A medieval village in the hills, colorful streets along the sea, and a little French Riviera magic.
There are some cruise ports where the best plan is to slow down, take in the scenery, and let the day unfold. Our stop on the French Riviera was one of those days.
Villefranche-sur-Mer was a tender port on our Norwegian Epic Mediterranean cruise, which meant we took a smaller boat from the ship to shore rather than walking straight off the ship onto the pier. And honestly? Arriving by tender felt like a pretty lovely way to begin a day on the Riviera.
With the Mediterranean sparkling around us, we were ready to explore two very different places: the hilltop medieval village of Èze and the colorful seaside town of Villefranche-sur-Mer.
First Stop: Èze Village, Where Time Slows Down
Èze Village is one of those places that looks like it belongs on a postcard. Perched high above the Mediterranean, this medieval village is filled with narrow cobblestone lanes, stone buildings, charming little shops, and breathtaking views around nearly every corner.
Wandering through the village is part of the experience. There isn’t necessarily a checklist you need to rush through. Instead, you find yourself stopping to admire a doorway, peek into a shop, or turn a corner and discover another beautiful view.
The village’s elevated location offers those sweeping Côte d’Azur panoramas that make you understand why this stretch of coastline has inspired travelers for generations.
My advice? Wear comfortable walking shoes. Those beautiful old streets can be steep, uneven, and a little challenging in places. Take your time, pause for photos, and give yourself room to enjoy the village without feeling rushed.
Èze is also a wonderful reminder that some of the best travel moments aren’t about checking off the most attractions. Sometimes they’re simply about wandering somewhere beautiful and soaking it all in.
Next Up: Villefranche-sur-Mer
After our time in Èze, we headed back down to Villefranche-sur-Mer to explore the town itself.
If Èze feels like stepping into another century, Villefranche has a relaxed seaside charm that’s distinctly French Riviera. Think colorful buildings, narrow streets, waterfront views, and that lovely Mediterranean atmosphere that makes you want to linger a little longer.
We wandered through town, taking in the scenery and enjoying the chance to explore at a slower pace.
One of the things I love about Mediterranean cruising is how much variety you can fit into a single day. You can spend the morning exploring a medieval village in the hills and the afternoon strolling through a seaside town, with completely different scenery and experiences in between.
Villefranche is also a beautiful place to appreciate the harbor itself. The colorful waterfront buildings, curved bay, and deep-blue water make the setting feel almost impossibly picturesque.
And because this was a tender port, getting back to the ship meant another boat ride across the water. It was a lovely way to finish our time ashore, with the coastline providing one last reminder of just how beautiful this part of France really is.
A Few Tips for Visiting Èze and Villefranche
If you’re planning a Mediterranean cruise with a stop here, a little advance planning can help you make the most of your day.
Plan your transportation. Decide how you’ll get between the port and Èze before you arrive. Depending on your plans, you may choose a cruise excursion, private driver, taxi, or public transportation. I did not plan an excursion for this day. We planned on just hopping in a taxi to Eze from the port, but the taxi driver told us it would be €45. I knew that was too much. I pulled out my phone and ordered a Bolt (Uber) that came in less than a minute for €20.
Allow time for the tender. Tender ports can require additional time getting ashore and returning to the ship. Don’t plan your day so tightly that you’re worrying about missing the boat back.
Bring comfortable shoes. Èze is beautiful, but its cobblestones, slopes, and stairs are part of the experience.
Go early if you can, before the tour buses arrive. We made it up to the garden right when the opened and we’re about 20 minutes ahead of the first tour buses.
You can buy the tickets for the Jardin Exotic from a kiosk at the bottom so you don’t need to wait in line at the entrance.
Don’t underestimate Villefranche. It’s tempting to focus entirely on Èze, but leave some time to explore the port town, too.
Keep your schedule flexible. Transportation, crowds, and tender queues can affect how much time you have. Always work backward from your ship’s required return time.
Is This a Port Worth Visiting?
Absolutely. Èze and Villefranche offer two different sides of the French Riviera, and that contrast is what makes this stop so appealing.
Èze brings the medieval charm, elevated views, and winding lanes. Villefranche brings the seaside atmosphere, colorful architecture, and relaxed coastal feel.
Together, they make for a wonderful day without needing to pack your itinerary with a dozen different stops.
And isn’t that one of the best parts of traveling? Finding that balance between seeing something new and actually enjoying where you are.
The French Riviera gave us a little bit of both.
Travel beautifully. Travel meaningfully. And always leave a little room for magic.
Sometimes you take a trip because you’ve been dreaming about it for years.
And sometimes you take a trip and come home realizing you didn’t even know how much you needed it.
That was this trip.
It started as a trip to take a couple that had never been to Europe. Then another couple joined. It was planned for 3 couples. Then the original couple backed out. Reorganized again. I had to take into account that my husband and I were doing some things we had already done multiple times and create some new experiences for us. Our friends had done some, but not most. It was a long time ago, so they were up for anything.
