Canterbury, England

Canterbury is the first city we’ll visit after our flight lands at a London airport.

Geography

Canterbury is in east Kent, about 55 miles (89 km) east-southeast of London. The city is on the River Stour (or Great Stour) which divides south-east of the city. One branch of the river flows through the city, the other around its former walls.

History

After the Romans left Britain in 407 A.D. town life broke down. Thereafter, Canterbury was probably abandoned. In 598 Augustine and his monks built an abbey outside the walls of the old Roman town. Four years later, he rededicated a deserted Roman church in Canterbury. Canterbury was subsequently chosen to be the seat of the first archbishop. The current Archbishop of Canterbury is the 105th in a line that goes back more than 1400 years.

Weather

Canterbury’s climate is classified as warm and temperate. The rainfall is significant, with precipitation even during the driest month.  Temperatures in October are an average high of 14°C (57°F) and low of 9°C (48°F), with 10 days of rain.

Books/Movies

T.S. Eliot’s verse drama Murder in the Cathedral was first performed in 1935. It portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the writing of Edward Grim, a clerk who was an eyewitness to the event.

The 1944 film Canterbury Tale is a loving and tender film about England and the English character, customs and countryside. Accordingly, it is a favorite film of many who have seen it.

Southampton, England

Our ship leaves from Southampton, located about 220 km (135 miles) from Canterbury.  The temperature will probably be somewhat cool, about 10 degrees Celsius, but Isle of Wight protects the port from storms that frequently sweep the English Channel. Southampton is home to the Mayflower Memorial, which pays homage to one of the most famous ships to sail its shores. In 1620 the first English Puritans, known today as the Pilgrims, were transported from Plymouth to the New World.

Port of Le Havre, (Paris) France

Le Havre is 197 km (122 miles) from the Eiffel Tower. Mid-October temperatures there are just slightly higher than in England, comfortable but not warm.

Several of the 12 hours we are in port  will be consumed by travel to and from Paris.

Geography

Paris is situated in the north-bending arc of the river Seine. It includes two islands which form the oldest part of the city, the Île Saint-Louis and the larger Île de la Cité. The river’s mouth on the English Channel (La Manche) is about 233 mi (375 km) downstream from the city.

History

Paris was founded by the Gauls, who were called Parisii, around the end of the 3rd century B.C. In 52 B.C. Julius Caesar’s legions conquered the territory. A Roman city, Lutetia, was then built on the earlier settlement. Christianity was introduced in the second century A.D.

Roman domination ended in the 5th century with the arrival of the Franks. In 508 Clovis I established Paris as the capital of the kingdom.

Weather: While the city rarely sees temperatures below 48.2°F (9°C) in October, it also doesn’t get any warmer than 60.8°F (16°C). On average the temperature is just 51°F (11°C) throughout the month, generally chilly and damp.

Books/Movies

Julia Child’s magical memoir My Life in France, and American chef David Lebovitz’s The Sweet Life in Paris recount the experiences of these expats living in “The City of Lights,” so named because it was one of the first to have electricity.

Ernest Hemingway’s A Moveable Feast, also a memoir about life in Paris, has had considerable impact. Although published posthumously in 1964, immediately following the deadly attacks on November 13, 2015 it held the top spot on Amazon’s French site and sold out at numerous bookstores. The book became a fixture among the flowers in memorials across the city

There is never any ending to Paris and the memory of each person who has lived in it differs from that of any other. We always returned to it no matter who we were or how it was changed or with what difficulties, or ease, it could be reached. Paris was always worth it and you received return for whatever you brought to it.   —Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast

The classic movie Funny Face (1957) stars Fred Astaire and Audrey Hepburn as they negotiate the worlds of fashion, existentialism, and love in the streets of Paris. In contrast, the recent movie Amelie follows the life of the introverted title character as she seeks to bring happiness to, and exact justice in, the human lives she observes. The film is set around Montmartre (a large hill in Paris) and exudes a Parisian atmosphere as it travels between grocers’ shops, cafés, and bridges.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is the capital and largest city of the autonomous community of Catalonia. It is also the second most populous municipality of Spain. The port is no more than a 15-minute walk from city center.

Geography

Barcelona is located on the northeast coast of the Iberian Peninsula, facing the Mediterranean Sea. It sits on a plain approximately 5 km (3 miles) wide. The mountain range of Collserold, the Llobregat river to the southwest and the Besòs river to the north serve as its limits.

