mediterranean tour showjumping

Ten years of the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour

Known for it’s picturesque beach and colourful courses under swaying palm trees, the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour in Oliva , Spain, gathers thousands of showjumping horses and riders every spring and autumn. For German show director Bettina Pöhls, no day at work is the same.

Text and photo Madeleine D. Bergsjø

Taking up most of the small beach town of Oliva, together with the Beach and Golf Resort, Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova welcomes thousands of horses, riders, grooms, trainers, owners and spectators for three weeks at a time. The first tour runs in January and goes on for three months to kickstart the outdoor season in spring, and then starts up again for another three months of intensive showjumping in the autumn.

After her university studies, the MET Oliva show director Bettina Pöhls started working in the real estate business. At the time, the owner of the real estate company she worked for also organised horse shows in Germany, which luckily allowed her to combine her passion for equestrian sports with her profession.

Now, she has worked as a project manager organising international horse shows for more than 20 years and many other equestrian events such as foal auctions and stallion presentations. Her previous job as an agent for equestrian tours in Spain led to the beginning of her history with the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour, going back to 2012.

For a tour like ours, many other adjustments have also been brought upon us over the last years, first due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then last year due to the EHV-1 outbreak – but I am proud to say we have managed to overcome these challenges and come out stronger on the other side.” Bettina Pöhls

MET Oliva is ten years this year! How and why did it start, and how has it developed over the years?

“Since the first edition of MET, the infrastructure at the venue has developed tremendously, with huge improvements made every year to make it optimal for horses, grooms and riders. We constantly invest in really good surfaces in all our rings, and in 2019 we built a covered arena for potentially rainy days. Last year we made further upgrades to our stabling facilities to make sure we meet all the latest biosecurity measures from the FEI that were introduced after the EHV-1 outbreak. Last but not least, over the years we have worked a lot on our hospitality areas so that they offer our clients comfort and are to their taste – such as The Club, Ocean’s, the Sushi Corner and the Central Aura Lounge.”

As the director of a show like this, what does your everyday life look like?

“No day here is the same. Usually, I’m in the office early in the morning, and from there on it’s a mix of working from my desk, attending meetings, answering calls and being around at the show grounds. It’s long days, and I’m normally never not available for our clients attending the tour, so it’s definitely not an 8 to 4 job.”

What are the best and most challenging parts about running a tour like this?

“The best part of this job is of course, when everything is running smooth, and horses, grooms and riders are happy with what we are doing here in Oliva.”

“The most challenging part is that we are working with a sport where animals are athletes. It’s very important to remember that no matter what, the interests of the horses must come first – in everything we do here and in all the decisions we make.”

“Furthermore, our sport is also no longer just a sport; it’s an industry. The sport is getting increasingly regulated and adjusted to all the regulations and rules, for example, the CSI invitation system, which is a challenge as a tour organiser. For a tour like ours, many other adjustments have also been brought upon us over the last years, first due to the Covid-19 pandemic and then last year due to the EHV-1 outbreak – but I am proud to say we have managed to overcome these challenges and come out stronger on the other side.”

What are your best memories from the MET?

“Creating friendships.”

How has the Spring MET been so far?

“It’s been a good season so far; we have had some of the world’s best riders preparing here for 2022, such as world no. one Peder Fredricson, Olympic Champion Steve Guerdat, and other top names like Edwina Tops-Alexander, Scott Brash and Malin Baryard-Johnsson, and many, many more. It’s fantastic to see so many good riders choose our venue, contributing to top sport.

How many horses, riders and grooms have been part of these last months?

“Only for the three weeks of MET II in February, we had approximately 1000 horses, 302 riders and 280 grooms from 37 different countries visiting.

How many people work at or with the MET?

“At the Centro Ecuestre Oliva Nova we have around 75 members of staff, and on top comes all the officials for the tours such as judges, stewards, course designers, speakers, vets, etc., as well as the staff for the different restaurants on the venue.

And now that the Spring MET is over, what does the rest of the year look like for you?

“2022 will be an exciting year for us, as we not only run the Spring and Autumn MET but also will be organising the FEI European Jumping Championships for Young Riders, Juniors & Children. We really look forward to hosting a Continental Championship here in Oliva Nova and put our venue on the map for the future generation of the sport.”

