Our final port of call before Dubrovnik was the Southern town of Ótranto, basically the southernmost tip of the heel of the Italian peninsula. In the morning, we visited Lecce, the so-called Florence of the Baroque, to marvel at the churches and palaces built during in construction booms of the 17th and 18th centuries. The afternoon, on the other hand, was spent in Ótranto itself. Because of its favorable position, the town enjoyed wealth through maritime trade and in the Middle Ages, was coveted by different settlers and conquerors. Its Byzantine and Norman influences are still visible in a few surviving, spectacular buildings.
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.