Amalfi to the Adriatic: Italy, Malta & Croatia

Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully. For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here. Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness. Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza.

Your cruise begins in Italy at Civitavecchia, the historic seaport and main gateway for the ancient capital of Rome. Known as the ‘Eternal City,’ Rome is littered with iconic landmarks that bear testament to its former status as the epicentre of the mighty Roman Empire. Here, you’ll be transferred to your Emerald luxury yacht to begin your voyage discovering the delights of the Italian coastline. 

Please book your flight to arrive into Rome prior to 02:00 PM.

Awaken to a serene morning and enjoy a lavish breakfast on deck as you cruise past the stunning Amalfi Coast and the glamorous isle of Capri, before reaching your next destination. Casamicciola Terme, nestled on the northern coast of the island of Ischia, is renowned for its wealth of natural thermal springs – so much so that the word ’thermal’ (terme) is part of its name. Known for its rejuvenating waters and wellness culture, it has long been a destination for those seeking relaxation, healing and a touch of luxury amid picturesque surroundings. The town’s thermal heritage is deeply woven into its identity, offering everything from historic spas to modern wellness retreats. 

At first glance, it's hard to imagine that this resort destination was one of the world's great naval powers, and a sturdy rival of Genoa and Pisa for control of the Mediterranean in the 11th and 12th centuries. Once the seat of the Amalfi Maritime Republic, the town is set in a verdant valley of the Lattari Mountains, with cream-colored and pastel-hued buildings tightly packing a gorge on the Bay of Salerno. The harbor, which once launched the greatest fleet in Italy, now bobs with ferries and blue-and-white fishing boats. The main street, lined with shops and pasticcerie, has replaced a raging mountain torrent, and terraced hills flaunt the green and gold of lemon groves. Bearing testimony to its great trade with Tunis, Tripoli, and Algiers, Amalfi remains honeycombed with Arab-Sicilian cloisters and covered passages. In a way Amalfi has become great again, showing off its medieval glory days with sea pageants, convents-turned-hotels, ancient paper mills, covered streets, and its glimmering cathedral.

The stunning Amalfi Coast, designated a World Heritage site, has been a much-loved holiday destination since ancient times. Located in southern Italy’s Campania region, just south of Naples, the Amalfi Coast boasts idyllic beaches and seaside towns that are home to grand Italian villas and glitzy beach clubs hugging the craggy cliffs that rise from the sparkling sea. 

Trapani, the most important town on Sicily’s west coast, lies below the headland of Mount Erice and offers stunning views of the Egadi Islands on a clear day. Trapani’s Old District occupies a scimitarshaped promontory between the open sea on the north and the salt marshes to the south. The ancient industry of extracting salt from the marshes has recently been revived, and it is documented in the Museo delle Saline. In addition to the salt marshes,Trapani’s other interesting environs include the beautiful little hill town of Erice, the promontory of Capo San Vito stretching north beyond the splendid headland of Monte Cofano, the lovely island of Motya and the town of Marsala. Trips farther afield will take you to the magnificent site of Segesta or the Egadi Islands, reached by boat or hydrofoil from Trapani Port.

Set on the western tip of Sicily, Trapani is a historic port city with a dramatic coastline. The fortified town has been at the centre of the fishing and salt trades for thousands of years. The coastal salt pans make up part of a unique landscape that comprises windmills, flat-topped pastel-coloured buildings and domed churches. The narrow streets of the picturesque old town are lined with historic Baroque buildings in warm colours, vibrant markets, and eateries offering local delicacies such as fresh seafood and the famous Sicilian cannoli. You can reach the hilltop medieval village of Erice, located 751 metres (2,464 feet) above sea level, via a picturesque cable car ride. Wander the rabbit warren of cobblestoned laneways past crumbling castle ruins and enjoy breathtaking vistas over the town of Trapani below. 

On Sicily’s southern coast in the province of Agrigento, the charming town of Porto Empedocle welcomes you with its beaches, laid-back atmosphere, and fascinating history. A major port for grain shipments in the 1400s, it later became known for its sulphur and rock salt mining, industries that helped shape the region. The town is named after the ancient philosopher Empedocles, who lived near here in the fifth century BC. Today, Porto Empedocle is the ideal gateway to explore southern Sicily, offering easy access to the remarkable Valley of the Temples while inviting guests to enjoy its vibrant harbour, local seafood and coastal charm. 

