Cruise itinerary
18-Night Europe Cruise from Barcelona
18 nights · Europe · 17 ports of call
18-night Europe cruise aboard EXPLORA II, departing Barcelona and calling at Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Palamós, At Sea, Marseille and Genoa and 10 more.
- Free advisor
- No booking fees
- 10,000+ sailings
At a glance
- Ship
- EXPLORA II
- Cruise line
- Explora Journeys
- Duration
- 18 nights
- Region
- Europe · Southern Europe · Mediterranean
- Departs
- Barcelona
- Returns
- Barcelona
How NestCruise works:we're advisor-led, not a booking engine. No fares are listed and there are no booking fees — tell an advisor your dates and party and they price your exact EXPLORA II sailing, typically within 24 hours.
Where this voyage takes you
Day-by-day itinerary
- Day1
Barcelona
Depart 20:00
Catalonia's seafront capital and one of the Mediterranean's busiest cruise homeports. Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell crown the city, while the tree-lined Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter's medieval lanes lie a short ride from the terminal.
- Sagrada Família
- La Rambla
- Gothic Quarter
- Day2
Valencia
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 19:00
Spain's third city, on the Mediterranean coast where the old riverbed has become a long ribbon of parkland. It is the birthplace of paella, home to the silk-era Lonja trading hall and to Calatrava's white City of Arts and Sciences complex.
- City of Arts and Sciences
- La Lonja
- Paella
- Day3
Palma de Mallorca
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
The capital of Mallorca in Spain's Balearic Islands, set around a wide bay. Its enormous seafront cathedral, La Seu, rises above the old town's narrow lanes, with a hilltop castle, marina and nearby coves a short way from the cruise terminal.
- La Seu cathedral
- Bellver Castle
- Old town
- Day4
Palamós
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 19:00
A fishing town and marina on Spain's Costa Brava, north of Barcelona in Catalonia. Its working harbour and old quarter back onto a curve of beach, while the rocky coves and pine-clad coastline of the region stretch in both directions from the port.
- Costa Brava coves
- Town beach
- Fishing harbour
- Day5
At Sea
- Day6
Marseille
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 18:00
France's oldest city and biggest Mediterranean port, set around the old harbour of the Vieux-Port. The hilltop basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde watches over the bay, with the Calanques inlets and bouillabaisse stalls a short way off.
- Vieux-Port
- Notre-Dame de la Garde
- Calanques
- Day7
Genoa
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
Italy's great maritime city, stacked up the Ligurian hills above one of the Mediterranean's busiest harbours. Its old town is a maze of tall, narrow caruggi, and it claims pesto and focaccia as local inventions; the Aquarium and Renaissance palaces of Via Garibaldi sit close to the port.
- Old-town caruggi
- Genoa Aquarium
- Via Garibaldi palaces
- Day8
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 19:00
A deep-water bay on the French Riviera between Nice and Monaco, framed by steep pastel hillsides. The sheltered harbour is a classic tender anchorage, with a baroque old town behind the waterfront and easy connections along the coast to Nice and Monte Carlo.
- Old town
- Riviera coast
- Nice & Monaco access
- Day9
Livorno
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 20:00
A Tuscan port on the Ligurian Sea and the gateway to Florence and Pisa. Ships dock here for excursions to Renaissance galleries and the Leaning Tower, while Livorno itself is known for its canal district and a seafood stew called cacciucco.
- Gateway to Florence
- Pisa excursions
- Venezia Nuova canals
- Day10
Civitavecchia
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 20:00
The deep-water port serving Rome, roughly 80 kilometres up the coast. Ships dock here for shore excursions to the Colosseum, the Vatican and the Roman Forum, while the town itself keeps a working harbour and a Michelangelo-designed fortress.
- Gateway to Rome
- Fort Michelangelo
- Vatican excursions
- Day11
Naples
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 18:00
A southern Italian port on its namesake bay, in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Ships dock near the historic centre, the gateway to Pompeii, the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and the island of Capri, in a city that claims to have invented pizza.
- Mount Vesuvius
- Pompeii
- Gateway to Capri
- Day12
Palermo
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 17:00
The capital of Sicily, a port city layered with Arab, Norman, and Baroque history on the island's north coast. Palermo is known for its mosaic-rich Cappella Palatina, lively street-food markets, and the Norman cathedral at nearby Monreale.
- Cappella Palatina
- Ballarò market
- Monreale mosaics
- Day13
Tunis
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 18:00
The capital of Tunisia, set on a lagoon near the North African coast. Its walled medina is a UNESCO maze of souks and mosques, while the ruins of ancient Carthage and the blue-and-white village of Sidi Bou Said lie a short ride out.
- Medina souks
- Carthage ruins
- Sidi Bou Said
- Day14
At Sea
- Day15
Alger (Algiers)
Arrive 07:00 · Depart 19:00
- Day16
Cartagena
Arrive 09:00 · Depart 18:00
A naval port in the Murcia region of southeastern Spain, sheltered by hills around a deep harbour. Layers of Roman, Carthaginian and modern history meet here, including a restored Roman theatre uncovered in the city centre.
- Roman theatre
- Naval harbour
- Concepción Castle
- Day17
Alicante
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 19:00
A sun-warmed port on Spain's Costa Blanca, set below the Santa Bárbara castle on its rocky headland. The palm-lined Explanada promenade leads to a long city beach, with the old Barrio Santa Cruz climbing the hill in white houses.
- Santa Bárbara Castle
- Explanada promenade
- Postiguet Beach
- Day18
Tarragona
Arrive 08:00 · Depart 19:00
A coastal city in Catalonia, northeast Spain, built on the site of a major Roman provincial capital. Its amphitheatre, forum and aqueduct survive among the old town's medieval lanes, with a long Mediterranean beach below the upper town.
- Roman amphitheatre
- Tarragona Cathedral
- Les Ferreres Aqueduct
- Day19
Barcelona
Arrive 08:00
Catalonia's seafront capital and one of the Mediterranean's busiest cruise homeports. Gaudí's Sagrada Família and Park Güell crown the city, while the tree-lined Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter's medieval lanes lie a short ride from the terminal.
- Sagrada Família
- La Rambla
- Gothic Quarter
Upcoming departures
- 24 Jan 2027
Upcoming sailings of this itinerary — a NestCruise advisor confirms current availability and your fare.
18-Night Europe Cruise from Barcelona FAQ
Which ports does this cruise visit?
This 18-night Europe cruise calls at Barcelona, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Palamós, At Sea, Marseille, Genoa, Villefranche-sur-Mer, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Naples, Palermo, Tunis, Alger (Algiers), Cartagena, Alicante and Tarragona.
How many days are spent at sea?
2 days are spent at sea; the rest are in port.
Where does this cruise depart from?
It is a round-trip sailing from Barcelona.
How long is this cruise?
18 nights aboard EXPLORA II.
When does this itinerary sail?
Upcoming departures include 24 Jan 2027. A NestCruise advisor can confirm current availability.