From Florence to Nice · Mediterranean · 8 nights
Sea Cloud Spirit is the newest addition to the Sea Cloud Cruises fleet, a majestic three-masted full-rigged windjammer.
Sea Cloud Spirit combines the romance of sail with the highest
standards of onboard hospitality, featuring elegantly appointed
cabins (many with a private balcony), a spacious spa and wellness
area, two restaurants and welcoming, light-filled public areas.
Fly to Florence where you will be met and transferred to the Floren Hotel for a two-night stay. The hotel is located in the heart of the city and offers a great base for exploring the sights from the Ponte Vecchio to the Uffizi Galleries. Following your time here, transfer to the pier in Livorno to board Sea Cloud Spirit and begin your voyage.
The faded port town of Livorno serves as a gateway to Tuscany’s star attractions. Wonderful Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is resplendent with beautiful architecture and unrivalled artistic treasures, while nearby Pisa is of course famous for its precarious Leaning Tower.
The Corsican port of Calvi is a popular summer destination for both sun-seeking tourists and the yachts of the super-rich, with a swanky harbour and five miles of beautiful beach. The town is said by some to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, and the skyline is dominated by the imposing 15th century Genoese citadel.
The island of Elba, just off the Tuscan coast, is where Napoleon Bonaparte was famously forced to live in exile between 1814-15. It’s hard to feel too sorry for him, though; the views from his plush Villa dei Mulini, situated high above the town of Portoferraio, are quite spectacular.
The popular beach resort of Viareggio lies at the northern end of the Tuscan coast, the seafront lined with faded art nouveau facades that hark back to the town’s 1920s and ‘30s heyday. Viareggio is famous for its Carnival, one of the biggest in Italy, while nearby day trip options include Pisa and Lucca.
This tiny village on the Ligurian coast must be one of the most photographed spots in Italy, and no wonder; brightly coloured houses cling to the hillside overlooking a delightfully picturesque little harbour, where fishing boats gently bob alongside luxury yachts.
During the 19th century San Remo was a popular destination for European royals in exile, and the town retains plenty of glitz and glamour. Try your luck with the high rollers at the most famous casino on the Italian Riviera, take a stroll along the promenade or lose yourself in the labyrinthine streets of the old town.
Ever since Brigitte Bardot put Saint Tropez on the map with the seminal ‘And God Created Woman’ in 1956, this diminutive fishing village on the French Riviera has been a magnet for the international glitterati.
Nice enjoys a marvellous setting on one of the most glorious stretches of the Côte d’Azur, the sweeping Bay of Angels, so it’s no wonder that tourists have been flocking here since the 19th century.
