Blissful Mediterranean
Sleek and elegantly charming, Nautica’s decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings.
The Miami-based cruise line - a subsidiary of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings - offers seven small, luxurious ships that carry a maximum of 1,250 guests and feature the finest cuisine at sea and destination-rich itineraries that span the globe.
Expertly curated travel experiences aboard the designer-inspired, small ships call on more than 600 marquee and boutique ports in more than 100 countries on 7 continents on voyages that range from 7 to more than 200 days.
Nothing can prepare you for your first sight of Dubrovnik. Lying 216 km (135 miles) southeast of Split and commanding a jaw-dropping coastal location, it is one of the world's most beautiful fortified cities. Its massive stone ramparts and fortress towers curve around a tiny harbor, enclosing graduated ridges of sun-bleached orange-tiled roofs, copper domes, and elegant bell towers. Your imagination will run wild picturing what it looked like seven centuries ago when the walls were built, without any suburbs or highways around it, just this magnificent stone city rising out of the sea.In the 7th century AD, residents of the Roman city Epidaurum (now Cavtat) fled the Avars and Slavs of the north and founded a new settlement on a small rocky island, which they named Laus, and later Ragusa. On the mainland hillside opposite the island, the Slav settlement called Dubrovnik grew up. In the 12th century the narrow channel separating the two settlements was filled in (now the main street through the Old Town, called Stradun), and Ragusa and Dubrovnik became one. The city was surrounded by defensive walls during the 13th century, and these were reinforced with towers and bastions in the late 15th century.From 1358 to 1808 the city thrived as a powerful and remarkably sophisticated independent republic, reaching its golden age during the 16th century. In 1667 many of its splendid Gothic and Renaissance buildings were destroyed by an earthquake. The defensive walls survived the disaster, and the city was rebuilt in baroque style.Dubrovnik lost its independence to Napoléon in 1808, and in 1815 passed to Austria-Hungary. During the 20th century, as part of Yugoslavia, the city became a popular tourist destination, and in 1979 it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. During the war for independence, it came under heavy siege. Thanks to careful restoration, few traces of damage remain; however, there are maps inside the Pile and Ploče Gates illustrating the points around the city where damage was done. It’s only when you experience Dubrovnik yourself that you can understand what a treasure the world nearly lost
Bari, capital of the province of Apulia, lies on southern Italy's scenic Adriatic coast. Its busy port is a leading commercial and industrial centre, as well as a transit point for travellers catching ferries across the Adriatic to Greece.
Bari comprises a new and an old town. To the north, on a promontory between the old and new harbours, lies the picturesque old town, or Citta Vecchia, with a maze of narrow, crooked streets. To the south is the spacious and regularly planned new town, which has developed considerably since 1930, when the Levant Fair was first held here.
The heart of the modern town is Piazza della Liberta. The busy thoroughfare, Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, separates the new town from the old. At the eastern end of the Corso begins the Lungomare Nazario Sauro, a magnificent seafront promenade that runs along the old harbour. Bari and the Apulian region were long recognized for their strategic location, attracting a succession of colonizers such as the Normans, Moors and Spaniards, each leaving their mark.
Malta: the country that God built. Well, kind of. Malta is well-known for being the once-stronghold of the famous religious military order, The Knights Hospitaller, who were granted the land in 1530 from the King of Spain in exchange for an annual fee of one Maltese falcon (which eventually inspired the name of Dashiell Hammett’s famous novel). And these marauding knights certainly did a great job putting the place together. Valletta, the nation’s capital, remains the highlight and exploring this fascinating walled city (which kept the Hospitallers secure until they came across Napoleon in 1798) is akin to walking back in time. It’s small size (just 0.3 square miles) makes it the perfect cruise stopover and is the ideal base for exploring the rest of the country on excursions.
Smack bang in the middle of the Mediterranean is an island blessed with seemingly perennial sunshine, rolling countryside, picturesque colourful citadels and the freshest of Italian food. That island is Sardinia. Closer to Africa than Italy, Sardinia is one of the most beautiful outcrops in the world, famous for its buzzing and trendy ports – think Cagliari and Porto Cervo – landscape of ancient ruins and rural farmsteads and 1,150 miles of superlative coastline. Few places look like they do in the photos, but Google Sardinia and you’ll see why everyone from Roman invaders to billionaire yachtsmen have scrambled to land on its shores. The best news? It’s home to four cruise terminals, dotted all over the island.
Livorno is one of central Italy's busiest economic hubs. Known for its massive seaport and epic medieval fortifications, Livorno has another side where freshly caught seafood, urban waterways, vibrant nightlife, and modern museums are the order of the day.
Visitors who arrive by cruise ship often consider Livorno as only a stopover before venturing to more popular destinations. Don't become one of those visitors, as you are missing out!
We'd recommend exploring Livorno on foot, absorbing the culture and relaxing in the charms of Italy's lesser-known coastal city.
Italy's vibrant capital lives in the present, but no other city on earth evokes its past so powerfully. For over 2,500 years, emperors, popes, artists, and common citizens have left their mark here.
Archaeological remains from ancient Rome, art-stuffed churches, and the treasures of Vatican City vie for your attention, but Rome is also a wonderful place to practice the Italian-perfected il dolce far niente, the sweet art of idleness. Your most memorable experiences may include sitting at a caffè in the Campo de' Fiori or strolling in a beguiling piazza.
Sleek and elegantly charming, Nautica’s decks are resplendent in the finest teak, custom stone and tile work, and her lounges, suites and staterooms boast luxurious, neo-classical furnishings.