History

Romans founded Barcelona at the end of the 1st century B.C. It was originally a colony called Barcino, with some thousand inhabitants. Today remains of the defensive wall that bounded it can still be seen in the old town.

Weather

In October the temperature should be a balmy 20°C (68°F).

Books/Movies

Carlos Ruiz Zafon wrote The Shadow of the Wind in 2001. It tells an epic story of murder, madness, and doomed love within the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona in 1945. The book became a world-wide best seller.

Woody Allen’s 2008 movie Vicky Cristina Barcelona and its display of affluence does not capture the essence of the city’s residents. Nonetheless, it does provide fabulous shots of Barcelona, covering its most famous landmarks.

Cannes, France

Cannes occupies a picturesque position on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. The Cannes cruise port is a gateway to the cinematic glamour of Cannes and the rest of the beautiful French Riviera.

Geography

This city is situated in the eastern part of the French Mediterranean coast in south-eastern France, south-west of Nice. It belongs to the department of Alpes-Maritimes in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur.

History

Cannes is named for the canes of its once-reedy shore. Ligurian tribesmen were probably its first settlers. Thereafter the city was occupied successively by Phocaeans, Celts (or Gauls), and Romans.

Weather

Mid-October temperatures are expected to be around 15°C (59°F).  No sweat.

Books/Movies

John Bude’s novel Death on the Riviera, was recently re-published as part of the British Library Crime Classics. The story is set in 1952 and evokes all the sunlit glamour of life on the Riviera.

To Catch a Thief, a Hitchcock thriller starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, is a film full of comedy and suspense. It also features stunning scenery shots of the Côte d’Azur. 

Livorno (Florence/Pisa)

The Italian port Livorno is 92 km (57 miles) from the city of Florence. Not far away is Pisa, a city in Italy’s Tuscany region. Pisa is best known for its iconic Leaning Tower.

Florence is the capital of Firenze provincia (province) and Toscana regione (Tuscany region). Above all, it is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture. 

Geography

Gently rolling hills surround Florence, which is located about 145 miles (230 km) northwest of Rome. Villas and farms, vineyards, and orchards cover the landscape.

History

Florence was founded as a Roman military colony around the 1st century BC. The city bears the distinction of being the birthplace of the Renaissance. It is also a city important to Italy’s political history, having served as the country’s capital when it was newly united. Key historical figures such as the Medici family, Niccolò Machiavelli and Dante Alighieri made their homes in Florence.

Weather

In October highs of 24°C (75°F) during the day and lows of 14°C (57°F) after dark can be expected. This results in an average temperature that begins at 19°C (66°F).

Books/Movies

The modern-day thriller Inferno starring Tom Hanks is primarily set in Florence. The film is based on Dan Brown’s 2013 novel of the same name, a sequel to the famous Da Vinci Code novel. Inferno is an action-packed mystery thriller with elements of science and history. Filming locations for Inferno include Florence’s Boboli Gardens, the Baptistery of Saint John and the Vasari Corridor.

CIVITAVECCHIA, ITALY (Rome)

The Port of Civitavecchia was built in the 2nd century and still retains some of its original features, such as the Roman Dock. The port area also includes 16th-century Michelangelo Fort. Terme Taurine, ruins of a Roman thermal bath complex can be seen northeast of town. The Eternal City, Rome, is an 80 km (50 mile) drive from the port.

Geography

Rome was built on seven hills at the bank of the Tiber river.  The city is situated around the center of the Italian peninsula.

History

According to legend a she-wolf raised twin sons Romulus and Remus who founded Rome in 753 B.C. The city began as an Iron Age hut village. In 616, the Romans’ sophisticated Etruscan neighbors seized power, but were ousted in 509. This marked the inception of the Roman Republic. It soon conquered most of the rest of Italy, then turned its attentions overseas. By the 1st century B.C. Rome ruled Spain, North Africa and Greece. 

Expansion of the Roman Empire provided opportunities for power-hungry individuals. The resulting clash of egos led to the collapse of democracy. Julius Caesar then ruled for a time as dictator, and his nephew Octavian became Rome’s first emperor, assuming the title Augustus. During the reign of Augustus, Christ was born. Although Christians were persecuted until the 4th century, the new religion took hold. Rome soon became the main center of Christianity.

