Summer is well and truly behind us, so it’s time to start thinking about escaping to distant lands. Costa Smeralda Winter Cruises are a great option to do this. Lands that may not be filled with blazing sunshine, but ones that will offer you the chance to enjoy some of the Mediterranean’s most popular ports at a time of year when there are fewer crowds and lower daily temperatures – making exploring fun and exciting! Let’s look at Costa Smeralda’s winter cruises. You can also read about Costa Summer Med cruises here.
Marseille, France
Costa Smeralda sails the Mediterranean in Winter
Costa Smeralda ship is Costa Cruises ambassador for innovation, style, and Italian hospitality, but she also respects the environment in which she sails, thanks to her LNG propulsion system – one of the cleanest in the world.
Christened in 2019, Costa Smeralda pays tribute to the emerald coast of Northern Sardinia. With her architectural design, animation, gastronomic wealth, and many other features, she’s your ticket to a fabulous cruise experience. Furthermore, you will be surprised by the wide range of bars and restaurants on Costa Smeralda. Read more here
Her public spaces are inspired by the Italian squares: the big stern stairs will give you the impression that you are in Rome, in Piazza di Spagna. Enjoy beautiful Italian design, style, and cuisine. See all Costa Smeralda decks and discover all the public areas and where are all the Costa Smeralda cabin types are located.
Costa Smeralda Cruise ship
Costa Smeralda Winter Cruises
Throughout the winter months, Costa Cruises is offering a wonderful 7-night itinerary taking in some of the best ports in the Mediterranean. These particular itineraries visit Palma (Majorca), Palermo (Sicily), Civitavecchia (Rome), Savona (Italy), and Marseille (France).
These sailings also boast longer than average call times, with over 9 hours minimum in each destination. Allowing you more than enough time to explore and head further afield.
Embarkation ports offered for this sailing are Barcelona, Marseille and Palma – making it even easier to join Costa Smeralda thanks to incredible flight connections from a selection of UK regional airports.
Medieval town of Cefalu, Sicily
Exploring Ashore on a Winter Cruise with Costa Smeralda
Costa Smeralda’s destinations on these itineraries are steeped in history and culture – there’s just so much to see and do! These are a few of our recommendations for your time in each port. But don’t forget to look at other options if these don’t quite tick the box for you.
Visiting Palermo in Sicily
The Capuchin Catacombs of Palermo (also Catacombe dei Cappuccini or Catacombs of the Capuchins) are burial catacombs in Palermo, Sicily, southern Italy. Today they provide a somewhat macabre tourist attraction as well as an extraordinary historical record. We also recommend the medieval town of Cefalù. To step foot here is to get to know its various cultures and the craftsmen who created it. Pass by the old fishermen’s houses, discover the town’s cathedral and sample the sweetest traditional flavours. Then, from the medieval wash house – one of the town’s most iconic monuments – finish your tour in front of the Osterio Magno, a fortress that has borne witness to the passage of the various peoples of Cefalù. This is a Costa Cruises shore excursion that you will love.
Visiting Civitavecchia, for Rome
The Eternal City of Rome awaits! Consider a day trip that takes in sights such as the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, St Peter’s Basilica, Spanish Steps, Castel Sant Angelo, Sistine Chapel, Alter of the Fatherland and more.
Castel Sant Angelo in Rome
Visiting Savona
There’s a variety of things to see and do in Savona, including Savona Cathedral, Priamar Fortress, La Toretta and the Ceramic Museum. Savona is also the gateway to Genoa, so be sure to check out any excursions offered by Costa Cruises to this historic port city. In Genoa, you will be able to walk around the port, visit the Palazzo Reale, the Musei di Strada Nuova and try a tasty focaccia while wandering around this medieval city.
Visiting Marseille
Marseille is brimming with a variety of things to see and do, and some of our favourites include the Old Port, Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde, Cathédrale La Major, and the Museum of Civilisations in Europe. Our top pick would be a visit to the Calanques National Park, located on the Mediterranean coast in Bouches-du-Rhône, Southern France. It was established in 2012 and extends over 520 km², of which 85 km² is land, while the remaining is marine area. It includes parts of the Massif des Calanques stretching between Marseille, Cassis and La Ciotat.
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