Nojbbies

Take a Food Tour. Or Two.

I booked two foodie tours on this trip, one for a general Melbourne walking tour and the other for the famous Queen Victoria Market. If you book one or both of the below, arrive hungry. The amount of food will fill you up quickly, even if the pace is leisurely.

Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walking Tour

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: A restaurant-lined street

Even though the emphasis on this walking tour was on food, our guide provided bits of history and cultural commentary as our small group moved from one venue to the next. Because many immigrants call Melbourne home, we tasted innternational dishes: Vietnamese banh mi, Chinese dumplings, French macarons, Australian drinking chocolate, Italian gelato, and, of course given Melbourn’s coffee culture, excellent espresso-based coffee.

Queen Victoria Market Food Tour

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: A foodie tour of Victoria Market

I booked the Queen Victoria Market Ultimate Foodie Tour – and “ultimate” proved to be an apt description. Rather than getting a walking tour of parts of the city as we did in our first foodie tour, we stayed entirely within the Queen Victoria Market’s food stalls. Again, because immigrants and their descendants put down their roots in Melbourne, we tried a variety of international cuisines. If I had to book only one tour for the quantity and quality of the food, I would choose this one.

We tasted fresh oysters, British sausage roll, Italian charcuterie, Indian chai, fresh fruit, “American” jelly doughnuts, traditional Australian vanilla slice, and more. We even sampled kangaroo, which was more tender and delicious than I expected. The charcuterie platter alone let us try a variety of foods, from smoked mussels to stuffed pepperdews.

Stroll the Royal Botanic Gardens

I have roamed through botanical gardens throughout the world, and the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria in Melbourne ranks among the best. Even in October, early spring, the gardens bloomed throughout. The best part of the gardens, though, is the sense of serenity and the ability to walk through acres of different kinds of habitats. You will encounter waterfalls, streams, ponds, mini forests, open spaces, and plants from all over the world. We even saw a tree with hanging flying foxes (fruit bats.)

Explore the Yarra Valley Wine Country

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: Oakridge Wines' Vineyards in the Yarra Valley — Best Things to Do in Melbourne: Oakridge Wines’ Vineyards in the Yarra Valley

The cool but temperate climate of the Yarra Valley produces high-quality still and sparkling wines. Although the wines aren’t as powerful as those from the Barossa region, they have their own honored place in Australian viniculture. From Melbourne, you can be in wine country in 30 minutes or so.

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: Tasting room at De Bortoli Wines

We chose a small group tour of the Yarra Valley wine country that picked us up mere steps from our hotel. Because so few of us had booked the wine tour – we were five in total – the operator combined us with six other guests who had signed up for a combined wine and animal park tour. They got dropped off at their first stop while we visited three wineries. For lunch, we joined up with them for a gourmet meal at Yering Station. Afterward, we all embarked on three more tastings. On the way back to Melbourne, our guide pointed out wild kangaroos relaxing under a tree.

Visit the National Gallery of Victoria

Best Thins to Do in Melbourne: The National Art Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria houses a broad range of first-rate art. Admission is free, so if you don’t have time to take in all the art, you can return at your leisure.

See a Play or Concert at the Arts Centre

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: The Spire and the Arts complex

The Arts Centre Melbourne, home to concert halls, theaters, and the iconic Spire, offers performances for a wide range of tastes. Next to the National Gallery and across the street from the Royal Botanic Gardens, you can easily reach it by foot if you stay on Southbank or the center of the city. We watched a new play in The Show Room, a small theater on a lower level well-suited to experimental works.

Stroll Down the Hosier Laneway

Best Things to Do in Melbourne: The art on part of Hosier Laneway

The famous (infamous?) Hosier Laneway attracts tourists for its vibrant and ever-changing street art. Although some, including one of our tour guides, claim that graffiti is legal along this short street, most of it is not. Look up and around corners as you stroll from one end to the other.

Where to Eat

Although I’ve started using food tours in place of sit-down restaurants, I’m still a foodie who appreciates fine dining. I ate delicious meals at the following restaurants and therefore recommend them highly.

Each of those restaurants serve different cuisines, so explore their websites to find the ones that interest you. Reservations are highly recommended.

The Verdict

While Melbourne cannot compete with the history you find in European and Asian cities due to its relative youth, it still offers a lot to do, especially if you use it as a base to see sights out of the city. If you have several weeks, combine it with cities such as Sydney, The Gold Coast, Brisbane, and Perth. When you book, remember that the seasons are reversed from those in the Northern hemisphere and that the south is colder than the north. Even so, Melbourne’s winter, though often rainy, does not have the bite one might expect. Pack warm clothes, but don’t expect snow. The best part of a winter trip? The smaller crowds.

