The Perfect 7-Day Mediterranean Cruise: Every Port, Every Day, Every Decision
The complete guide to the classic 7-day Mediterranean cruise — Barcelona, Marseille, Genoa, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples, and back. What to do, how to plan each port day, and how to save over €400 on ship excursions.
€586
Ship excursion total
€150
DIY with PortTrip
€436
Per person savings
Day-by-Day: Every Port
Barcelona, Spain
Ship: €119pp
DIY: €32pp
Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Família exterior, La Boqueria. Start early — terminal is 25 minutes from the city centre.
Best approach
Walk Gothic Quarter before 10:00, metro to Sagrada Família, lunch off Las Ramblas
Avoid
Overambitious Gaudí tour hunting — pick two, do them well
Marseille, France
Ship: €89pp
DIY: €22pp
The Vieux-Port, Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica (best views in the city), Le Panier neighbourhood. Underrated and under-visited.
Best approach
Climb to Notre-Dame de la Garde first thing, explore Le Panier, bouillabaisse lunch at a quayside restaurant
Avoid
Staying only at the Vieux-Port — the city rewards those who go uphill
Genoa, Italy
Ship: €75pp
DIY: €18pp
Italy's most underrated city — a dense medieval centre (UNESCO listed), extraordinary pesto, and palaces that were once the richest in Europe.
Best approach
Caruggi (medieval alley network), Palazzo Ducale, best pesto in Italy at a backstreet trattoria
Avoid
Spending your time near the port — the real city is 10 minutes walk in
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Ship: €139pp
DIY: €35pp
Rome is 75km away — train journey 70 minutes. Pick one zone (Ancient Rome, Baroque Rome, or Vatican) and do it brilliantly. You have 5–6 hours in the city.
Best approach
Pre-book Colosseum tickets (€18), Roman Forum + Palatine Hill included. Ancient Rome zone = best value.
Avoid
Trying to see all of Rome — you will see nothing well
Naples, Italy
Ship: €99pp
DIY: €28pp
The historic centre is UNESCO-listed and extraordinary. Pompeii is 40 minutes away. Most passengers choose one — the hybrid is possible with precise timing.
Best approach
Spaccanapoli + Naples Archaeological Museum in the morning, pizza at Di Matteo, then Pompeii afternoon (pre-booked)
Avoid
The tourist restaurants near the pier — walk 10 minutes for dramatically better food
Ajaccio, France (Corsica)
Ship: €65pp
DIY: €15pp
Napoleon's birthplace — beautiful harbour city with excellent beaches nearby, good Corsican food, and a relaxed atmosphere. Perfect for a lower-intensity day.
Best approach
Maison Bonaparte (Napoleon's birthplace, €7), old town market, beach at Plage du Ricanto (20min)
Avoid
Rushing — Ajaccio rewards a slow morning
Departure Port
Expert Tips for This Route
Book Colosseum (Rome) and Sagrada Família (Barcelona) at least 2 weeks ahead — they sell out.
Your biggest savings come from Rome and Barcelona, where ship tours are most overpriced.
On a 7-day Med cruise, €400+ savings vs ship excursions is realistic with DIY planning.
Use PortTrip to build your day plan for each port the night before — takes 30 seconds.
Plan each port day in 30 seconds
AI builds a time-stamped itinerary for any port on this route — transport, costs, safety buffer, insider tips.
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