Big Decision... Barcelona, Marseilles, Nice, or Rome..?

Oen

Oen

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Well, I am on the horns of a dilemma...

I have a job offer which will allow me to move to the Med and live within an hour or two of any of the above locations... My plan is to take my boat, so I need a safe marina berth (at non-film star cost).

I shall also have roughly every other week off ('lucky sod' you all cry, no doubt), so I'd like to be somewhere where there's good local cruising.

I would be extremely grateful for the panel's thoughts!
 
No experience of Barcelona from the sea but I would choose Marseille first for the big city life and Nice second for the summer sailing. The cost I guess would be similar from my experience as a 'week' visitor. I would give anywhere in Italy a miss from the point of view of security. That might be a problem in Marseille as there are a lot of people there living on the edge though I have had no problems when I have been there. There is good sailing from Marseille if you go east, lots of calaniques and safe ports like La Ciotat and St Mandrier. St Mandrier was my cheapest port in France. Toulon a cheap ferry away and it is very near the islands.
 
Marseilles and Nice are better for day/long weekend sailing - Rome has all sorts of downsides depending on which marina you use. Nice is close to the Italian border and Monaco so you have some interesting places to go to - San Remo (just over the border) is really lovely and deserves to be explored. Indeed, could you consider Portosole in San Remo?

Barcelona is the crime capital of Spain but the marina has heavy security. Just don't ever look like a tourist when you are walking about and be very careful with bags. We were forced over on the motorway by two men in a large (stolen) car in Barcelona and were robbed. We personally know three other people who had very similar experiences. We were also robbed in the Barcelona metro. We will NEVER, EVER go within 100km of Barcelona - there are plenty of nicer, safe places to go!
 
It just shows you how personal experience colours opinion. I woulkd never go within 100 km of Marseilles as I was forced off the road and robbed there, yet I had no problems in Barcelona.

Due to work I have to move to Rome and will live aboard at least initially, so I too would be interested in Rome experiences. I know the sailing will not be great but needs must.
 
[ QUOTE ]
be very careful with bags.

[/ QUOTE ] We reported to the police station after a bag snatch in Barcelona - to join a queue of some 20 to 25 others in similar situations. We were 'processed' very efficiently by one of a team of five officers doing nothing but . . . they were handling about 10 to 20 cases an hour, 50 to 100 a day, and that was in March.

It is, however, a wonderful city, not to be missed on a visit, but to be treated with care as a resident.

About 20 years ago I would have said the same about Rome, except that the police were not nearly so efficient and often looked upon such reports as attempted insurance frauds. I'm told Rome is much improved now; anyone with recent knowledge?

Big cities!
 
Rome is really quite safe these days - the era of the scooter-riding bag-snatchers seems to have passed: or maybe they've all moved to Naples. You can walk around late at night in the centre without feeling threatened. Little violent street crime - of course there is pickpocketing in the crowded tourist areas and bus routes: you have to be street-wise. I was amused to find a young gypsy girl fondling my bottom in a bus the other day............my wallet was elsewhere!
 
Nice and Monaco area are not much good for sailing, really - they don't to seem to have much wind. I would have said that sa regards security, Rome has to be better than Marseilles (don't know Barcelona), although Marseilles will offer much the better sailing.
 
I live in Barcelona, so that might be a good reason to avoid the place! I like it but the crime is quite bad. But you just have to be careful.
How may bags are nicked at Heathrow a day? Or in central london?
I would not be forced over on the road by anybody, apart from the police, simple as that and keep your doors locked, sensible precaution anywhere.
Only place to go from Barca is the ballearics, or north, to rosas. Not much else. Marseilles I wouldnt go near for any length of time, Nice, would be my bet.
 
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Nice and Monaco area are not much good for sailing, really - they don't to seem to have much wind.

[/ QUOTE ]I would not agree. The whole coast between Marseille and Nice/Monaco has IMHO some of the nicest sailing grounds in the world. I spend the winters just north of St Tropez and can attest that it is just great sailing all year around. Sometimes you can sail in t-shirts and shorts in January! Lots of beautiful anchorages and small harbours with great restaurants and cafes.

