Yachting gems of the French and Italian Rivieras

Your memorable cruise begins in Nice, on the chic French Riviera, where you’ll be transferred to your Emerald Cruises luxury yacht to begin your voyage through the beautiful Western Mediterranean. 

Please book your flight to arrive into Nice prior to 03:00 PM.

Welcome to Santa Margherita Ligure, an Italian resort town presenting panoramic views and revered for its timeless elegance and style. For those seeking ‘La dolce vita’, you’ll find it here in abundance. Stroll the Santa Margherita promenade, or the pebbly beachfront, admiring the gleaming yachts and vibrant, upscale bars. Explore a beautiful Baroque church, or sample freshly caught, succulent red shrimps. 

Later in the morning, you’ll sail on to Portofino. Nestled along the Italian Riviera, Portofino boasts a rich gastronomic scene, a picturesque harbour and charming narrow streets lined with pastel-hued houses, high-end boutiques and plenty of seafood restaurants. 

One of the most photographed villages along the coast, with a decidedly romantic and affluent aura, Portofino has long been a popular destination for the rich and famous. Once an ancient Roman colony and taken by the Republic of Genoa in 1229, it’s also been ruled by the French, English, Spanish, and Austrians, as well as by marauding bands of 16th-century pirates. Elite British tourists first flocked to the lush harbor in the mid-1800s. Some of Europe's wealthiest drop anchor in Portofino in summer, but they stay out of sight by day, appearing in the evening after buses and boats have carried off the day-trippers.There's not actually much to do in Portofino other than stroll around the wee harbor, see the castle, walk to Punta del Capo, browse at the pricey boutiques, and sip a coffee while people-watching. However, weaving through picture-perfect cliffside gardens and gazing at yachts framed by the sapphire Ligurian Sea and the cliffs of Santa Margherita can make for quite a relaxing afternoon. There are also several tame, photo-friendly hikes into the hills to nearby villages.Unless you're traveling on a deluxe budget, you may want to stay in Camogli or Santa Margherita Ligure rather than at one of Portofino's few very expensive hotels. Restaurants and cafés are good but also pricey (don't expect to have a beer here for much under €10).

Set on the Ligurian Coast, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed town of Porto Venere harbours a romantic history, thanks to its penchant for attracting famous poets and artists over the centuries, including Lord Byron. In homage, this quaint town overlooks what is known as the ‘Gulf of Poets’.  Discover evocative, narrow stepped lanes, known as Caruggi, which were originally designed to shield locals from the elements and winding streets lined with colourful houses; follow them up to Doria Castle for lovely views of the town and Church of San Pietro.

According to local legend, Calvi is where the intrepid, 15th century explorer, Christopher Columbus, was born. While historians may debate this, the natural beauty and rich culture of Calvi – set on the French island of Corsica – is undisputed. Calvi's beach presents a crescent-shaped bay of powdery white sand fringed by maritime pines, while the town has evolved as Corsica’s ‘culture capital’, hosting several music festivals over the idyllic summer months.

A shining jewel of the Côte d’Azur, the legendary beach resort town of Saint-Tropez is one of the most famous holiday destinations in Europe. From the soft white sand beaches lapped by turquoise water to the jetsetter beach clubs, decadent dining and luxury designer boutiques, glamorous Saint-Tropez is the ultimate French Riviera experience. For history buffs, learn more about the fascinating story of Saint-Tropez at the Musée d'Histoire Maritime, or peruse the incredible modern art inside a former chapel at the Annonciade. 

Sanary-sur-Mer, presents the quintessential French Provençal port, complete with traditional wooden fishing boats bobbing in the harbour, pastel-coloured houses lining the shoreline and a bustling daily market in the town centre – regarded as the finest in France for its outstanding variety of local produce. 

Positioned near the Spanish French border in Spain’s Catalonia region, Roses is a delightful seaside village set within a captivating natural environment where the mountains meet the sea. Roses harbours a long-standing fishing tradition, which is reflected in the local seafood speciality of ‘Suquet de Peix a hearty fish soup prepared with the catch of the day along with locally sourced garlic, tomatoes and saffron.

Your luxurious yacht cruise concludes in Catalonia’s cosmopolitan capital, Barcelona, where you’ll be transferred to the airport for your return flight home or to continue your holiday. 

Please book your flight to depart out of Barcelona after 11:00 AM.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Emerald Cruises cannot guarantee the cruise will operated unaltered from the itinerary states above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.