Sailing the Mediterranean aboard the Seabourn Pride
Part of: Mediterranean Cruises • Europe • Luxury Cruising
Our Mediterranean Sea adventure aboard the Seabourn Pride remains one of our favorite cruises.
This unforgettable journey sailed from Lisbon to Rome, visiting a remarkable collection of ports in Portugal, Spain, and Italy along the way.
The Seabourn Pride was one of the original Seabourn luxury yachts, carrying only a few hundred guests and offering an intimate cruising experience known for exceptional service and elegant dining.
This cruise was especially exciting for us because it was our first time visiting Portugal and Spain, and we were eager to explore new destinations while creating unforgettable memories.
🇪🇸 Visiting a Special Friend in Segovia
Before the cruise began, we flew to Madrid to visit a very special friend.
Years earlier, Marta Sánchez had come to the United States as an exchange-program nanny and cared for our children for nearly a year. It had been almost twenty years since we had seen her.
Marta and her husband José — an officer in the Spanish army — welcomed us warmly to their hometown of Segovia.
Segovia is one of the most charming historic cities in Spain and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Highlights of our visit included:
- the incredible Roman Aqueduct of Segovia, built in the 1st century AD
- the fairy-tale Alcázar of Segovia castle
- the impressive Segovia Cathedral
- beautiful cobblestone streets filled with shops and cafés
The city sits near the foothills of the Sistema Central Mountains, giving it a dramatic backdrop that reminded me a bit of the Colorado Rockies.
But the real highlight was spending time with Marta, José, and their children and sharing a wonderful family dinner together.
🇵🇹 Discovering Lisbon
The next day we flew to Lisbon, where our cruise would depart.
Our hotel was tucked into the hills near São Jorge Castle, one of Lisbon’s most famous historic landmarks.
Lisbon is famously built on seven steep hills, and exploring the city meant walking — and riding trams — up and down those hills all day.
Highlights of our short visit included:
- touring the castle
- exploring the lively waterfront
- browsing shops selling Lisbon’s famous azulejo ceramic tiles
- enjoying a wonderful harbor-side lunch
One of the most memorable meals was a plate of fresh grilled sardines, a Lisbon specialty that tasted like it had come straight from the fishing boats.
Although our visit lasted only about 24 hours, Lisbon instantly became one of our top five favorite cities.
🏖️ Portimão and the Algarve
Our first port of call was Portimão, located in the famous Algarve region.
The Algarve is renowned for:
- golden beaches
- dramatic coastal cliffs
- charming fishing villages
Instead of heading to the beach, we took an excursion inland to visit the region’s cork forests, where most of the world’s wine corks are produced.
Portugal produces over half of the world’s cork supply, and seeing how cork is harvested from the trees was fascinating.
🪨 Gibraltar – The Rock
Next we visited Gibraltar, one of the most strategic locations in Europe.
Gibraltar sits at the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea.
Our tour explored:
- the famous Rock of Gibraltar
- historic military tunnels from World War I and World War II
- the island’s famous Barbary macaque
The macaques are Europe’s only wild monkeys and are legendary residents of the rock.
From our vantage point we could also see Gibraltar’s unusual airport runway, which has a road crossing directly through it.
🇪🇸 Cádiz and Seville
Our next stop was Cádiz, one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Western Europe.
From Cádiz we sailed up the Guadalquivir River to reach the beautiful city of Seville.
Few cruise ships can make this journey because of the river’s depth and navigation requirements, making the experience even more special.
Highlights of Seville included:
- attending a mass inside the magnificent Seville Cathedral
- touring the stunning Royal Alcázar of Seville
- a horse-and-carriage tour through historic neighborhoods
- an evening dinner with traditional flamenco dancing
Seville was vibrant, romantic, and unforgettable.
Famous Bull Fighting Ring – Seville
🌞 Málaga and the Spanish Coast
Our next stop was Málaga, a lively Mediterranean city famous for its beaches and warm climate.
After strolling along the waterfront, we realized we probably should have brought our swimsuits.
From there we visited Almería and Cartagena.
One of the highlights was an excursion to the breathtaking Alhambra, the spectacular Moorish palace complex overlooking Granada.
🇪🇸 Valencia and Mallorca
Continuing north along the Spanish coast, we visited Valencia, a city that blends ancient Roman history with modern architecture and science museums.
Lunch included Marilyn’s first authentic seafood paella, which she loved.
Next we sailed to Mallorca, docking in Palma de Mallorca.
The city’s centerpiece is the magnificent Palma Cathedral, which was partially redesigned by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí.
🌊 Rough Seas in the Mediterranean
As we sailed toward Livorno, the gateway to Florence, we encountered a Mediterranean storm.
Overnight the seas built to nearly 15 feet, prompting the captain to advise passengers to remain in their cabins until conditions improved.
By lunchtime the storm had passed and calm seas returned.
🇮🇹 Florence – Renaissance Beauty
From Livorno we traveled inland to Florence, one of the most important cultural cities in Europe.
Florence is home to incredible Renaissance landmarks including:
- Florence Cathedral (The Duomo)
- Ponte Vecchio
- Uffizi Gallery
The Duomo’s enormous dome dominates the skyline and remains one of the greatest architectural achievements of the Renaissance.
We spent the afternoon wandering the streets, shopping for leather goods, enjoying pizza and gelato, and soaking in the magic of Florence.
✨ Special Seabourn Touches
One of the reasons we love Seabourn Cruise Line is the exceptional service.
When we returned to the ship that evening, dozens of officers and crew members welcomed us at the gangway with a glass of Asti Spumante.
Later that evening the crew hosted an open-air gourmet dinner on the main deck, featuring incredible seafood and five-star cuisine.
It was one of the most memorable evenings of the cruise.
🇮🇹 Arrival in Rome
Our cruise concluded in Civitavecchia, the port city serving Rome.
After disembarking we spent several days exploring the Eternal City.
Highlights included:
- the Colosseum
- the Roman Forum
- Spanish Steps
- St. Peter’s Basilica
- the breathtaking sculpture Pietà
One of our favorite moments was a quiet walk across the city to Vatican City, where the scale and beauty of St. Peter’s Basilica never fail to amaze.
We ended the trip with a romantic dinner near the Spanish Steps before heading home the next day.