From Portofino to Monaco: A Mediterranean grand tour
There are Mediterranean cruises, and then there are journeys built around moments that are genuinely difficult to replicate. Next May, this 21-night sailing aboard EXPLORA I traces some of the region’s most desirable coastline, from Florence and Portofino to Saint-Tropez, Corsica, and the Balearics, before arriving in Barcelona.
At its centre is almost a week in Monaco, where EXPLORA I takes up position in Port Hercule for the 2027 Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix. You can spend the morning overlooking the Mediterranean from your ocean-front suite, then step ashore into the atmosphere of race weekend. It makes this far more than a Grand Prix break: it’s three weeks of Mediterranean travel with one of the world’s great sporting events placed right at its heart.
Experience this...
Italy meets the Riviera
The first week of this epic cruise moves through places that warrant more than a fleeting look. From Livorno, you can head into Florence for the Uffizi, the Duomo, and Boboli Gardens, before Genoa and Portofino offer two very different perspectives on the Ligurian coast. The latter is particularly appealing in the evening, with EXPLORA I remaining until almost midnight.
Cannes and Saint-Tropez follow, giving you time for La Croisette, Michelin-starred dining, beach clubs, or a quieter trip across to Saint-Honorat. What works particularly well here is the progression through the region. Rather than building an itinerary around a single headline destination, you move through several of the Mediterranean’s most celebrated coastal addresses before the scale and energy of Monaco begin to take over.
Life aboard EXPLORA I
For a journey of this length, the ship matters. EXPLORA I has just 456 ocean-front suites, penthouses, and residences, all designed around generous space and a closer connection to the sea. Private terraces make a real difference on this route, particularly when the ship becomes your home in Port Hercule during Grand Prix weekend.
For additional space, the Ocean Residences and Owner’s Residence are worth considering, with the latter spanning the full width of the ship and including its own infinity pool. Alongside five pools and an unrivalled spa, the dining on board is broad and easy to tailor to you from Pan-Asian dishes at Sakura to Mediterranean cooking at Med Yacht Club, European steakhouse Marble & Co. Grill, and Italian fine dining at Anthology. You can also enjoy in-suite dining for nights when you truly want to escape from it all.
Sardinia by the sea
After the French Riviera, Sardinia changes the character of the journey. Porto Cervo introduces the Costa Smeralda at its most polished, with its marina, Piazzetta, beach clubs, and easy access to the clear waters around the Maddalena archipelago. The following day in Cagliari feels distinctly different, combining the medieval streets of Il Castello with Poetto Beach and the island’s delicious food and wine.
This is also where having a private arrangement ashore can make the experience feel more personal. Rather than trying to see everything, you might spend the day on the water around northern Sardinia, linger over seafood and Vermentino further south, or simply return to the ship early enough to enjoy the pools and your terrace before dinner.
Monaco at full throttle
EXPLORA I is positioned in Port Hercule from 2nd to 7th June, placing you in Monaco before the Grand Prix begins and keeping you there until the morning after race weekend. For the first time, Monaco will also host a Sprint weekend: Friday brings Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying, Saturday the Sprint and Grand Prix qualifying, and Sunday the race itself.
The three-day Premium Grandstand package puts you between the Swimming Pool chicane and La Rascasse, overlooking the harbour straight and directly opposite the pit lane. You can watch the teams working between sessions, see the cars accelerating through this part of the circuit, and follow the rest of the action on a giant screen. Then, rather than leaving Monaco with the crowds, you can return to EXPLORA I in the harbour.
Head south to the Balearics
After Monaco, the pace changes once again. There is another day in Rome before EXPLORA I continues south to Sorrento, where you can wander around the historic centre or embark on a day trip to Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum, Positano, or Ravello.
Corsica follows, with Ajaccio providing markets, local produce, Napoleon’s family home, and the landscapes around the Bay of Ajaccio. The final stretch through the Balearics is particularly beautiful: first up is Mahón where you can experience Menorca’s quieter harbour life, local cheese, wine, and gin, before Palma brings boutiques, galleries, historic streets, and access to Mallorca’s rugged interior. Your epic journey comes to a close in Barcelona, but the holiday doesn’t have to end here; why not add a few days for restaurants, art, and architecture before flying home?
Suggested itinerary
The full journey runs from 24th May to 14th June 2027, travelling from Civitavecchia to Barcelona aboard EXPLORA I and combining 14 ports across four countries.
Day 1 – Rome: Board EXPLORA I in Civitavecchia and depart in the evening.
Day 2 – Florence: A full day from Livorno for Renaissance art, architecture, gardens, and Tuscan dining.
Day 3 – Genoa and Portofino: Explore Genoa in the morning before continuing to Portofino for the late afternoon and evening.
Day 4 – Cannes: Time for La Croisette, Le Suquet, dining, shopping, or Saint-Honorat.
Day 5 – Saint-Tropez: Spend the day between the harbour, old town, beaches, and the surrounding Provençal countryside.
Day 6 – Porto Cervo: Discover the Costa Smeralda or arrange time on the water around northern Sardinia.
Day 7 – Cagliari: Explore Il Castello, Poetto Beach, and southern Sardinia.
Day 8 – At sea: A full day to enjoy EXPLORA I.
Day 9 – Rome: Return to Civitavecchia for another opportunity to experience the capital.
Day 10 – Monaco: Arrive in Monte Carlo as EXPLORA I takes up its position for Grand Prix week.
Day 11 – Monaco: A quieter day to explore the principality before race weekend begins.
Day 12 – Monaco Grand Prix: Practice 1 and Sprint Qualifying.
Day 13 – Monaco Grand Prix: The Sprint race followed by Grand Prix qualifying.
Day 14 – Monaco Grand Prix: Race day, with three-day Premium Grandstand access placing you close to the pit lane and harbour section of the circuit.
Day 15 – Monaco: A final morning in the principality before EXPLORA I continues that evening.
Day 16 – Rome: Another day in the Italian capital, with time to approach the city differently from your earlier visit.
Day 17 – Sorrento: Explore the Sorrentine Peninsula or venture towards Capri, Pompeii, Herculaneum, or the Amalfi Coast.
Day 18 – At sea: Time for the spa, pool, dining, and a slower day aboard.
Day 19 – Ajaccio: Discover Corsica’s capital, markets, coastline, and Napoleonic history.
Day 20 – Mahón: Experience Menorca’s harbour, food, coastal scenery, and understated island character.
Day 21 – Palma de Mallorca: Spend the final full day between Palma and Mallorca’s mountain villages and countryside.
Day 22 – Barcelona: Arrive in Barcelona, where the journey concludes.
Your handcrafted journey starts here
The appeal of this itinerary is the combination. The Monaco Grand Prix would justify the journey in its own right, but here it sits within three weeks of the Mediterranean at a particularly appealing time of year, with enough variety either side of race weekend to make the trip feel much more substantial.
Your Travel Counsellor can shape the experience around how you want to travel, from choosing an Ocean Penthouse or Residence to arranging private experiences ashore, business class travel, and additional time in Rome or Barcelona. For an itinerary tied to an event of this scale, it is worth planning early, particularly if suite category and race-day positioning matter to you.
Contact your Travel Counsellor today to get things started.
