THE MAGIC of the Mediterranean
With P&O Cruises you can sail – or fly and sail – to Spain, France, Italy, Croatia or Greece
The question when it comes to sailing in the Mediterranean is not whether you should arrange an escape to the sea which defines the shape of Europe, but where you should go.
To a firm favourite like Spain, France or Italy? To a rising destination like Croatia or Montenegro? Or perhaps further afield – to Greece, maybe?
The good news is that P&O Cruises can help with your decision. This trusted company is a regular sailor in the Mediterranean, with ships like Oriana, Ventura, Britannia, Arcadia, Oceana, Aurora and Azura halting at prime ports along its coast. So, where?
Italy is always a popular option, where a cruise might drop anchor in Naples (for views of Mount Vesuvius or day trips to Pompeii), in Venice, or off the coast of Sicily, the Mediterranean’s largest island.
A cruise halting in Spain might moor in Barcelona for encounters with the architectural genius of Antoni Gaudí, or in Ibiza for a taste of the good life in the sunny Balearic Islands.
France might mean a day in Marseille, where the epic basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde towers over the harbour, or in Ajaccio, a lovely gateway to the mountainous outcrop of Corsica.
Greece is another country charted in detail by P&O Cruises – a playground where ships slip away from Piraeus, the gateway to Athens, with its ancient history, and into the country’s maze of islands, to Crete, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu and Zakynthos. Then there is Croatia, where little cities of rare beauty – Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar – see their orange rooftops reflected in the water.
All of this is possible with P&O Cruises – whose standards of service, friendly staff and warm welcome make every holiday as relaxing as it is adventurous. Furthermore, you can head to the Mediterranean with P&O Cruises from March to November – fair weather cloaks the sea at most times of year.
Better still, the Mediterranean is accessible. Many sailings with P&O Cruises start from (and finish in) Southampton, adding an extra element of convenience to your holiday. But flights are also included in the cost of your break if you choose to fly out to start your cruise – an excellent way to get a head start on the sunshine – or jet home afterwards. The Mediterranean and P&O Cruises are a truly splendid match.