one thousand islands and beyond - small cruise ships
TRANSCRIPT
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ONE THOUSAND ISLANDS AND BEYOND
High on most travellers’ list is the desire to spend some timeexploring the extraordinarily beautiful Dalmatian Coast and itshundreds of islands. If ever a region was right for exploration bysea it is here. Even the most jaded of travellers cannot fail to bewon over by the beauty of this region. The sea is an intense blueand the islands are amazingly picturesque.
Mountains sweep down to the sea covered in rich vegetation,islands lace the coast creating endless inviting waterways andchannels and on shore there are great historic villages, townsand cities. The whole coastline stretching from Slovenia toMontenegro offers a wealth of historic and natural worldwonders.
Sail from Venice aboard the MS Serenissima, the ideal vesselfor a journey that will take you past some of Croatia’s manyislands and along the Dalmatian Coast down to Montenegroand on to the wonder of Dubrovnik. This is a journey very muchfor the connoisseur of romantic landscapes and ancient history.Regular travellers to this part of the world will know that April isone of the loveliest months of the year in the
region.
The highlight for many will be the visit to Dubrovnik, amarvellous example of a medieval city surrounded by its ancientwalls and well deserving of its status as a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site. We have the advantage of an overnight stay inDubrovnik allowing us to appreciate this endlessly fascinatingplace by both day and night. Most vessels sail from thismarvellous place at the end of the day, thereby missing thefloodlit splendour and lively café society which is soatmospheric. In Split with its powerful reminders of the RomanEra we can admire the classical architecture which has inspiredartists and architects through the ages. The size of our vesselallows us to also call into Montenegro and sail up the stunninglybeautiful Kotor Fjord for our exploration of the medieval town.
ITINERARY
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Day 1 - LONDON TO VENICE, ITALY
Fly by scheduled flight. On arrival transfer to the MSSerenissima and embark.
Day 2 - ROVINJ, CROATIA
Our first stop in Croatia is the atmospheric town of Rovinj,situated on the Istrian Peninsula. Houses inside the old townare small and lean to each other which gives Rovinj a uniqueatmosphere. Our guided walking tour will include a visit to thetown’s main landmark, St. Euphemia church, which is built onthe top of a small hill. This Baroque building made in Venetianstyle was dedicated to the saint and martyr whose sarcophagus,according to a legend, was miraculously washed ashoresomewhere around 800 AD. This afternoon enjoy an excursionto Pula where we will discover one of the best preserved Romanamphitheatres left in the world and see the varied architecturefrom Baroque palaces, Christian churches and Austrian villas.
Day 3 - ZADAR & KORNATI ISLANDS.
Arrive this morning in Zadar and enjoy a guided tour strollingaround the old town with its Roman columns and portals,Romanesque churches and Renaissance and Baroque palaces.Of particular interest are the 9th century circular Church of StDonatus and the 13th century Romanesque cathedral.Meanwhile the archeological museum is one of the mostimportant in Croatia, with about 80,000 exhibits from the StoneAge to the late Middle Ages. This is a delightful place to spenda relaxing few hours and perhaps try the local specialty,amaraschino cherry liqueur. Sail this afternoon through thebeautiful Kornati Islands before arriving in Split this evening.
Day 4 - SPLIT.
Enjoy a full day in Split. Our morning walking tour will includeThe Diocletian Palace, St Dulmus cathedral, the treasury andthe Diocletian’s cellars. Split, the second largest city in Croatiaand “the capital of Dalmatia”, had gradually developed aroundthe palace of the Roman emperor Diocletian which was builtmore than 1700 years ago by the emperor as his retirementvilla. Much of this large building is well preserved and thepalace contains Split’s old town within its walls, making it theonly Roman palace that has been continuously inhabited sinceRoman times. This afternoon is free to explore independently.
Day 5 - KORCULA & MLJET
On our morning walking tour we will discover Korcula’s crookedmedieval streets and view the elegant squares which areflanked with palaces of the old nobility. We will visit St Mark’sCathedral and also the Abbey treasury. Over lunch we sail to theidyllic island of Mljet. This is one of the few Dalmatian islandsthat were never ruled by Venice, which is apparent in thearchitecture and the absence of any sizeable historic town.What it lacks in terms of great architecture it more than makesup for in natural beauty. There will be a tour to the National Parkincluding its beautiful lakes.
