The Mediterranean and the Adriatic have a lot in common. Both are bathed in generous sunshine throughout much of the year, both are blessed with centuries of history, and both can turn out a seafood lunch that could easily entice you to consider emigrating.
But when it comes to choosing where to sail, these neighbouring seas have distinctly different personalities. Think of it as picking between two friends: one is gregarious, cosmopolitan, and always at the heart of every gathering; while the other is a little more intimate, refined, and full of hidden stories.
Here’s how to tell which one will suit your sea legs (or, if you're short on time, use our simple table below to compare the two!)
The Mediterranean: the grand stage of cruising
The Med is unapologetically glamorous. It’s the coastline that gave us Sophia Loren, bougainvillaea-draped terraces, and entire towns built around the art of eating a very long lunch. Cruises here often consist of sprawling itineraries that sweep you from one bucket-list port to the next.
Where you’ll call in
- Barcelona, Spain – Modernist architecture, endless tapas, and a nightlife that starts typically when you’re usually thinking about bed.
- Rome (Civitavecchia), Italy – History on an epic scale, plus pasta so good you’ll struggle to return to the supermarket stuff when you get home.
- Santorini, Greece – Whitewashed villages, volcanic wines, and the kind of sunsets that'll leave you suspecting whether you’ve somehow teleported inside of a perfume advert.
- Nice/Monaco – Mediterranean chic and old Hollywood glamour distilled into one glittering stretch of coast.
Insider tip
If your itinerary includes big hitters like Venice or Dubrovnik (technically Adriatic, but sometimes on Med routes), go early or late in the day to dodge the cruise-ship crush. Shoulder season (late April or October) offers still balmy weather but without the queues.
The Mediterranean traveller
You like a sense of scale and variety. You’re not afraid to cover a lot of ground (or coastline) in one trip. You thrive on atmosphere, crowds, and that thrilling mix of cultures. You’ll happily jump from paella to pasta to moussaka in 72 hours.
The Adriatic: the quiet conversationalist
The Adriatic doesn’t shout for attention. Instead it offers jewel-box ports and landscapes that feel like a secret you've discovered yourself. Here, itineraries are often more focused, zigzagging between Italy’s east coast and the rugged beauty of the Balkans.
Where you’ll call in
- Dubrovnik, Croatia – All medieval walls and terracotta rooftops, with a backdrop of impossibly blue water.
- Kotor, Montenegro – A fjord-like bay, mountains on all sides, and cobbled streets that feel untouched by time.
- Split, Croatia – Roman ruins meet lively café culture, with the Adriatic lapping at your feet.
- Venice, Italy – A city so improbably beautiful, you might just forget about the price of coffee in St. Mark’s Square.
Insider tip
The Adriatic rewards those who wander off-itinerary. In Kotor, climb the old city walls for views worth every step. In Split, skip the waterfront restaurants and head into the maze of Diocletian’s Palace for tucked-away konobas (taverns) serving local wines.
The Adriatic traveller
You prefer intimacy over spectacle. You like the idea of fewer ports, but with time to get under the skin of each one. You’d rather linger over grilled fish in a family-run taverna than join the throngs in a capital city. Your ideal day ends with your feet in the water and the sound of church bells echoing off stone walls.
So, which will it be?
If the Mediterranean is a festival (loud, exuberant, and sprawling) the Adriatic is a dinner party with a few fascinating friends. The choice comes down to what kind of stories you want to bring home: the sweeping epic, or the intimate portrait. Of course, you could always do both. The seas are only a few nautical miles apart, and life is too short for just one kind of horizon...