You might also want to read: THE LEGACY AND FUTURE OF STAL HENDRIX

Madeleine Bergsjø

Madeleine is a content creator, photographer and journalist with an actual master’s degree in Instagram. After living abroad in New York, Dublin, and London, she spent the beginning of her professional career working in the advertising and communication industry in Oslo. Now, she runs her own business with focus on the equestrian world. A former eventer herself, Madeleine is particularly interested in showjumping and eventing, but generally in visual storytelling. IG: @madeleine.db

The Legacy and Future of Stal Hendrix

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Mediterranean Equestrian Tour

AUTUM MET 2023 MET III 27 NOV – 18 DEC 2023

Arena Valencia

Arena Oliva

Arena Oliva Nova

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Mediterranean Tour drops a star

The International event held in Oliva Nueva in the Spanish province of Valencia has dropped from three to two stars as a FEI competition.The Equestrian World comes from a Spanish site that claimed that the widespread economic crisis in this region but in a worrying almost everywhere in the equestrian field, had caused the changed.

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This Lesser-Known Mediterranean Destination Is The Perfect Affordable Getaway

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With its temperate climate, turquoise waters, historic nations with lost-to-time origins, and delectable cuisine, the Mediterranean is one of the top destinations globally, despite not being exactly the cheapest coastal region to visit.

Italy, France, Greece and the like all rank among the priciest destinations in Europe , and a Mediterranean tour can set you back by a whopping $253 per day on average , but luckily for budget travelers keen on experiencing the Ancient Sea, there is always an exception to the rule.

Move over Amalfi and Santorini, this lesser-known sunny spot where two different cultures clash, the weather is just as gorgeous, and fancy three-course dinners cost a mere $23 offers more bang for your buck .

The Mediterranean's Best Kept Secret

We're not talking about new viral sensation Albania nor the increasingly popular Montenegro: if you're keen on escaping the crowds and living it up by the Med without breaking the bank, it's North Cyprus where you should be headed.

Cyprus is an island-country in the Eastern Mediterranean just south of Turkiye most Americans are yet to discover, boasting roughly 400 miles of pristine coastline, interspersed with sandy beaches and historic towns, verdant, hilly hinterlands, and a recorded History spanning six millennia.

Despite being a literal Eden, Cyprus has not always been peaceful, especially in the 1970s, when ethnic tensions between its native Turkish and Greek populations led to the island being divided between North and South (and you can probably guess which half was claimed by the Turkish).

Complexities aside, there's been no significant change in the status quo or intercommunal violence since the island was split in two all those decades ago.

Today, the South is controlled by the recognized Republic of Cyprus, while the North is occupied by a self-proclaimed Turkish Republic :

In the South, the most widely spoken language is Greek, and the euro is used; in the North, Turkish is the lingua franca , and the lira is the de facto currency.

In sum, it is essentially an extension of Turkiye, and we're all well versed on the affordability of Turkiye by now.

How Actually Affordable Is North Cyprus?

As the North of Cyprus uses the Turkish lira, a severely devalued currency, it can be a lot more affordable to tourists than the ‘euroized' South.

The U.S. dollar is a lot stronger than the Turkish lira (1 U.S. dollar equals roughly 0.031 Turkish lira), while one euro equals 1.09 dollar, meaning your hard-earned money will stretch much further up North.

One cool travel experiment is walking the full extent of Ledra, the main street cutting across the heart of the Cypriot capital, which starts in the Greek-controlled part and ends in Turkish-dominated territory, and undergoing a quick passport check to enter the North.

South of the border, you can expect to pay up to $65 for a three-course meal in a mid-range restaurant, as calculated by Numbeo . Interestingly enough, as soon as you're past the Ledra checkpoint and you're being billed in Turkish lira, the price drops to a much more appealing $23.

That's roughly 35% cheaper .

Affordable Beach Resorts

Similarly, hotels in the South of Cyprus as a whole average $103, with some resorts in Ayia Napa costing as much as $281 per night : still quite affordable if you're into round-the-clock pampering, but it typically gets a lot cheaper once you step over that Ledra line.

If the island of Cyprus is shaped like a pan, the Karpass Peninsula is the pan-handle, and other than being the northernmost tip, it's the main resort zone in the Turkish part, with long miles of golden-sand beaches as far as the eyes can see and waters of a translucent blue .

Booking a deluxe bedroom with ocean views at the Thalassa Beach Resort , a two-hour drive from North Nicosia, will set you back by a reasonable $181 per night , exactly a hundred bucks cheaper than the average resort rate down South.

