Ceuta city

To be honest, before boarding this ship, my impression of the Mediterranean was always "summer," "crowds," and "sunburns." That was until a friend mysteriously showed me a photo of a candlelight concert inside the St. Michael's Cave and said, "Once you experience the Mediterranean in winter, you'll never want to go in summer again." At the time, I didn't believe it. Now—it's truly amazing. No one is fighting for a spot at the pier; the entire bay is yours. Can you imagine? In November, Barcelona still basks in just the right amount of warm sunshine, but the usual jostling crowds on La Rambla have completely disappeared. The day I boarded the ship at the pier, the sea breeze was crisp, and the harbor was quiet, as if the city hadn’t fully awakened yet. Later, I learned that this is the norm for the Silversea Cruises’ "Winter in the Mediterranean" itinerary—not a carnival-style tour, but a slow travel experience that immerses you in the local rhythm. This ship sails the Mediterranean specifically in winter, from November 2026 through March the following year, covering ten countries and 46 destinations. You read that right—winter. It deliberately avoids the peak season crowds, extends port stays, and even arranges overnight stops in places like Casablanca, Lisbon, and Malaga. This means you can leisurely enjoy dinner in Malaga and then stroll back to the ship, or spend a night in Casablanca and continue exploring the next day. No need to rush back to the ship like a race; this kind of ease is a luxury in itself. All the premium experiences are hidden "after hours." What captivated me most about this journey were those bright "exclusive" keywords that aren’t just flashy gimmicks but truly represent sights you can only see behind closed doors. For example, St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar. Normally a daytime attraction, but during the season, a private Christmas concert is held inside the cave. Can you imagine the choir’s voices rising layer by layer, echoing off the slightly damp stone walls? Candlelight turns the stalactites amber, and everyone even softens their breathing. In moments like that, you forget your phone and just want to etch the experience into your bones. Then there’s the after-hours visit to the Alhambra Palace in Malaga. The Alhambra is so popular during the day that tickets must be booked months in advance, but on this itinerary, small groups enter quietly after closing at dusk, where you can hear the fountain’s droplets falling on the tiles. Light and shadow stretch the Arabic patterns long and thin, and when the guide tells the story of the Moors’ last sigh, you truly feel that sigh still lingering among the columns. Even more extraordinary is the custom overnight journey from Casablanca to Marrakech. You can wander the alleys of Marrakech’s old city, sip mint tea in a riad courtyard, wake up to the call to prayer, and then leisurely stroll through the spice market—not a rushed one-day tour. At sea, winter is better than summer for self-renewal. I used to think cruises were a summer thing and that winter sailing would be cold and boring. But in fact, Silversea Cruises’ "floating luxury hotel" reveals a different charm in winter. Their whole concept is called "Sea of Tranquility," which basically turns the rhythm of the sea into a restorative experience. The heated pool on deck steams in the cold air; lying in it watching the sunset, the air is cool but your body is warm, and that contrast makes you feel completely relaxed. Plus, all suites have private terraces and floor-to-ceiling windows. Winter light is low and slanted, and the sea often looks like a metallic silver-gray. Curling up on the sofa with a blanket, gazing at the sea in a daze, is far more comfortable than baking under the summer sun just to check in for a photo. Dining is also stress-free—six restaurants to choose from, all using seasonal ingredients. I had the best roasted octopus and sherry wine of the entire trip at sea. Those hard-to-pronounce, off-the-beaten-path ports are like mystery boxes. This itinerary also added several ports I had never heard of or could barely pronounce—Ceuta, San Sebastián de La Gomera, Fuerteventura, Palamós. They are like hidden gems on the map, unassuming but breathtaking once you arrive. La Gomera still preserves an ancient whistled language, and its laurel forests feel like a dream leftover from prehistoric times; Fuerteventura is so quiet you can hear the wind wailing over volcanic rocks and barren plains. Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa, offers a surreal experience standing on ancient city walls with the Mediterranean on one side and the Atlantic on the other—Europe and Africa converging right beneath your feet. Then there’s Algiers—this is the brand’s first stop in Algeria. The white city climbs the hillsides, with French architecture and mosque minarets side by side. The markets are filled with the strong scents of spices and roasted lamb, a side of the Mediterranean you won’t find in mainstream travel guides. If you’re tired of the crowds and chaos of peak season, I sincerely recommend saving the Mediterranean for winter. What you’ll get in return are things you simply can’t see in high season: silent palaces, empty dawn harbors, hymns drifting in caves, and a heart gently soothed by the winter sea.

On August 12, 2026, August 2, 2027, and January 26, 2028, Spain will experience three consecutive years of high-profile solar eclipse viewing opportunities: The 2026 total solar eclipse will span the entire northern region, covering Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Castile and León, Aragon, Catalonia, Castile-La Mancha, northern Madrid, northern Valencia, and the Balearic Islands; the 2027 total solar eclipse will focus on the south, visible in Ceuta, Melilla, Cádiz, Málaga, Granada, and southern Almería, with totality lasting over 4 minutes and 30 seconds in places like Tarifa; the 2028 annular solar eclipse will present a "ring of fire" spectacle, covering Andalusia, Murcia, southeastern Extremadura, central-southern Castile-La Mancha, the entire Valencia region, southern Madrid, eastern Aragon, eastern Catalonia, and islands such as Ibiza and Formentera. Multiple paths cross Starlight-certified dark sky areas with low light pollution, making them ideal for Milky Way photography and nighttime stargazing. During the eclipses, many locations will host astronomy lectures, starry sky markets, heritage tours, and Mediterranean culinary experiences. Please be sure to use professional eclipse glasses for viewing and never look directly at the sun with the naked eye. Come to Spain and join a cosmic event spanning three years!

Anyone who has been to Ceuta will surely ask: Why does this city, with such a deep history, appear so new? The fundamental reason is that it has always been a fortress city. This results in buildings that prioritize practicality, durability, and defense. Once old houses become unsuitable, they are directly demolished and rebuilt, with no design logic aimed at "preserving for future generations to admire." During the medieval Islamic period, the city was dense, with many mosques, madrasas, and markets. After the Portuguese captured it in 1415, Islamic architecture was systematically dismantled; mosques were converted into churches or completely leveled; the city layout was thoroughly reshaped. From the 16th to 18th centuries, Morocco repeatedly besieged Ceuta, while Spain continuously reinforced defenses, demolishing all buildings outside the city to prevent enemies from using them as cover. To make way for artillery, houses inside the city also suffered the same fate. This series of actions caused the most fatal damage to ancient architecture! By the 19th and 20th centuries, military modernization eradicated the remaining relics! The upgrade of artillery made the old city walls obsolete, necessitating their demolition and the construction of new defense systems. To accommodate the Spanish troops stationed there, many barracks were built, wide roads and supporting administrative buildings were constructed, all of which directly erased the medieval city’s appearance. Ceuta’s history cannot be "seen," only "read." For example, today’s royal walls and seawater moat are directly built on the foundations of Roman defenses and Islamic city walls. The walls are modern, but their foundations contain three layers of civilization. Another example is the Cathedral of the Assumption of Our Lady, which looks quite "ordinary" from the outside but holds an extremely important location. It is built on the site of a Roman temple and a later mosque, and this place has always been the spiritual center of the city. The unusually wide and straight city streets were likely designed for troop movements and artillery transport. Ceuta is a city crushed by war! Its motto is "How to survive the upheavals of history, not how to live!"