Our Adventure Sailing the Adriatic Sea Coast and Beyond

By Art and Gloria Netzer

This is a story about our last sailing adventure on one of our favorite sailing ships the Royal Clipper. The Royal Clipper combines the traditional heritage of old time sailing with all the comforts and amenities of most modern cruising ships. The Royal Clipper is 350 feet long and carries 170 guests in pampered comfort. Guests have access to 2 swimming pools, full gym, spacious cabins, Tropical and Piano Bar, open seating for all meals, fabulous food, an Edwardian library and overall the freedom to do whatever we want whenever we wanted. 

© Art and Gloria Netzer

 _{^{After boarding the Royal Clipper in Venice we headed south on the Gulf of Venice down the Adriatic Sea to Greece then across the Ionian Sea and then around the southern tip of Italy through the Straits of Messina and finally north to Civitavecchia, the port of Rome. Our ports of call included Rovinj, Hvar, and Dubrovnik in Croatia, Kotor in Montenegro, and Corfu in Greece. We had one day at sea day crossing the Ionian Sea. Next we stopped in Giardini Naxos, Sicily, then on to the isle of Capri. Next stop was a sleepy little village called Ponza and finally ending up in Civitavecchia.}}

_{^{Croatia originally part of the former Yugoslavia runs all the way from the Ionian Sea on the east coast to the Danube River on the west (see story the Black Sea to Budapest on the Danube River).}}

Rovinj, 

_{^{Rovinj, was our first stop in Croatia, and was a very lovely way to be introduced to this friendly and hard working country. It’s pastel-colored houses are clustered together on steep winding streets and topped by a stately Venetian bell tower. Although the city was ruled by Austria for over 100 years Rovinj was physically closer to Italy which helps explain why the city has such Italian influence and culture. It was 'diplomatically' stolen 70 years ago by Yugoslavian communists and WW II allies. Then in 1997 after the breakup of Yugoslavia it became an independent country. Rovinj currently has a population of 13,000.}}

© Art and Gloria Netzer

 

© Art and Gloria Netzer

 

_{^{© Art and Gloria Netzer}}

_{^{The economy is based on farming, wine production, fishing, food and beverage processing, tobacco products and tourism.. Rovinj is one of the most developed seaside resorts in Croatia, offering a whole range of visitor opportunities in a picturesque ambience of an ancient town surrounded by luxuriant pine forests. Rovinj has lovely and well-maintained public beaches with endless water views. The construction of the railroad to Vienna in 1876 contributed generously to the development of tourism. Today the Croatian coast attracts tourists from all over the world. It’s famous cathedral of St. Euphemia was built as a replica of Venice's famous St Marks bell tower and contains the tomb of St Euphemia}}                                                        

 © Art and Gloria Netzer

 

© Art and Gloria Netzer

 

 _{^{© Art and Gloria Netzer}}

_{^{Unfortunately our time was limited to one day in this unique place and that time was spent mostly walking around the harbor, through the narrow cobbled limestone lanes in downtown and sampling some local libations. It was a short but sweet experience.}}

Hvar,

_{^{Our second day of the cruise took us to the beautiful island of Hvar which is considered to be one of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world and one of the most visited places on the Dalmatian coast. The town, known as the pearl of the Adriatic, originally developed importance due to it’s nautically strategic position.}}

^{_{Rich in cultural and historic heritage, Hvar, dates back to pre-historic times. There are beautiful beaches and bays all surrounded by the crystal clear blue sea. Hvar’s major industries are tourism, fishing, wine making, and olive oil production. The air is clear and the fragrant lavender fields flourish in this sub tropical climate.}}

^{_{The harbor areas are thronged with tourists and locals with plenty of restaurants and cafes. Outdoor stands market every imaginable kind of item. After touring the island we stopped at a local vineyard in Vrisnik where we sampled delicious local wines along with tastes of the local cheeses and hams. Back at the Hvar town harbor we lounged on lush couches on the veranda of one of the newer bar/restaurants. We wished we had more time to enjoy this lovely island but the Royal Clipper would be sailing soon.}}

