Before our cruise through the Mediterranean we spent a few days in Genoa at the Jolly Hotel. In addition to being comfortable and centrally located it offered a gourmet dining room.

A walking tour through Genoa, Italy's sixth largest city and a major port.

Park and gardens near our hotel.

Santa Margherita Ligure, on the Gulf of Tigullio between Rapallo and Portofino, was on our first stop on a day trip from Genoa.

A lovely promenade offered a glimpse of this popular village.

Ferry to Portofino

Portofino, on the Italian Riviera, a charming fishing village and resort is famous for its picturesque harbor and colorful buildings.

The Costa Romantica, with 1,500 passengers sets sail for her first stop, Naples. It went into service in November, 1993.

Pompei, located on a plateau, was formed by Vesuvius volcano's lava flow, it covers 49 hectares.

Romero, in the green shirt, our very dynamic tour guide.

Highlights of Pompei

One of Sicily's most recognizable symbols are the colorful horse or donkey drawn carts. Carefully crafted they are considered by some to be art objects.

A small portion of the Cefalu Cathedral dating back to 1131, it was built using traditional materials and techniques from Arab architecture.

A glimpse of a Palermo neighborhood.

Our tour of the nearly three thousand year old site of Carthage included the ruins and the Bardo Museum.

A glimpse of the Medina.

Annamarie loved this doorway.

And she found the colors here eye popping!

Gulf of Tunis

El Coliseo Balear Bullring built in 1929 can hold 10,000 people. Although a famous matador, El Cordobes, caused emotion and controversy during his career that spanned decades.

Santa Maria Cathedral, built in the Catalan Gothic style, overlooks the Bay of Palma.

Barcelona, on the northeastern coast of Spain, is the largest city in Catalonia. A popular stop for visitors it has a long history and is an important cultural center.

The Barcelona Cathedral of the Holy Cross, is a Gothic church constructed during the fourteenth century. The roof is noted for its gargoyles, featuring a wide range of animals, both mythical and domestic.

An example of Gaudi's mosaic work seen throughout the city.

Parc Guell, one of the masterpieces of Antoni Gaudi. Done in the modernism style, is a Heritage Site.

We took this photo from our tour bus because we were fascinated by the large colorful bins, we later learned they are for recycling.

La Sagrada Familia one of the world's most famous cathedrals, designed by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi, it combines Gothic and Art Nouveau forms. Although construction started in 1882 it remains unfinished. Art critic, Rainier Zerbst, stated that it is probably impossible to find anything like it any where in the world.

Marseille was our only French port of call. We took the ship's shuttle bus into the city and went on a short walk.

The Costa Romantica returned to Genoa, we made preparations to disembark and head to the airport for our return flight to Seattle via New York.

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