Coastal Italy and Dubrovnik

Depart the U.S./Venice, Italy | Embark Star Explorer

Depart for Venice, Italy. Please check your bags from your gateway city to your arrival city. Be sure to attach the provided luggage tags for each piece of luggage, including carry-ons.

Arrive at Venice Marco Polo International Airport.

Those arriving early will transfer to a group hospitality room at the Four Points by Sheraton Venice Mestre hotel. After lunch on your own at the hotel or nearby, you will then travel with the group to embark WindStar Star Explorer. Those arriving later will transfer directly to the port for embarkation.

Settle in to your suite or stateroom and begin to familiarize yourself with the ship. This evening, attend a Gohagan & Company welcome briefing and lifeboat drill, followed by a dinner on board as we depart Venice.

Ancona

Savor a delicious breakfast this morning (and every morning on board) as we arrive in Ancona. Depart for your choice excursion.

Traveler’s Choice | Choose ONE of the following included excursions. (Please make your selection on the Excursion Form on the passenger portal.)

• Ancona was founded around 390 B.C. by Greek colonists from Syracuse, who named it after the Greek word for “elbow,” referring to the shape of the promontory that shelters the harbor. On a guided tour today, visit the Mole Vanvitelliana, a massive, pentagonal structure located on an artificial island, built in the 18th century as a quarantine facility. Nowadays, it houses exhibitions and a tactile museum. Stops on today’s tour also include the Cattedrale di San Ciriaco, the Arch of Trajan, the remains of a Roman Amphitheatre and the National Archaeological Museum of Le Marche.

  Return to the ship for lunch, or dine on your own in Ancona, if you prefer. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore Ancona at your leisure (or to spend relaxing onboard). (Moderate)

• Jesi. After disembarking, board a luxury motorcoach and head inland to the commune of Jesi for a full-day tour. Explore Jesi’s remarkably preserved historic center, surrounded by sturdy medieval stone walls. Traverse Federico II Square, renowned as the birthplace of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II in 1194 (legend has it that he was born in a tent in the square!). The square is surrounded by historic buildings, such as the Church of San Settimio and the magnificent rococo Pianetti Palace, which is currently home to the grand Municipal Art Gallery. See the historic Pergolesi Theatre opera house, named after the composer Giovanni Battista Pergolesi, who was born in Jesi in 1710.

  After your tour, savor an authentic lunch at a local farm or winery in the celebrated heart of the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi appellation. This region is famous for producing historic, high-quality dry white wines made exclusively from the Verdicchio grape. Sample these delicious wines before returning to the port and boarding the ship. (Moderate)

Welcome Reception: Join your fellow travelers for a Welcome Reception and Dinner on board this evening, and toast your upcoming adventure!

Dubrovnik, Croatia

njoy a tasty breakfast, then spend some free time this morning in the fitness center or indulging in a spa treatment. After an early lunch, disembark for your excursion in Dubrovnik.

Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik, often referred to as the “Pearl of the Adriatic” and located along the Dalmatian coast, emerged as a prominent maritime power in the 13th century. It is renowned for its unique Old Town, which is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, surrounded by formidable stone walls that were completed in the 16th century. The town boasts a collection of well-preserved structures, including the Baroque St. Blaise Church, the Renaissance Sponza Palace and the Gothic Rector’s Palace, which now serves as a history museum. The pedestrianized Stradun (also known as Placa) is lined with various shops and dining establishments. Despite suffering significant damage from an earthquake in 1667, Dubrovnik successfully maintained its stunning Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque churches, monasteries, palaces and fountains. Once again affected by conflict in the 1990s, the city is currently undergoing a comprehensive restoration initiative overseen by UNESCO.

Enter the city gate and see the Onofrio Fountain, built in 1438, and the façade of St. Saviour, completed in 1528. Enter the cloister of the Franciscan Monastery, considered a jewel of Romanesque architecture. Continue down the Placa to the Rector’s Palace. After browsing inside, walk up a floor and leave the palace, passing over part of the old city wall, which provides an excellent view of the old port. Construction began on the nearby St. John’s Fortress in 1346. After a long history of serving the port city, it became home to the fascinating Maritime Museum, where we’ll wrap up today’s tour. (Moderate)

Free Time: After the tour, you may return to the ship. Or you can spend time continuing to explore Dubrovnik on your own.

Return to the ship for dinner on board this evening.

Bari, Italy

Enjoy breakfast on board and then disembark for your excursion in Bari.

