This was a trip my mom and I planned for almost a year and a half. Tuscany was definitely a bucket list destination, but the charming ports of call along the way left us having a hard time deciding where was our favorite. With these excursions you go into little villages and areas where people actually live. Forget the touristy stuff - we immersed ourselves in the culture. Aix en Provence found us at a Saturday morning farmer's market with clothing, soaps, flowers, etc. Sete is a true fishing village with an indoor market of fresh olives, wine, cheese. The town was celebrating a holiday, so we watched as the fisherman took the well deserved day off to repair fishing lines and nets. They were so friendly and affable. It was intimate and cozy - even when we had to all ride on a bus we had fun. We enjoyed everywhere we went, and each experience seemed to top the last.

Viking is just topnotch. Everything was sparkly clean. Everyone was extraordinarily kind. They even learned our names. I can't wait to return on another Viking cruise.