Barbara Ryan - Travel Agent - A Time to Treasure Travel

09/18/2026

Don’t let the logistics scare you away from exploring independently. This was one stop I was not really excited about, and it turned into one of my favorite days. The w**e 🍷 may have played a part.

Marseille may look complicated when you first start researching it, but the main sights around the historic center are surprisingly easy to combine.

Check out my post to learn all about it.

Cruising to Marseille? Discover the best things to do on a Mediterranean cruise, including the Vieux-Port, Le Panier, MuCEM, Notre-Dame de la Garde, local food and tips for getting from the cruise …

09/17/2026

If your Mediterranean cruise stops in Salerno, don’t make these 3 mistakes. 🇮🇹

Salerno is a little different from some of the other Amalfi Coast ports, and I think it’s easy to try to do WAY too much in one day.

We decided to keep it simple:

✨ Ravello
🍋 Amalfi
🚗 Private driver/guide
🚢 And plenty of time to get back to the ship without stressing about the clock.

Because here’s the thing…

You could try to squeeze in Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, Pompeii, lunch, shopping… all in one day.

But do you really want to remember the Amalfi Coast as a series of car rides and checking the time? 😂

I’d much rather see two places and actually enjoy them.

Save this if Salerno is on your cruise itinerary — and remember, the best shore day isn’t necessarily the one with the most stops. 🇮🇹

09/14/2026

Was a private driver worth it for our Salerno cruise day? For us… absolutely. 🇮🇹

We were docking in Salerno and wanted to see Ravello + Amalfi — without spending the entire day worrying about transportation, traffic, parking, or whether we’d make it back to the ship on time.

So we hired a private driver/guide.
We used Taxi Mister Cab Driver and Roberto was our driver.

And this is one of those travel decisions I would make again in a heartbeat.

🚗 We had our own transportation
🕐 We weren’t tied to a big group’s schedule
📸 We could stop for photos when we wanted
🇮🇹 Our driver knew the roads and the area
🚢 And most importantly… we had a plan that worked around our ship’s schedule.

Could we have figured it out ourselves? Probably.

But when I’m spending money and vacation time to get all the way to Italy, I don’t want to spend my day figuring out logistics.

I want to look out the window and enjoy the view.

That’s one of the biggest benefits of working with a travel planner — figuring out where to go is only part of the job. Figuring out how to make the day actually work is just as important.

Would you splurge on a private driver for a day like this? 👇

09/13/2026

We skipped the obvious Amalfi Coast stops. And I’m so glad we did. 🇮🇹

When our Mediterranean cruise stopped in Salerno, I knew I didn’t want to spend the day racing from one famous town to the next just to say we’d been there.

Instead, we booked a private driver/guide and visited Ravello + Amalfi.

✨ Ravello for the incredible views, gardens and slower pace
🍋 Amalfi for the charm, shops and that classic coastal feeling
🚗 A private driver so we could enjoy the day without worrying about navigating the roads or getting back to the ship on time. Shout out to our fabulous driver, Roberto and Taxi Mister Cab Driver-Naples & Amalfi coast- Salerno

And honestly? It was one of my favorite days of the cruise.

This is one of the things I love about planning travel: the “best” itinerary isn’t always the one everyone else is doing. It’s the one that makes sense for you.

Would you choose the classic Amalfi Coast stops—or would you take the road less traveled? 👇

📌 Save this for your next Mediterranean cruise!

09/10/2026

Planning a Mediterranean cruise? Don’t just look at the port name. Look at what you can realistically do from that port. That’s where a good shore-day plan makes all the difference.

09/08/2026

🌊 Thinking about a Mediterranean cruise? Read this BEFORE you book one. 🇮🇹🇫🇷🇪🇸🇬🇷

A Mediterranean cruise can be an incredible way to see Europe—but it’s also very different from a Caribbean cruise.

And there are a few things I really wish every first-time cruiser knew before they booked.

Like…

✈️ Why I recommend arriving before your cruise
🚢 Why the itinerary can matter more than the ship
🏛️ Why “Rome” on your itinerary may not actually mean you’re in Rome
🚗 When a private driver can be worth every penny
👟 Just how much walking you might actually do
⏰ Why you need to pay attention to “all aboard”
🌍 And why trying to see EVERYTHING can leave you exhausted instead of enchanted

After experiencing Mediterranean cruises myself, I put together the things I wish someone had sat me down and explained before my first European cruise.

Because the goal isn’t to come home saying, “We saw everything.”

It’s to come home saying, “That was AMAZING.” ❤️

👉 Read the new blog: “How to Plan a Mediterranean Cruise: What I Wish Every First-Time Cruiser Knew”

And now I want to know…

If you’ve taken a Mediterranean cruise, what is the ONE thing you wish you had known before you went?

Drop it in the comments 👇 Your answer might help someone planning their first one!

Unlock the secrets to a stress-free Mediterranean cruise, where you’ll discover hidden gems, savor exquisite cuisine, and create memories that will last a lifetime.

09/06/2026

You have 48 hours in Rome and you refuse to waste a minute of it.

09/04/2026

48 hours doesn’t mean you have to choose between seeing the highlights and having a good trip. It means you need a strategy.