Star Clippers Blog » Mediterranean

Cappadocia’s Captivating Land Excursion

Nicole — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 20:38:54 +0000

Cappadocia, Turkey.

Sailing the Med aboard Star Clippers tall ships just got a lot more legendary. During the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season guests will have the opportunity to explore the ancient city of Cappadocia, located in central Turkey, during a pre- or post-cruise land excursion.

This magical two-night tour takes you to the underground cave cities of Cappadocia, where discreet entrances give way to elaborate subterranean worlds. Learn the art of pottery making before setting off to visit the Goreme Open Air Museum and Uchisar Castle where you’ll discover the fairy chimneys and rock-cut churches from the early days of Christianity.

Hike in the dramatic Red and Pigeon valleys; explore Kaymakli, the widest underground city; travel to Cavusin — one of the oldest Greek villages, and marvel at Ortahisar Castle. More adventurous guest can take to the skies and drift over the spectacular Cappadocia landscape with an optional hot air balloon tour.

Port of the Week: Dikili, Turkey

Nicole — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 01:42:29 +0000

The ancient Greek city of Pergamon.

Situated on Turkey’s north Aegean coast, Dikili is a small fishing town known for its dark sand beaches, picturesque shoreline and warm thermal springs.

With a history dating back to the 2nd century B.C., guests will find that there is a lot to discover and explore while at port in this resort town.

From Dikili, guests can take an optional tour to the stunning historical site of Pergamon, an ancient Greek city that thrived during the Hellenistic period and was the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamon. Other notable attractions include the temple of Dionysus, the Acropolis, the town of Bergama and a 10,000-seat theater clinging to the incredibly steep hillside.

Be sure to visit the restored marble-columned Roman Temple of Trajan and the Asclepion, an ancient healing sanctuary named after the god of medicine.

Star Flyer’s “Greek Isles & Turkey” cruise calls at Dikili, Turkey, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Port of the Week: Hammamet, Tunisia

Nicole — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:41:24 +0000

Hammamet, Tunisia.

“Tunisia’s Saint Tropez” is a fitting description for Hammamet, a former fishing village known for its exotic history, white sand coastlines, ancient buildings and breathtaking villas. Located between the Mediterranean and the Sahara desert, Hammamet’s history is displayed through its bronze statues, pottery and Arabic inspired mosaics exhibited in the town’s museums and archaeological sites.

Guests visiting Hammamet can enjoy a camel ride on the beach at sunset or explore the ruins at the Roman site of Pupput. Other attractions include the Medina, a place of narrow roads filled with historical fountains, mosques and interesting architecture, traditional Arab baths (Hammams) and local pottery artisans.

Star Flyer’s new seven-night itineraries between Malta and Athens, Greece, calls at Hammamet, Tunisia, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Port of the Week: Skiathos, Greece

Nicole — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:22:58 +0000

Skiathos, Greece.

Skiathos is one of the Greek Sporades Islands located in the Aegean Sea and the birthplace of Alexandros Papadiamantis, one of the most prominent writers of modern Greek literature. The island is famous for its golden sand beaches, thick pine forest, picturesque monasteries and hill-top tavernas.

Although Skiathos is a relatively small island, this emerald oasis attracts thousands of visitors each year who come here to enjoy the beautiful beaches and stunning scenery. Popular beaches on the island include Kanapitsa, Koukounaries and Lalaria, a tiny beach with pearl-white pebbles, crystal clear water and a spectacular natural rock archway.

The island became internationally known after it appeared in the hit movie Mamma Mia, which was partially filmed on Skiathos and nearby island Skopelos.

Guest visiting the island will want to explore the capital, Skiathos Town, known for its traditional architecture, waterfront cafés and lively nightlife, and the ruins of Kastro overlooking the northern Aegean Sea. This impressive fortress was built in 1538 and was used to protect the town from pirates and the Ottomans. Another great attraction for history buffs is the Monastery of Evangelistria. This is the place where Greek soldiers took their oath of allegiance under the first independent Greek flag in the early 1800s.

