The weather is just cool enough to send me back to my state room to grab a windbreaker, but I leave my shorts on. It’s still afternoon. As our small ship casts lines and sails away from the pier, the clear, powdery blue sky fades to shades of soft pink on the horizon.
Holding a cocktail and appreciating the view, I note that there’s no other cruise ship here. It’s the middle of winter, and I’m on the water — but not in the Caribbean. We’re leaving Barcelona, the beachfront bustle of Paseo Maritimo quickly disappearing from sight. The islands and coastline of the Mediterranean await.
I’m aboard the Star Legend on a nine-night sailing through Southern Spain with Windstar Cruises, one of the few lines that keeps ships in the Med all through the quiet season. There’s a very strong case to be made for visiting Europe in the cooler months. Show up in June, July or August and, trust me, this continent is a boiling-hot cauldron, with very different ideas about proper air-conditioning. And all the famous tourist sites are overrun.
