WindStar: Italian Trio Cruise (Aug 15-30) - Euro Adventure 2023

I don't consider cruises a polarizing topic, but people tend to love them or hate them. The word might conjure images of large floating hotels full of people, with lots of drinking, gambling and unlimited food options. For others, it might mean taking a river boat cruise with daily information and educational sessions about the ports of call, cooking classes, and excursions to castles or ruins. Others may use a cruise as a method of transportation from one part of the world to another. As I'm currently researching Alaskan cruises to celebrate my mom's 83rd birthday in September, cruises also differ according to if, how many, and how strenuous are offered excursions.

Ultimately, the smaller the boat, the bigger the cabin, the more amenities, the longer the trip, the more included excursions or activities, the bigger the price tag. I’m learning that a component of our decision process needs to include using a funnel to narrow our options from the realm of the possible, to the reality of the practical. In this case, we ended up splurging a bit to enjoy two weeks in the Mediterranean, exploring new locations with a number of people for whom this was not a splurge, but a typical vacation.

Up until this point, we had sailed on two cruises: Holland America touring the Mexican Riviera (San Diego, Cabo, Mazatlán, PV) 20 years ago and in 2007 we cruised on Carnival from Anchorage to Vancouver. As Chris would tell you, the differences in our experiences were shopping at Nordstrom then going to Walmart.

As with everything we do, it starts out as one thing and evolves into something else entirely (see Adventure One Overview). I think I was looking at river cruises in northern Europe, then river cruises from northern to southern Europe, then Chris suggested a Mediterranean cruise, but we didn’t want a huge boat experience and somehow, we stumbled across “sailing” cruises with WindStar.

AND WE'RE OFF

And so, for us, it felt like retirement kicked off when we boarded the Wind Surf Yacht for a 15-day #WindStarCruise. Sailing out of Barcelona, we later learned, WindStar packages multiple week-long cruises together, but also sells them separately, so guests rotated on and off at the mid-way point, and in fact, a few passengers had started the week before us, sailing out of Lisbon on a three-week itinerary. Because our ship was technically a sailing vessel, there were no balconies. Instead, this smaller ship had five masts with about 300 guests, three floors of cabins and three decks with food and entertainment. Following our safety drill and champagne reception, the masts were hoisted and we motored out of the marina (a sailboat in name only 🤣). While it remained very hot, and humid, I was overjoyed – with my best friend in my happy place – on a boat, in the ocean, hearing the waves and feeling the salty breeze.

Who cared that we retired eight days ago – wow, we actually said goodbye to our careers, enjoyed lots of celebrations and immediately departed with multiple loose ends. Who does that? Had we made a huge mistake? What were we thinking?! Deep breath and … time to live only in the moment.

SO MANY PORTS, SO LITTLE TIME

With 14 more cities to see in six countries, across our two-weeks, I was determined to acquire new knowledge, history, customs and culture about each planned port. I love learning, plus following my father’s demise due to dementia and subsequent death two months prior to our departure, I became even more determined to engage and rewire my brain’s circuitry through learning and growing. In addition to physically exploring our surroundings – some of which is included in our pictures - here’s what I learned:

• Palamos, Spain – a beach town on the Costa Brava coast of Spain, near Girona. Founded in 1279, its known for its fishing industry. We hiked three miles along an undulating seaside trail, filled with beautiful vistas, beaches, two marinas, a board walk suspended from the edge of a cliff and through pines and palms to reach our destination. Apparently, Spain is not regulated by the same level of safeguards we endure in our overly-litigious society, as the path required care to avoid sliding off the cliff at a few perilous perches. Upon reaching Platja de Castell Beach we were finally able to dip our toes in the crystal clear, cooler than expected, and very salty Mediterranean Sea.
  