Star Flyer’s new “Yachtsman’s Paradise” itinerary calls at Skiathos, Greece, during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Mariano’s Marine Memo: Swallows Into the Storm

Mariano — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 19:32:39 +0000

It is the day of Monday, May 3, 2010 … or in fact during the night … almost the 4th as we head toward Mahon on Menorca, an island in the Balearic archipelago. Since we sailed into the Mediterranean the weather has not been so nice to us … only a few hours of sun and a lot of rain, practically every day. The temperature has dropped down to 16° Celsius … but it is fine. First, it is springtime, the wonderful spring of Europe, and second, it does not disturb me so much, as after 6 months in the Caribbean where the coldest day was 27° I need some chilly air … at least for a couple of weeks.

But tonight we are facing the worst storm of my period on board. Wind force 9 on the Beaufort scale with a sea swell of 6 to 7 meters. Everything is on the floor. My precious collection of sea urchin skeletons has gone … the two and a half kilogram Marine Biology Book just landed on the top of the small paper box holding the fragile calcium carbonate structures. Such a horrible night … we lose a couple of sails … they ripped like old nose tissue during the strong winds that had gusts up to 61 knots. The china from the dining room and the glasses in the bar suffered a similar fate. We count the missing sick bags during the morning (hehehe).

But … and there is always a but after every storm of any kind … on the sea and in life … something happened the morning after. The sea is still rough, the waves around us still big and the rock and roll of the Royal still makes someone disappear once in a while with some sick bags, but with the first sunshine we discover some new guests on board. Some will call them “sin papier” “sin papeles” “clandestine” … moving from one country to the other without any documents, no need for stamps or visas in a passport, free like the wind, no border lines for them.

A very small group, or more correctly, a tiny Flight of Swallows, landed during the night on the Royal Clipper.

Under their scientific classification, swallows belong to the family Hirundinidae of the order Passeriformes. It is likely they were rossing from the northern parts of West Africa, such as Mauritania, Western Sahara and Morocco, to Europe, when they were hit by the storm. And so they took shelter with us — in the Tropical Bar, all over the rigging, down the lights into the wire boxes, on the top of the Zodiacs.

We are not Customs, demanding and exercising their duties, there is no-one to ask for documents, we let them take a rest. We shut down the lights and music and speak silently for two days. The lucky ones managed to fly away in Calvì, northwest of Corsica … another day, another migration, another country. They will spend the summertime in a European country, Spain, France, Italy, Germany, Eastern countries, and some of them even as far east as the United Kingdom.

If you survive travelling such long way, in a storm of such force and intensity and you are so small you can stay in my hand, you well-deserve all my admiration. No technological radar for you, no deck hands to help during the strong winds, no warm coffee in the night, my true respect goes to these princesses of the sky. My springtime will be more pleasurable knowing that we helped some of your sisters with a simple, safe, quiet passage on the Royal Clipper.

Take care my friends.

Mariano Peruzzo
Marine Biologist
Royal Clipper
May 6th 2010 Calvì, Corsica, France territory.

Port of the Week: Canakkale, Turkey

Nicole — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 22:58:31 +0000

Canakkale is the second largest province in Turkey and is situated on the Asian part of the Dardanelles strait, a stretch of water that separates Europe from Asia and links the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara.

The province has witnessed two important battles in history. One of them being the mythological war of Troy, which Homer immortalized in “Iliad.” The other is the Battle of Canakkale during World War I. During the battle, Turkish troops victoriously defended this region against enemy forces. To honor the 500,000 soldiers who gave their lives or were wounded at Gallipoli, this peninsula is now a national park of remembrance.

From Canakkale guests can take an optional tour to the ancient city of Troy. The ruins of this Bronze Age metropolis were rediscovered in 1822 and plundered by treasure hunters over the next century. The city of Troy also features a wooden Trojan Horse, built in recent years to amuse tourists who climb inside to have their picture taken.

Star Flyer makes its inaugural call at Canakkale during the 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season.