Even though Rome was the seat of the papacy, during the Middle Ages it went into decline. The city recovered spectacularly in the mid-15th century, and for over 200 years the greatest artists of the Renaissance and the Baroque added their embellishments. Finally, in 1870 Rome became the capital of the newly unified Italy.

Weather

In October temperatures are expected to be between 15°C (59°F) and 20°C (68°F).

Books/Movies

Robert Graves’ I Claudius is written in the first person as the autobiographical memoir of the Roman Emperor Claudius. An historical novel set in the first half on the 1st century A.D. it is a book that has been numbered among the best novels of the 20th century.

William Wyler’s Ben-Hur, a perennial Easter season favorite, won 11 Oscars. Its reputation may have diminished since 1959, but the hair-raising chariot-race sequence remains one of Hollywood’s greatest technical achievements.

Naples, Italy

Naples is a port which features an underground where a labyrinth of tunnels, tanks and cavities form a real city. The city below is the negative of the city above.

It is also home to Pompeii, a large Roman town that was completely buried in volcanic ash following the eruption of nearby Mt. Vesuvius in 79 A.D. The Excavated town provides invaluable insight into the Roman world due to its excellent state of preservation .

Geography

Situated in the Campania region alongside the Almafi coast, Naples consists of rocky coastal cliffs and formations such as caves, arches, stacks, and coastal valleys.

History

The Ancient Greeks founded the city of Naples when they settled in southern Italy. Soon it became a busy and important port. Although Romans conquered the city in 326 B.C. Naples continued to thrive as rich Romans built holiday villas on the nearby coast.

Weather

The temperature in October should be around 20°C (68°F).

Books/Movies

Roberto Saviano’s Gomorrah is both a bold and engrossing piece of investigative writing and one heroic young man’s impassioned story of a place under the rule of a murderous organization. The 2008 crime drama of the same name is based on Saviano’s book. It too examines how organized crime reaches deep into every facet of life in Naples. Also set in the suburbs of that city, Gomorrah is a fictional TV adaptation of the real-life book. The series follows the ugly, violent world of the Savastano clan and explores how corruption touches all shades of society, from government officials to ordinary families.

Santorini Island, Greece

Santorini is one of the Cyclades islands in the Aegean Sea. A devastating volcanic eruption in the 16th century B.C. shaped its rugged landscape. The whitewashed, cube-shaped houses of its two principal towns, Fira and Oia, cling to cliffs above an underwater caldera (crater). They overlook the sea, small islands to the west, and beaches made up of black, red and white lava pebbles.

Geography

This island is about 200 km (120 mi) southeast of Greece’s mainland. It is the largest island of a small, circular archipelago which also bears the name Santorini.

History

The earliest traces of settlements on Santorini Island have been dated back to the middle of 3rd millennium B.C. Evidence found at the Akrotiri excavations indicate that these settlements lasted until the volcanic eruption that occurred at the height of the Minoan Civilization (Bronze Age). All traces of human presence on the island had vanished by the end of the 13th century.

Phoenicians were the next settlers, followed by a series of conquerors who came and went, ending with the Ottomans. Early in the 19th century Greeks rebelled. Santorini, with its large fleet of ships, took part in the revolution and Greece declared its independence.

Weather

The temperature in Santorini mid-October should be just over 20°C (68°F).

Books/Movies

Anita Hughes’ Santorini Sunsets is a romance novel set on the island.

Better known is the movie Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life (2003) starring Angelina Jolie. The movie was a huge success, featuring the endless blue of the Aegean, marvelous filming of the caldera from below and Greek celebration. All these elements are typical of Santorini.

Piraeus, Greece (Athens)

The port of Piraeus is situated 11 km from Athens City Center.  It also provides access to the ancient town of Corinth.

Athens is the capital and largest city in Greece.

Geography

The city is situated on the peninsula of Attica, which is the highest-populated region of Greece. Hills and parks surround the center of Athens, and it is awash with underground rivers.

History

The first settlement of Athens 3000 B.C. was situated on the rock of Acropolis. According to tradition, it was founded when king Theseus united several settlements of Attica into a state. Kodros was the last king of ancient Athens. He sacrificed his life in order to save the homeland.

Weather

The average temperature in October is 19°C (66°F), with the average low being 15°C (59°C), and the average high being 23°C (73°F).