• Sanary-sur-Mer, France - an idyllic French fishing village, from where Jacques Cousteau developed diving equipment still used today and Aldous Huxley wrote his famous dystopian novel, Brave New World (1932). The harbor is home to 100 traditional fishing boats (known in Provence as “pointus”), some more than 100-years-old and listed as historic monuments. This is where I had my first, real French croissant of the trip, following a stroll up the steep coastal path to the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitie, built in 1561. It was in Sanary we first enjoyed a unique aspect of our WindSurf vessel – the watersports platform that extends off the back of the boat. When anchored, we had access to a swim platform, water trampoline and water toys (e.g., SUP, kayaks, noodles). It was a favorite!
  

• Monte Carlo, Monaco - the world’s second smallest nation (.78 sq mi) after Vatican City, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy, is known as the “playground of the rich and famous.” While we greatly enjoyed strolling the manicured streets and perfectly-pruned city squares, I don’t expect we’ll be visiting often, as one in three citizens are millionaires:
  

  • It is home to the Monte Carlo Casino, which opened in 1865 to save the House of Grimaldi from bankruptcy. (Grimaldi is the reigning house of Monaco, founded in 1160 and ruling Monaco since 1297). A public company, with controlling interest held by the government of Monaco and the Grimaldi family, own and operate the casino and the principal hotels, sports club, restaurants and nightclubs throughout the country. Since 1929, Monaco has hosted one of the most important and prestigious automobile racing events in the world, the Formula One Grand Prix, which runs annually through the narrow, cobble-stone streets of Monte Carlo.
    

  • Finally, and personally inspiring to me, was the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco, which sits upon the famous Rock of Monaco and was established by Prince Albert I in 1910. He was a visionary and established plans to protect our oceans years before the rest of the world realized the sea was in jeopardy. He devoted his career to oceanography, developing techniques and devices to measure, explore and protect the oceanic environment. We spent hours studying and appreciating the exhibits and collections amassed through Prince Albert’s many research expeditions and multiple scientists that followed his path. The museum also boasts an aquarium with 4000 species of fish and more than 200 families of invertebrates. It was truly awe-inspiring.
    

Our evenings were spent trying different specialty restaurants on board, listening to music and during our first week attending #OrinSwiftCellars wine tastings. One night we participated in a special wine pairing meal and signed up for their Equinox Wine Club – two bi-annual shipments of the wine-maker’s choice (the renowned #DavePhinney) of six bottles sent near the spring and autumnal equinox. Since returning home we’ve received our first shipment of six bottles. We loved the story about how the wine we received came to be (as written by his wife) and we enjoyed three bottles at Thanksgiving. One bottle was a holiday gift to our nephew and two remain.

• Cannes, France – was our last stop on the French Riviera and completed the “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” tour. It was for many centuries, a small fishing village (which can be experienced in the Le Suquet neighborhood) until 1838 when it became a resort for upper-class Brits. More recent history includes establishment of the Cannes Film Festival (Palais des Festivals) in 1939, though delayed during WWII, as an alternative to Hitler and Mussolini’s then-propaganda-driven, Fascist-influenced Venice Film Festival. In 1956, American actress Grace Kelly married Monaco’s Prince Rainer III in Cannes, where they met while she was filming with Cary Grant.
  

  • The streets are lined with movie posters and pictures of actors and actresses. The hotels are full of wealthy travelers with expensive, oversized suitcases. The tuxedo-clad valets are busy parking Ferraris, Porches, Bentleys with license plates predominately from Kuwait, Qatar, Dubai and Saudi Arabia.
    

  • The beaches are mostly private, requiring membership or a daily fee to enter. You can rent a towel, umbrella or cabana, complete with misting fans and waiter service for an additional fee. Still and sparkling water starts at 11€ and basic appetizers exceed 20€.
    