Tags Australia, Oceana

Archives Travel

Melbourne Street Art

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date November 8, 2024

Hosier Lane in Melbourne, Australia

October 21, 2024

Melbourne street art and graffiti can be found through the Australian city, but Hosier Lane hosts the most intense display. Although some people claim that street artists can legally paint on buildings there, my research suggests otherwise. Unlike most street art in Montreal and the murals of La Jolla, most, if not all, of the street art on Hosier Lane appears overnight, painted furtively. Regardless of its legality, the short alley attracts tourists and locals alike.

Because street art, by its nature and location, can easily be replaced with something painted on top of it, the following gallery reflects a single day in Melbourne, October 21, 2024.

Due to their size, intricacy, and location, the following two images most likely are legal, perhaps even commissioned, artwork.

Melbourne Street Art: Most Likely a Legal Painting — Most likely a commissioned mural

Melbourne Street Art: An intricate, probably commissioned, image — An intricate, probably commissioned, image

The images below have the hallmarks of more traditionally painted graffiti.

Melbourse Street Art: "Jailed" portrait — Melbourse Street Art: “Jailed” portrait

Street Art Elsewhere in Melbourne

Even though Hosier Street displays the greatest number of images, you can find street art throughout Melbourne. I loved discovering it around corners, by looking up, or simply encountering them in surprising places.

The Verdict

No one can legitimately equate the street art in Melbourne with the impressive art found in the National Gallery of Victoria, but one also should not dismiss the talent of some of these street artists. especially since they must paint furtively, in the dark. Images can be witty or satiric or profane. As with the graffiti in Montréal, tagging can be annoying since it defaces better work, but that also comes with the genre.

Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Tags art, Australia

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Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date May 3, 2024
1 Comment on Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva

The Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Photo of the ship's bow — The Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Photo of the ship’s bow

By now, readers should know that I’m a huge fan of Norwegian Cruise Lines. Each trip and each ship is different, but I always get impeccable service no matter the cabin class. After a while, you begin to learn the differences, some subtle and some not, among the ships and their staterooms.

In January, we booked The Haven on the Norwegian Viva, sailing out of San Juan, Puerto Rico and into the Eastern Caribbean.

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Model of the Viva

The Haven on the Viva

Unlike some 0f the older and smaller ships, the newly-commissioned Viva has a real Haven, with its own lounge, restaurant, and elevators. The Haven is located aft in a bulbous portion of the ship.

Because Norwegian has shifted toward offering more high-end experiences on its newest ships (the Viva, the Prima, and eventually the Aqua), the Haven section is much larger than on older ships. More suites equals more people. For this reason, the bar can get crowded, although the restaurant always had seats when we wanted them.

The Haven Stateroom

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: King-size bed in the stateroom

The Viva Haven’s staterooms feel more like real, luxury hotel rooms than they do ship cabins. Our king-size bed was so comfortable that I wanted to find out the mattress brand and how to get one in place of my home mattress. (The answer: Bliss Bed Collection by Norwegian, and far too pricy for my budget.)

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Seating area within the stateroom

We had adequate seating both inside and outside on our balcony. Every afternoon, the butler brought snacks and placed them on the bistro table. This Haven service is consistent across Norwegian Cruise Line ships, even if the attentiveness of your butler may vary.

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Stateroom balcony

The shower and sink had luxury apppointments, although they lacked much space to place toiletries. I loved the larger-than-average bath towels. I also liked it better when Norwegian offered individual toiletries in the Haven instead of the wall-mounted ones on the Viva.

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Stateroom sink and shower

The in-room Nespresso coffee machine allows you to make espresso and larger lungo at any time of the day. Ours remained well-stocked throughout the trip. In-room glassware, plates, and utensils come in handy.

The one drawback of The Haven stateroom on the Viva is the complicated light switches. It took us the entire week to figure out the sequence we needed to set the lights where we wanted them and how to open the curtains. The controls did not always respond the way we expected.

The Haven Lounge and Bar

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: The bar before opening

You cannot get better drinks and service elsewhere on the ship than you can in The Haven Bar and Lounge. Too many people who book The Haven don’t know how special it is. You might figure that you can get the same drinks anywhere. While it’s true that Norwegian’s wine and spirit inventory remains steady across the ship, the touches you find at The Haven Bar exceed all others. For example, The Haven is the only bar where you can get a smoked Old-Fashioned or a smoked Manhattan.

