We spent our day cruising between the Aeolian Islands—a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, named after Aeolus, god of the winds. Rising out of the cobalt blue sea, the seven small islands (Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi, and Alicudi, each one with its own distinct character) make up a UNESCO-protected area—a piece of paradise that offers relaxation, watersports, hiking, biking, and more. We visit Lipari, the largest one, and began our sightseeing with a drive that circumnavigated the island, giving us great views of the neighboring volcanoes.
10/3/2024
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Sea Cloud
Amalfi and Napoli, Italy
Anticipating rough weather, we woke early today to attempt a morning visit to the city of Amalfi. Unfortunately, the seas were already too rough to safely disembark, and we were compelled to make other plans. We instead spent a quiet morning at sea, including a presentation by National Geographic-Lindblad Historian Rebecca on shipwreck archaeology, a fitting topic for a ship prudently avoiding rough weather. Today’s lunch on the lido deck featured the famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel, a large wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano in which a delectable pasta is prepared. We managed to dock in Napoli around midday, and interested guests accompanied Expedition Leader John on a walk around some of Napoli’s historic neighborhoods. Our leisurely walk took us past the medieval Castel Nuovo, through the soaring Galleria of Umberto I, and alongside the expansive Royal Palace of Napoli. Back aboard Sea Cloud this evening, we enjoyed the guest slide show during cocktail hour followed by one final, sumptuous dinner in the ship’s elegant dining room.