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 Cruising the Adriatic In Style Elegant Cruises' large new yacht, M/Y Monet brings up-scale cruising to the Adriatic Sea and Croatia's Dalmatian coast at medium-scale prices. By Rod Lopez-Fabrega |
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The Adriatic Sea is one of the world's oldest and at the same time the newest cruise destinations.  |
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 Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Kornati, Opatija, Venice, Pula, Split, Korcula--if only one or two of these splendid and fascinating Adriatic port cities sound familiar, you have been missing one of the world's oldest and at the same time the newest cruise destinations: the Adriatic Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean separating Italy from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia. It is the oldest because this 3,700-mile strip of Croatian coastline has been appreciated and coveted for thousands of years by Greeks, Romans, Venetians and Austro-Hungarian royalty since the times of mythical Jason and the Golden Fleece, to the time of Marco Polo, through the Medieval period, the European Baroque and to the present for its sheltering coves and inlets, its lush mountainous background, and its near-perfect Mediterranean climate. It is the newest because it is just being rediscovered after mistakenly having been lumped by timid travelers with the troubles on the far side of the towering Dinarsko Gorje, the Dinaric Alps that separate and insulate Dalmatia from war-torn Serbia. |
 MY/Monet's elegant public spaces are dedicated to the French artist, Claude Monet |
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 European yachtsmen have enjoyed this remarkable coastline all along, and now Elegant Cruises of Port Washington, New York brings elegant, multi-star-quality, up-scale yachting to North American travelers with the introduction of M/Y Monet. Built in 1970, the ship was refurbished in 1997-98 and designed to serve as a large luxury yacht. It has been completely refitted with 32 handsomely appointed, fully air-conditioned outside cabins, ranging in size from 250 square feet, plus elegant public spaces that include a spacious lounge dedicated to the French artist, Claude Monet and featuring museum-quality photos of the artist and the glittering but intimate Nymphea restaurant where the ladies can show off their jewels at nightly, one-seating, five-star dining. There's after dinner music but no shuffleboard or cabaret shows. It's not that kind of cruise. The itinerary itself is the entertainment with daily stops to disembark at fascinating and historic ports. |
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"...the latest technical equipment and engines."
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 Captain Mato Stanovic (right,) president of Elegant Cruises puts it succinctly, "The vessel is built and designed for the Adriatic. And you can see why because she can enter small ports and dock right near the centers of historic towns not easily reached by the big ships." Acting captain of M/Y Monet, Srdjan Miletic, a 24-year veteran of the Croatian merchant marine, underscores the nuts and bolts spec's of his vessel: inaugurated in 1998, 25 crew members, length 223 feet, tonnage 1,480 gross tons, maximum speed up to 14 knots, draft 10 feet, nine inches, and "...the latest technical equipment and engines." |
 Dubrovnik has been delcared a World Hertiage Site by UNESCO. |
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Highlights Dubrovnik is one of the best-preserved Medieval cities in the world--so much so that it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Located on a stunning promontory jutting out into the Adriatic, it can lay claim to having one of the most beautiful ports of any maritime city of its size anywhere.  Surrounded by 6,500 feet of fortified walls, the city was an independent republic for five centuries. Next only to Venice in beauty and interest, it is a crown jewels of the Adriatic and once was a commercial rival to that great city. Occupations early in its history by Greeks, Romans, Slavs, Arabs, Venetians, Norman crusaders and Byzantines has left indelible marks on Dubrovnik's architecture and on the faces of its people. |
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The arrival into Sibenik harbor is
quite spectacular..  Krka National Park, a magnificent natural preserve with spectacular falls... |
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 Sibenik is the oldest Slavic town on these shores and the least influenced by Rome. The arrival into Sibenik harbor is quite spectacular as the ship moves down a twisting channel past a gauntlet of guarding islands and a massive island fortress that safeguarded the city from sea invasions through its early history.  A very special highlight not to be missed in the city is the Katedrala Sveti Zakov, St. James Cathedral. After destruction by Allied bombs during World War II, it was entirely rebuilt of marble and limestone, and its bold interior is beautiful in its stark architectural lines, unmarred by gild and Baroque clutter. Its richly sculpted baptistery is worth noting as is an exterior pediment made up of scores of sculpted heads, presumed to be portraits of benefactors and important citizens through the city's history.  Sibenik also is the point of departure for a tour bus to the Krka National Park, a magnificent natural preserve with spectacular falls and outstanding scenic attractions. Of special interest is a still operating mill where grain is ground to this day and a special pool called 'the washing machine' where the tumbling motions of the currents are actually utilized to wash fabrics produced by local weavers. |
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In neighboring Slovenia, Lipica is the stud farm and training center of the world-famed Lippizaner horses.