We recently spent 7 nights cruising the Mediterranean aboard Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Epic, sailing from Rome to Barcelona. We traveled through Italy and France, ate an unreasonable amount of incredible food, drank plenty of wine, walked approximately a million steps, explored ancient cities and medieval villages, climbed a volcano, wandered through Florence, and somehow still managed to come home exhausted and already planning the next trip.
And as a travel advisor, this trip was something else, too.
It was research.
It was firsthand experience.
It was a chance to test the things I recommend to clients and figure out what I would—and wouldn’t—do again.
Most importantly, it reminded me why I love helping people plan travel in the first place.
We Didn’t Just Take a Cruise. We Planned an Experience.
One of the things I love about cruising the Mediterranean is that the ship is really only part of the vacation.
The ports are the adventure. Those are my favorite parts. Seeing all those magnificent places.
And when you have limited time in each port, how you spend those hours matters.
For this trip, we decided that we didn’t want to simply get off the ship, walk around for a couple of hours, grab lunch and get back on board. We also didn’t want to just do the ship-planned excursions this trip. Those can be perfect depending on circumstances, but for this trip and with our Haven priority privileges, it was better to plan independently.
We wanted to experience each destination.
That meant doing something a little different in almost every port.
We booked private guides and drivers for most of our experiences, while also choosing a few activities that allowed us to explore independently.
And that mix turned out to be one of my favorite things about the trip.
Some days were highly structured.
Other days were completely ours.
There were days when someone was waiting for us at the port with a plan that we were fully involved in creating and days when we simply wandered down a street in Florence because something looked interesting.
That balance is exactly what I want for my clients.
Starting in Rome
Our adventure began in Rome, where we had the opportunity to explore some of the city’s most iconic sights for 2 days before embarking the ship.
Having a knowledgeable guide made such a difference. These are places where it is very easy to look at something beautiful or historic without really understanding what you’re seeing.
A good guide changes that.
Instead of simply seeing the Colosseum, you understand what happened there.
Barbara, our incredible guide
Instead of walking through the Vatican and trying to absorb everything yourself, someone can point out the details you would have missed.
We also did something completely different: we went underground.
Beneath the Trevi Fountain is an ancient underground archaeological site, and exploring it was one of those experiences that reminded me why I love looking beyond the obvious tourist attractions.
Those are the experiences I love finding. This was something I had never done and now would highly recommend it.
Sailing in the Haven
We also stayed in The Haven aboard Norwegian Epic.
And yes, it was wonderful.
But what I really wanted to discover was whether the experience was actually worth the additional cost.
The answer?
For the right traveler, I absolutely think it can be.
The priority embarkation, the additional space and privacy, the Haven amenities, the concierge and butler service, and simply having a quieter place to retreat to after a busy day in port all contributed to the experience.
But here’s the important part:
I don’t think everyone needs The Haven.
That’s something I tell clients all the time.
Travel isn’t about spending the most money possible.
It’s about figuring out where spending more will actually make your particular vacation better. In the case of a Mediterranean Cruise, it was highly valuable to just be able to get on and off the ship when we were ready in just a few minutes. This was especially helpful with private tours lined up.
That’s one of the things I enjoy most about my job—helping people decide where to splurge and where they can save.
Salerno: Ravello and Amalfi
When we arrived in Salerno, we had a private driver, Roberto, take us into the Amalfi Coast.
Roberto was wonderful! I booked the tour through a company based in Naples called Taxi Mister Cab Driver. Roberto was the luck of the draw and I’m so glad we got him, but from what I have seen, all the drivers are fantastic. We met a few in the course of our day when our plans overlapped and the OG driver, Ciro, sang us back to Amalfi on a boat!
Amalfi Selfie with Roberto
We visited Ravello and Amalfi, enjoying the scenery along the way rather than trying to cram as many stops as possible into the day.
The Amalfi Coast is one of those places where the journey is part of the experience.
The roads wind along the cliffs, the views seem to get more ridiculous around every corner, and eventually you realize that you’re spending half your time saying, “Look at that!”
Having a private driver meant we could enjoy the day without worrying about navigating those roads ourselves. Definitely important for the Amalfi Coast. Driving there is no small feat.
It also gave us flexibility.
And when you’re visiting somewhere like the Amalfi Coast from a cruise ship, flexibility is valuable.
Sicily: Mount Etna and Taormina
Our day in Catania was another highlight.
We met our guide, Chiara, and headed toward Mount Etna. I found Chiara on Tours By Locals, a new to me site that has become a favorite.
Yes, we climbed a volcano during our cruise vacation.
Greek Theatre Taormina
Because apparently we don’t know how to sit still.
From Mount Etna, we continued on to Taormina, where we visited the Greek Theatre and explored the town. Chiara lives in Taormina, she knew everyone wandering the streets and even got us a little taste of Ricotta cream that goes into the famous Sicilian Canoli.
