Ports of Call
Marseille & Monaco
Text and photos by Carol Smith NZ Herald The writer travelled courtesy of Holland America.
Image: Small fishermen's houses in Marseille, France. Photo / Carol Smith
Twelve days spent cruising the Mediterranean on the Nieuw Amsterdam is bliss. Carol Smith shares the highlights at each coastal stop. Cruising on a floating hotel to some of Europe's renowned cities is a revelation. Each one is distinctly different and most are repositories of history and mystique. Two of the ports were French speaking:
Marseille
A four-hour Marseille highlights tour is an excellent way to become acquainted with this gorgeous French port city, founded by Greek mariners around 600BC. Marseille is colourful and the people are known to be rebellious. In 1660, when Louis XIV built Saint-Jean and Saint-Nicolas, the two amazing forts that flank the old port, he aimed cannons at the town to encourage citizens to pay tax. Highlights for us include seeing the fishers' small houses, Notre-Dame de la Garde, the magnificent Catholic basilica that sits at the top of the hill, and the beautiful villas on the Corniche.
Monaco
There's not enough time to see everything that should be seen on the stunning Cote d'Azur, but we manage to view a lot on a bus ride around the corniche to Nice. We walk the Promenade des Anglais and paddle in the sea before sampling the delights of the old town, including the most incredible lemon meringue tart and salted caramel macarons and poking around the markets.
Back in Monaco, we climb the Rampe Majeure's steps, a historic staircase which provides marvellous harbour views and ends up by the Prince's Palace. Before returning to our liner we loiter around the luxury yachts and parked cars and wonder if people will think we are part of the dressed-down rich and famous set.