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 Opatija, once the favorite watering place for the Austro-Hungarian empire and a favorite vacation destination for European royals is now the departure site for a bus tour into the neighboring country of Slovenia (passports required.) Slovenia has been in the news of late as the site of a major international meeting between American and Russian leaders. However, it may be that this little country is best known for the community of Lipica and the stud farm and training center of the world-famed Lippizaner horses that is located there. A visit includes a performance by these magnificent stallions and mares going through their paces with impossible precision. The tour ends with a visit to the stables of these equine aristocrats and perhaps a glimpse of nursery paddocks where herds of mares look after their nearly black colts. In a few years many of the youngsters will be transformed mysteriously into snowy white adults by a genetic glich inherent to this breed. Lipica, the community that houses the stud farm also includes a hotel for those who come to ride those Lippizaners classified by the farm as not suitable for performance training. Some are not destined to become show horses because temperament or coloration do not meet the high standards established for the breed. |
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Yet another attraction worth visiting in Slovenia is the site of the Postojna Caves, a hidden world of stalactites and stalagmites, underground caverns, rivers and strange geologic formations, indeed the "Kingdom of the Cave Dragon." Mechanical trams carry visitors as much as 500 feet underground where they are guided through this magical and damp domain along special walkways coated with non-skid finishes. Promoters of the caves claim that at least twenty-six million visitors have wandered through the caves since their discovery in the thirteenth century. Even on a cloudy, cold day in early Spring, crowds at the entrance gave credence to these claims. |
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Venice, the undisputed queen of the Adriatic.
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  Venice is Venice, La Serenissima, the undisputed queen of the Adriatic. Early morning arrival by sea is an unforgettable experience. |
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Pula is believed to be the oldest occupied site on the Istrian peninsula...
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 Pula, believed to be the oldest occupied site on the Istrian peninsula of Croatia, is thought to have been settled originally by the Argonauts after Jason and Medea completed their search for the Golden Fleece of antiquity. Much later, the city was occupied and expanded by the Romans between 44 and 31 B.C. Today, Pula contains one of the best-preserved Roman coliseums anywhere. Locals claim it is second only in its degree of preservation to the one in Rome itself. Built by the emperor Vespasian, it no longer is the scene of gladiatorial combats, now hosting up to 23,000 concertgoers. Tucked under the arches is a museum store where you might buy the bust of an aristocratic Croatian lady from the third century. Also in Pula is the well-preserved temple of Augustus, commemorating--as viewers of Masterpiece Theater will remember--that auspicious event when the emperor Augustus, much against his will, was declared a god by the Roman senate. |
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Split is known as the retirement home of the Croatian-born Roman emperor Diocletian.
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 Split, with a population of almost one quarter million people, is the principal Dalmatian coastal city. In addition to its importance as Croatia's major port on the Adriatic and its industrial base, the city also is best known as the retirement home of the Croatian-born Roman emperor Diocletian whose huge and well-preserved palace/fortress now forms the heart of the old city. The palace grounds are filled with triumphal arches, imported Egyptian sphinxes and interesting reminders of the Roman Empire at its grandest. Among the places of interest is Diocletian's tomb, now officially a Christian cathedral, making it the smallest in Europe. The emperor's body is no longer there, but the irony remains. He was one of the worst persecutors of Christians, perhaps egged on by the fact that his empress became a Christian. She clearly had the last word. |
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As a dramatic contrast to the ancient attractions, Split is also the location of a totally modern museum dedicated to the works of world famous Croatian sculptor, Ivan Mestrovic, who in his later life emigrated to the United States, became an American citizen and Professor of Sculpture at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. His powerful work draws heavily on Croatian themes. |
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Korcula was the home of famed traveler Marco Polo.
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 Korcula contains many monuments dating from its days under Venetian rule. It was the home of famed traveler Marco Polo, the first European to visit China. His house may be visited--though little remains but his garden and a staircase to the tower from which he is presumed to have gazed out on the world and deemed it a place to explore. An interesting feature in Korcula is the manner in which its streets were re-built in the thirteenth century. Most of the lanes run west to east in order to block out the northeastern Bora, a cold and powerful wind that at times stirs up the Adriatic while allowing the gentle Mistral breezes from another direction to air-condition the town. |
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Elegant Cruises Based on New York's Long Island, Elegant Cruises specializes in high-end cruising. Established 13 years ago by Captain Mato Stanovic, the company at first focused on cruises of European waterways. Since then, the company has specialized in finding four- and five-star elegant vessels, chartering them and offering them to their client base for travel to unusual destinations worldwide. They are exclusive operators of Monet and also represent River Cloud, newly launched River Cloud II, and the legendary Sea Cloud. Seven-day Adriatic cruises depart Dubrovnik every Sunday, with northbound stops at Sibenik, Kornati and Opatija along the Dalmatian coast with a turn-around stop in Venice, then returning southbound with stops at Pula, Split, Korcula and ending once again in Dubrovnik on the following Sunday. There are three categories of cabins: Lumiere, Parisian and Camille, and current prices range from $2,450 to $1,750 per person, double occupancy. |
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 Getting there Croatia Airlines has daily non-stop flights to Dubrovnik from London's Heathrow airport and three flights weekly from London's Gatwick airport. Elegant Cruises, 800-683-6767, Fax 516-767-9303, E-mail: info@elegantcruises.com Croatia Airlines, http://www.croatiaairlines.hr Photo Credits: Rod Lopez-Fabrega, Elegant Cruises, River Cloud |
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© 2001 ROMAR TRAVEL GUIDES
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