Description

Anyone who has sailed around the 1000 or so islands of the Northern Adriatic will tell you that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. The combined effect of the natural beauty of the region with the impressive history and stunning architecture of its towns and cities makes it the perfect region for discovery by small ship, and with the 36-passenger Princess Eleganza we have just the right vessel.

Even the most jaded of travellers cannot fail to be won over by the hundreds of islands that dot the coast. The sea is an intense blue and the islands are amazingly scenic – whether it be the natural beauty of Mljet, the Kornati Islands, the waterfalls of Krka or the enchanting 16th century architecture of Hvar. One of the many highlights of the area is of course Dubrovnik where our journey begins, a marvellous example of a Medieval city, surrounded by its ancient walls and well deserving of its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Split, with its powerful reminders of the Roman Era, we can admire the classical architecture which has inspired artists and architects through the ages. We have included guided tours but you are of course free to explore these atmospheric ports at leisure should you prefer.

Some explore the region by hopping on and off ferries, others hire sailing boats. But for most, the best means of exploration is by a cruise vessel. There are a number of huge cruise vessels that include a couple of ports of call in the Adriatic but this is not an area for today’s mega cruise ships. The small islands, ancient towns and villages cannot accommodate large crowds of tourists and when travelling in such large groups, people miss the essence of what these places are all about. For a comprehensive look at the region with time set aside to swim in the azure seas, it has to be explored aboard a small ship. The benefits of small ship cruising along this coast are numerous, particularly the smaller numbers ashore and the ability to spend evenings in port. All the large ships tend to up anchor in the late afternoon and head out to sea. During our itinerary we will moor overnight every evening which affords the opportunity to take a stroll after dinner in some marvellous places that are particularly atmospheric in the evening after the crowds from the big vessels have departed.