If you’ve upgraded to the Premium Plus beverage package, you can order just about any premium spirit that the ship stocks. Elsewhere on the Viva, you have to find the bar that pours your favorite.

The Haven on the Norwegian Viva" Bartender preparing a smoked Old-Fashioned — The Haven on the Norwegian Viva” Bartender preparing a smoked Old-Fashioned

The bar also has Luxardo cognac cherries for garnish as well as Bespoke bitters that the bartender will gladly tell you about. Because the bartenders are also the best on the ship, they will create just about any drink to your liking.

If you’d prefer not to sit at the bar or can’t find a space at it, the lounge offers ample and comfortable seating.

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: The Haven lounge, adjacent to the bar

The Haven Restaurant

Even though all Norwegian Cruise Lines Havens share the same menu, not all kitchens perform equally well. You’ll always find the best servers and managers on the ship in The Haven, although that doesn’t mean you won’t find their equals elsewhereon the ship. It just means that the best tend to be concentrated in The Haven. Your booking includes complimentary meals — all three of them, if you want — in this specialty restaurant. The one drawback is that the menus never change.

The Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Dinner menu at the restaurant — Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Dinner menu at the Haven restaurant

One of my favorite aspects of the Haven Restaurant is the ability to customize your order. For example, instead of ordering the Surf and Turf with a filet and lobster tail, I ordered two lobster tails in place of the beef. I met another guest who ordered three lobster tails for dinner.

The distinction between the Viva’s Haven restaurant and those on other ships lies in the ability to deliver meals as described or with better presentation. For instance, the spaghetti squash with marinara sauce at lunch arrived — surprise! — as actually spaghetti squash rather than the julienned winter squash I found on other ships’ Haven/Suite restaurants. The breakfast waffles came not from a square iron but rather one with a prettier design.

Exterior Spaces in The Haven

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: Private Haven sundeck

In general, the Viva emphasizes exterior spaces over interior ones, and you can see this as well in The Haven. I never had trouble finding a spot on the pool deck as I’ve had in other Havens.

The Haven infinity pool overlooks the stern of the ship, and I loved watching us pull away from ports while cooling off in it. Due to its small size, the pool is more of a stand-around-and-socialize pool than a swimming one.

Review of the Haven on the Norwegian Viva: The Haven infinity pool

Other Perks in the Haven

Norwegian curates its staff so only the best work in the Haven. You will have an assigned butler to deliver snacks, arrange requested room service, restock coffee, and attend to other questions and needs. Your steward takes care of everything within the room. Depending on the size of the ship, you will have either one or a staff of dedicated concierges to handle entertainment, excursions, restaurant reservations, and communications with other parts of the ship.

Despite the cool idea of having a butler (believe me, it’s not like Upstairs/Downstairs), the most valuable asset on the Viva was the dedicated concierge desk. The concierge staff escorts Haven guests on and off the ship during busy times, from embarkation to disembarkation and everything in-between. For theater performances, you get preferred seating and an escort into the theater as long as you arrive 15 minutes prior to start. When we had issues with our excursions, one of the concierges fixed it. We didn’t have to wait in line at the main excursion desk.

The Viva has tucked-away elevators that go directly to the Haven floors. Your access is activated by your card key.

The Verdict

The Haven on the Viva is one of the better ones in Norwegian’s fleet, but it isn’t perfect. The staterooms try too hard to be modern with complicated light controls and a beautiful bathroom sink with no place to put toiletries. Still, the mattress is indeed Bliss-ful, and you get plenty of room to spread out. I would have liked more easy to organize storage, but we still had enough space to empty two mid-size suitcases.

I would book the Viva Haven again in a heartbeat. The accommodations are luxurious, especially for a cruise ship.

More to Explore

See my past reviews of the Norwegian Jade, the Haven on the Norwegian Joy, and the inaugural cruise of the Joy, with a mini-suite with balcony stateroom.

Tags cruise, Norwegisn Cruise Lines

Archives Travel

Best Things to Do in Tokyo

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date March 9, 2024

I have been to Japan many times. My list of the best things to do in Tokyo combines both must-see sites and some more unusual ones. This last time, I stayed at The Celestine Ginza in the famous high-end district. Although we could walk to many places, we used the easy-to-use subway system for more far-flung destinations. Taxis make a reliable, safe, and clean option, even if they cost more.

