Recommendations on Destinations to Visit in Europe

[TGfromTX]

I haven't visited Europe yet (I'm from US) & I was overwhelmed with researching the options.  I'd like to know what everyone thinks are the must see destinations.  I tried to pick out the most popular ports that Celebrity visits in each location - I may have a couple in the wrong location, but they tend to show up on itineraries to that destination (I don't know exactly which one Porto is considered for example - please forgive).. I also asked a second question if you think a Celebrity cruise is the best way to visit Europe.  Thanks!  May your favorite win.

[suech1970]

A cruise is a great way to get snippets of Europe and no doubt you’ll find places that you’ll want to return to to spend more time. We discovered Malta and have been back several times for holidays since, highly recommend!
Ports are definitely a personal taste, people rave about the Fjords, but they hold little appeal for me atm. So when you’ve narrowed Europe down a little, look to see what appeals to you in and around the ports. Some ports are quite a distance from the landmarks that they advertise, Rome, Pisa, Paris etc.

We loved our Celebrity Med cruise, Oct last year, a great mix of people from all over the world made for an even better cruise. NCL also has great itineraries around Europe.
 Try to avoid July, Aug for Mediterranean though. Too many ships in one port can totally spoil a beautiful port.

[chemmo]

40 minutes ago, TGfromTX said:

I haven't visited Europe yet (I'm from US) & I was overwhelmed with researching the options.  I'd like to know what everyone thinks are the must see destinations.  I tried to pick out the most popular ports that Celebrity visits in each location - I may have a couple in the wrong location, but they tend to show up on itineraries to that destination (I don't know exactly which one Porto is considered for example - please forgive).. I also asked a second question if you think a Celebrity cruise is the best way to visit Europe.  Thanks!  May your favorite win.

The biggest mistake people make visiting Europe is trying to do too much in one go hitting bucket list site after bucket list site totally missing need to stop, reflect, breath in the atmosphere…Very like when visitors from the UK do a ten day tour of LA, the Grand Canyon and LV and return home and say ‘We have seen America’….

 

I honestly think the best way to visit Europe is to combine a land stay with a cruise. So easy to enjoy time in Spain then cruise from Barcelona or enjoy visiting Italy then cruise from Rome or Venice…

[TMLAalum]

Your poll is interesting. However, the ports you've listed in () besides the country's name in several instances ignore some of the most popular ones. For example, next to Ireland Belfast and Dublin are missing, by Scotland no Edinburgh and Le Havre in France should be named as well.

 

I agree with Chemmo that sea AND land give the best way to experience Europe. A one-way cruise such as Barcelona to Rome with a few days in each city pre & post cruise would be a wonderful introduction to Europe. Or even a r/t Southampton combined with London and either Eurostar or plane to Paris would be equally worth your first trip to Europe.

[OceanCruise]

Always check how far the cruise ports are from major cities listed by the cruise lines as that can affect pre/post cruise stays and excursions. For example, Ravenna is actually several hours away from Venice and Cittavecchia is approximately 90 minutes from Rome.

[Spif Barwunkel]

Previous posts are spot on. Europe's character is beautifully displayed through the varied personalities and presentations of its countries. The variables are many and require due diligence when planning your next trip. We are fortunate to have visited many of the countries on your survey, all cruises with some land stays. Although X is our cruise line of choice, we do not hesitate to patronize others when the itinerary most suits our desires. In answering your query, as you know, river cruises see Europe from a different perspective than do ocean cruises. Both offer enjoyable differences on a common theme. Depends on what you're in the mood for. My recommendations, in no particular order, Norwegian Fjords, Scandinavia, Greece, Ireland, Iceland. Naturally, if you are fortunate to be able to combine b2b cruises that fulfill your most recent destination priorities, all the better. 

 

[Tom and Ingrid]

We're "all forms" of travel folks, and cruises fill an important part of that approach.  By their nature, ports for cruise ships are limited to being near the water.  For some European (and other parts) countries, that is great (Barcelona or Istanbul) and others, not so great (Berlin or Paris).  