Bari. This port city on the Adriatic Sea is the capital of southern Italy’s Puglia region, and is situated on a point between two harbors. The earliest settlement on this peninsula dates back to the Bronze Age, over 3,000 years ago, when ancient people first recognized this strategic position between two natural harbors. On a walking tour, explore this lovely ancient city. Strolling the labyrinthine streets of Barivecchia (Old Town), see the 11th-century Basilica di San Nicola, a key pilgrimage site that holds some of St. Nicholas’ remains, and the Cathedral of San Sabinus, consecrated in 1292. Other highlights include Svevo Castle di Bari, a castle built in the 13th century atop a Norman fort — it now houses a museum and cultural center. A must-see destination is the Arco Basso (a street where women hand-roll and sell orecchiette pasta), Mola di San Nicola (where fisherman gather their fresh catches and sell raw squid to the brave and hungry), and Italy’s longest seafront promenade.(Moderate)

Return to the ship and tuck in to a delectable lunch on board.

Alberobello. This afternoon, head to the small town of Alberobello, where you’ll see unique dwellings found nowhere else in the world. These trulli (as they’re called) are whitewashed stone huts built without mortar. The limestone structures are topped with conical gray fieldstone roofs, some of which are painted with white symbols — ancient emblems believed to protect the home or bring good fortune. The trulli are listed on the UNESCO World Heritage site registry. (Moderate)

Day at Sea

Giardini Naxos | Taormina

This morning, we will arrive in Giardini Naxos, and after breakfast, disembark for an excursion in Taormina.

Taormina. Visit the legendary commune of Taormina, founded in the eighth century B.C.E. Perched on a rocky outcrop above the Ionian Sea, this ancient city boasts historic sites and stunning vistas (of Mt. Etna, among other things, an active volcano situated nearby). Stop at the Greco-Roman Theater, an amphitheater built by the Greeks in the third century B.C.E., which is still used for performances today. Near the theater, cliffs drop to the sea, forming coves with sandy beaches below. Visit Palazzo Corvaja, a medieval palace built at the end of the 14th century, named for a prominent local family, who owned it from 1538 to 1945. Stroll along the Corso Umberto, the town’s vibrant main street, and take a photo stop at the Piazza IX Aprile, an iconic terrace overlooking the sea. (Moderate)

Return to the ship for a tasty lunch. Spend time relaxing this afternoon as we sail for Naples.

Naples | Pompeii/Naples

Enjoy breakfast on board this morning, then disembark for your choice excursion in Naples.

Traveler’s Choice | Choose ONE of the following included excursions. (Please make your selection on the Excursion Form on the passenger portal.)

• Naples walking tour. Begin your journey in the vibrant heart of the city, Piazza del Plebiscito, an impressive square bordered by the Royal Palace and the Church of San Francesco di Paola. Then visit the stunning Neoclassical Teatro di San Carlo, which opened its doors in 1737 and is recognized as the oldest continuously operating public opera house in the world. Enjoy a leisurely walk through the Galleria Umberto I, a beautiful example of 19th-century architecture, and one of Italy’s most popular public shopping arcades. Delve into the historic city center, a UNESCO World Heritage site celebrated for its narrow, bustling streets and notable landmarks, including Spaccanapoli, the lively main thoroughfare that traverses the old town. (The name translates to “Naples splitter.”) Next, visit the Naples Cathedral, which is home to the exquisite Baroque Chapel of San Gennaro, the city’s patron saint. A walk along Via San Gregorio Armeno unveils the workshops of artisans who create traditional Neapolitan nativity scenes, earning the street its nickname, “Christmas Alley.” (Moderate)
• Pompeii. Once a flourishing and advanced Roman city, Pompeii was entombed beneath layers of ash and pumice following the devastating eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The preserved site, a UNESCO World Heritage site, features excavated ruins of streets and houses that visitors can freely explore. Throughout the tour, you will gain insights into the daily life of Pompeii, and you may be astonished by the sophisticated architecture, technological innovations, clothing and customs of the Pompeiians. Discover the remnants of warehouses, baths, the forum, the amphitheater and the luxurious residences of affluent merchants. (Active)

Return to the ship for lunch on board, and time to relax.

Farewell Reception: Join your fellow travelers for a Farewell Reception and Dinner this evening. Raise a glass to your adventure in coastal Italy and Dubrovnik!

Rome | Disembark | Return to Home City