Lately I’ve taken to booking a comprehensive tour on my first day in a city to get my bearings. I then plan to visit places either not included on such a tour or that entice me back for a more in-depth look. Given what I was able to see and do, I was especially glad this time to have booked a tour via coach bus.

One-Day Tokyo Bus Tour

This comprehensive bus tour may have taken all day, but it also hit so many highlights, without my ever feeling rushed, that I would recommend this for anyone. Especially if you don’t have much time, this is the way to go. The tour started at a little after 7 am and ended at about 5:30 pm. The price even included lunch, with various dietary restrictions accommodated. Our coach bus had air-conditioning and comfortable seating, with large windows to see out.

I recommend all the stops on this tour, even if you plan your own itinerary instead of booking it. The ability to get to a wide range of high-value sights without having to figure out transportation decided it for us. If we saw everything individually, we might not have been able to fit it all in.

Tokyo Skytree

Our tour not only included seeing The Tokyo Skytree but also skip-the-line admission to the observation deck where we could see the whole city sprawled underneath us, with 360 degree views. We had plenty of time to wander around before we needed to return to the bus. We even had time to grab a Starbucks at the adjoining mall.

Meiji Jingu (Shinto Shrine)

Talk about serene! The wide, shady paths leading to the Meiji shrine felt like a refuge from the busy city we had just driven through. Our guide gave us a brief description of the Shinto religion before leading us to the shrine buildings. Don’t miss the empty sake and French wine barrels just outside the torii (gate.) The sake barrels represent gifts to the Gods made at the shrine. The French wine barrels were presented to the shrine as a gesture of friendship.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: The torii leading to the Meiji shrine

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Sake bottles signifying gifts to the gods

Sensoji Buddhist Temple and Pagoda

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Sensory Buddhist temple

After having visited the Meiji Shrine and learning about the Shinto religion, we headed to Sensoji, a Buddhist temple, for a quick lesson in Buddhism. Unlike the Meiji shrine, Sensoji bustled with people and had none of the serenity. Still, the visit was well worth it.

We had ample time to stroll the paths, visit the main temple and outbuildings, shop at the stalls, and relax. The grounds include an impressive pagoda.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Pagoda at the Senjoji temple

The Imperial Palace

You cannot enter the inner Imperial grounds; however, you can walk around the outside. To get views of the moat and its bridge, we crossed a park where an impressive statue of a shogun on horseback dominates. Our guide gave us a historical overview of the palace and the role of the Emperor as we walked.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Statue of a shogun

Asakusa (and Lunch)

We walked through the bustling Asakusa area, where we did the “Green Tea Experience.” Our guide gave us the choice of either matcha beer or ice cream. Even though it was right before lunch, we chose the ice cream. It came topped with an adorable bear cookie.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Matcha ice cream

Then it was off to a restaurant for a prepared lunch of chicken and accompaniments.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Lunch restaurant on bus tour

Tokyo Bay Cruise

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: View of Tokyo Bay from the cruise boat

Amazingly, we still had more to see. We went on a Tokyo Bay “cruise” that involved a boat going out on the water, turning around slowly so that we could see everything, and then returning to the dock. I found this last stop the least interesting part of the day, although with everything else we did, it rounded out the day’s activities.

Fish Market Food Tour

One of the best things to do in Tokyo — and one of the most unusual — is to book a tour of Tsukijii, the old fish market. Although the famous tuna auctions no longer occur there, Tsukijii captures the essence of a traditional Japanese fish market. We found that a tour enabled us to sample foods without being overwhelmed by the choices.

Our guide and his assistant provided excellent commentary and food selections. We had only four people on our tour, which made the whole experience more personalized. Plus, we could stay together more easily in the crowded market.

We sampled everything from dried fish to ramen to sushi to mochi.

teamLab Planets Tokyo

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: teamLab Planets

Probably one of the most unusual things to do in Tokyo involves a visit to teamLab Planets, a “digital art museum.” The immersive, interactive experience changes every few months, so what I encountered wouldn’t be anything like what you might. That makes the experience full of surprises. You never know how the individual rooms will be set up. Whatever the particular exhibit, you will see virtual reality images such as swimming koi or blooming flowers.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Wading pool room with virtual koi (streaks) — Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Wading pool room with virtual koi

TeamLab offers some helpful, pre-visit tips. Three of the most important notes help you plan what to wear that day: you will be barefoot; you will wade up to your knees in water; and you shouldn’t wear skirts or dresses. For the last, you may encouter mirrored floors that will allow an “up-skirt” view. Free lockers are provided for shoes, purses, and other belongings. Given its popularity, reserve tickets for specific time slots well in advance.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Mirrored orchid room in teamLab Planets

Shopping Under Tokyo Station

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Beneath Tokyo Station

For the ultimate Japanese experience, you should venture under Tokyo Station to shop and eat. From comic alley, where you can find boutiques dedicated to manga and anime characters, to the iconic Tokyo banana store, it’s tons of fun to wander around.

