Hot Spots of Spain and France Cruise

10 nights from/to Barcelona, Spain

July 11 – 21, 2013
Azamara Club Cruises Azamara Journey

Join Pied Piper Travel as we sail from gay-friendly Barcelona for this unique and most incredible voyage, the 'Hot Spots' of Spain and France! You'll sail to these amazingly popular coastal ports, known for it's fabulous beaches, incredible nightlife, and exciting people-watching! Highlights of our cruise are overnights on the gay-friendly island of Ibiza, the gambling mecca of Monte Carlo, the rich history of Cannes, and what can you say about two days in infamous St. Tropez! And, we'll sail on the Azamara Journey, known for its top notch food and service and high-end small ship feel of luxury! Don't miss this incredible once-in-a-lifetime cruise opportunity!

Azamara's Journey

With just 700 guests, theAzamara Journey provides an intimate setting for those looking to cruise in comfort and style. Passengers will enjoy Journey's specialty restaurants, concierge amenities, Spa & Wellness Center, wine bar and daily enrichment programs. Additionally, the Journey offers more verandahs than most ships and all of their staterooms include a plasma-screen television, European bedding, Elemis bath products and more.

There's a timeless romance that begins when you wander aboard Azamara Journey. Because it's easy to fall for Journey's well-appointed amenities, impeccable service, gourmet cuisine, and warm and inviting atmosphere. So, give in and enjoy your every indulgence. You'll love how we make you feel.

Azamara Journey offers more of what you desire. Specifically designed to be smaller than most cruise ships and filled bow-to-stern with wondrous luxuries and appointments. And with just 694 guests onboard, you'll discover a more intimate way to travel. See for yourself how truly remarkable an Azamara voyage can be.

Forgot the crowds and experience a voyage tailor-made for today's discerning traveler aboard Journey. In addition to butler service in each stateroom and suite, Journey affords her guests more verandas than most cruise ships, so you can watch the world melt away into the fiery sunset.

Journey's also features two specialty restaurants, concierge amenities, our Spa and Wellness Center, a coffee café, a piano bar and a wine bar, live entertainment, daily enrichment programs (like wine and champagne tasting), and this is only her short list.

What's the perfect day at sea? At the pool? Reading a book? Or maybe you'd like to learn more about your next port of call and chat with a destination expert. Whatever tops your priority list, tops ours, as well. And if that means you want to nap in a deck chair, we'll be happy to bring you an extra blanket so you slip into undisturbed bliss. And don't forget the Mosaic Cafe - the ships' amazing get-together for a coffee or a glass of wine at night. It's the place to see and be seen. And what will it be in the evening? Dancing? A show? The casino? A quiet after-dinner drink in Discoveries Lounge? Or would you prefer to go ashore and sample the local scene? You can, because Azamara Club Cruises stays overnight in so many ports.

Barcelona, Spain

Dynamic Barcelona is all about architecture, from the magnificent medieval buildings of the Gothic Quarter to the Modernist movement typified by the work of Antoni Gaudi. Though his materials were stone and metal, his forms were organic, awash in curves, swirls, and colors. His masterpiece is the amazing Church of the Sagrada Familia, colossal and as yet unfinished, though construction began in 1882. A contemporary contribution to the scene is Ricardo Bofill's post modernist National Theater of Catalonia, an imaginative combination of classical and modern design, with a greenhouse-like lobby.

Ibiza, Spain

Mountainous Ibiza is known as Isla Blanca, the White Island, perhaps because of the dazzling white walls of the traditional houses and churches that make up the small villages dotting its landscape. Its atmosphere is reminiscent of Greek islands, making it unique among the Balearic Isles, and its rustic beauty attracts artists, as well photo and film shoots. Ibiza's nightlife is legendary, and not to be missed.

Cassis, France

Nobel-prize winning writer Frederic Mistral wrote: " He who has seen Paris but not Cassis has seen nothing." It is easy to understand his sentiment, set as Cassis is between the natural splendor of the calanques, long narrow inlets in the towering white limestone cliffs, and majestic Cap Canaille, its seaside bluffs most glorious at sunset. It is a photogenic little town, with a harbor promenade lined by pastel houses on one side and bobbing wooden fishing boats on the other. For full immersion, find a seaside table and dive into a bowl of bouillabaisse, a dish the town is famous for.

Monte Carlo, Monaco

The tiny principality of Monaco, a sovereign state of just under one square mile, has an outsized resume, boasting some of the planet's most expensive real estate, and the world's most prestigious casino. Facing the sea, and engulfed on the other three sides by France, it has been the domain of the Grimaldi dynasty since the 14th century, and enjoys the same glamorous reputation as the rest of the Riviera.

Nice, France

Nice, Queen of the Riviera, is imbued with the joie de vivre that epitomizes this fabled coastline. Perhaps it is that famous light and color that has long attracted artists, that makes one feel so alive, makes a stroll down the wide seaside Promenade des Anglais so exhilarating. The old town is a warren of meandering lanes edged by tall houses, and small, alluring shops. A treasure trove of archaeological and fine art museums is not to be ignored, nor is the famous flower market, awash in the heady scent and glowing hues of blossoms, and amazing displays of produce.

Cannes, France

It is hard to believe that this glamorous haunt of the glitterati was once a sleepy fishing village, but traces of its past do remain. The old harbor of St Pierre still shelters a flotilla of fishing boats alongside the luxurious super yachts, and Le Suquet, the heart of the old town, is still is a cobbled maze of picturesque lanes. It's a bit of a climb, but earns you the opportunity to engage in one of the most important and longstanding pastimes of the Riviera – people watching from a sidewalk cafe. If uphill is not your direction of choice, head the other way, for a stroll along Le Croisette, the seaside promenade so fashionable that it is now sometimes referred to as the "catwalk by the sea."

St.Tropez, France

St. Tropez conjures up images of sun-drenched beaches, tanned bodies, and jet setters enjoying martinis on the decks of luxury yachts. Indeed it is a glamorous playground for the wealthy, but anyone can spend an afternoon at a sidewalk café, watching the spectacle unfold. The south of France played a role in the history of modern painting, its clear light inspiring artists, so that even today many live and work here. For mesmerizing views, head up to the 16th century Citadel. Or stroll the old town, overflowing with restaurants, trendy boutiques, and galleries.