 

One of the big reasons we choose to cruise is as a "tasting menu" for later revisits for longer periods.  It is a great way to have a floating hotel that drops you in a new place to see each morning.  

 

We would never give up land travel - in the US and abroad.  You really cannot beat a week (or more) in a single hotel in some part of the world where you can explore to your heart's content.  But, obviously, new and exciting ports of call or a road trip across a continent are also hard to beat in a totally different way.

 

Travel - early and often!

[Stealthdog]

I lived in Europe for 7 years.  There is so much variety that there is no best answer to if a cruise is the best way to do it, or where is the best place to go on a cruise.  It really depends on what you like and want to do/see - Nature, iconic cities, museums, beaches, etc.  Is weather important?  What time of year?  No matter what itinerary for a cruise you would select, you would only be getting a sample, unless you spend some time before or after and combine it with a little bit of a destination cruise.  

 

My recommendation for anyone going to Europe the first time and doing a cruise would be some variation of Barcelona to Rome and get a sampling of Spain, Southern France, and Italy (and spend a few days in either at the beginning, end, or both).  If you have the time for a 2 week vacation, 2-3 days In Barcelona, 7 day cruise, 3-4 days in Rome.  You will hit major tourist areas - Barcelona, French Riviera, Florence, Rome, maybe Naples, Milan if you spend a few extra days in Italy.  Tons of history, vineyards, nearby beaches, and museums that give it a good variety of experiences.  If you are more into a nature cruise, the Baltic variations that are heavy north ports and maybe include Iceland is a good option.  England/Scotland/Ireland I would probably want to just spend a week there - its cheaper to fly to London, everyone speaks English, and you would be able to more easily navigate on your own (with either a rental car or train).  

 

 

 

[robbinsca]

1 hour ago, Stealthdog said:

I lived in Europe for 7 years.  There is so much variety that there is no best answer to if a cruise is the best way to do it, or where is the best place to go on a cruise.  It really depends on what you like and want to do/see - Nature, iconic cities, museums, beaches, etc.  Is weather important?  What time of year?  No matter what itinerary for a cruise you would select, you would only be getting a sample, unless you spend some time before or after and combine it with a little bit of a destination cruise.  

 

My recommendation for anyone going to Europe the first time and doing a cruise would be some variation of Barcelona to Rome and get a sampling of Spain, Southern France, and Italy (and spend a few days in either at the beginning, end, or both).  If you have the time for a 2 week vacation, 2-3 days In Barcelona, 7 day cruise, 3-4 days in Rome.  You will hit major tourist areas - Barcelona, French Riviera, Florence, Rome, maybe Naples, Milan if you spend a few extra days in Italy…..  
 

England/Scotland/Ireland I would probably want to just spend a week there - its cheaper to fly to London, everyone speaks English, and you would be able to more easily navigate on your own (with either a rental car or train).  

 

 

 

These are the two spots we have visited. We loved Rome- there is nothing comparable here in the states. Naples offers nearby Pompei, once again, nothing like it. London and Edinburgh were absolute gems as well. As you might be able to tell I like the historically significant places, so beware of my bias.

 

Cruising is step #1 to figuring out where you want to return. We head back to Rome next year after an Athens-Rome cruise, mixing both new places and returning to favorites.

[KKB]

I'm really surprised that UK ports did not get more love!

We have done Med (Greece & Italy), N. Europe, Norway (coast, not fjords), TA (Portugal) & UK.

UK was our fav! 

[mrgabriel]

I am not a very curious traveller. I like to get a quick look at the big name places but I'm happy to see a lot of those places in small bites and then possibly go back to other places for longer visits. And I'll admit that a lot of the really popular places hold no appeal for me. I'm perfectly happy with a quick photo stop at the Eiffel Tour. 

 

There are a few places we've visited as a cruise port where we have said, "we have to come back here for a land visit" (Cork, for example). Other places, like France, have never been high on my list so we initially stopped at cruise ports. But then everyone said we had to go to Paris.  So we went for a week and I will be honest in saying that it was nice but not a highlight of my travel life. For other people, they would visit there a hundred times over. 

