If you're dreaming of a Mediterranean getaway that blends luxury, adventure, and a dash of high-speed excitement, then the SilverSea F1 Cruise throughout the Mediterranean is for you! Picture this: a 12-day voyage aboard the ultra-luxurious Silver Ray, stopping at iconic ports like Palma de Mallorca, Monte Carlo, Saint Tropez and Naples, with a front-row seat to the Monaco Grand Prix. While we took the 2025 voyage in May 2025, I'll link you to the 2026 itinerary, which is already available for booking. Sounds like a dream, right? Let's dive into the details!
Setting Sail: Barcelona to Rome
Our journey began in the vibrant city of Barcelona. After a day of recovering from our flight and indulging in tapas for dinner, we boarded the beautiful Silver Ray the next day, ready to embark on an unforgettable Mediterranean adventure. Over the next 12 days, we visited 10 ports across four countries, each offering its own unique charm and allure. Did I mention the Monaco Grand Prix? Also, on this cruise we did something entirely new to us and quite challenging for Pete (because he would have to take directions.) We were asked to be the talent for SilverSea who were shooting for their social media content. So I held my breath when I accepted the assignment and it worked out just fine. The production team planned out our days for us, which we loved, and provided photography and videography experts to tell the story! So while I'll list our ports of call below, we were shooting video content not our own while showing off various excursions for this cruise.This will help future guests get a taste of what SilverSea has to offer. Does that make sense?
Travel Tip: I recommend arriving to your departure port city the day before the cruise departure in case you run into travel issues and to get over jet lag. Of course since you traveled all this way, you may want to explore the departure city too (highly recommended), so give yourself an extra day or more.
Itinerary Highlights, Ports of Call and Excursions
Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Our first port of call on this cruise was a visit to Palma de Mallorca. Stroll along the marina, sip on a café con leche, and enjoy the island's relaxed vibe. Optional excursions include visits to historic sites and scenic viewpoints. We spent the day shooting at a beautiful winery, which is an excursion option. Click HERE to see my Reel on Instagram to give you a little taste of the location. We thoroughly enjoyed shooting at the winery and watching Mario, our talented photographer, do his stuff, including getting drone shots of us and the scenery.
Valencia, Spain
Next, we went to Valencia, known for its futuristic architecture and delicious Paella. Explore the City of Arts and Sciences or relax on the sandy beaches. We had a great day exploring the market and had Paella at a local seaside restaurant. Click HERE and swipe through the pictures of our adventure in Valencia. We loved the Paella! It's a traditional Valencian Spanish dish that is served in a giant frying pan-looking serving/cooking pan. Paella actually means frying pan in Castilian. It's a rice dish made with some vegetables and a protein like chicken, seafood or rabbit. Yummy!! No rabbits were harmed in our dish!!!
Cartagena, Spain
In Cartagena, you can immerse yourself in ancient history with a tour of Roman ruins and the impressive National Museum of Underwater Archaeology. We loved exploring this beautiful city on our own. Don't miss the Roman ruins, they're quite well preserved! Click HERE to see the Reel of our day.
Marseille, France
Marseille offers a blend of French culture and Mediterranean charm. Visit the historic Old Port, sample local seafood, and enjoy panoramic views from the Basilique Notre-Dame de la Garde. We spent that day shooting a lovely cooking experience and wine tasting which is one of the cruise's excursions offered in Marcelles. Here part of my cooking lesson included how to flambe a dish - without inflicting harm or property damage or shortening your hair. We also shot in a beautiful olive tree grove while picking wild poppies, which were in full bloom. Mario again did some drone photography which was fun to watch. Click HERE to watch me flambe some zucchini, which was part of the meal.
Monte Carlo, Monaco
The highlight of your journey on this cruise (at least it was for us): the Monaco Grand Prix! Experience the thrill of Formula 1 racing with an overnight stay in Monte Carlo for the grandad of F1 races. We could just feel the adrenaline as the world's fastest cars zoom through the streets of this glamorous city-state. Our hearing will never be the same.This is an excursion that SilverSea offers and they have 3 packages. We chose the grandstand package which put us right in the middle of all the action in grandstand K. The Silver Ray kitchens even prepared us a picnic lunch to take to the race! Grandstand K is directly opposite yacht row, which is so fun! Dozens upon dozens of luxury yachts and beautiful people. We even saw Jeff Bezos yacht in the harbor! Click HERE to get a first hand view of our seats! Since we had never done an F1 race before, we truly appreciated the guidance and VIP treatment by the cruise staff. There were several races on Sunday, the day we attended, including an F2 and a Porsche race. Did I mention how loud the car are? Well, it's nothing compared to what happens when the F1 winner takes the victory lap...every yacht in the harbor toots it's horn. Imagine 200 ships all blowing their horns at the same time with you in the middle. You can't hear the cars anymore! Or anything else for that matter.
Saint-Tropez, France
Saint-Tropez is synonymous with love, luxury and style. Wander through high fashion boutiques, relax on sun-kissed beaches, and perhaps spot a celebrity or two. Every, and I mean every, chic brand had a boutique here. Check out this Reel, where we spent the day shooting a Beach Club and indulging in a lovely lunch with wine. This is one of our favorite cities! The shopping is phenomenal. I'm absolutely loving this violet dress and it was perfect for Saint Tropez! The Beach Club we visited was so beautiful it made shooting quick and easy. So much so that our photographer had time for one of favorite lungo espressos. And the French cuisine was out of this world! If we had more time we could have gotten some sun at the beautiful private beach club with food and bar service from the restaurant, but work called!