Afterward, stop up above the station for a Hitachino Nest Beer Lab break, where you can sip craft beer and purchase a snack to go with it.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Beer and nuts at the Hitachino Nest Beer Lab

Ueno Zoological Gardens

Whether you bring along the kids or visit as a couple as we did, a trip to the Ueno zoo offers a different kind of experience. The range of animals and the size of the zoo are impressive.

A lot of people come to see the pandas, although actually seeing them can be a challenge. They have two separate enclosures, and it’s not easy to figure out where they are at a given point. We thought that we wouldn’t be able to see them due to a long line in front of the exhibit, only to stumble upon them, with no lines, at the other side of the zoo.

Best Things to Do in Tokyo: Panda at the Ueno Zoo

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden

The Japanese love their gardens and the nature they reflect. I found the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden another delightful way of escaping the noise of the city. Make sure you visit the rose garden, the greenhouse, and the Taiwan Pavilion.

The Verdict

Because of the sheer size of Tokyo, planning a visit can be daunting, especially if you have less than a week. We did a combination of booked tours and things planned on our own. The bus tour takes you to most of the iconic sites, freeing up days to explore other places. I highly recommend both the bus tour and the Tsukijii market tour since they give an excellent view of traditional and contemporary Japanese life.

Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Tags Asia, Japan, Tokyo

Archives Travel

Review of the Norwegian Jade

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date March 5, 2024

Any review of the Norwegian Jade has to touch upon its history. Originally christened the Pride of Hawaii, Norwegian Cruise Lines bought the ship in 2008 and renamed it the Jade. That makes the Jade one of the oldest and smallest ships in the fleet with an awkward layout to match. Because the ship predates the company’s shift toward unique shipboard amenities, passengers tend to book for the itinerary, not for the onboard experience. The ship lacks distinctive bar spaces and most of the newer restaurants, although it does include the better-known specialty dining venues.

I booked an Aft-Facing Penthouse Suite. Below, you will find a review of that cabin.

My experience aboard the Jade was colored in part by my stateroom level. Although the Jade has a small Haven area, it doesn’t include its own restaurant, one of the major reasons to book the Haven. We decided instead on an Aft Penthouse Suite, one level below The Haven. The room comes with many of the same perks but for a lesser cost. Once outside our cabin and beyond the perks that come with it, we also experienced the ship as it is for all passengers.

A General Review of the Jade

The ship’s size allows it to dock at smaller ports, enabling passengers to see things not possible on the larger ships. We did a cruise out of Athens that docked at Greek, Turkish, Israeli (before the war), and Cypriot ports.

If you want to walk through public spaces instead of down long stateroom corridors, the ship can be difficult to navigate. Especially because we stayed at the back of the ship, we had to learn how to maneuver to across it. Sometimes you’ll find that a public deck gets blocked midship by a restaurant. Or you’ll find you need to cross the Garden Café on deck 12 where they require you to wash your hands, even to walk straight through.

For better or worse, the Norwegian Jade doesn’t have as many kid-friendlyactivities as do some of the larger ships. Maybe because of this, the passengers skew older. Still the Jade has a Splash Academy and pools.

Aft-Facing Penthouse Suite

The jump between a Norwegian Cruise Lines mini-suite to a full suite (sometimes called a “family suite” or a “penthouse”) is enormous. The size of our room was the equivalent of any Haven room we’ve stayed in. It also comes with personalized concierge and butler service — more on that later. You also get a pre-cruise concierge available by phone or email, just as you would if you had booked The Haven.

I appreciated the café table and three chairs since it had plenty of room even after the butler delivered the daily snacks.

Although our suite was roomy and comfortable, we probably wouldn’t book an aft-facing room of any class again. This is our second time in an aft-facing penthouse, but we booked this one before we had stayed in the other. When the captain backs into a port, you get a lot of shuddering and noise, often at 4 am. Plus, on the Jade, the aft-tilted smoke stacks spew small globs of grease or oil that can end up on the balcony furniture. It’s pretty disgusting and probably a sign of an older ship despite refurbishment.

