- Small Mediterranean ports offer places that are off the traditional summer cruise ship radar
- Late night stays in ports such as Malaga, Cannes, Monte Carlo, Dubrovnik and Portofino allow travelers to enjoy late summer events and dining at restaurants ashore
- Diverse itineraries also offer visits to Europe’s marquee cities
- Cruise aboard Windstar’s sailing yachts – Wind Surf, Wind Star and Wind Spirit
In summer, Windstar’s yachts, hosting only 148-342 guests, offer a chance to travel to Mediterranean towns and villages that aren’t typically on bigger ship itineraries.
“During warm months in the Mediterranean, travel is about slowing down and savoring legendary cafés, European beach clubs, and dinners in seaside tavernas. We also design our itineraries to take full advantage of our yachts’s marina swim platforms,” says Jess Peterson, Windstar’s director, destination experience & itinerary planning.
On Windstar’s Classic Italy and Dalmatian Coast sailings, you have a range of options. These include:
Adriatic Icons and Venetian Travelers
This nine-night sailing roundtrip from Venice offers an intensive Dalmatian experience that calls at smaller destinations such as Slovenia’s Piran and Croatia’s Rovinj, Zadar, Split and Hvar. You also get to visit more established ports, like Croatia’s Dubrovnik and Montenegro’s Kotor.
Our travelers recommend: On any voyage that calls at Dubrovnik, the “Embracing the Culinary Tradition of Peka” tour takes guests out into its beautiful, mountainous countryside to learn how to cook traditional Croatian dishes at a family’s home. Another opportunity to explore the Mediterranean countryside is Windstar’s visit to the Gambini winery from the port of Giardini Naxos; it’s on the eastern side of Mt. Etna, some 2,625 feet above sea level, and the views of the mountain are superb. Snacks are served in addition to the wine tasting.
Yachtsman’s Mediterranean Rivieras & Madrid Cruise Tour
Covering Spain, France, Italy and Monaco, the nine-night Yachtsman’s Mediterranean Riviera route, on Wind Surf, travels from Rome to Barcelona. Along the way, it stops at Spain’s Palamos, on the north coast, France’s Sanary-sur-Mer, Monte Carlo, and Portofino.
Our travelers recommend: Windstar’s new cruise tour, added on to the end of this cruise, features experiences typically only locals know about. Activities on this four night, five day land-based experience include a visit to the medieval city of Segovia, a wine tasting at the Cavas Codorníu Cellars, in the heart of Catalonia’s wine country, and, in Madrid, visits to the world famous Santiago Bernabéu stadium—host to Real Madrid CF, and the Real Madrid CF Museum—and a flamenco show and a three-course Michelin starred dinner.
Bella Italia, a Southern Italian Romance
Meant for travelers who want to seek out Italy’s lesser-known ports of call, this Rome to Venice voyage, lasting nine nights on Wind Surf, focuses primarily on the country’s “boot.” This peninsula, home to Calabria and Puglia, features visits to Reggio Calabria and Vibo Valentia, located on the “toe,” and Taranto and Otranto, on the “heel.” Other ports on this itinerary include the Amalfi Coast and Croatia’s Rab, as the ship sails up the Adriatic to Venice.
Our travelers recommend: This region of Italy is a boon for enthusiasts of food and wine. In Reggio Calabria, tours feature a visit to an olive oil farm with a Calabrian lunch and one centered around the region’s love of bergamot, one of its premier agricultural products that I liken to “lemon with a kick.” (While in town, don’t miss out on the region’s best ice cream stand, Gelato Cesare 1918; try the bergamot flavor).
For wine aficionados, Taranto offers a trip to family-owned Campi Deantara. The winemaker hosts the tour and tasting with all kinds of quirky stories, the setting is bucolic, and his mother makes the tapas you enjoy with your vino.
Want to learn more about summer yacht-style cruises in the Mediterranean? Check out these additional opportunities:
- Rome and Monaco’s Prix du Monde: On this seven-night roundtrip from Rome, Monaco’s Prix du Monde is a premier event and you’ll also love summer-friendly ports such as St. Tropez, Italy’s Portofino and Portoferraio, and Corsica’s Bastia.
- Spanish Symphony: On this eight night trip aboard Wind Surf, experience summer on the Iberian Peninsula by traveling from Lisbon to Barcelona. Ports of call include Cadiz, Gibraltar, Malaga, Granada, Cartagena and Palma de Mallorca.
- Star Collector, Iconic Italy and Croatia: For a more port intensive experience, this 15-night voyage on Wind Surf calls at a blend of marquee and best-in-summer yacht-style ports. This trip, from Venice to Rome, concentrates on Croatia and Italy, primarily, but also forays to France and Montenegro, as well.
