Hard to believe it was the last day of our magical cruise up the Dalmatian coast. And what a perfect way to end—the beautiful island of Hvar, the lavender capital of the Croatia. Sea Cloud sailed through a narrow channel between the Pakleni Islands to drop anchor just in front of the old Venetian harbor of Hvar. We tendered into the pier for a late-morning orientation and walking tour of this delightful town full of small churches, Venetian-inspired Renaissance palaces with pointed trefoil windows, and ground-floor loggias. The quayside is lined with cafes, bars, and lavender stands on one side, and amazing yachts on the other. Our guides took us around the seawall and out to the Franciscan monastery to see the little physic garden and impressive painting of the Last Supper that dominates the monk’s refectory. Done by a Venetian artist of the school of Paolo Veronese, who was shipwrecked on the island and nursed back to health in the monastery, it is a stunning masterpiece. We wound our way back to the main square and then fanned out on our own to explore the alleyways leading up to the Spanjola fortress that protects the city and bay, go for a swim, or just sit and enjoy a cool drink in one of the many bars surrounding the square.
9/23/2024
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Sea Cloud
Hvar, Croatia
On the last day of our voyage, we spent the morning on the lovely island of Hvar, known for its fragrant fields of lavender and rosemary. Our walking tour started with the Franciscan monastery, featuring a centuries-old cypress tree and a 17th-century painting of the Last Supper attributed to Matteo Ponzoni. We continued on to tour one of the oldest community theaters in Europe (dating to 1612), the Hvar Arsenal (instrumental in building and repairing Venetian ships), and the town’s stone buildings which often feature the winged lion of St. Mark. This afternoon, after a lunch featuring the famous Sea Cloud pasta wheel, we enjoyed a lecture by cultural specialist Zrinka Šapro on the history of Croatia, focusing on the 20th century. Hearing about the rule of Josip Broz Tito and the wars of the 1990s from someone with personal experience was a particularly fitting conclusion to our tour of this region so rich in history. Our final evening aboard included a cocktail hour and the guest slide show on the lido deck, followed by the captain’s farewell dinner in Sea Cloud’s elegant dining room, after which we bid our travel companions and newfound friends a fond farewell.