Our particular suite included a “large balcony.” I loved ours. Especially in the morning and evening, we enjoyed sittng there and sipping coffee or wine. It’s too bad that our chairs were often spotted with oil. We learned to flip up the cushions when we weren’t using them.

Bed and Linens

The high king-sized bed is comfortable and soft. The white comforter and sheet feel cozy and look pristine. You also get four down pillows. If you have an allergy to feathers, you may ask the pre-cruise concierge or, once on ship, your butler, to exchange them for a non-down alternative.

The suite includes a chair-and-a-half that can be pulled out into a single bed. Heavy curtains can be pulled around the king bed for privacy, but it also cuts off the bathroom for whoever is sleeping on the pull-out.

Bathroom

The bathroom, while much better than those in smaller cabins, falls short of The Haven bathrooms on Norwegian’s newest ships. It has a single sink with modest counter space around it.

Based on my experience in The Haven and suites on more recent ships, Norwegian has swapped out individual toiletries for wall-mounted ones. I dislike this change since individual toiletries make staterooms seem more like luxury hotel rooms. At least they still use L’Occitane products.

The bathtub/shower combo drove me crazy because the tub was so high. I had a hip problem, and it wasn’t easy getting in and out of it. Getting in posed less of a problem because the shower wall had a bar to steady me in case I ran into trouble. Getting out was more dangerous, especially since the floor was lower than the bathtub bottom. (If you have hip or knee problems, you probably understand why a high tub with a shower door runner on the edge could cause issues.)

Other Stateroom Furnishings

As with The Haven, you will have a Nespresso machine with as many capsules as you want. You see free movies on the large screen television, although as is the case with many of the smaller ships, you don’t have movies on demand. You see what is available, even if the film is halfway through.

The Aft-Facing Penthouse included a small, round table with three chairs; a built-in desk with an ottoman-like chair; and two small bedside tables with shelves underneath.

In one of the more unique touches, Norwegian squeezed in a vanity between the bathroom and the closets, with a stool. The three drawers next to the stool opening provide invaluable storage.

Electrical Outlets

All outlets were American, not European, and 110 volts. Regardless, you should take an adapter, just in case.

One of my pet peeves in hotel room is a lack of outlets for two people to charge multiple devices. Our suite on the Jade had the same problem. Although each bedside wall lamp has a USB port, most people will find it inadequate if they have both a smart watch and a phone they want next to the bed.

The desk had a single outlet that my husband used to plug in his laptop and his watch from there. I found an outlet in the corner, near the floor, that I could use for my tablet.

Steward, Butler, and Concierge

The steward, just as all the stewards across the ship, are the equivalent of hoursekeeping at a hotel. They take care of keeping the room clean, replacing towels and linens, and any maintenance problems.

The butler delivers daily snacks, ship invitations, and takes care of your general comfort. If you order room service, the butler will set up your table and deliver your meal. We always make a pre-cruise request to have M&Ms in our room, and the butler sees that they are there when we board. Butlers will take special requests for anything that has to do with your room. They do not wait on you exclusively but rather have several staterooms assigned to them.

The suite concierges help with excursions, reservations at entertainment venues, and dining reservations. They escort you to gangways at port and when you disembark so you don’t have to wait in line. They take care of anything that happens outside of your stateroom.

If you stay in a suite, either in the Haven or separately, as we did, you’ll have to bring lots of extra cash for tipping. While gratuitites are generally pre-paid at time of booking, the butler and concierge do not get a share of that pool. We generally give the butler $20/day, and the concierge(s) $10/day. Obviously, these gratuities can be adjusted up or down depending on service.

The Verdict

Even though the Jade is far from my favorite ship in the Norwegian fleet, we enjoyed our cruise nonetheless. If you can afford a true suite, then go for it. I suspect the even more expensive Haven rooms aren’t worth it, simply because the Jade does not have a dedicated restaurant and lounge. For a comparison of what a Haven stateroom looks like, click here for my experience on the Norwegian Joy.

For us, we chose the Jade because of the scheduled destinations. This smaller ship (it’s still not small!) allowed us to see things we would not have been able to see otherwise.

Debbie Lee Wesselmann

Tags cruise

Archives Travel

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions

Post author By Debbie Lee Wesselmann
Post date April 4, 2023

Booked via Norwegian Cruise Lines, The Epic

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: Sunrise from the stern of the Norwegian Epic

When we took a Mediterranean cruise on the Norwegian Epic, we found a dearth of reviews, in part because Norwegian strangely prevents cruisers from posting them. In many ways, we booked blind. We knew certain things we wanted to see, such as Pompeii, but others we guessed at. The following provides descriptions and short reviews of the excursions we took, by port: Naples, Livorno, Cannes, Palma de Majorca, and Ajaccio.

