Date
Sep 19, 2027 - Sep 29, 2027
Trip Type
By Sea

Group Size: Up to 78 participants across all sponsors
Price: Starting from $9,999 per person, double occupancy 
Co-sponsored with: Penn Alumni Travel, The Museum Travel Alliance and National Trust for Historic Preservation

Activity Level
3

Trip Overview

What defines the Adriatic? For millennia, it served as the crossroads where Greek colonists met Illyrian kingdoms, where Rome built its highway to the East, and where the Venetian Republic fortified its maritime empire. Sail aboard the threemasted Sea Cloud II from Dubrovnik to Naples, tracing this ancient corridor of commerce and conquest.

In Montenegro, walk through Kotor’s Venetian stronghold and explore Albania’s Roman amphitheaters and Byzantine monasteries. From Puglia’s hilltop towns to Paestum’s Greek temples and painted tombs, curator-led visits and exclusive museum access illuminate how su cessive civilizations—Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Venetian, Ottoman–left their architectural signatures on these shores. Regional tastings and private tours complete this journey through a sea that connected empires.

itinerary map

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Schedule by Day

Click each drop-down below to view a detailed itinerary. For a full view, please select "print page".

Depart on an overnight flight to Dubrovnik, Croatia.

Arrive in Dubrovnik, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the former seat of the powerful maritime Republic of Ragusa. After a group welcome lunch, board Sea Cloud II in the afternoon and set sail from the historic harbor with a champagne toast. Gather for a welcome reception and dinner this evening on board.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: L, R, D

Arrive in the Bay of Kotor, a UNESCO-recognized submerged river canyon often mistaken for a fjord. You have a choice of two excursions:

Option 1: A short drive takes you to Perast, where you board a boat for Our Lady of the Rocks, the only manmade island in the Adriatic. The islet was built over centuries by sailors depositing stones on a reef where an icon of the Madonna was found in 1452. After lunch, a guided tour takes you through Kotor’s Old Town, a fortified medieval city shaped by the Venetian Republic, with defensive walls stretching nearly three miles up the adjoining mountain. You will have free time to explore this historic center at your own pace.

Option 2: Drive to Risan, the oldest settlement around the Bay of Kotor and former capital of the Illyrian kingdom, to explore its exquisite second-century A.D. Roman Mosaics. Walk through the preserved villa where five intricate floor mosaics capture Roman domestic life, culminating in the world’s only known mosaic depiction of Hypnos, the Greek god of sleep. This polychrome masterpiece was placed in the master bedroom to serve as a divine protector during rest. 

This evening, gather for the captain’s welcome dinner aboard Sea Cloud II.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Begin your day at the Roman Amphitheatre of Durrës, the largest in the Balkans, built in the early second century A.D., when this city was the western terminus of the Via Egnatia, Rome’s great highway to the East. 

With a private archaeologist, explore the arena that once held 20,000 spectators and discover its remarkable transformation: A sixth-century Christian chapel with rare wall mosaics was built within the structure, physically representing Christianity’s triumph over Roman pagan spectacle. 

Walk to the nearby Byzantine Forum and Roman Baths for insight into the civic and social life of ancient Dyrrhachium, then continue to the Archaeological Museum, Albania’s largest, housing over 3,200 artifacts spanning the city’s Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods.

Return to Sea Cloud II and enjoy dinner this evening as we sail along the Albanian coast.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Step ashore in Vlorë, where Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1912. Today, choose between two excursions:

Option 1: Enjoy a guided tour of the historic city of Vlorë, beginning at the Muradie Mosque, a 1542 Ottoman masterpiece attributed to Mimar Sinan, the empire’s greatest architect. Continue to the Museum of Independence, housed in the original headquarters where Ismail Qemali declared Albania’s independence from the Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912, ending nearly 500 years of rule. Conclude with a stroll through Vlorë’s Old Town, where restoration efforts have revitalized the blend of Ottoman and early 20th-century Albanian architecture. Drive to the St. Mary’s Monastery, a 13th-century Byzantine structure on Zvërnec Island, reached by a wooden bridge across tranquil lagoon waters.