  • We visited the iconic and historic Carlton Hotel, which opened in 1913 at 58 De La Croisette. This jewel of the Provence-Alpes-Cotes d’Azur region was the setting for Hitchcock’s 1954 film, To Catch a Thief (Grace Kelly and Cary Grant), was named a Historical Monument in 1989, and was host to Barack Obama during the 2011 G20 Summit. In 2013, a surprisingly simple heist, by what was believed to be a single thief, netted jewels worth 103 million euros (US$112M) from the “Extraordinary Diamonds” exhibition. It still holds the world record as the biggest heist of all time!
    

• Portofino, Italy – our first stop along the Italian Riviera was also once a quiet fishing village south of Genoa, until the 1950s-1960s when celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Ernest Hemingway, Frank Sinatra and Brigitte Bardot started hanging out. It’s known for its pastel-colored houses lining the harbor, which are as picture perfect as any postcard, albeit the buildings are sometimes painted with windows and balconies where none exist. Since 1954, the eight-foot bronze statue, Christ of the Abyss, has been visible 56 ft underwater in the nearby bay of San Fruttuoso.
  

  • We hiked along narrow, walled pathways overlooking the harbor, and past the 16th century Castello Brown, to the lighthouse for panoramic views of the surrounding harbor and Mediterranean Sea.
    

  • Walking higher up the cliff we visited the San Giorgio Church, built in 1154 to house the relics of Saint George, the patron saint of Portofino. Near complete reconstruction was required following WWII, when a bomb demolished all but the tomb of St. George and a small chapel. While the views are worth the climb, we were fascinated by the unique cemetery behind the simple church.
    

  • We were spellbound by the striking beauty of Parragi Beach, an emerald inlet of clear water to its sandy bottom, while hiking the historic pedestrian path - Passeggiata dei Baci (Walk of Kisses) through forested cover.
    

• Portoferraio, Italy – the main port and largest town on Elba Island, and the location where Napolean was exiled for 10 months in 1814, following his forced abdication of the French throne. Portoferraio means “Iron Port,” referencing the iron mills which enabled the area’s economic growth and made it the main shipping port of profitable iron ore to the mainland. The bastions and dock, built by Cosimo I d’Medici in the 16th century, protected the town against pirates. As we continued to learn throughout our travels, the Medici family contributed much to Italian history and specifically, the Renaissance period. Like many of the ports we visited on our cruise, we enjoyed strolling the historic portside quarter, photographing picturesque old buildings and wandering the hillside alleys.
  

• Civitavecchia, Italy – a major cruise location and the closest sea port to Rome (40 minutes away by train), was settled as early as the 7th century BC, with evidence of the Romans expanding the harbor in the 2nd century AD. Today, the coastal town retains its Roman dock and 16th century Michelangelo Fort.
  

  • This was the mid-way point of our cruise, where half of the passengers disembarked and another group boarded. Given the continued heat, I remained on board reading.
    

  • Meanwhile, Chris discovered rocky beaches, a Ferris wheel and “Unconditional Surrender” along the downtown waterfront. The 25-ft statue recreates a famous photograph of a sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square in August 1945, moments after Victory over Japan (V-J Day) was announced. At number of other cities have had versions of the statue on display: Normandy, France; San Diego, California; New York City, New York; Key West, Florida; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Sarasota, Florida; and Hamilton, New Jersey.
    

• Sorrento, Italy – gateway to the Amalfi Coast, this beautiful coastal town faces the Bay of Naples with views of Mount Vesuvius and dates back to 600 BC. Much of the town sits atop cliffs, interspersed with small gorges carved over time by streams from the hills, and separated below from its busy marinas and private beach clubs (built on docks extending into the crystal-clear water, equipped with cabanas, umbrellas and chairs). The area is famous for its lemons, limoncello, lacework and inlaid woodwork.
  

  • Our boat anchored off the Piccolo Marina. Once we disembarked from the tender, we hiked the steep switchbacks and climbed the stairs toward Piazza Tasso. We were fascinated by the multiple small altars to the Virgin Mary and various saints built into walls or fences. We generally failed to notice them until locals paused to bless themselves with the sign of the cross as they passed.
    