If you don't care for luxury, prices for basic rooms in three-star hotels in Ayia Trias, a laid-back leisure destination in the Famagusta province, start from only $48, while overnights in central Kyrenia, the cultural capital of Northern Cyprus, range from $29 to $83.

The Cost Of Living In The North Is Lower

Not only are hotels in the North incredibly cheap, but the cost of living is also remarkably low, attributed to lower wages and a less robust welfare state: as stated by North Nicosia's Mesarya University , the minimum monthly net salary is 11,800 Turkish lira, or $364.

Observing the minimum wage is no gold standard for establishing consumer prices for foreigners, but it remains indicative of how affordable (or territory) it may be for tourists, as the price of food and local goods will commonly reflect the purchasing power of the native populace.

Plus, the North of Cyprus has everything you'd expect a Mediterranean vacation to be and then some, minus the overpriced hotels, costly restaurants, and surging crowds.

From the bustling winding alleys and street bazaars of North Nicosia and bougainvillea-bedecked, fortified Kyrenia to the pristine Karpass coast and the historically charged ‘ghost town' of Varosha, it offers both culture and some beach time.

Why Are Tourists Skipping North Cyprus?

Largely due to misconceptions regarding safety, not that many visitors to Cyprus are venturing into the unrecognized Turkish Republic, as it is reportedly less developed and ‘dangerous', though this couldn't be further from the truth .

While it's true there are no consular outposts in the North, as it is not a world-recognized sovereign state, and poverty rates are higher, crime rates are under control.

In fact, British-based real estate consultant Spot Blue reports crime in North Cyprus is lower than in Greece, a far more developed country.

Much of the ‘danger' rhetoric stems from the war period when violence and ethnic cleansing on both sides of the island spiraled out of control.

Fortunately, for the best part of the last four decades, Greek and Turkish communities have largely lived peacefully on their sides of the fence.

This Is Still An Occupied Territory

That being said, you should know Cyprus is a country divided.

We won't get into its specifics, but we do encourage you to read a summary of Cypriot History before visiting in order to be better informed and avoid common mistakes.

The main things you should know are:

• The Turkish North is not a recognized country , even if effectively functioning as one
• The Turkish Republic is not recognized by the international community, and it's treated as an area of Cyprus under occupation
• Tourists should ensure they only use Republic of Cyprus entry points when visiting the island

Regarding the latter, as an American tourist, you are only authorized to enter Cyprus via the airports in Larnaca , the closest one to the Northern territories, or Paphos , in Western Cyprus, or if arriving via sea, the international port in Limassol .

There is a third airport serving the city of Nicosia, but as it is located on the Turkish side of the border, the Republic of Cyprus is not responsible for inbound flights, which originate exclusively from Turkiye, the only country offering flights to the North.

The catch is, if you land in the North-controlled airport, you will not be permitted to cross to the Greek-majority side afterwards, as Cypriot authorities will consider you to have entered the island ‘illegally'. Inversely, landing in the South, you can cross to the North freely.

Learn more about Cyprus and start planning your budget-friendly Mediterranean getaway here .

Vinicius Costa

Vini, our senior lead writer at Travel Off Path, has over 60+ countries under his belt (and currently weaving tales from Paris!), and a knack for turning off-the-beaten-path experiences into informative stories that will have you packing your bags.

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The post This Lesser-Known Mediterranean Destination Is The Perfect Affordable Getaway appeared first on Travel Off Path .

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• Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Best of Moscow by high speed train

By shuguley , February 15, 2014 in Regent Seven Seas Cruises

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Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.

Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?

My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

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If you are considering this on the 2015 June Baltic cruise on Voyager; my suggestion is don't. There is so much to do in St. Petersburg and although a train is one of my favorite ways to travel the time would be far better spent in St. P.

Thanks for the advice. Yes, this would be on the Voyager during the 2015 season but not yet sure exactly which cruise.