Option 2: Take a day trip to Apollonia, the extensive ruins of a major Greek and Roman city founded in the sixth century B.C. Once home to 60,000 inhabitants and a prestigious school of philosophy where the young Octavian (later Emperor Augustus) studied, the city was abandoned after a third or fourth-century earthquake altered the course of the Vjosë River, causing its harbor to silt up and transforming the surrounding area into malarial swamps. 

Explore the well-preserved monuments, including the Bouleuterion with its reconstructed Corinthian façade; the intimate Odeon theater; and the 13th-century Byzantine monastery that now houses the site museum.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Step ashore in Brindisi, a port in the Alto Salento sub-region of Puglia, the heel of the Italian peninsula. Today, you may choose between two optional morning excursions: 

Option 1: Join a guided tour of the town of San Vito dei Normanni. Its name is a deliberate 19th-century rebranding, designed to elevate the town’s origins from a Slavic refugee settlement to a more prestigious Norman warrior stronghold. Explore its historic palaces and churches, including the Basilica di Santa Maria della Vittoria, a local monument to the pivotal 1571 Battle of Lepanto. Continue to the white-washed hilltop town of Ostuni, known as La Città Bianca (The White City). This practice began as a public health measure, as the lime wash used on the buildings acted as a disinfectant that helped protect the city from the 17th-century plague. Lunch is a home-style Apulian meal, where a local host prepares traditional dishes.

Option 2: A guided tour of Brindisi concentrates on the city’s history as a vital Roman port and the terminus of the Via Appia, the great military road known as the regina viarum (queen of roads). This position solidified the city’s role as the crucial gateway to the eastern provinces of the Roman Empire. 

View the Roman Columns that still stand overlooking the harbor, marking the ancient road’s end. Lunch will be served in a historic setting overlooking the Adriatic or at a local trattoria known for traditional Apulian specialties.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Attend enlightening lectures about what’s to come on your sea voyage while taking advantage of the world-class amenities aboard Sea Cloud II.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Your port of call is Messina, a city whose identity is defined by its position on the narrow, current-swept strait that separates Sicily from mainland Italy and gave rise to the myths of Scylla and Charybdis. You have two options for the day:

Option 1: A morning in Messina illustrates the city’s cycle of destruction and rebirth. You will visit the Messina Cathedral, a building that has been faithfully reconstructed multiple times following catastrophic earthquakes and fires, and see its bell tower, home to the world’s most complex mechanical and astronomical clock. After lunch on board, you will have an exclusive after-hours visit to the Regional Museum of Messina. The collection was largely formed from artworks salvaged from the city’s ruins, and here you will have a close encounter with two masterpieces by Caravaggio, The Adoration of the Shepherds and The Resurrection of Lazarus, painted during his exile in Sicily.

Option 2: A private 4x4 vehicle takes you up the slopes of Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The volcano’s eruptions have been documented for at least 2,700 years, providing one of the world’s longest records of volcanism and making it a prime natural laboratory for the study of earth sciences. Your excursion includes lunch at a winery on its fertile slopes.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

Arrive at Lipari, the largest of the volcanic Aeolian Islands. In the Neolithic period, the island’s vast deposits of obsidian, a volcanic glass prized for making sharp tools, made it one of the most prosperous settlements in the Mediterranean. You have two options for the morning.

Option 1: Enjoy an exclusive entrance to the Archaeological Museum of Lipari, where you will be led on a visit by the director. The museum’s collection includes cargo from ancient Greek and Roman shipwrecks and the world’s largest collection of miniature Greek theatrical masks, which provides invaluable insight into this lost art form.

Option 2: An opportunity to experience the island’s geology firsthand with a relaxing morning on one of Lìpari’s black volcanic sand beaches. After lunch, spend an afternoon at sea before dinner on board this evening.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

From the port of Agropoli, a short drive takes you to Paestum, one of the most important archaeological sites in Italy. Originally the Greek colony of Poseidonia, it contains three of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in the world, built in the Doric order between 550 and 450 B.C. After an exclusive welcome from the site director, you will see the three monumental temples dedicated to Hera and Athena, which are considered superior in their state of preservation to many in Greece itself.