Note: Norwegian cancelled a couple of our tours while we were on the ship. In the case of Barcelona, we took a shuttle into the city to explore on our own. For Rome, we had to take an airport transfer directly to the airport, where we sat for a full day awaiting our flight. Thank goodness we planned to return to Rome in the fall. Both of these ports have unreliable tour schedules because people embark and disembark there. You may get on in Rome, but others board in Barcelona.

Pompeii Excavations

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: Pompeii as viewed from outside the ancient city

Although we knew we wanted to see Pompeii — we had tried four times during the pandemic but all those vacations had been cancelled — but we didn’t know which Pompeii excursion to book. At the time, the cruise line offered three options, including one to explore on our own. In recent years, we’ve discovered the benefits (and drawbacks) of a guided tour, so we chose Pompeii Excavations. We wanted a tour solely dedicated to the ruins.

Pompeii blew me away. Having visited ancient ruins all over the world, I never expected to experience the city as it stood in AD 79, when Mount Vesuvius buried it in ash. When you are on the ground, looking down streets and into buildings, you get an idea of the thriving city it once was. Unlike elsewhere, you won’t find replicas and non-original materials to help tourists get a feeling of what once was. Photographs do not do it justice.

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: Mount Vesuvius behind the huge Pompeii square

Next, our tour guide made all the difference. She showed us areas and building that we never would have found on our own. In excellent English, she described the significance of each, pointing out details. For instance, I never would have known that certain buildings had been stores if I had explored on my own. She provided access to special houses and even showed where we could best photograph Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Without doubt, this tour was the best one we took while on our cruise.

Livorno, Italy (“Florence/Pisa”)

Pisa and a Taste of Tuscany

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: The famous Leaning Tower of Pisa

Having already visited Florence several times, we knew it would be a long bus ride from Livorno to the interior city, with little time to explore it. Instead, we opted for a tour that took us to Pisa and a wine tasting. We love our Tuscan wines, and even though we knew we wouldn’t be treated to high-end ones, we thought it might be fun. As for Pisa, my husband had never been, and I figured it would be a great opportunity to see it. After all, the Field of Miracles is impressive.

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: the Baptistry and part of the Cathedral

Our tour guide led us from the bus parking lot to the Field of Miracles. She gave a brief description of the buildings, complete with historical background, and then advised us to stand in line to get free tickets to enter the Bapistry and Cathedral. Because tickets to the top of the Leaning Tower are mostly sold out in advance, she rightly told us not to try, especially with our limited time there.

Because of our guides advice, we were able to enter the Bapistry just before the security guard sang to demonstrate the acoustics. (He does it every half-four.) He sings only for a minute or so, making it essential to arrive beforehand. We then headed to the Cathedral. We had enough time for photos of all the buildings, including the Leaning Tower.

Next, we went to a family vineyard, Fattoria il Poggio. After a brief tour of the vineyard, we went inside their visitor center. There, we tried six of their wines, three white and three red. For lunch, they served us pasta — papparadelle with meat sauce — and bread. (They may have had vegetarian pasta upon request.) We sat at long tables in a brick-arched room, and at least one other tour bus joined us. Although no one guided us through the tasting, we did get cards that described each wine that you then poured for yourself.

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: Vineyard at Fattorio il Poggio

I liked that this tour didn’t require hours of bus travel but that we were still able to see famous sites. The wine tasting, while delicious, was a little chaotic.

Cannes, France

Cannes Walk, Saint-Honorat, & Wine

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: View from partway up the walk to the Cannes church

I had already seen Monaco and hadn’t found anything particularly interesting about it. And I had spent a few days in Nice several years ago, so I had seen parts of the other tours as well. We settled on Cannes Walk, Saint-Honorat Island, and wine.

Our guide took us up a steep walk through the old section of Cannes until we reached a church perched on top of the hill. From there, we could see fantastic views of the city and the Mediterranean Sea beyond. We then walked back down through the narrow streets lined with shops. Our guide gave us time to explore the Cannes market, with time to buy food. (Lunch is not included.)

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: The market in Cannes

After exploring the market, we boarded a boat to Saint-Honorat Island. There, we had time to explore the island. Afterward, we visited the monastery and enjoyed an outdoor wine tasting in the vineyard. One of the winemakers guided us through the tasting, explaining each wine. Afterward, we had time to explore the island on our own before boarding the boat back to Cannes.