Malta's capital, the minicity of Valletta, has ornate palaces and museums protected by massive fortifications of honey-color limestone. Houses along the narrow streets have overhanging wooden balconies for people-watching from indoors. Generations ago they gave housebound women a window on the world of the street. The main entrance to town is through the City Gate (where all bus routes end), which leads onto Triq Repubblika (Republic Street), the spine of the grid-pattern city and the main shopping street. Triq Mercante (Merchant Street) parallels Repubblika to the east and is also good for strolling. From these two streets, cross streets descend toward the water; some are stepped. Valletta's compactness makes it ideal to explore on foot. City Gate and the upper part of Valletta are experiencing vast redevelopment that includes a new Parliament Building and open-air performance venue. The complex, completed mid-2013, has numerous pedestrian detours in place along with building noise and dust. Before setting out along Republic Street, stop at the tourist information office on Merchant Street for maps and brochures.

Declared a World Heritage site in 1980, the fortified city of Valletta is one of the most concentrated historic areas in the world, with a staggering 320 monuments. Built on a narrow one-kilometre-long (0.62-mile-long) peninsula in the 16th century by the Knights of St John, the pocket-sized capital of Malta is, today, a blend of rich history, culture, and breathtaking architecture. Stroll through its narrow, cobblestone streets, where every corner reveals a treasure, such as the 16th-century Baroque chapels of St John’s Co-Cathedral. 

Nestled along the eastern shores of Sicily, Giardini Naxos was one of the earliest Greek settlements in Sicily, traditionally dated to 734 BC. Today, it’s a charming resort town known for its sandy beaches and vibrant waterfront promenade. It also commands views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna.  Giardini Naxos serves as the launchpad for glamorous Taormina, which is known as the ’Pearl of the Ionian Sea’. Just a short journey away, you can immerse yourself in Taormina’s posh Corso Umberto (pedestrian-friendly centre) and see its ancient Greek theatre and enchanting medieval architecture. 

Located right in the heel of the Italian boot, Otranto’s scenic landscape often plays the protagonist in displaying the beauty of Puglia, Italy’s easternmost region. Facing the Adriatic sea, the seducing weather and pristine waters have made it a popular destination where on a clear day, wanderers can see the coast of Albania. Like much of Italy, the city boasts a rich and mixed history. Once a Greek and Roman port, it was later occupied by the Byzantines, the Normans and the Spanish before the Ottoman invaded in during their Jihad to conquer Europe. Remains of forts are still visible and are a living testimonial of the town’s rich history along with Otranto’s cathedral, which still encloses today the relics of martyrs who refused to convert to Islam.

On the tip of Italy’s Puglia region, Otranto has a charming old town of narrow cobblestone streets, ancient stone walls, and stunning medieval architecture. Don’t miss the Otranto Cathedral, built by the Normans in the 11th century and renowned for its frescoes and an intricate mosaic floor from the 12th century. The bones of 813 martyrs are displayed in a glass case behind the altar. Otranto's lovely waterfront affords breathtaking views of the turquoise Adriatic Sea. Spend time soaking up the sun on one of its sandy beaches that line the coast and indulge in delectable Apulian dishes at one of the many quaint trattorias, such as focaccia, burrata and fresh seafood. 

Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Lying 216 km (135 miles) southeast of Split and commanding a jaw-dropping coastal location, it is one of the world's most beautiful fortified cities. Its massive stone ramparts and fortress towers curve around a tiny harbor, enclosing graduated ridges of sun-bleached orange-tiled roofs, copper domes, and elegant bell towers. Your imagination will run wild picturing what it looked like seven centuries ago when the walls were built, without any suburbs or highways around it, just this magnificent stone city rising out of the sea.In the 7th century AD, residents of the Roman city Epidaurum (now Cavtat) fled the Avars and Slavs of the north and founded a new settlement on a small rocky island, which they named Laus, and later Ragusa. On the mainland hillside opposite the island, the Slav settlement called Dubrovnik grew up. In the 12th century the narrow channel separating the two settlements was filled in (now the main street through the Old Town, called Stradun), and Ragusa and Dubrovnik became one. The city was surrounded by defensive walls during the 13th century, and these were reinforced with towers and bastions in the late 15th century.From 1358 to 1808 the city thrived as a powerful and remarkably sophisticated independent republic, reaching its golden age during the 16th century. In 1667 many of its splendid Gothic and Renaissance buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The defensive walls survived the disaster, and the city was rebuilt in baroque style.Dubrovnik lost its independence to Napoléon in 1808, and in 1815 passed to Austria-Hungary. During the 20th century, as part of Yugoslavia, the city became a popular tourist destination, and in 1979 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the war for independence, it came under heavy siege. Thanks to careful restoration, few traces of damage remain; however, there are maps inside the Pile and Ploče Gates illustrating the points around the city where damage was done. It’s only when you experience Dubrovnik yourself that you can understand what a treasure the world nearly lost

At the southernmost point of Croatia on the Dalmatian Coast, World Heritage-listed Dubrovnik is called the ‘Pearl of the Adriatic’. The city is renowned for its breathtaking architecture, with red terracotta-tiled roofs and white stone walls making a striking contrast against the turquoise waters that lap below. Stroll through the iconic Old Town, where cobbled streets lead you past magnificent Baroque buildings; enjoy a drink on the Stradun, the main thoroughfare through the city; and take a walk along the ancient city walls for panoramic views over the rooftops and Adriatic Sea. The impressive Rector's Palace, a 15th-century Gothic-Renaissance palace that was once Dubrovnik’s administrative centre, is also a must-visit. 

