Best of the Mediterranean with Azamara – Barcelona to Venice, June 2027

The Mediterranean is an itinerary that travel writers have been running out of superlatives for since antiquity, and with good reason. In a single 12-night voyage aboard Azamara Onward, you trace a course from the Catalan coast to the Venetian lagoon, threading through some of the most storied ports in the world.

What distinguishes this voyage is Azamara’s size. With only around 690 guests, Onward is small enough to dock in city-centre harbours, Amalfi, Kotor, Sibenik, that larger ships simply cannot reach, and small enough that disembarkation is a matter of minutes rather than long queues. Life onboard is relaxed and matches the unhurried pace of the journey.

Why this journey

The itinerary is built for travellers who want depth rather than distance. Most ports offer long days ashore, Sorrento and Amalfi both extend to evening, giving you time for a slow dinner above the Tyrrhenian before returning to the ship. Three of the most compelling stops on the Adriatic, Kotor, Sibenik and Koper, are places that mainstream Mediterranean cruising frequently skips in favour of larger, better-known ports. That absence is what makes them worth going to.

Journey highlights

• Barcelona, Spain, the Gothic Quarter, Gaudí’s Sagrada Família and one of Europe’s most vibrant food cultures
• Provence (Marseille), France, the old port, the calanques coastline and the markets of France’s oldest city
• Monte Carlo, Monaco, the tiny principality with an outsized reputation for architecture, racing heritage and the world’s most celebrated casino
• Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy, the cradle of the Renaissance, with the Uffizi, the Duomo and Piazza dei Miracoli within reach
• Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy, the Eternal City, from the Colosseum and Vatican to lesser-known neighbourhoods
• Sorrento and Amalfi, Italy, the dramatic southern Italian coastline, lemon groves and turquoise water
• Kotor, Montenegro, one of Europe’s finest walled medieval cities, with walls built into the mountain rising behind it
• Sibenik, Croatia, stone laneways, a UNESCO-listed cathedral and the wine-country of the Dalmatian hinterland
• Koper, Slovenia, the gateway to the Škocjan Caves UNESCO site and a charming historic centre
• Venice (Fusina), Italy, overnight in the lagoon city, with a full day ashore on day two before disembarkation

The ship

Azamara Onward is a mid-sized boutique vessel that describes itself, not inaccurately, as a boutique hotel at sea. Seven restaurants, cafes and lounges, a spa and fitness centre, a pool deck, and a collection of bars and lounges, including the intimate Living Room, give the ship genuine variety without the anonymity of a 5,000-guest mega-ship. The atmosphere tends to attract guests who are curious, well-travelled and interested in the places they are visiting.

The V3 Balcony Stateroom is 175 sq ft (16.3 sq m) with a private veranda of 40 sq ft (3.7 sq m), generous enough to sit on with a glass of something, practical enough not to feel wasted. Two lower beds convert to one queen, and the room is fitted with a sitting area, flat-screen TV, refrigerator, writing desk and in-room safe. At sea, the specialty restaurant Aqualina serves Italian cuisine; Prime C is the steakhouse. The Cabaret Lounge and the Living Room provide evening entertainment on the scale of an intimate performance venue, not a theatre.

Itinerary

Day 1 – Barcelona, Spain. Embark Azamara Onward this evening at 6:00 pm, with time to settle in before departing.

Day 2 – Provence (Marseille), France (8:00 am – 8:00 pm). France’s oldest city and largest Mediterranean port, colourful markets, the old Vieux Port, and the dramatic calanques coastline to the south.

Day 3 – Monte Carlo, Monaco (8:00 am – 10:00 pm). An extended day in the principality, time enough for the casino district, the Prince’s Palace and the Grand Prix circuit that threads through the streets.

Day 4 – Florence / Pisa (Livorno), Italy (8:00 am – 9:00 pm). The birthplace of the Renaissance, with Botticellis and Michelangelos gathered in one of the world’s great museum cities, alongside elegant squares and magnificent churches.

Day 5 – Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy (8:00 am – 8:00 pm). A full day for the Eternal City, the Vatican, the Colosseum, a coin tossed in a fabled fountain or an afternoon lost in Trastevere.

Day 6 – Sorrento, Italy (8:00 am – 10:00 pm). A long day on the Campanian coast, with Sorrento’s historic centre, views across the Bay of Naples and the option to journey up to Pompeii or the Amalfi Drive.

Day 7 – Amalfi, Italy (7:30 am – 6:00 pm). Wedged into a ravine between cliffs and the sea, Amalfi is one of the Adriatic’s most photogenic ports, terraced hillsides, lemon groves and a cathedral that rewards the climb.

Day 8 – At sea. A day aboard to use the spa, walk the decks, find a quiet corner of the ship or simply watch the Adriatic go by.

Day 9 – Kotor, Montenegro (10:30 am – 7:00 pm). One of Europe’s best-preserved medieval walled cities, its walls climbing directly into the limestone mountains. The approach by sea, through the bay, is one of the most dramatic in the region.

Day 10 – Sibenik, Croatia (8:00 am – 5:00 pm). An underrated Dalmatian town with a UNESCO-listed cathedral, a maze of stone alleyways and an excellent local wine scene in the surrounding hills.

Day 11 – Koper, Slovenia (9:00 am – 10:00 pm). Slovenia’s only coastal city, with a compact historic centre and access to the extraordinary underground Škocjan Caves, among the largest in the world, thirty minutes inland.

Days 12 & 13 – Venice (Fusina), Italy (overnight). Arrive in Venice on the afternoon of day 12 and stay overnight in the lagoon. A full day ashore before disembarkation on the morning of day 13.