Day 6 - KOTOR, MONTENEGRO
This morning we enter the Gulf of Kotor and sail up the fjord-likeentrance to the medieval town and UNESCO World Heritage Siteof Kotor. This really is an extraordinary place full of marvellousarchitecture and pretty town squares. Our morning guided tourwill include St Tryphon - the 12th century cathedral, the ancienttown gates, the Maritime Museum and Romanesque churchesincluding St Luke’s. Rejoin the ship for lunch and enjoy theafternoon at leisure.
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Day 7 - DUBROVNIK, CROATIA
Dubrovnik is a breathtaking sight and its many historic andcultural treasures have earned it the designation as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site. Founded by the Romans in the 7th century,it eventually came under the influence of the Byzantine Empire,then Venice, Hungary and finally Turkey. This morning, our localguides will lead us through the bustling old town taking in thebeautiful civic building, a monastery, old pharmacy and the citywalls. We will also hear of the siege of Dubrovnik in the early1990s when Serbian forces blockaded the city for three monthsand the bullet-marked buildings bear testimony to this dreadfulperiod of Balkan history. This afternoon is free to exploreindependently.
Day 8 - DUBROVNIK TO LONDON
Disembark this morning and transfer to the airport for yourscheduled flight to London.
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YOUR SHIP: MS SERENISSIMA
YOUR SHIP: MS Serenissima
VESSEL TYPE: Small Ship
LENGTH: 87 metres
PASSENGER CAPACITY: 100
BUILT/REFURBISHED: 1960 / 2013
The handsome 100-passenger MS Serenissima began hercareer as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegian coastline andfjords. After a thorough renovation and upgrading, the charmingMS Serenissima commenced cruise operations in April 2013and we have chartered her for the majority of each year sinceknowing her to be perfect for small ship cruising. With her smallsize she can navigate into small, remote ports inaccessible tothe big cruise ships and appears an impressive sight whenmoored. With her fleet of Zodiacs she is capable of bothdestination and expedition cruising.Accommodating no morethan 100 passengers, the cabins are attractively designed forcomfort and convenience. All cabins are fully air conditionedwith an ensuite bathroom. There are ten different grades ofcabin arranged over five decks, and with the exception of thethree inside cabins, all staterooms feature either windows orportholes. Because of the very nature of the ship, the cabins dovary in shape and size, adding to the vessel’s overall charm. Thefacilities onboard include two lounges – the larger AndreaLounge is comfortable and spacious and the smaller HaraldLounge is more intimate. There is also a small library with acomputer for internet access. The outside areas are something
special
with a spacious observation deck allowing for 360 degree views of the passing scenery. From here, step down to the lido area with fitness room, Jacuzzi and outside bar. Perhaps, one of the best known and loved features of this vessel is its unique style. During the major refit in Sweden the then owners commissioned Swedish interior designers to create a Gustavian style interior. This bright Swedish 18th century influenced, country house style works particularly well on a vessel of this vintage, providing intimacy and classic nautical sensibility often lacking in larger vessels. The MS Serenissima is more akin to a countryhotel than one of the large ships trawling the seas today. The European Captain, Officers and crew offer a first class service and have been selected for their professionalism and caring attitudes. The atmosphere onboard is warm and welcoming, and the emphasis is not on around the clock entertainment and dining, but instead on well-thought out itineraries, relaxation, time spent with like-minded passengers
01432 507 280 (within UK)
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and discovery. The handsome 100-passenger MS Serenissimabegan her career as the Harald Jarl, cruising the Norwegiancoastline and fjords. Extensively renovated in 2003 she wasrechristened MS Andrea and began her life as a classic cruiseship, and was chartered by Noble Caledonia for a number ofyears. In spring 2012 MS Andrea was purchased by ourlong-standing associates Volga Dream and renamed the MSSerenissima.
