Guido Porrati had the swagger of a politician, greeting his customers with megawatt charm. “Ciao!” he shouted as he waved goodbye to a nonna who had just left ParlaComeMangi, his artisanal deli in Rapallo, on the Ligurian coast of Italy, with a bag full of groceries. There was much to choose from: local wines, tins of anchovies, farm-fresh eggs, and buffalo mozzarella.
Jacqueline Gifford
But our small group, an international crowd traveling aboard the 461-suite Explora II, was there for the pesto. Porrati, who moonlights as a chef, was taking us through a cooking demo in the courtyard outside his store under the bluebird sky. Porrati and his team served us focaccia, a 45-day-aged salami, and a light local white as he explained the proper way to make Liguria’s renowned sauce. “Americans add too much garlic,” he said. “I only go with half a clove.”
Gunnar Knechtel
Once a large bunch of basil, pine nuts, Parmesan and pecorino, olive oil, and a pinch of salt all made it into the mix, everyone went in for a taste—and we all agreed that Porrati’s recipe did have the perfect amount of garlic. Then, with our host leading the way, we did a drive-by of Rapallo’s small businesses, including a spectacular produce market, a specialty pasta shop, and an old-school gelateria, where espresso and ice cream were the perfect pick-me-up before the ride back to the ship.
Jacqueline Gifford
This was my third Mediterranean cruise, but my first with Explora Journeys. The luxury line promises a hotel-like vibe on board, matched with itineraries that spotlight the best of Europe, including off-the-radar destinations such as Rapallo, which has Art Nouveau villas, a seaside promenade, and nearby beaches for whiling away an afternoon. Owned by the family behind MSC Cruises, Explora has a European sensibility, in the form of Italian and French fine-dining restaurants, coupled with sleek, residential-style cabins stocked with books and your choice of wine and spirits.
Our weeklong cruise began in Barcelona, and it didn’t take long for my husband, Rob, to scout the most family-friendly parts of the ship for our son, Bobby. Both made a beeline for the central Conservatory Pool, which had an adjacent crêperie under a retractable roof, and the open-air basketball court, an incredible amenity to have on our lone sea day. To me, the ship also felt grown-up in all the right ways, with vintage Chanel bags and just-in Cartier watches in the shops and a standout steak house, Marble & Co. Grill, serving French filet mignon.
Our first port of call was Ibiza, Spain, an island known more for its club scene than as a cruise-ship destination. Explora II stayed docked until 3 a.m., giving many passengers—though not our family—the opportunity to stay out late. Excursions included a walking tour of Ibiza Town, a quad-bike adventure on the island’s western coast, and the chance to visit the winery Can Maymó, in St. Mateu d’Albarca. We instead opted to sleep in, with croissants for breakfast on our large balcony, and have a leisurely paella lunch at Six Senses Ibiza, a resort that is open to day visitors (we even booked Bobby a boxing class).
The weather, unfortunately, wasn’t always on our side. After leaving Ibiza, a strong wind picked up, so the captain steered us away from Cannes, France, and into the more sheltered port of St.-Tropez. That turned out to be a blessing: the sun was shining, so we took a taxi to the nearby Lily of the Valley, a wellness resort designed by Philippe Starck, for lunch before returning to browse the splashy boutiques in the yacht-lined harbor. Next up was Marseille. We stayed on the ship for a fantastic sashimi and sushi lunch at Sakura before joining a group bus tour to see Aix-en-Provence. In hindsight, this was probably not the best choice for us: strolling the cobblestoned streets of Aix was lovely, but Bobby got fidgety listening to our guide, and we didn’t have enough time to explore the city, which was celebrating a “Year of Cézanne” with several exhibits.
That experience led to a course correction in Porto Santo Stefano, on the coast of Tuscany, our last stop before our trip came to an end in Rome. It’s a place my friend Federico De Cesare Viola, the editor in chief of Travel + Leisure Italia, calls his “buon retiro,” or retreat. That’s because, on this stretch of shore, you’re more likely to see Italians enjoying a low-key seafood lunch than hordes of American tourists ordering middling pizzas. After taking a tender into town, we explored the compact city center by foot. Only a handful of boutiques were open that Sunday afternoon, but we had fun wandering some of the empty alleyways and watching children splash at the small, pebbly beach: a snapshot of daily life along the Tuscan coast. We went back to the ship and, under the fading sun, played one more game of hoops.
A version of this story first appeared in the December 2025/January 2026 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline “All Decked Out.”
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