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Wine Lovers Dream

Aboard Seven Seas Navigator with Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Departure Date

13 September 2025

Duration

10 Nights

Fly Cruise From

£6,359pp

Cruise Reference

ART-7WIRE14

Cruise Overview

The infinite variety of street life, the nooks and crannies of the medieval Barri Gòtic, the ceramic tile and stained glass of Art Nouveau facades, the art and music, the throb of street life, the food (ah, the food!)—one way or another, Barcelona will find a way to get your full attention.

The capital of Catalonia is a banquet for the senses, with its beguiling mix of ancient and modern architecture, tempting cafés and markets, and sun-drenched Mediterranean beaches.

A stroll along La Rambla and through waterfront Barceloneta, as well as a tour of Gaudí's majestic Sagrada Famíliaand his other unique creations, are part of a visit to Spain's second-largest city.

Modern art museums and chic shops call for attention, too.

Barcelona's vibe stays lively well into the night, when you can linger over regional wine and cuisine at buzzing tapas bars.
At first glance, it really doesn't look all that impressive.

There's a pretty port with cafés charging €5 for a coffee and a picturesque old town in sugared-almond hues, but there are many prettier in the hills nearby.

There are sandy beaches, rare enough on the Riviera, and old-fashioned squares with plane trees and pétanque players, but these are a dime a dozen throughout Provence.

So what made St-Tropez an internationally known locale?

Two words: Brigitte Bardot.

When this pulpeuse (voluptuous) teenager showed up in St-Tropez on the arm of Roger Vadim in 1956 to film And God Created Woman, the heads of the world snapped around.

Neither the gentle descriptions of writer Guy de Maupassant (1850–93), nor the watercolor tones of Impressionist Paul Signac (1863–1935), nor the stream of painters who followed (including Matisse and Bonnard) could focus the world's attention on this seaside hamlet as did this one sensual woman in a scarf, Ray-Bans, and capris.

Vanity Fair ran a big article, "Saint Tropez Babylon," detailing the over-the-top petrodollar parties, megayachts, and Beyoncé–d paparazzi.

But don't be turned off: the next year, Stewart, Tabori & Chang released an elegant coffee-table book, Houses of St-Tropez, packed with photos of supremely tasteful and pretty residences, many occupied by fashion designers, artists, and writers.

Once a hangout for Colette, Anaïs Nin, and Françoise Sagan, the town still earns its old moniker, the "Montparnasse of the Mediterranean." Yet you might be surprised to find that this byword for billionaires is so small and insulated.

The lack of train service, casinos, and chain hotels keeps it that way.

Yet fame, in a sense, came too fast for St-Trop.

Unlike the chic resorts farther east, it didn't have the decades-old reputation of the sort that would attract visitors all year around.

For a good reason: its location on the south side of the gulf puts it at the mercy of the terrible mistral winter winds.

So, in summer the crowds descend and the prices rise into the stratosphere.

In July and August, you must be carefree about the sordid matter of cash.

After all, at the most Dionysian nightclub in town, a glass of tap water goes for $37 and when the mojo really gets going, billionaires think nothing of "champagne-spraying" the partying crowds—think World Series celebrations but with $1,000 bottles of Roederer Cristal instead of Gatorade.

Complaining about summer crowds, overpricing, and lack of customer service has become a tourist sport and yet this is what makes St-Tropez—described by the French daily newspaper Le Figaro as the place you can see "the greatest number of faces per square meter"—as intriguing as it is seductive.
Livorno is a gritty city with a long and interesting history.

In the early Middle Ages it alternately belonged to Pisa and Genoa.

In 1421 Florence, seeking access to the sea, bought it.

Cosimo I (1519–74) started construction of the harbor in 1571, putting Livorno on the map.

After Ferdinando I de' Medici (1549–1609) proclaimed Livorno a free city, it became a haven for people suffering from religious persecution; Roman Catholics from England and Jews and Moors from Spain and Portugal, among others, settled here.

The Quattro Mori (Four Moors), also known as the Monument to Ferdinando I, commemorates this.

(The statue of Ferdinando I dates from 1595, the bronze Moors by Pietro Tacca from the 1620s.)In the following centuries, and particularly in the 18th, Livorno boomed as a port.

In the 19th century the town drew a host of famous Britons passing through on their grand tours.

Its prominence continued up to World War II, when it was heavily bombed.

Much of the town's architecture, therefore, postdates the war, and it's somewhat difficult to imagine what it might have looked like before.

Livorno has recovered from the war, however, as it's become a huge point of departure for container ships, as well as the only spot in Tuscany for cruise ships to dock for the day.Most of Livorno's artistic treasures date from the 17th century and aren't all that interesting unless you dote on obscure baroque artists.

Livorno's most famous native artist, Amedeo Modigliani (1884–1920), was of much more recent vintage.

Sadly, there's no notable work by him in his hometown.There may not be much in the way of art, but it's still worth strolling around the city.

The Mercato Nuovo, which has been around since 1894, sells all sorts of fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, and fish.

Outdoor markets nearby are also chock-full of local color.

The presence of Camp Darby, an American military base just outside town, accounts for the availability of many American products.If you have time, Livorno is worth a stop for lunch or dinner at the very least.

Cruise Itinerary

Aboard Seven Seas Navigator

Launch Year: 1999 Length: 172 Width: 24 Currency: USD Capacity: 482 Crew Count: 378 Deck Count: 8 Cabin Count: 241

Seven Seas Navigator® may be found in two very different regions: the South Pacific or Canada and New England. Take your pick of amazing beauty in both destinations — turquoise waters teeming with bright tropical fish or the blazing orange, red and gold leaves of a New England autumn.

As you gaze at Seven Seas Navigator®, imagine what you’ll hear as well. Listen for sounds of happiness like forks clicking on Versace dinnerware, a ball clacking on a roulette wheel, and a martini being shaken to icy perfection.

You’ll find time spent on board the ship to be just as enriching as time ashore. Relax by the pool, compete in a friendly game of trivia or bocce ball, indulge in treats at afternoon tea and gain insight from an expert lecturer.

Chat up like-minded travellers over a cocktail at Stars Lounge on Deck 6, find your Zen at a yoga class on Deck 12 or update your wardrobe at the boutiques on Deck 7. Do it all on the luxurious decks of Seven Seas Navigator®

Seven Seas Navigator Facilities

Seven Seas Navigator Includes

Cabin Details

Serene ocean views enhance the soothing colour palette in each Seven Seas Navigator® suite. You’ll also find luxurious bath amenities, a cosy robe and our superior Elite Slumber™ beds to ensure a relaxing and revitalizing voyage.

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