The problem you will have though is finding a 12 month mooring contract. Normally there is a 5-10 year waiting list and then you have to marry the Mayor's daughter to get it. You can pretty easily get a winter mooring and a hardstanding, but the summer is different. I am retired and can easily move my boat around and hang at anchor, but if you are working..... I wish you good luck. Try the Napoleon marina in Marseille, I have heard rumours that they might have 12 months contracts, but I give you no guarantee.

Security in France is excellent. I have now lived here 19 years and not had a problem, touch wood...... Just be street-wise, like everywhere else. Dog turds on streets is a much larger problem than crime.
 
When we visited Ile Frioul, just opposite Marseille, last year, there seemed to be plenty of space as the marina had been enlarged recently. It's a 20 minute ferry ride from Marseille harbour. I was told some years ago by a French colleague that the best chance of obtaining a berth along the Med coast was to try the islands.
 
We are in Porto Touristico di Roma at present. The marina is beside Fiumincino airport (the principal airport for Rome) and are very satisfied. A friend told me about it last year after he had been there for the winter so I tried it for myself. We have been there since last July and have no real complaints. It is very secure with gates to each pontoon and security guards patrolling.

There is great shopping on the marina (except for groceries) and there are lots of good restaurants also. My main problem is that there is no decent bar for us yotties to have a pint. Believe it or not I am sometimes driven to drinking in McDonalds (they serve beer in Italy).

There is always good availability there and it is not expensive. See for yourself athttp://www.portoturisticodiroma.net/

There is good cruising to Sardinia, Corsica, Naples etc. and it tends to get reasonable wind. The Italians are nice people and easy to get with, their food is good and great value. We have't seen any crime worth talking about so I wouldn't worry on that score.

We're off to Corfu in the summer.
 
Port St Laurent just to the west of Nice may be a possibility for berths just now. We've got a structural problem with the pontoons which are to be repaired at some point but I get the impression that several owners have moved elsewhere. Lots of restaurants and bars fronting the harbour and a bus service direct along the Promenade des Anglais into Nice in about 10 minutes.
 
Re: Big Decision... Barcelona, Marseilles, Nice, or Rome..?

Hi, I live in Rome and it has improved a lot. Especiallyin the summer with the "Estate Romana (Roman Summer)", loads going on, films, music (from Salsa to Celimontana Jazz, I did hear said that it's the biggest event in Europe and it lasts all summer. Rome does have some nice beaches too, I quite enjoy sipping a Capirigna and listening to a chachacha at the "Brazialian". As far as sailing is concerned, 70nm south you've got the Ponzian Islands and about the same north Argentario (if you keep your boat in Rome). City is remarkably safe, I got mugged a couple of weeks ago in Havana that is renowned for being safe for single women at night (propoganda - no statistics exist and no muggings are reported in the press) so I think safety depends on the subject rather than the place.
 
you don't say what sort of boat?

Sailing wise marseilles has plenty of wind, nice islands a few miles offshore and calanques (limestone creeks) not far away, fantastic day/weekend and week sailing and the vieux port is actually the middle of the city. Though city wise marseilles is the smallest with fewest attractions beyond the immediate port area. Windwise marseiles boasts 200 days a year where the wind reaches force 6 or more.

Barcelona is almost as good as marseilles in terms of centrality, though the city is less walkable but taxis cheap. More to see and do tho. But the crusing is nowhere near as good, left right to dullish holiday resorts - barcelona is the attraction. 100 miles to balearics so bit of a hack for just a week.

No exp of rome though in terms of world-class must-see things it must be top of the tree.

I would imagine that your relative grasp of the local language a key factor? All these cities are dynamic places where lack of local language limits the experience, imho. Other factor must be how long a drag to the airport.

You're now going to tell us you are multilingual airline pilot, aren't you? Shoot him someone, but befoe that there is Palma in majorca if not multiligual - english types can get away with limited or no spanish there (not so easy in Barca) , but vast numbers of boats are owned by non-residents so not much social scene as there might be.
 
i think after all this help and advice the gentlemanly thing to do would be to give us a clue on what your job is?!
The places you have to choose from are all fantastic and I wouldn't be put off by these crime statistics, it's all subjective and I would base my decision on other factors such as food, culture, language spoken and most importantly cost.
 
There IS a clue above - or a lucky near-guess... But I inhabit offices as much as flight decks...

And yes, I am lucky to have more than one tongue....












...as it were.
 
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