While this tour was low-key, I enjoyed it. Despite the heat, I thought the tasting in the vineyard added a memorable touch.

Majorca, Spain

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: View of Palma and beyond

Magical Majorca and Train to Soller

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: A street in Soller

Again, I had visited Majorca (also known as Mallorca) before, but my husband had not. While I guided him somewhat when we chose our tour, I let him make the final decision. He chose Magical Majorca and the train to Soller in part because he loves trains. Of course, the description of the tour clinched it for him.

After a brief stop outside Palma’s Cathedral and information from our guide about the city, we boarded a bus to Soller, a small town located high in the mountains. Once in Soller, we had free time to wander the old streets, eat ice cream, and shop. We then boarded the train to head back to the port. Although some of the views from the train are impressive, they pale in comparison to the ones you can see if you explore the northern coast. (I don’t know if any of the tours take you there.)

This tour was a pleasant way to spend the day, although it also lacked anything truly memorable. I probably would have preferred one of the several food tours, Panaromic Coastal Views, or Palma in Depth. Still, Soller is a charming town.

Corsica, France

Highlights of Ajaccio

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: A coastal stop on Corsica

Norwegian Cruise Lines doesn’t always stop at Corsica on its Mediterranean cruises. We knew we’d would be unlikely to return to the island, so we booked an overview tour.

This tour took us to a stop along the coast as well as a walking tour of Ajaccio, including a walk-by of a house where Napoleon had lived as a child. We visited a church — and that’s about it. Our guide left us in town to find our way back to the cruise ship, which fortunately was large enough to be seen occasionally between buildings.

Mediterranean Cruise Excursions: the town of Agaccia

I felt that our guide was sub-par, particularly during our walking tour of Ajaccio. Unlike many guides, her heart didn’t seem to be in it. Part of that fault may lie with Corsica itself since, other than its beaches and its part in Napoleon’s childhood, not much remains to be seen. The large town of Ajaccio has it charms, however.

The Verdict

Out of all our stops in the Mediterranean, I wish we had had two days in Naples, both to see Pompeii and to see the city itself. Or to see Sorrento. The next best port was Livorno/”Florence” since seeing Pisa’s Field of Miracles is one of those iconic tourist moments. You don’t need to do it again and again, but you should see it at least once.

While our tour of Agaccio, Corsica was the weakest, we still got to see part of the island and its capitol city. What else would we have done?

Later in the year, we will repeat many of these ports during an upcoming cruise, and afterward I’ll review the different excursions we take in a separate blog. Stay tuned!

Tags cruise, Europe, Mediterranean, norwegian

When To Visit

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

The Wineries

Bergstrom

Archery Summit

Purple Hands

Résonance

Domaine Drouhin Oregon

Domaine Serene

Beaux Frères

The Four Graces

Adelsheim

Ken Wright Wine Cellars

Argyle

Tasting Tips

The Verdict

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Critical Things to Know

Weather

What to Pack For an Antarctic Cruise

Onboard Lectures

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Ushuaia, Argentina

Paradise Bay

Falkland Islands

Puerto Madryn, Argentina

Montevideo, Uruguay

The Verdict

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Underground Naples

National Archaeological Museum of Naples

Food Tours

Sansevero Chapel and Museum

Galleria Borbonica

Castel Sant’Elmo

Chiesa del Gesù Nuovo

Naple’s Most Famous Food: Pizza

Duomo di Napoli

Palazzo Reale di Napoli

Opera at Teatro di San Carlo

Basilica of San Francesco

Wander the Narrow Streets

Galleria Umberto I

Day Trips From Naples

Pompeii

Sorrento

Capri

Herculaneum

The Verdict

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Take a Walking Tour

Visit San Juan Gate

La Puerta de San Juan

Explore Castillo San Cristóbal

Tour Castillo San Felipe del Morro

El Morro

View a Historic Cemetery

Visit Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

Book a Rum Tasting

Visit The White House

Museo Casa Blanca

Check out Capilla del Cristo

Eat Like the Locals

The Verdict

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Book a Tour to See the Little Penguins

Brighton Bathing Boxes

Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park

The Nobbies, Philip Island

Take a Food Tour. Or Two.

Melbourne Foodie Discovery Walking Tour

Queen Victoria Market Food Tour

Stroll the Royal Botanic Gardens

Explore the Yarra Valley Wine Country

Visit the National Gallery of Victoria

See a Play or Concert at the Arts Centre

Stroll Down the Hosier Laneway

Where to Eat

The Verdict