Livorno (Tuscany), Italy
In Livorno, we explored the Tuscan countryside and shot the truffle hunt excursion. We shot this picture on the Livorno plaza which has a most interesting geometric design in the marble floor. It makes you dizzy just walking on it. With other available excursions you can visit Pisa's Leaning Tower, enjoy wine tasting tours, or simply savor authentic Italian cuisine in a charming trattoria. In our excursion, the shoot team booked us a private driver to enjoy and shoot an amazing Truffle Hunt experience. We hunted truffles with the cutest puppy. They don't find truffles with pigs anymore, who knew? This was by far our favorite (non-F1) excursion and we highly recommend it. We spent the day shooting pictures and video truffle hunting in the woods, finding several truffles. We came back to have a 4 course meal, all served with the fresh truffles we found. The desert course was a truffle chocolate ice cream Sundae, YUM! Thank you to Savini Tartufi and your precious dog for the incredible experience.
Naples, Italy
Naples is the birthplace of pizza, pasta and more. Dive into the city's rich history with a visit to Pompeii or enjoy a leisurely walk along Spaccanapoli, sampling local delicacies. Pete and I got to visit a church, flour mill and pasta making facility. We were given a lesson in making fusilli pasta by a cute Italian grandma pasta chef! One of us got his knuckles wacked by grandma for not following directions - guess who. What a fun day - see the recap Reel HERE. Also, how fun to see Mount Vesuvius behind us and quietly dormant. Mt. Etna erupted soon after we left Italy, but we didn't go anywhere near it on our cruise.
Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
Our journey concluded in Civitavecchia, the gateway to Rome. We then spent 2 days exploring the Eternal City, visiting landmarks like the Colosseum, Vatican City, and the Trevi Fountain. This was so fun to shoot for their content because we had a driver zip us in and out of all the famous locations. We really love Rome and it was so crowded because of the new Pope and the 2025 Catholic Jubilee, "Pilgrims of Hope". These jubilee celebrations only occur every 25 years. Click HERE to see a highlight Reel of what we saw. One of the highlights we enjoyed was when we shot in the private historic home of a famous Italian chef. He cooked exclusively for us. His house is on Tiber Island in the Tiber river. The bedroom opens to the soothing sound of the river and views of the oldest bridge in Rome and the basement dates back to 200 BC and has excavations from that period.
Tanya's Tip: Get up early to get ahead of the crowds if you want to get great photos of iconic locations. Our call time when we shot at the Trevi fountain was 6:30 AM and the fountain was already getting full of tourists!
Onboard Experience: Silver Ray
Aboard the Silver Ray, expect nothing less than exceptional. This 700+ guest, all-suite, all-inclusive ship offers spacious accommodations, personalized service, and gourmet dining. Whether you're lounging by the pool, enjoying a spa treatment, or attending an enrichment lecture, every moment is designed for your comfort and enjoyment. Did you know that your suite comes with a personal butler who can offer a bevy of services? Click HERE to see our in room caviar and canape service. The restaurants are fabulous and if you click HERE, you will see the back terrace of La Terrazza, one of our favorites for dinner. SilverSea does have a dress code, which is no jeans, shorts, etc. after 6 PM. I wore this beautiful red dress for dinner and it was perfect.
The Captain of the Silver Ray is Giovanni Schiaffino and he was such a delight. We even got a personal tour of the bridge! The Silver Ray can host 728 guests and has a crew of 544 and was built in 2024, making it the newest ship in the fleet. SilverSea has a total of 12 ships in its fleet.
Tanya's Tip: Click HERE for my packing list. It was perfect for a 14 day trip. I wore every single piece of what I packed! I've linked them throughout this post as well.
Monaco Grand Prix: A Front-Row Seat
The Monaco Grand Prix is the crown jewel of Formula 1 racing. With SilverSea's exclusive cruise, you’ll have the opportunity to witness this prestigious event up close. Imagine cheering on your favorite driver as they navigate the challenging Monte Carlo circuit, all while enjoying the luxurious amenities of the Silver Ray. They make it so easy with guides to who escort you directly to your seating location.
Tips for Booking
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Early Bird Advantage: Cabins for this exclusive voyage are limited and tend to sell out quickly. Booking early ensures you secure your preferred suite and take advantage of any early booking discounts.
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Excursions: While the Monaco Grand Prix is the main attraction, each port offers unique excursions. Consider your interests—whether it's history, cuisine, or relaxation—when selecting your shore activities.
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Travel Insurance: Given the exclusive nature of this cruise, investing in travel insurance is advisable to protect your investment.
Final Thoughts
The SilverSea F1 Cruise is more than just a vacation; it's an experience of a lifetime. From the thrill of the Monaco Grand Prix to the serene beauty of the Mediterranean coastline, every moment is crafted to create lasting memories. So, pack your bags, bring your sense of adventure, and get ready for a journey that combines luxury, culture, and speed in the most spectacular way. Want to book this incredible cruise for 2026? Click HERE. If you have any questions about our experience, leave us a comment below.
xoxo - Tanya and Pete
P.S. Be sure to check out this post on a cruise packing list.
what I packed
Click HERE for a link to everything I packed. I wore all of it!
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