pullmantur-sovereign

The Breezes of the Mediterranean itinerary is available on one of Pulmantur’s most popular ships, the Sovereign with departures from Barcelona and Rome.

Apart from the all inclusive benefits on this ship there is also great service, dining and entertainment options, but the real attraction is the strategically picked locations. Here are some of the things to see in the scheduled port of calls.

Civitavecchia

Although Civitavecchia itself doesn’t contain too many highlights, it’s relatively close to Rome and Vatican City. Take a shore excursion to the Eternal City or hop on a train from Civitavecchia’s station and venture out on your own.

Famous monuments such as the Colosseum and Trevi Fountain are practically mandatory but there are many more that are well worth a visit.

Trevi Fountain

One of these is the enormous National Monument of Victor Emmanuel II (honouring the first king of united Italy) completely constructed out of white marble. Other landmarks to make note of include the Pantheon which is dedicated to all Roman gods and the famous Spanish Steps, at the base of Trinita dei Monti.

La Goullette

The port of call in La Goullette Tunisia presents an Islamic and modern blend. Most tours will visit the oldest and most important mosque in the country, Zitouna Mosque.

Other sites such as the Statue of Ibn Khaldun, who was a Muslim historian well known for his prolegomenon and the Municipal Theatre of Tunis located in the Khaznadar Palace are recommended stops on a shore tour. The Bardo Museum, which contains historical artefacts from the Greeks, Islamic and Tunisian reign is also a must see.

La Spezia

Once home to Lord Byron, La Spezia is situated in Northern Italy amongst deep green hills and the sea.

Put on your trainers and spend the day amongst the rugged villages of Cinque Terre perched above this beautiful coastline. Nothing will remain as impressive of nature at its best and so much so that it is declared a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Cinque Terre

For those wanting to stay closer to port, Museo Amedeo Lia has been turned into a fine-arts museum from a 17th-century friary that has been restored. The collection is predominantly from the 13th to 18th centuries.

Archaeological artefacts from primitive man to medieval eras discovered in the immediate region are displayed at La Spezia’s Castello di San Giorgio.

Naples

Naples is bustling and is the gateway to some impressive sites such as Pompeii. Nothing is as inspiring as when a dead city speaks of life to all the living. The homes are splendid and have been restored to what they would have originally looked like at the time Vesuvius struck. Walk amongst the colourful mosaic pillars and beautiful scenes of mythology and gods painted on the walls.

The outline of the Amalfi Coast and Mount Vesuvius fade away when jumping on a short ferry ride to the island of Capri where the smell of jasmine fills the air.

Who doesn’t like pizza? Considered as the birthplace of the pizza, no trip to Naples would be complete without stopping in a cafe for a slice.

Villefranche

This maybe a small port but it offers many picture perfect opportunities. The beaches on the French Riviera are known throughout the world as some of the most glamorous places to top up your tan. The coastline features stunning cliffs and vast sandy beaches.

Because of its convenient location, a visit to Monte Carlo, Nice, Antibes or Cannes is in order. The Sovereign offers several excursions to some of these locations. Of course you can go it alone and board a train at the station. It is in walking distance once reaching shore via a tender boat.

On Board the Sovereign

The ship has a crew to passenger ratio of 1 crew member for every 2.8 passengers and the cabins range from 11 square metres up to a massive 64 square meters for the Royal Suite.

sovereign royal suite

Dining options include El Douro and the El Guadiana dining rooms, with a vast cuisine offered and friendly service. There is also a buffet option located in the venue Panorama Buffet and the Asian themed WU Restaurant.

WU Restaurant

Previously, the Sovereign was a Royal Caribbean ship (parent company of Pullmantur). Its exterior is recognisable by a 360 degree lounge on deck 14. Stop in for a drink and take in the unsurpassed sea views.

There is no strict dress code on the ship, so that means one can feel comfortable with wearing casual during the day, with perhaps a short change to smart dress casual after dark. However, be sure to pack at least one dressy outfit for the formal evenings. The best option to take would be a suit or a dinner jacket for men and a cocktail dress for women.

For a Quote on the Mediterranean Breezes itinerary click here

Written by Veronica Shine