^{_{© Art and Gloria Netzer}}

Dubrovnik, Croatia

                          ^{_{"Those who seek paradise on Earth should come to Dubrovnik".}}

                                           ^{_{This was according to George Bernard Shaw.}}

© Art and Gloria Netzer

^{_{Dubrovnik, originally settled sometime around the 4th century is rich in culture and history. The city was once famous for it’s skill in galleon building. It is also now a city often used as a venue for scientific, scholarly and literary conferences.}}

^{_{Our visit to Dubrovnik was only for half a day and a cool and rainy day unfortunately. We entered the old walled city through the Pile Gate. The bridge passes over the once protective moat and is now a lovely landscaped park.}}

^{_{Some portions of the old walls, built between the 8th and the 16 century, are actually six meters thick and amazingly preserved for their age. We roamed the streets which were crowded with tourists in spite of the weather. The city is multi -leveled and narrow laned with the exception of the main street, the Stradun, with the earliest settled part of the Old City to the south. The Stradun was a marshy channel until it was filled in around the 12th century. The church of St. Baise, the saint protector of Dubrovnik whose statue stands on this promenade is not far from the old city harbor.}}

^{_{As the sun was setting we walked back through the Pile gate. We enjoyed a beer at one of the local outdoor restaurants watching the waves crash at the base of. another ancient battlement known as Minceta. Dubrovnik is another city we hope to revisit.}}

^{_{© Art and Gloria Netzer}}

Kotor, Montenegro

^{_{The Royal Clipper brought us into the Bay of Kotor in the early morning of the 5th day of the cruise. We were astonished by it’s beauty. Kotor, with its beautiful old walled city is located in the most southernmost fiord in all Europe which cuts deeply into Montenegro's limestone steeped mountains.}}

^{_{Most of the old town was built between the 12th and the 14th centuries. But it was originally founded by the Romans around the 5th century BC. The high mountains once helped protect the town from invaders and to this day protect it from the severe cold weather of the north. The climate is very Mediterranean and the area is lush with tropical growth including agave, palm, mimosa, oleander, kiwi, pomegranate and many medicinal herbs. When the mountain peaks are covered with snow, roses may be blooming in the foothills. We spent much of the day wandering the maze of streets soaking up the local atmosphere and enjoying the clean sunny weather. The main square is a very busy place with outdoor cafes and bars everywhere and we heard that the city has a very active night life.}}

^{_{The city is predominantly Catholic and there are a lot of churches. The ship left the bay around 4 PM and as we slowly headed back to the Adriatic we passed numerous little villages, small islands and more churches. We were headed into the sunset and the landscape turned golden. Another day to remember!}}

Corfu, Greece

^{_{The Greek island of Corfu is the only port where the Royal Clipper was able to use the town dock. As in most ports a local harbormaster comes aboard and assists the Captain to dock . All of our other ports of call we anchored a ways off shore and used tender boats to go to and from the towns.}}

^{_{Corfu is the second largest, greenest and northernmost of the seven Ionian islands. It lies in the Ionian Sea off the west coast of Greece at the entrance of the Adriatic Sea. It is a mountainous island with impressive landscapes, dense vegetation due to the many winter rainfalls. Corfu has been inhabited since between 70,000 and 40,000 BC in the Paleolithic era. Is also one of Greece’s prettiest towns and traditional villages.}}

^{_{During our short visit we visited the Achilleion and Old Town.}}

^{_{Achilleion was built in 1889-1891 by the empress of Austria and Queen of Hungry. The name Achilleion was given by the empress herself, as she had great respect for Achillies and for Ancient Greece. The Achilleion was used as a summer home and to entertain royalty until she was murdered in 1907. When World War I was declared in 1914 the Achilleion was used as a military hospital by French and Serbian troops. During the period between the wars the building was used to house various groups and several of the outer buildings were auctioned off. During the years 1941-1944 the Achilleion was used by the occupation forces (Italians/Germans) as headquarters. After the war the building was leased to a private company and converted it to a museum and a venue for private and public events with a casino housed on the second floor. The beautiful gardens are also set with a number of statues commissioned by the Empress}}