We did the Moscow excursion "on a different luxury line", but from your brief description it sounds very much like the same trip, so I will operate on that assumption. It is a VERY long day! We left the ship at 5:30 AM and returned at 12:30 AM. The highspeed train trip is comfortable, and while they call it "Business Class" it does not compare well to the equivalent class on say Rail Europe. When we did it in 2011, we did have highspeed both ways, and the trip back seemed much longer as the adrenaline and excitement had worn off!:D

Moscow itself is not that terribly different from any other big city in the world, but this Cold War kid never thought he would ever stand in Red Square, never mind walk the grounds of The Kremlin, or tour The Kremlin Palace, or see (but not visit) Lenin's Tomb, or visit The Armoury. But he did, and he loved every minute of it! Yes, it is a long day, and you barely scratch a scratch on the surface, but it is worth it. There is a tremendous amount to see in St. Petersburg, but every Baltic cruise goes to St. Petersburg, so you can go back if you choose to. Not every cruiseline offers you the chance to see Moscow.

I have not personally done this tour, but our last time in St Petersburg, the private guide that we hired for a day was leading the regent tour to Moscow on the high speed train the next day. He said it was way better than the previous alternative, which was flying to Moscow and back. He said that you actually got to Moscow faster because you didn't have to deal with airline checkin etc. it did seem like a very long day to me, and there is so much to see and do in st. Petersburg that I didn't consider doing it.

countflorida

We toured to Moscow from St. Petersburg via the hi-speed SAPSAN train last September, from a Baltic cruise on the Oceania Marina. You need to have a two-night, three day port call in St. Petersburg to take this tour because the tour typically leaves the ship around 5:00 - 5:30 AM and doesn't return until after midnight the next day. We didn't take the ship's tour; we made private arrangements with TravelAllRussia for three days of touring, the first and third days in St. Petersburg and the second day the tour to Moscow by train. Our cost for the private tour for three days was about the same as what the ship charged for the excursion to Moscow alone. There are a number of private tour agencies that operate in St. Petersburg and offer the Moscow train tours; we would strongly recommend them over the ship's tours.

All three days had private guides with car and driver. The second day, the driver picked us up at the ship and took us to the train, but we were alone on the train, and met in Moscow by the guide on the station platform. After our tour and dinner, we were brought back to the train and after the return train trip met by the driver and taken back to the ship. Because you are alone on the train you must have your own Russian visas.

If this is your first visit to St. Petersburg, I would agree there is much more to see there. We found Moscow somewhat a disappointment, particularly Red Square. The Kremlin and the cathedral in Red Square were also worth seeing. But the best thing we saw was the Moscow subway! I worked for the Washington Metro system back in the 1980s as it grew from 40 to 80 miles and although I was in the computer area, I learned a lot about the challenges of running a subway system. We used the Moscow system to get across the city from where we had dinner to the train station, and I was amazed at the cleanliness', speed of operation, the short headways maintained, and the courtesy of everyone involved. A very impressive experience!

We had been to St. Petersburg before, and so had the time to take a day and go to Moscow. Also, I really like trains, and the SAPSAN is a German train set running on Russian rails. Seats are like first class domestic air, spacious but not too plush or comfortable, but with enough room. Not too much recline, and almost 8 hours on the train in two shots is a lot for an old man. They come through and sell drinks, candy, etc. but the sellers don't speak English and no one around us helped, so we had just poor coffee once coming, and brought stuff with us for the trip back. Not too much to see from the train either, particularly on the return when it is night the whole way.

If you decide to go, take a private tour and avoid the overly expensive ship's tour. I'm glad we did it, but wouldn't bother to repeat the tour; we've seen Moscow.

Thanks so much to all of you for the thorough and thought insight. Yhe information you have provided is most helpful.

countflorida: Your detailed post is very helpful. We are not quite ready for a Baltic cruise but should do so within a year. Time enough to do our pre travel research, bookings and visa gathering.:) Thank you!

Emperor Norton

Sure would appreciate someone who has taken "Best of Moscow by high speed train" from St. Petersburg could please share their impressions of this shore excursion. From the description this sounds like a very long day.   Wondering how the 4 hour train trip was in terms of accommodations, etc. Also what time did you leave the ship and what time at night did you return? Were both legs of the trip on the high speed rail (I read that slower trains also travel the same tracks)?   My wife and I are considering this excursion. We thought that if we are making all the effort to go to Russia then how could we pass up going to Moscow, walking in Red Square, seeing St. Basil, etc.

I did this on Seabourn. IMO DONT. Take Aeroflop (er Aeroflot). The train has non folding seats where you are literally knee to knee with your fellow passenger (facing each other). Further they don't believe in air conditioning. It's also the worlds slowed bullet train. I think I would have found more enjoyment wandering around the St. Petersburg and Moscow airports.