 

I share this because we all are looking for different things. None are wrong. I think it's important to figure out what will satisfy you when you're making your plans. 

[chemmo]

3 hours ago, mrgabriel said:

 

 

I share this because we all are looking for different things. None are wrong. I think it's important to figure out what will satisfy you when you're making your plans. 

Such an important observation. All of us want different things from our vacation time. I clearly remember a close friend saying how much she had enjoyed hiking Vesuvius….When in Naples that would be so far down my list of things to do…

 

In contrast, however, I would add that a benefit of travel is for you to move from your comfort zone and try things you wouldn’t normally see or do. I remember us going snorkelling in the Maldives because our then teen son wanted to….One of the things in my now older years I am so thrilled I did!

 

I do think a strength of posts on CC is that they often do encourage you to look beyond ‘obvious’ itineraries and put together the spectacular one…

[suech1970]

4 hours ago, KKB said:

I'm really surprised that UK ports did not get more love!

We have done Med (Greece & Italy), N. Europe, Norway (coast, not fjords), TA (Portugal) & UK.

UK was our fav! 

Have you seen our weather lately 🥶⚡️🌤⛈🌧💨🌧💨☔️
🤣🤣🤣

[KKB]

13 minutes ago, suech1970 said:

Have you seen our weather lately 🥶⚡️🌤⛈🌧💨🌧💨☔️
🤣🤣🤣

Did 2 weeks May 2023 & 2 weeks this past April--had 1 very rainy day each trip & the rest of the days were glorious. Much like Alaska, prepare for the worst (waterproof layers!) & hope for the best!

Truly the friendliest people we have ever met; we just felt at home there.

[suech1970]

Yeh, rumour has it we did have some nice days back in April, we were in the Caribbean so missed them😆

But seriously, we do have some amazing places to see in the UK and some Cornish beaches easily rival the Caribbean, just can’t guarantee the weather unfortunately 😫

[TGfromTX]

8 minutes ago, suech1970 said:

But seriously, we do have some amazing places to see in the UK and some Cornish beaches easily rival the Caribbean, just can’t guarantee the weather unfortunately 😫

My understanding is that the rain in UK will typically last for many days on end, not just small showers like some of the islands, correct?

[Ergates The Ant]

Our go-to cruise destination is Norway, making sure that the ship visits at least two of the long fjords on a week long cruise. 
Several reasons for that. We like to sail to and from the UK, and just for 7-8 days, and there are fewer interesting destinations that meet that requirement. 
Norway is also hideously expensive, so having the convenience of eating on board the ship is a benefit. We are also picky eaters, not keen on fish, and not general fans of Scandinavian cuisine ( we have relatives in Sweden, so are well aware of what’s considered good food there - and at least they don’t eat whales)

The best scenery in Norway is down the fjords, and so more easily accessible by water. Road trips can be lengthy, and the terrain necessitates multiple tunnels and ferries. Weather can be unpredictable, one of our few road trips there was abandoned because we couldn’t appreciate the scenery through the rain. So gliding down a fjord, in a warm and dry cabin, with amazing scenery just outside the window was magical! 
As I said before, best to make sure that you can visit as many of the long fjords as possible. Some cruises are heavy on coastal towns, which are ok for a Quick Look but get a bit samey once you’ve visited two or three. It’s the snow capped mountains I want to see!

[suech1970]

1 hour ago, TGfromTX said:

My understanding is that the rain in UK will typically last for many days on end, not just small showers like some of the islands, correct?

Yep, that’s pretty much how this month has been. So if UK on your hit list, take KKB’s advice and bring waterproof layers 😆

[haynesra]

To add to the list, Amsterdam is my favorite!

[chemmo]

22 hours ago, suech1970 said:

Yep, that’s pretty much how this month has been. So if UK on your hit list, take KKB’s advice and bring waterproof layers 😆

Just spent a lovely day in our sunny garden! What a disappointing May/early June we have had. Just to keep things in perspective just received a message from my son in Mexico where they have had very mixed weather…Certainly today here was better than there! As you say in the UK you simply need to bring lightweight waterproofs and then hope you don’t need them!