^{_{The Old Town is an organized town with elegant buildings, mansions, palaces and monuments lined in narrow paved streets with stone steps, beautiful and large French-designed squares full of trees and flowers, impressive Venetian castles, some Byzantine and post Byzantine churches… The town has an unique beauty, charm, character and atmosphere that can only be found in towns such as Naples, Italy. It is the kind of town that takes you back to other times…and a town you probably would hope to return to one day.}}

^{_{After leaving Corfu, Greece we spent the next day at sea sailing south of the mainland of Italy towards the Straights of Messina. Late that afternoon we were given a photo opportunity to circle the Royal Clipper in the tenders. Although the sails were not all up it was still a breathtaking sight with the light coming from different directions.}}

^{_{It was a day where we could do nothing, read, climb the mast, or get involves in several educational programs that were offered like navigation or sail maintenance. We could listen to music in the piano bar or simply have a drink and relax. All things considered we were being pampered and we were loving it}}

Giardini Naxos, Sicily 

^{_{On the morning of the 8th day of our cruise we anchored off the coasts of Giardini Naxos in Sicily. This town also has a long history going back to around 700 BC and has been occupied by numerous foreign invaders who appreciated its strategic location. Today Giardini Naxos is is a very popular European seaside resort on the western side of Sicily on the sparkling Ionian Sea with the city of Taormina to the North and Mt Etna to the west.}}

^{_{For a long time, the "garden town" merely served as a sheltered anchorage for nearby Taormina. Originally the area thrived on agriculture with cotton and sugar-cane plantations which, through the centuries were eventually replaced by citrus orchards. The very rich soil is the result of centuries of volcanic activity from Mount Etna. Then, around the 1950s, the area developed into an important holiday resort, thanks partly to the attraction of nearby Taormina and Mount Etna which provides a splendid backdrop. Travelers arrive all year round, in the winter to enjoy the snow covered slopes of Mount Etna, and in the summer for the beautiful beaches and full range of water sports.}}

Capri,

^{_{Our next port of call was Capri, inhabited since prehistoric time has long attracted visitors from all over the world because of its unmatched scenery, clear skies and beautiful mild climate. Capri, is built on a limestone island which is only 3 miles long and 1 mile wide.}}

^{_{There are two main mountains, Monte Tiberio at 1100 feet above sea level and Monte Solaro 452 feet above sea level with a very steep walkway between the two.}}

^{_{We had no way of knowing what a climb we were undertaking but once we started up it was a walled passage and seemed to go on forever. We passed many attractive tiled residences on our climb and the gardens grew more lush and the views more spectacular. Almost everyone has a garden of some type be it courtyard or vegetable. We even spotted some Kiwis and bananas along with the more familiar varieties. The main square is known as the Piazzetta is a very popular place to eat, drink and was packed with tourists and locals alike, all enjoying the views and atmosphere. We were amazed at the upscale quality of the shops and restaurants as we wandered the winding, narrow streets. Our time here was way too short. We will put Capri on our growing list of places to revisit.}}

Ponza, Italy

^{_{Ponza is the largest of the Pontine Islands. The island features dramatic coves and cliffs with gray and yellow ash formations while the main town features yellow and pink houses and a harbor full of fishing as well as recreational boats. The volcanic scenery is stunning and the coastline is spotted with private coves and beaches. The town features dozens of shops and numerous delicious seafood restaurants. Ponza is only five miles long and never more than a mile wide so exploring by walking, biking or scooter is very easy .}}

^{_{Ponza has been occupied by numerous invaders over the centuries. There are archeological remnants of several different civilizations on this small island and it‘s history is varied and colorful. It was only after Second World War that Ponza became an oasis of the sea and sun. It’s natural beauty together with the historical aspects contributes to making Ponza a truly fascinating place to visit.}}

 

Going  Home

^{_{The Royal Clipper is a fantastic ship and a lovely way to travel to new as well as to familiar places. Our final port of call was Civitavecchia. We sadly debarked there knowing this lovely ship was continuing on to Portugal and the Azores and then across the Atlantic to Barbados. There it will begin it’s winter season in the Caribbean. We really enjoyed our voyage and hope to sail the Royal Clipper again one day.}}