 A curated visit to the adjacent museum follows, where you will see the Tomb of the Diver. Discovered in 1968, it is the only surviving example of large-scale Greek wall painting from the Archaic or Classical periods, its famous lid panel depicting a youth diving into water in a metaphor for the soul’s passage to the afterlife. Before returning to the ship, you will have a chance to taste authentic buffalo mozzarella. 

Enjoy lunch on board as we sail to Naples. Gather for the festive farewell dinner this evening.

Overnight: Sea Cloud II

Meals: B, L, D

After breakfast, you will disembark in Naples for your transfer to the airport and your flight home.

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Pricing

More information on the cabin categories can be found on the ship webpage here.

Cabin Category

Double Occupancy

Single Occupancy

Category 1, Cabins (204-206)

$9,999 per person

$12,999

Category 2, Superior Cabins (207-210)

$12,999 per person

$19,499

Category 3, Deluxe Cabins (211-217 & 224-231)

$15,499 per person

$22,999

Category 4, Deluxe Cabins (218-223)

$17,499 per person

Inquire

Category 5, Deluxe Cabins (301 & 302)

$18,499 per person

Inquire

Category 6, Junior Suites (303-319)

$19,999 per person

Inquire

Category 7, Owner's Suites (401 & 402)

$23,999 per person

Inquire

Seven nights cabin accommodations aboard Sea Cloud II ■ Meals as indicated on the itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, R=Reception, D=Dinner). Bottled water, soft drinks, juices, and coffee/tea with all meals; thoughtfully selected wine and beer with onboard lunches and dinners; complimentary open bar aboard Sea Cloud II throughout the cruise (including all standard spirits) ■ Enrichment program of lectures and talks ■ Escorted sightseeing, transportation, and entrance fees for all included visits ■ Airport/pier/airport group transfers for all participants on suggested flights ■ Taxes, service, and porterage charges; gratuities to local guides and drivers; customary shipboard gratuities

International airfare; passport/visa fees; meals not specified; alcoholic beverages other than what is noted in inclusions; personal items and expenses; airport transfers other than for those on suggested flights; excess baggage; trip insurance; optional Palermo prelude; any other items not specifically mentioned as included.

To reserve a space on this program, a $2,000 deposit is required per person. Final payment is due 120 days before departure (May 22, 2027) payable by cash, check, wire transfer, ACH, debit card, or American Express credit card. Participants will receive an invoice directly from the tour operator, Arrangements Abroad for all subsequent payments after the initial deposit.

Notification of cancellation must be received in writing by HAA from the participant. Cancellations received within 14 days of booking are eligible for a full refund, provided that initial deposits were made 121 days or more prior to departure. After 14 days, $1,000 per person becomes non-refundable.

The program terms and conditions can be found here and must be acknowledged upon registration.

 

Accommodations

  • Seven nights aboard Sea Cloud II

What to Expect

Activity Level 3

activity iconTo make the most of what this expedition has to offer, the trip will be active, requiring you to be in good health and physical condition and able to keep up with the group without assistance from tour staff. The schedule will include long days, with some early departures, and activities scheduled throughout the day and into the evening. Daily activities can involve up to three miles of walking, often over cobblestones; elevators may not be available and stairs may not have handrails. The ship does not have an elevator, so you will need to navigate stairs, possibly while on choppy seas. Participants should be fit and in active good health. Limited medical facilities are available on board the Sea Cloud II. The degree of difficulty will be described in daily briefings, and all activities are optional, so each traveler may choose the activity level that best suits his or her ability.

Study Leader(s)

To be announced

Mode of Travel

The sailing yacht Sea Cloud II is a three-masted barque steeped in the elegance of yesteryear and complemented with the most modern amenities.

For More Information

Please email haatravels@harvard.edu or call our office at 800-422-1636 or 617-496-0806.