Adriatic Cruise of 5 Countries

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Please note that the itinerary is reversed (Dubrovnik to Venice) on the August 17, September 6 & 26 and October 16, 2009 & August 21, 2010 departures.

It's pretty close to heaven. There's a sunny Mediterranean climate, but with deep woods and soaring mountains. Venetian architecture, but a culture from the heartland of Europe. Medieval alleys, but the pleasures of island life. These are our 10-night cruises to the lands bordering the Adriatic Sea, providing a comprehensive overview of the region. You will have ample time to admire the unmissable highlights - Croatia's Zadar (recently the subject of an ecstatic article in the New York Times travel section), Split, and Dubrovnik. We go further, though, and take you beyond the Dalmatian coastal tour: to the atmospheric, old Venetian streets of Slovenia's Koper; to Mostar's lovely, graceful Stari Most in Bosnia and Herzegovina; to Montenegro's Kotor, accessed by a voyage through a rapturously beautiful southern fjord; and to the ruins of ancient Butrint, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in rarely visited Albania.

Itinerary

Arrive in Venice, the magnificent "Queen of the Adriatic," and embark m/s Andrea. Remain in port overnight.

Venice occupies 117 islands in the azure waters of the Adriatic. This lagoon city is a labyrinth of canals, flanked by majestic palaces, merchants' mansions, and breathtaking baroque churches. Venice's legendary maritime heroes, such as Marco Polo, plied the Levantine trading routes. The wealth of the entire Mediterranean flowed through the Venetian Republic, adorning the city in the splendors that illuminate it today. An optional tour including St. Mark's Square provides a wealth of sights from the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs to the Campanile and St. Mark's Cathedral.

Originally an ancient Roman town, Koper allied itself with Venice in 1278, then became part of Yugoslavia after World War II. The Venetian Old City remains intact, with piazze and palazzi crumbling with authentic medieval charm. An optional excursion takes you through the karst region, an area of dry white limestone, to the Postojna Caverns, an astonishing netherworld of stalactites and stalagmites that is Europe's largest.

Zadar has the look and feel of an ancient Mediterranean city: the streets are paved with gleaming white stone, and the high protective walls � with portions dating to Roman and early medieval times � run alongside the harbor. Join us for an optional walking tour including Zadar's 9th-century Church of St. Donatus built on the remains of a Roman Forum and one of the region's most famous monuments. Other sights include the ancient City Gates, the Franciscan Monastery and Church, and the imposing 12th-century Romanesque Cathedral of St. Anastasia. Stroll along the harbor's tree-lined promenade, and be enchanted by the new "sea organ," whose 35 pipes produce otherworldly melodies from the sea winds. Arrive in Split this evening and remain overnight.

The Emperor Diocletian had a rough time maintaining order in the late Roman Empire. So when he retired in AD 305, he established a gargantuan palace in Split to live out his golden years. Improbably, the palace still exists � and forms the historic core of Split, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An optional tour of Split includes Diocletian's Mausoleum and the Temple of Jupiter, both fully preserved though converted to Christian uses during the Middle Ages; but the tremendous thrill here is to walk through an ancient edifice completely integrated with contemporary life, its chambers and porticos having become caf�s, apartments, and storefronts. We also visit sculptor Ivan Mestrovic's handsome gallery and studio on the nearby Marjan Peninsula.

Located on the banks of the Neretva River, the imposing city of Mostar achieved renown under the reign of the Ottoman Turks in the 15th century. Damaged during the hostilities of the 1990s, Mostar has recently been restored to its original splendor by UNESCO, which has declared it a World Heritage Site. Our optional excursion will include visits to the legendary Stari Most (old bridge), the Tabacica Mosque, and the city�s bazaar, featuring extraordinary works of silver and copper. Lunch will be offered in a local restaurant, followed by free time before returning to the ship. Arrive in Korcula this evening and remain overnight.

Charming views of Korcula�s harbor greet visitors as they wend their way through the city�s narrow alleyways to the Marco Polo House, where the famous explorer is said to have been born in 1254. Our optional tour includes the Cathedral of St. Mark, the largest and most beautiful building in Korcula, which contains a wealth of artistic masterworks including paintings by Tintoretto. Another highlight is the Treasury, with its eclectic collection of paintings, jewelry, fine furniture and historic documents. Shop for handmade Croatian folk art near the City Gate, or relax at one of the picturesque waterfront caf�s.

On our optional tour, visit the fascinating archaeological remains of Butrint, a

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its history as a Greek colony, Roman city and bishopric was followed by turbulent times involving the Byzantines, Normans, Angevins, Venetians and Ottoman Turks. The Butrint Foundation was set up by Lord Rothschild and Lord Sainsbury in 1993 as a charitable trust. Its principle objective is to restore and preserve the Butrint site in southern Albania for the benefit of all.

We approach Kotor via the Boka Kotorska, or Gulf of Kotor, the only fjord in southern Europe. It's an astonishing sight � the deep blue waters of the gulf, a strip of subtropical Mediterranean vegetation, then the bold, rocky cliffs and mountains towering overhead. Fortified since the Middle Ages, Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its medieval town center and the 12th-century Cathedral of St. Tryphon. Our morning walking tour of the town is optional. Arrive in Dubrovnik this evening and remain overnight.

Dubrovnik is a breathtaking sight, entirely surrounded by massive grey walls of stone, interspersed with four gates, three forts, five bastions and 14 square towers. Known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic," this grand UNESCO World Heritage Site once competed with Venice for the riches of eastern trade, amassing pride and fortune enough to dapple its streets with world-class Romanesque-Gothic design. Our optional city tour includes the Dominican and Franciscan Monasteries, the Onofrio Fountain, the Rector's Palace, the Sponza Palace and the cathedral. A stroll along Stradun � the Old Town's wide pedestrian promenade � allows you to discover Dubrovnik's many fine shops, caf�s and boutiques at leisure. Remain in port overnight.

Disembark m/s Andrea after breakfast.

Notes