Books/Movies

The New Testament was first written in Greek. In the year 51 the Apostle Paul went to Athens by boat, and later to Corinth. His letters to the Corinthians have inspired many books, including Max Lucado’s highly rated spiritual health check-up, Life Lessons from 1 Corinthians.

Similarly, the award-winning movie Paul, Apostle of Christ (2018) covers Paul transformation, from being the most infamous persecutor of Christians to becoming the most influential apostle of Jesus Christ.

Split, Croatia

Split is the largest town in Dalmatia (one of the four historical regions of Croatia) and the second largest in all Croatia (after Zagreb). A typical Mediterranean city, Split has a small-town vibe and easy-going locals. In Dalmatia locals use the word “pomalo” (take it easy) as a greeting.

Geography

The city is situated on a peninsula between the eastern part of the Gulf of Kastela and the Split Channel. The Marjan hill (178 m; 584 ft), rises in the western part of the peninsula. The ridges Kozjak (779 m; 2555.8 ft) and its brother Mosor (1339 m; 4393 ft) protect the city from the north and northeast and separate it from the hinterland.

History

The history of Split in its early days revolves around a Greek settlement founded in the area between the 3rd and 4th centuries. Its most famous historical development, however, came in 295 A.D. Because it was close to the nearby large Roman settlement of Salona (present-day Solin, about 5 km from Split) Roman emperor Diocletian ordered a residence to be built there for his retirement. It took ten years to build this magnificent palace and Diocletian lived there until he died in 313 AD. After his death, Roman rulers continued to use the palace as a retreat.

In the 20th Century, after the break-up of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes formed a kingdom which Split became a part of in 1918. By 1941 the Italians occupied the city, and a very strong resistance movement soon evolved. As a result, the city was liberated in 1943, after the capitulation of Italy. However, Germans came to occupy the city in 1944. Split was finally liberated again when the first people’s government of Croatia was formed in 1991.

Weather

Split promises lots of sunshine, with temperatures of about 20°C (68°F).

Books/Movies

In his highly rated book Croatia: A Nation Forged in War Marcus Tanner writes as an eyewitness to the break-up of Yugoslavia. The author provides an account of the rise, fall and rebirth of Croatia from its medieval origins to the start of the 21st century.

Filming of the recent movie Robin Hood (2018) began at different locations in Dubrovnik, a 230 km drive from Split down the coast of Croatia.

Venice, Italy

A city of immense beauty and historical significance, Venice is also unique, not like any other city in Italy.  It is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the country and is known to be wildly expensive and crowded.

Geography

The city of Venice (Venezia in Italian) is built on 117 small islands in the Venetian Lagoon, situated in north-east Italy. Canals separate the islands, while many small bridges link them. The population of Venice is about 270,000 people.

History

The history of Venice begins around 400 A.D. when frightened men came from the nearby Italian mainland after the collapse of the Roman Empire. For centuries these people had enjoyed prosperous lives in a chain of splendid cities along the north-eastern shores of the Adriatic, but in the early years of the fifth century barbarians swept down from northern Europe. In response, people sought refuge where their enemies could not follow them.

The one great wealth the Venetians enjoyed fish and salt from the lagoon, which gave them the power to purchase. For nearly 1400 years the two or three miles of shallow water separating Venice from mainland Italy not only protected Venice from invaders but effectively isolated the Venetians from Italian political life. Papal and imperialist warfare, feudalism and territorial squabbles, were unable to touch them. Rather, they fixed their attention on the East and the rich markets of the Levantine and Constantinople. So began the great mercantile empire of the Venetian Republic.

Venetians had conquered malaria-ridden swamps and created a life for themselves from nothing. Something built from fear was soon heralded as the most dazzlingly beautiful city in the world.

Weather

In October temperatures can be as high as 18°C (64°F) during the day, dropping at night. 

Books/Movies

Where to begin? Fiction? Non-Fiction? One of Shakespeare’s plays? Andrea di Robilant’s A Venetian Affair has elements of all three genres. This is a true love story based on letters found in a palazzo, recounting exchanges between an aristocrat and an illegitimate girl in 18th century Venice. The letters reveal that the young woman eventually turned for help to the infamous Casanova, who was himself infatuated with her. 

Which takes us to the movie Casanova, starring Heath Ledger. Great scenery.