The Croatian island of Hvar bills itself as the "sunniest island in the Adriatic." Not only does it have the figures to back up this claim—an annual average of 2,724 hours of sunshine—but it also makes visitors a sporting proposition, offering them a money-back guarantee if there are seven consecutive days of snow (snow has been known to fall here; the last time being February 2012).

The heart of the island paradise of Hvar is the Old Town. While it’s become a modern-day hotspot, it’s layered in history and architectural wonder. The town of Hvar is a photogenic jumble of whitewashed buildings with red roofs and beyond the town are rolling hills peppered with lavender fields, olive groves, and grapevines. 

Dalmatia's capital for more than 1,000 years, Zadar is all too often passed over by travelers on their way to Split or Dubrovnik. What they miss out on is a city of more than 73,000 that is remarkably lovely and lively despite—and, in some measure, because of—its tumultuous history. The Old Town, separated from the rest of the city on a peninsula some 4 km (2½ miles) long and just 1,640 feet wide, is bustling and beautiful: the marble pedestrian streets are replete with Roman ruins, medieval churches, palaces, museums, archives, and libraries. Parts of the new town are comparatively dreary, a testament to what a world war followed by decades of communism, not to mention a civil war, can do to the architecture of a city that is 3,000 years old. A settlement had already existed on the site of the present-day city for some 2,000 years when Rome finally conquered Zadar in the 1st century BC; the foundations of the forum can be seen today. Before the Romans came the Liburnians had made it a key center for trade with the Greeks and Romans for 800 years. In the 3rd century BC the Romans began to seriously pester the Liburnians, but required two centuries to bring the area under their control. During the Byzantine era, Zadar became the capital of Dalmatia, and this period saw the construction of its most famous church, the 9th-century St. Donat's Basilica. It remained the region's foremost city through the ensuing centuries. The city then experienced successive onslaughts and occupations—both long and short—by the Osogoths, the Croatian-Hungarian kings, the Venetians, the Turks, the Habsburgs, the French, the Habsburgs again, and finally the Italians before becoming part of Yugoslavia and, in 1991, the independent republic of Croatia. Zadar was for centuries an Italian-speaking city, and Italian is still spoken widely, especially by older people. Indeed, it was ceded to Italy in 1921 under the Treaty of Rapallo (and reverted to its Italian name of Zara). Its occupation by the Germans from 1943 led to intense bombing by the Allies during World War II, which left most of the city in ruins. Zadar became part of Tito's Yugoslavia in 1947, prompting many Italian residents to leave. Zadar's most recent ravages occurred during a three-month siege by Serb forces and months more of bombardment during the Croatian-Serbian war between 1991 and 1995. But you'd be hard-pressed to find outward signs of this today in what is a city to behold. There are helpful interpretive signs in English all around the Old Town, so you certainly won't feel lost when trying to make sense of the wide variety of architectural sites you might otherwise pass by with only a cursory look.

Zadar is something of a hidden Croatian gem, a captivating blend of ancient history and modern charm. As you stroll through its cobbled streets, you'll encounter spectacular Roman ruins, including the well-preserved Roman Forum constructed between the first century BC and third century AD, and the majestic St Donatus Church, a symbol of the city's rich heritage. You’ll be mesmerised by the Sea Organ, stone carvings along the promenade designed so the lapping waves create natural and hauntingly beautiful melodies. As the sun disappears, be captivated by Sun Salutation, a dazzling solar-powered installation that lights up at night. 

Venice is a city unlike any other. No matter how often you've seen it in photos and films, the real thing is more dreamlike than you could imagine. With canals where streets should be, water shimmers everywhere. The fabulous palaces and churches reflect centuries of history in what was a wealthy trading center between Europe and the Orient. Getting lost in the narrow alleyways is a quintessential part of exploring Venice, but at some point you'll almost surely end up in Piazza San Marco, where tourists and locals congregate for a coffee or an aperitif.

Your luxury voyage through the Mediterranean and Adriatic concludes in Venice. From here, you’ll be transferred to the airport for your journey home, or to continue your holiday. 

Please book your flight to depart out of Venice after 12:00 PM.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Emerald Cruises cannot guarantee the cruise will operated unaltered from the itinerary states above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.