AFT VIEW
Sangria girl in Palms Cafe aboard Balmoral
“It must be said LIVORNO is a FINE CITY in its own right, with SPLENDID PLAZAS and ANCIENT FORTRESSES all of its own”
of summer when its narrow streets are thronged with hordes clamouring to see the Roman Imperial Palaces (or what’s left of them) and to ogle the homes of the mega- rich. But, from the sea, the island is serene, its cliff-top villas gazing loftily over the Gulf of Salerno and the Bay of Naples. Naples was Naples – busy, bustling,
sprawling: but the backstreets evoked mem- ories of Peter Sarstedt’s classic ode to Sophia Loren, while the mysteries of Pompeii and Herculaneum were crowned by visits to Sorrento and the Royal Palace of Caserta. The sail-away party on pool-deck was lively, with the strains of ‘Torna A Sorriento’ waft- ing away to the heights of Fort St Elmo. Civitavecchia means Rome to most people, and the Tour Staff mustered duti- fully on the quayside at the crack of dawn, shepherding the hordes into their coaches for the long day ahead. We opted for a visit to Bracciano, perhaps to see why Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes decided to get married in the gaunt, grey mass of the 15th
century Orsini-Odescalchi Castle, the
town’s dominant feature. It was fascinating, with glorious views
over the nearby lake. But, if nuptials were facing me, I’d opt for the village church –
96 WORLD OF CRUISING I Autumn 2011
The Alcazabar, Almeria – view from the battlements
the Castle was too grand by far. Footsore and weary, the multitudes returned, shaking off the dust of The Forum and rolling gratefully into bed to dream of Michelan- gelo and Tiberius Caesar. Early morning arrival
in Livorno. Lovers of Tus- cany, my wife and I put our names down for the tour to Lucca but were disappointed when it was cancelled, because most opted for Florence and Pisa. We contented ourselves with a stroll around Livorno which, it must be said, is a fine city in its own right, with splendid Pla- zas and ancient fortresses all of its very own. A short French interlude in delightful
Ajaccio, Corsica, was followed by a con- cluding visit to the Costas – most specifi- cally, Almeria which is, in my view, one of the unsung heroes of Andalucía. The berth allocated to us was just down
the quay from the Maritime Station and the city fathers provided a shuttle bus. But, for those wishing to walk, a wide blue line had been painted on the concrete – follow this, and you’re at the foot of the magnificent Avenida Reina Regente, its fountains play- ing prettily in the sunshine. With your back to the sea at this point,
the old town lies to your left, the cathedral of circa 1520 standing at its heart. More akin to a fortress than a church – indeed, the past has seen the building put to use as a fortress against marauding Barbary
Almeria, Constitution Square
corsairs – today the church and adjacent Episcopal Palace stand serene in the shade of the palms that dot Cathedral Plaza.
to the Alcazabar – a daunting climb in the heat of the day, but well worth it for the city fathers have spared no effort in beautifying this testament to the 10th who created it.
C century architects
A concluding ‘Spanish Night’ was al- most obligatory, and Balmoral’s hotel crew pulled out all the stops, with great displays of Serrano Ham and Chorizo – straight from the local ‘mercado’ – and a massive Paella rounding off the culinary offerings of the cruise which was, in the final analysis, a delight in every respect. But now, it’s back to the grey skies of Merrie England. Oh well, as I said at the beginning, there is always the next time.
onstitution Square lies a little to the north, and a visit to the Tourist Office there confirmed the route up
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