Note: your Star Clipper cruise may visit ports where shore excursions and land tours are available at extra charge to visit cities and historic sites which are not directly accessible from the ship and may require some travel.

Amalfi, Italy
What is it about the Amalfi Coast that inspires such rapture? From the time of the Romans, who had grand villas here, Amalfi has been a preferred destination for the wealthy and the artistic. During the Middle Ages, Amalfi was a powerful republic of 70,000 people, rivaling nearby Ravello. For a sense of Amalfi's medieval glory, wander through the grand Duomo, containing the remains of St. Andrew. Or visit Ravello, where the annual music festival is held, or nearby Positano, said to be the most beautiful town in the Mediterranean.

Capri, Italy
Capri, where the Emperor Tiberius held notorious bacchanals at his Imperial villa, has gradually become one of the most popular resorts in southern Italy. Famous for its scenery and climate, Capri is a garden of Eden teeming with vegetation despite the rocky landscape.

Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
St. Peter's, with its breathtaking Sistine Chapel, newly restored to its former glory, the Spanish Steps, where all Rome passes by, the Colosseum, where the real gladiators fought to the death, the Pantheon, considered to be the most perfect architectural statement of the ages. Life is not lived if you haven't been to Rome!

Dubrovnik, Croatia
It was George Bernard Shaw who said, "Those who seek paradise on earth should come to Dubrovnik." Indeed, Dubrovnik is a treasure by any measure made more precious by its miraculous restoration. Crowned by the Minceta Tower, the 10th century city walls are the proud symbol of Dubrovnik's colorful history. In the cathedral treasury, a collection of priceless golden reliquaries include the remains of St. Blaise, Dubrovnik's patron saint. Stroll up the Stradún to the elaborately colonnaded Rector's Palace, designed by Onofrio de la Cava in 1435. This was the seat of the republic of Ragusa, a powerful Renaissance-era city-state boasting a fleet of 500 ships!

Hvar, Croatia
The heavenly scent of lavender perfumes the air in the fields and valleys around the island of Hvar. Idyllically located just off the Dalmatian coast, the island and the little port named after it have been a favourite getaway ever since the time of the Romans, the Byzantines, the Venetians and even Austro-Hungarian royalty. See the perfectly preserved Cathedral of St. Stephen, the serene cloistered Franciscan monastery and the Venetian Arsenal, where one of Europe's first public theatres was established in 1612.

Korcula, Croatia
Framed by dense green forests of allepo pine and twisted cypress, the red tile roofs of Korcula make an inviting picture that makes you want to see more of this charming island town whose most famous native son was Marco Polo. The pale wheat coloured stone Cathedral of St. Mark houses a treasure trove of Dalmatian and Italian art, including works by Tintoretto and Titian. Walk through the towering Land Gate for a great view of the town, try a traditional Korcula dish, spinning-wheel fettuccini. And if you're lucky, you may witness Korcula's thrilling Moreska Sword Dance.

Kotor, Boka Fjord, Montenegro
You might think you were sailing up a Norwegian fjord. In fact, this stunning rock-walled chasm splitting the coastal mountains of Montenegro is the longest arm of the sea in Southern Europe. As you venture deep into the heart of Boka Fjord, you’ll see several charming villages along the shore, but at its very end, Boka harbours one of the prettiest, unspoiled towns you’ll ever see, the medieval city of Kotor. Founded by the Romans, fortified with massive walls during the Byzantine era, then ruled by Venice for much of its history, Kotor has been naturally preserved by its isolation.

Lipari & Stromboli, Aeolian Islands, Italy
Italy's seven volcanic Aeolian Islands are obviously a place favoured by the Gods. Just off the north coast of Sicily, they are a favorite destination for adventurers and visiting yachts, which anchor in the numerous little harbors indenting the coastline. In Lipari, climb narrow streets to the medieval castello and enjoy a secluded beach. As Star Clipper sails past Isola Strómboli, watch the sky for frequent volcanic fireworks.

Losinj, Croatia
The warm sands of Cikat Bay are an irresistible magnet for beachgoers. And no wonder, the beach is 30 kilometres long and offers every watersport imaginable. In the fortified town of Veli Losinj, climb the 16th century tower and hear the history of the Uskoks, warrior refugees from the Turkish invasion who fled in 1526 to the coastal islands to start new lives under Hapsburg protection.

Ponza, Pontine Islands, Italy
The pastel houses of Ponza Town rise in neat terraced rows from the busy harbour where sleekly groomed yachts and ramshackle fishing boats moor side by side. Happily, there are few tourists here, so it's a delight to wander through the unspoiled town. Then find yourself a private bit of beach, there are lots of them, and enjoy the feel of warm sand and cool clear water lapping your toes.

Rovinj, Croatia
Rovinj is a typical example of a Mediterranean town. From the 17th century the town started to develop outside the fortified town walls and in 1763 the islet was connected with the mainland. The town is dominated by the Baroque threenave church of St. Euphemia (Fuma) - Close to the harbour are the clock tower, the Baroque Balbi’s Arch and the former 17th c. Town Hall, today a Museum. To the east lies the complex of the Franciscan monastery and to the south, Rovinj’s oldest monument, the Romanesque heptagonal chapel of the Holy Trinity.

Sorrento, Italy
Sorrento's city walls rise straight out of the sea, and they hold many charms within. Optional excursions might include taking a ferry to Capri, where the Emperor Tiberius held notorious bacchanals at his Imperial villa, or a trip back in history in Pompeii, where the ashen remains of ancient Romans lie frozen in time.

Taormina, Sicily, Italy
Barreling under full sail through the narrow Strait of Messina separating Italy’s toe from the island of Sicily is a thrill beyond comparison. Past Scylla and Charybdis, where rock and whirlpool almost claimed Ulysses. And then you arrive in lovely Taormina, and your day is perfectly completed. Perched on the shoulder of Mt. Etna, Taormina inspired Goethe to say that “It is the greatest work of art and nature.” The whispers of ancient ghosts in the Greek Theatre would agree!

Venice, Italy
Venice is the heart and soul of romance. Cast your eye on the rounded domes of San Marco, take a deep breath at the Bridge of Sighs, gaze on the golden lions and the Renaissance glories of the Doge's Palace, listen for the ghosts of Verdi, Puccini and Caruso at La Fenice Opera House, gape at the classic Palladian proportions of the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore, glide in gondola down the Grand Canal. And know that love is always in the air in Venice.