Before dawn the Sea Cloud departed the Tyrrhenian Sea and entered the Ionian Sea via the narrow Strait of Messina, maneuvering around local ferries, freighters, and fishing-crafts before strong currents propelled it into the Messina Harbor. After a bus ride along the stunningly beautiful Sicilian coast, we spent the morning exploring the sites and shops of Taormina before having lunch on the ship. Then, Massimo Bassano regaled the guests with tales of the Mafia before we returned ashore to have dinner at the nearby Castello degli Schiavi, an 18th-century villa that was used as a backdrop for all three of The Godfather films.
5/31/2019
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Sea Cloud
Monemvasia, Greece
On this two-week voyage, we save the last day as an exploring day to adjust to the voyage thus far and the group interests to finish the trip with a crescendo. Since we’d had plenty of excellent sailing day and night across the Ionian Sea and the water was still too cool for an improvised beach day, we knew that this group would love a surprise stop at the stunning Greek rock of Monemvasia on the east side of the Peloponnesus. The offshore rock was inhabited in prehistoric times, and the medieval town of Monemvasia was founded in the 6th century. An arched bridge was built to connect it to the mainland in the late 19th century, but there are no roads or vehicles in the walled medieval city that is perched under the cliff face. No maps or guides are necessary, and we all enjoyed the morning winding through the labyrinthine streets and alleys. It was a stunning finale to a beautiful voyage.
