Adriatic, Albania & the Greek Islands: Hvar and Kotor

Venice to Athens (Piraeus)

The Route

How the route could go:

• Venice · Embarkation

  Venice spreads across some 120 islands in the lagoon on the northern Adriatic in Italy's Veneto region. St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Grand Canal palazzos make this UNESCO World Heritage city unique.

• Mali Losinj (Lošinj)

  On a sheltered bay in the south of the Croatian island of Lošinj lies its main town of the same name in the Kvarner Bay of the northern Adriatic. Pine forests and a mild healing climate turned it into a Habsburg health resort in the 19th century, where Archduke Charles Stephen built a summer residence.

• Trogir

  Trogir on the Dalmatian coast is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as one of the best-preserved Romanesque-Gothic complexes in Central Europe. The Cathedral of St. Lawrence with the famous west portal by Master Radovan is the highlight.

• Hvar

  Hvar is Croatia's sunniest island (2,800 hours of sunshine a year). Its medieval capital, Hvar Town, and the lavender fields inland make it one of the most elegant addresses on the Adriatic. Above the town stands the 16th-century Venetian fortress Fortica (Španjola) - the climb rewards you with a sweeping view over the red rooftops, the harbour and the Pakleni islands. In the evening the harbour turns into an open-air stage, and the legendary Carpe Diem club on the Riva is Hvar's glamorous heart. Just offshore lies the Pakleni island of Sveti Klement with Palmižana marina, whose centrepiece is an open-air art gallery in the subtropical Meneghello garden; a tender or ferry makes it easy to hop between Hvar Town and Palmižana.

• Kotor

  At the end of one of the longest fjords in the Adriatic lies Kotor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The fully preserved Venetian city walls and the panoramic view from the Fortress of San Giovanni over the Bay of Kotor are among the most impressive experiences in the Mediterranean.

• Sarande

  Saranda lies on the Albanian Riviera, facing the Greek island of Corfu across the strait. Sandy beaches, ancient Butrint and the nearby Blue Eye spring make it a popular destination.

• Katakolon

  The port of Katakolon is the gateway to ancient Olympia - the birthplace of the Olympic Games, just 35 kilometres away. The Temple of Zeus, the stadium and the Archaeological Museum with its Hermes of Praxiteles rank among Greece's most important ancient sites.

• Kleftiko (Milos)

  Milos owes its shape to its volcanic past, and the evidence is everywhere: at Sarakiniko, wind and water have polished the rock into a moon-white landscape unlike anywhere else in the Aegean. In 1820 a farmer here unearthed the Aphrodite of Milos, known the world over as the Venus de Milo and now in the Louvre. In the fishing village of Klima the syrmata run down to the water, brightly painted boathouses where the fishing boats once wintered. More than 70 coves, each tinted a different shade of volcanic rock, make Milos the most varied of the Cyclades.

• Adamantas (Milos)

  Adamantas is the main harbour of the Greek Cycladic island of Milos and is considered one of the largest natural harbours in the Mediterranean. From here, excursions head to the famous white rocks of Sarakiniko and the colourful fishermen's houses of Klima.

• Gavrio (Andros)

  On the Greek Cycladic island of Andros, Gavrio serves as the main port for ferries from Rafina on the mainland. Hiking trails lead from the harbour through the unusually green north of the island to ancient watchtowers such as the Hellenistic Agios Petros tower and hidden coves.

• Athens (Piraeus) · Disembarkation

  Piraeus is the gateway to Athens, Europe's oldest major city. The Acropolis with the Parthenon has towered over the city for 2,500 years - surrounded by a lively café culture and one of the finest fish markets in the Aegean.

The route of a sailing voyage may change without giving rise to mutual claims.

Star Clipper

Cabins

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Standard inclusions of the ship voyage

Frequently asked questions