You can tell how fantastic this voyage is by the number of late-night (or overnight) stays; one at every port. But first, sailing from Barcelona, you’ll spend a night and day at sea. A chance to rest up before arriving early and staying late in Rome.

There, you’ll find the classics: the Vatican, the Coliseum, the Pantheon, and the Roman Forum. And the not-so classic: the Auditorium Parco Della Musica, Renzo Piano’s performing arts venue; the Borghese Gardens; or a trip across the Tiber to Trastevere, the more bohemian Rome.

In Florence, the classics: the David, the Duomo, and the Uffizi Gallery for the art. And a few not-so classic: Mercato Centrale for the food, the Tornabuoni Chapel in Santa Maria Novella for everything. We stay overnight here so there’s time to do what everyone comes to Italy to do: eat. Pappardelle, Chianti, gelato, anyone?

Then travel to the Côte d’Azur for its alluring beaches and bling. In Saint-Tropez, the beach is Pampelonne; the bling, rue Gambetta.

In Cannes, both the beach and the bling are along the Boulevard de la Croisette. In Monaco try Larvotto Beach and the famed Cercle d’Or.

In Nice, La Reserve Beach (you can walk to it), and for bling, rue Paradis. Of course, it is an overnight, so be sure to take the Best of the French Riviera Cruise Global, Connect Local^SM shore excursion, visiting the medieval village of St-Paul de Vence, the perfume factory in Grasse and one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, Cannes. Come to think of it, you may want to stay an extra day.