Countflorida,

This is a little off topic,, however we had planned a river cruise in Russia but decided we would rather stay on land and have booked about two weeks with Travel-All-Russia using the private guide and driver. I'm curious as to how you found them as a tour company.

The guides they provided were fine. We had a different guide each of the days in St. Petersburg, but both were flexible, pleasant, knowledgeable and spoke English very well, as did the guide in Moscow, incidentally. She was a bit aloof, distant, not too friendly, but otherwise fine. In fact, she was the one who suggested taking the Metro, which unexpectedly became one of the highlights of the Moscow excursion. If I have a complaint with AllTravelRussia, it is with their plan and its execution (more later).

I had requested emphasis on World War II (in Russia, the Great Patriotic War) sites and info. In scheduling us, they weren't careful about dates and a couple of the sites we wanted to see were scheduled on the third day, after we'd been to Moscow. But both sites were closed that day of the week, and that info was readily available, right on web sites describing them. Also, the included meals (lunches in St. Pete, dinner in Moscow) were not what we asked for: light meals with some choices, so we could avoid things we didn't like and choose things we did like. My request was ignored; we were given full Russian meals with a fixed menu, no choice. On the first day, a fish dish was the entre, but I am allergic to fish. Fortunately, I had the e-mail I'd sent with me and showed it to the guide, and she was able to change my entre to chicken, which was very good actually. But we didn't want a 3-4 course lunches or dinner (in Moscow). We had the guide drop the lunch the third day, although we never got any credit or refund. But, particularly in contrast to the ship's tours, the prices were so reasonable we didn't worry too much about it.

The people who were on the ship's tour to Moscow saw us boarding the same train for which they were forced to queue up and wait on the way back, and asked us what we had done. I was candid and open so they were not happy when I explained what we had arranged and particularly what it had cost. Also, when we returned to the ship, we found they had laid on a late supper for those who had gone to Moscow, so up we went and had something. Well, it turns out the late supper was supposed to be just for those on the ship's tour, but we and others on 'independent' tours, there were a dozen or more of us, crashed the party, actually got there first, and they didn't realize it until the larger group arrived and there weren't enough tables/places set. By that time, the 'independents' had all gotten served and were eating; what could they do?

A couple from the larger group sat down with us and asked us about our tour, and they were the ones I told about our arrangement and its cost. They turned to others who’d been with them and announced the details, loudly enough so the whole room heard, which started a lot of bitching and complaining. I gathered they weren't very happy with the ship's tour to begin with, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back. We finished up and beat it out of there, but overheard later that one of the excursion staff came to check on something and ran into a real mess. I caught a cold on the trip, which forced me to bed the second day following in Tallinn, so by the time we reappeared we heard about the contretemps' but apparently no one recalled who started it, thankfully.

Because of what happened to us, I would probably not use AllTravelRussia if I were to go again, or if I did, I would be sure to get confirmation of every detail of the tour. They do have good reviews generally, and we were certainly helped by their visa department and liked the guides and drivers. Their weakness, I say now with full 20:20 hindsight, is that once the sales person who plans the tour, sells it to you and collects your money, he (or she) transfers the plan to their Russia office for implementation; there is no follow-up to make sure it gets done right. And that is where our problems arose; we paid for a custom tour but got a standard package with a few destinations switched, and no one checked them out, even to see when they were open the day we were scheduled to go. If you check every detail that’s important to you, it should be OK, but that’s a hell of a way to have to do business, in my opinion.

Thank you for the 20/20 hindsight observation on your Russian tour operator, and better priced than the ship's excursion cost.

Thanks very much for the feedback.

We had the same experience as you so far as price. We originally booked a Viking Cruise but, hearing some things about the river cruises that made us unhappy, looked into other options. T-A-R cost the same or less than a cruise and had us in hotels for 11 days. We opted for the private tour. They have three tour levels, based on hotels. We originally opted for the four star as it did not cost much more than the three star hotels. Finally we decided to throw it all in and upgraded to five star. In Moscow we will be at the newly opened Kempinsky which is two blocks from Red Square. In St. Petersburg it is the Grand Hotel Europe, one of the most vaunted luxury hotels in Russia. Location is important for us as the tours use up only part of the day so being in the center of everything for our independent touring is important. As with many other cities, the less you pay, the farther out of the center of town you are.