And then there was the food.
We ate arancini, because you can’t go to Sicily and not eat arancini. Chiara recommended a fabulous restaurant and it did not disappoint.
Taormina was one of those places that made me immediately understand why people fall in love with Sicily.
The combination of history, scenery, food and that unmistakable Italian atmosphere is hard to beat.
Florence: One of My Favorite Days
Our Livorno port day may have been one of my favorite days of the entire trip. I do love Florence!
We had a private driver (booked via Viator) take us from the port to Florence, where we met our guide for a private three-hour tour. This guide was also booked on Tours By Locals and he was wonderful.
We explored the Baptistery, Duomo, crypt and Duomo Museum before heading to the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s David.
And then we did something important.
We stopped touring.
We had lunch.
We wandered.
We crossed the Ponte Vecchio.
We found a wine window.
We shopped for leather bags.
And we ended the afternoon with an affogato before our driver picked us up and took us back to the ship.
That day was a perfect example of why I believe travel shouldn’t always be about checking things off a list.
Yes, we saw some incredible sights.
But some of my favorite memories came from the time in between them.
The wine window.
The shopping.
The affogato.
The conversations.
The wandering.
Those are the things you remember.
Villefranche and Èze
In Villefranche, we decided to visit Èze Village.
Instead of taking the taxi offered at the port, we used Bolt, which ended up being significantly less expensive than the taxi quote we received.
We explored the Exotic Garden, wandered through the village and did some shopping before returning to Villefranche for lunch and more exploring.
It was another reminder that sometimes a little research can save you money without sacrificing the experience.
And yes, I notice these things.
It’s part of what makes me a travel advisor.
I’m always thinking:
Is there a better way to do this?
Is this worth the money?
Would I recommend this to a client?
What would I do differently next time?
Marseille
Our day in Marseille was another example of how much you can fit into a cruise port day without making yourself completely miserable.
We took a taxi to the Old Port and hopped on the Petit Train up to Notre-Dame de la Garde.
After taking in the views, we headed back down and spent some time enjoying coffee and wine before lunch.
We also had a wonderful wine tasting experience, which was one of those unexpected highlights that made the day feel less like a checklist and more like an actual vacation.
Because sometimes the best part of travel isn’t the famous landmark.
Sometimes it’s sitting down over a glass of wine with someone who loves what they do and hearing their stories.
And Then There Was Barcelona
When the cruise ended in Barcelona, we weren’t quite ready for the trip to be over.
We had a private transfer to our hotel in the Gothic Quarter booked through Welcome Pickups and spent time exploring the city.
We had tapas for lunch and later toured Casa Milà and the Sagrada Família with our private guide, Jaume. This tour was a Get Your Guide find and Jaume (Jamie) was fantastic. He was a former architect, so perfect to tell us all about Gaudi’s masterpieces.
Barcelona was the perfect place to end the trip.
And, honestly, I think adding a night or two before or after a Mediterranean cruise is not something just worth considering, it is a must.
You’ve already traveled all that way.
Why rush straight to the airport?
What I Took Away From This Trip
After spending ten nights experiencing this itinerary firsthand, I came home with a notebook full of ideas.
Things I loved.
Things I’d change.
Things I’d absolutely recommend.
Things I’d tell clients not to waste money on.
And probably most importantly, a much better understanding of what makes a Mediterranean cruise work so well for different types of travelers.
Because there isn’t one perfect way to do it.
A couple celebrating an anniversary may want something completely different from a group of friends celebrating a milestone birthday.
A first-time cruiser may need more structure.
An experienced traveler may want more freedom.
Some people will want The Haven.
Others would rather spend that money on private tours and incredible meals.
Some will want to see every possible landmark.
Others will want a long lunch and a glass of wine.
And that’s exactly why I don’t believe travel planning should be one-size-fits-all.
So… Would I Do It Again?
Absolutely.
Would I plan it exactly the same way?
Maybe not.
And that’s the beauty of having the experience.
Now I know more.
I know which splurges I’d repeat.
I know where I would save money.
I know which tours were worth it.
I know where I’d build in more free time.
I know which ports I’d approach differently.
And I can take everything I learned and use it when helping my clients plan their own Mediterranean adventures.
That’s the part of being a travel advisor that I love.
I’m not interested in simply taking an order that says, “We want a Mediterranean cruise.”
I want to know why you’re going.
Who you’re traveling with.
What matters to you.
What you want to experience.
Where you’re willing to splurge.
Where you don’t care.
And then I want to help you build the trip around those things.
Because sometimes you already know exactly where you want to go.
And sometimes you just know you need a vacation.
That’s where I come in.
I’m the person who plans the trip you didn’t know you needed.
And after this trip, I have a whole lot more Mediterranean ideas to share.
Stay tuned. We’re just getting started.
And be sure to follow along on Facebook and Instagram, where lots of reels and photos of the trip will be posted.