  • We took in the incomparable views of the bay from Piazza del la Vittoria (Victory Square), situated above and between Marina Piccolo and Marina Grande, then climbed back down to Marina Grande in search of food. We happened upon a long-time establishment, “Di Leva” (The Five Sisters), prominently situated on the waterfront. Apparently, the restaurant’s claim to fame, is not food, but a visit from Sophia Loren when she was filming “Scandal in Sorrento” in 1955. We were not sure if the heat was getting to everyone, tourist fatigue or dislike of Americans, but one of the five sisters was disgruntled when we were not prepared to order when she arrived table-side. She took our menus, and when we requested them back, she sat at the next table waiting until we decided what we wanted. It was such a negative experience (one of only a handful in all our travels), I began doubting it had happened at all. Until I read a review from another blog (#takingthekidoutofthecouncilestate) that described this place so perfectly, I had to share. “If you want to experience the Italian female equivalent of Basil Fawlty, where the customer is at best a pure inconvenience and at worst something to be treated with total contempt, then this is the place for you.” In retrospect, it was not us, or the heat. Do yourself a favor, should you ever find yourself in Sorrento seeking lunch, avoid the Five Sisters at all costs!
    

• Giardini Naxos, Italy – situated on Sicily’s northern coast, popular with young people due to its lively nightlife, its interesting history is catalogued in the archaeological park and museum beginning with pre-historic remnants of bowls.
  

  • We spent the morning wandering the streets lined with palm trees and overflowing flowers returning to our ship midday feeling slightly uninspired. The afternoon found us on the water again, taking advantage of the water sports platform.
    

  • The popular Netflix series, #WhiteLotus-Season2, was set in Taormina, the more expensive resort town just up the hill. A few shipmates took a cab to the picturesque community to enjoy a cocktail at the San Domenico Palace (Four Seasons Hotel), where the show was filmed. While the hotel suggests their restaurants and bars are available to the general public, our friends found the hotel so recently overrun with White Lotus fans, they were turned away!
    

Departing from Sicily, we spent the next day sailing across the Adriatic Sea, temporarily leaving Italy behind for the Croatian coast. We spent most of the day reading on deck, snacking and napping. How strange it was to not have a schedule, set activities or expectations.

• Kotor, Montenegro - likely settled in the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, this UNESCO Historical Heritage site and port city in the area now known as Montenegro, was at different points in history under the rule of the Roman Empire, Byzantium and Nemanjic Dynasties, Medieval Serbia, Hungary, the Turks, the Venetians, the Austrian Empire, Russia, France, Germany, and Yugoslavia, prior to gaining independence on May 21, 2006. Old Town, built by the Roman Empire in the 12th and 13th centuries is a beautiful medieval town complete with narrow, cobbled streets, multiple churches and “community cats.” Stories vary as to why so many cats, and the welfare of them, but it seems they have lived in Kotor for centuries, protecting the town from rats, mice and snakes and today represent good luck and prosperity to the townspeople, who have survived wars, sieges and earthquakes. We bypassed visiting the quirky Cat Museum.
  

  • Sailing through the winding, fjord-like Gulf of Kotor to our secluded destination was absolutely spectacular. We passed two islets off the coast, each with churches. The smaller, natural island, Sveti-Dorde, also known as Islet of the Dead or St. George, has an old church from the 7-9th centuries, built by Benedictine monks. The other artificial island, Our Lady of the Rock, was formed by local seamen, honoring an ancient oath made by two brothers who found a statue of Madonna and Child on a rocky outcrop near St. George in 1452. Upon returning from every successful voyage, sailors would throw rocks onto the site until the island finally rose from the sea. By 1484, the island was complete and included a chapel. Today a museum is located adjacent to the chapel.
    