Port of the Week: Chios, Greece

Julie — Wed, 19 May 2010 18:44:38 +0000

Even though this sweet-scented island — known as the fragrant flower of the Aegean — owes its fame to mastic, it gains visitors with its natural beauty and ancient architecture. Chios, also named Hios or Khios, is an island with a long history that dates back to ancient times. The different influences of the island rulers such as the Turks, The Genoese, the Romans and Alexander the Great left ancient monuments and abandoned churches and monasteries. The 11th-century monastery of “Nea Moni,” a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the island.

The south of the island is noted for the Mastichochoria (Mastic Villages), the six villages of Mesta, Pyrgi, Olυmpi, Kalamoti, Vessa, and Elata, which together have controlled the production of mastic gum in the area since the Roman period. The villages, built between the 14th and 16th centuries, have a carefully designed layout with fortified gates and narrow streets to protect against the frequent raids by marauding pirates. Between Chios Town and the Mastichochoria lie a large number of historic villages including Armolia, Myrmighi and Kalimassia.

Some historians believe that the famous Greek poet Homer was born on Chios

Star Flyer begins cruises to Chios in summer 2011.

Sailing Into Bonifacio, Corsica

Julie — Tue, 18 May 2010 19:30:08 +0000

My favorite Star Clippers experience … entering Bonifacio harbor through its narrow opening. — Judy Condon

Both Royal Clipper and Star Flyer call at Bonifacio on their summer Mediterranean sailings.

Star Clippers Creats a Jack Sparrow Wannabe

Julie — Mon, 17 May 2010 14:27:41 +0000

Journalist Ralph Grizzle just got off a seven-night, round-trip Cannes, France, cruise aboard Star Flyer. Click HERE to read about his adventures on his website, Avid Cruiser.

Photo by Ralph Grizzle.

Star Flyer Gets Six New Med Itineraries and 10 New Ports in 2011-12

Julie — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:37:21 +0000

Looking for something new? Star Clippers is adding six new itineraries to Star Flyer’s 2011-12 Mediterranean sailing season. The new itineraries also add 10 maiden ports of call to the line’s roster.

Star Flyer’s new seven-night cruises between Athens, Greece, and Istanbul, Turkey, sail from June to August to some of the most picturesque ports in the region. With the exception of Mykonos and Patmos, Greece, and Dikili, Turkey, all of the ports on the two itineraries are maiden.

The “Greek Isles & Turkey” cruise calls at Mykonos, Kos, Patmos and Chios, Greece, and Dikili and Canakkale in Turkey. The “Yachtsman’s Paradise” itinerary calls at Canakkale, and Myrina (Limnos), Sarti, Skopelos, Skiathos, Skiros and Poros, Greece.

The town of Skiathos.

From Canakkale guests can take an optional tour to Troy, the famous city best known for being the focus of the Trojan War; Pergamon, an ancient Greek city in modern-day Turkey, can be toured from the port of Dikili; and in Skiathos guests can see where the movie musical “Mamma Mia” was filmed. Scenic cruising past the Mount Athos Monasteries will excite even the most experienced photographer.

The Mount Athos Monasteries.

In June and August, Star Flyer will sail seven-night itineraries between Valletta, Malta; Monte Carlo, Monaco, and Athens. The two cruises that sail between Valletta and Monte Carlo call at Porto Empedocle, Sicily, where guests can tour the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento; Hammamet and Tunis, Tunisia; Costa Smeralda, Sardinia, and Calvi, Corsica.

The Athens and Malta cruises sail throughout Greece and Italy, introducing the port of Monemvasia, Greece, to Star Clippers guests. Other port calls include Mykonos, Santorini and Pilos, Greece, and Siracusa, Sicily.

The ship also continues round-trip Monte Carlo cruises along the French and Italian rivieras to Corsica, Sardinia, Italy and France. Guests looking to enjoy a longer Star Clippers sailing vacation can combine this itinerary with an Athens departure to create a “Grand Voyage” in the Mediterranean.

Hope to see you on one of the new itineraries!