We have been working with our salesman in D.C. and he seems to get back to us with the changes we want. He recently returned from Russia so is up on everything. When I asked they said they paid the full TA commission if I wanted so I got my usual TA on board so he is watching our back and giving us that extra level of comfort. He also set up our air, which I know pays him little or nothing, and got us business class for much less than T-A-R wanted for economy, though it took working for a while with a consolidator. He's happy to get his 10 percent on this trip without having booked it. He also took care of the trip insurance. We've been doing a lot of research on the CC sister site Trip Advisor and will write a report there. We will, I guess, become a source of info for CC members after having spent 5 days in Moscow and 6 in SP.

• 4 months later...

scubacruiserx2

Anybody considering a day trip to Moscow from St. Petersburg on the Sapsan may want to look at our travelogue filled with pictures.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1927687

Very informative. Thanks dor sharing. Jeff

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I've been on 50 cruises. Here are 5 things I wish I'd known before sailing in the Mediterranean.

• I've been on 50 cruises around the world and took my first Mediterranean route last year.
• Picking the right time of the season to go can make a big difference in your trip.
• Before packing, I always check to see if any of the experiences I've booked have a dress code.

As someone who's taken over 50 cruises all over the world, I know firsthand how popular cruising is this year. But one seabound itinerary people often forget to add to their bucket lists is a Mediterranean cruise .

The dreamy ships take passengers around European destinations like Spain, France, Italy, and Greece.

After taking my first Mediterranean cruise last year, here's what I think everyone should know before booking the route.

Going early or late in the sailing season means fewer crowds and better weather.

Many cruise lines, like Virgin, Celebrity, and Disney, start the Mediterranean season in early spring and sail through early fall.

Going early or late in the season usually means you'll have more tolerable weather and smaller crowds in some of the big destinations like Athens .

I made the mistake of going on my Mediterranean cruise at the end of May (over Memorial Day weekend).

Some ports of call, like Nice, France, were easy to get around, but others like Rome were packed to the gills. I wanted the day to end before we even made it to the Vatican on our tour.

Arriving at your embarkation port early is key to having a smooth sailing.

My biggest tip for any cruise — but especially for Americans traveling to Europe for a Mediterranean cruise — is to arrive at your embarkation city at least a day before your sailing starts.

This gives you plenty of time to ensure you make it to the port, especially with the airline delays that typically spike in the summer. The boat isn't going to wait for you i f you don't land on time

Even though it means paying for lodging and likely a few meals before boarding the boat, getting a good night's sleep before a jam-packed vacation is worth it to me.

As a bonus, arriving early also gives you a chance to explore the city.

Be sure to pack at least one shirt with sleeves and bottoms that cover your knees.

Some of the major European tourist destinations have strict dress codes — typically everyone must at least cover their shoulders and knees out of respect.

If you're planning on checking out Vatican Ci t y in Italy or the Meteora monasteries in Greece, b e sure to pack at least one outfit that fits the bill.

Most cruise ships have laundry services (self-serve or valet), so you can wear the same dress-code-approved outfit for a few excursion days if needed.

Food tours are a great way to see a city, taste local dishes, and learn some history.

If you're looking for a unique excursion that still gives you the highlights of a European city, I recommend booking a food tour . I've done tours in places like Amsterdam, Budapest, and Paris, and I've never been disappointed.

Food tours can be booked through third-party travel operators, like TripAdvisor or Viator, and offer the chance to see some of the major landmarks of a city, try local dishes, and learn some history all in one outing.

The tours are usually led by locals, which means the guides can also give you some good recommendations if you have time before you need to return to the ship.

Consider booking tours through third-party sites.

Mediterranean cruises can last anywhere from seven days to two weeks, depending on the company and itinerary. Booking every excursion through the cruise line can add up, but luckily, there are typically more affordable options through third-party companies.

But I only book with third-party operators if the ship docks right at the city I want to explore because I never want to miss the all-aboard time.

For example, on my Mediterranean cruise last summer, the ship anchored at Cannes, and I was able to keep my eye on it throughout my excursion.

If the ship docks in a secondary location and you have to travel to the big tourist destinations , I always book excursions through the cruise line. For instance, the day my family and I explored Rome, the ship docked in Civitavecchia, Italy, and we had to take a two-hour bus ride into the city.

Booking with the cruise company guarantees your return to the ship, even if your excursion runs late.

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