  • Upon arrival to the medieval old town we set out with new friends, John and Amy from Cincinnati, to the highest point above Kotor - San Giovanni (St. John) Fortress; built as protective fortifications in 532 AD by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, it provides 360-degree picture-perfect views of the harbor to those interested in climbing the 1350 steps along a steep cliff side. It felt great to push ourselves to make the climb to the top in the heat, and explore the ruins. It also provided time to reflect on how so many of these fortresses, castles and churches were built centuries ago using huge blocks of rock, marble and granite. How did they pull such building blocks up these mountains? How many men, working together, over how long an extended period was required to complete these architectural feats? Nearly all of these incredible historical villages and coastal ports have survived hundreds, often thousands of years of natural disasters, war, attacks and human destruction. Yet they persist. How much of what we treasure, touch or love will remain in 1000 years? Are there structures we’ve built in the US that will withstand thousands of years to tell the story of our existence?
    

• Dubrovnik, Croatia – the “Pearl of the Adriatic” is usually regarded as the most picturesque city on the Dalmatian coast, and we were not disappointed. Another UNESCO World Heritage site, the city was founded by Roman refugees fleeing the Slavs in 614 AD. The city walls, erected in the Middle Ages are some of the largest in Europe, fully walkable in a counter-clockwise direction for a fee, and stretch 1.2 miles to encircle most of the old city.
  

  • Multiple tour operators offer Game of Thrones’ filming location excursions through Dubrovnik’s Old Town. Being two of the only people in the world that did not watch Game of Thrones, we instead strolled the main thoroughfare, known as the Stradun, before heading to the marina to rent kayaks. It was fabulous being out on the water, exploring the bay and coves of a nearby island, and swimming in the Adriatic Sea while we marveled at the great views of the canals and fortress that protect the city center. After we enjoyed an authentic Croatian lunch, amid the droves of tourists, we walked and photographed the many lovely narrow steep streets that climbed toward the fort up the hill.
    

• Split, Croatia – also part of the former Yugoslavia, and Croatia’s second largest city, felt dirtier than Dubrovnik. The city was established by the Roman Emperor Diocletian (the last famous persecutor of Christians) in 295 AD. Today, his palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the ruins are some of the most valuable surviving buildings of the Roman era on the Adriatic coast. The city has at times been part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes; Italy; and Yugoslavia; until gaining independence in 1992.
  

  • Upon exiting the port, we were overcome by vendors vying to sell us tours, much as you might experience when exiting the Cancun Airport in Mexico.
    

  • Again, we strolled the walled city, admiring the architecture, experiencing the food and fighting the crowds. Along the seawall are inlaid plaques noting the many Olympic wins by Croatia through the years.
    

• Rovinj, Croatia – was scheduled the following day, but thunderstorms and high seas required that we abandon our plans and head to our final stop.
  

• Venice, Italy – the Lagoon of Venice was officially established as a trading post in 241 A.D. But the famous Basilica and main square honoring St. Mark was not built until his body was relocated in 828 from Alexandria, Egypt by two Venetian merchants.
  

  • We ended our cruise, cleared customs through the Italian Port, and began the next leg of our journey.
    

Boarded the WindStar Cruise in Barcelona.

Our ship: Wind Surf.

Sailing into Palamos, Spain.

Strolling to path from the marina around to the beaches.

Platja de Castell Beach from the walking path.

Ruins along our path.

More views of beaches in Palamos.

More views along our path.

Along a high point of our path you can see the marina in the distance.

Beautiful Sanary-sur-Mer, France from the dock.

Sanary fish market.

A main square off the marina in Sanary.

Enjoying our day in Sanary.

Pointus boats in the Sanary marina.

Sanary marina.

Along the coastal path to the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitie.

Interior of the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitie.

Entrance to the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Pitie.

Sunset sailing out of Sanary, France.

The Rock of Monaco upon which sits the Oceanographic Museum.

An example of an early exploration vessel.

Interior of the Oceanographic Museum.

A public park in Monaco.

The community pool in Monaco's marina at the foot of the grand hotels and casino.

Walking up the hill in Monaco from the marina.

Monaco's beautiful Hermitage hotel.

Monte Carlo Casino.

Monte Carlo Casino.

Ceiling of the Monte Carlo Casino.

More of Monaco.

Beautiful boats in the Monaco Harbor.

A fun car in Monaco.

Cafes and cobblestone alleys in Cannes, France.

Beautiful architecture in Cannes.

A main square off the Cannes Harbor.

A small public beach in Cannes with the white tents of the private beach clubs in the background.

The Carlton Hotel in Cannes.

More of the Carlton Hotel.

The iconic Carlton Hotel lobby used for multiple movie scenes.

Carlton Hotel, Cannes, France.

Red carpet leading into the Cannes Film Festival venue.

Even Cannes has a Ferris wheel.

More shots of Cannes.

Our ship from Cannes' dock.

Sailing into the Portofino marina.

Castello Brown on the hill above the marina.

Along the path to Castello Brown and Portofino lighthouse.

Glimpse of the Portofino Lighthouse along the trail.

Entrance to a private estate along the path we hiked toward the lighthouse.

St. George in Portofino.

Portofino harbor from the trail to the lighthouse.

Portofino's cemetery behind the church of St. George.

View from Portofino's Kissing Walk.

Portofino's Kissing Walk.

Pizza and beverages in Portofino harbor.

Sailing into Portoferraio on Elba Island.

Portoferraio is a typical walled port city in Italy with cafes and shops inside the gates.

Portoferraio, Italy.

Portoferraio Harbor from our boat looking across toward the main part of the port.

Kissing in Memory of a Port - dedicated to the memory of people who left the port for sea and never returned.

Michelangelo Fort in Civitavecchia.

Civitavecchia waterfront.

Enduring Surrender statue in Civitavecchia.

Exploring Civitavecchia.

Strolling the hills of Sorrento, Italy.

Looking across gorges in Sorrento.

Sorrento hillsides with marina's below.

The view from a Sorrento cliff into the private beach club below.

An altar along our path in Sorrento.

Piccola Marina, Sorrento.

Nike statue along Giardini Naxos waterfront.

Sidewalk cafe in Giardini Naxos.

Beach in Giardini Naxos.

Along the dock in Giardini Naxos.

Dressed for dinner on board the WindSurf.

Sailing through the Gulf of Kotor.

St. George Island (left), Our Lady of the Rock (right).

Overlooking Kotor on the climb to St. John's Fortress.

Bell tower of Our Lady of Remedy, Kotor.

Kotor Bay and WindSurf in background, viewed from St. John's Fortress.

The ruins of St. John's Fortress.

Walking through Kotor.

More of Kotor.

Kotor's walls from our tender approaching the marina dock.

Our path to St. John's Fortress in the background.

More from Kotor, Montenegro.

Sailing along the Kotor Gulf.

Kotor, Montenegro.

Ploce Gate, Dubrovnik.

Old Town Dubrovnik.

Old Town Dubrovnik.

Lovrijenac fortress (St. Lawrence Fort) Dubrovnik, Game of Thrones film location.

Kayaking off Dubrovnik's Old Town.

Exploring the inlets of Lokrum Island outside Dubrovnik's Old Town harbor.

Along Dubrovnik's coast via kayak.

Walking the Stradun (main street) with Dubrovnik Clock Tower in background.

Exploring Dubrovnik alleys with new friends John and Amy.

Alleyway in Dubrovnik.

Split - 6th century Silver Gate.

Entering Split's walled city.

Bell Tower of Diocletian's Palace in Split.

Diocletian's Palace, Split.

Along Split's waterfront.

Split seawall, looking across at the old city.

Inside Split's walled city.

Bell Tower of Diocletian's Palace in Split.

Church of the Most Holy Redeemer as we sailed into Venice.

Venice - views as we sailed along the canals.