DESTINATIONS CRUISE | RAIL AND SAIL
TIME OUT IN PUGLIA
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Sailing towards the volcanic island of Stromboli; writer Jeannine Williamson climbs the mast; Bari in the early morning light PICTURE: Shutterstock/Renata Sedmakova
As I draw breath halfway up another flight of steps connecting this labyrinth of streets, Matera is cast in a golden light under the midday sun. The world’s third- oldest continually inhabited city, dating back more than 7,000 years and hewn out of soft limestone rocks, is an incredible sight. It’s equally astonishing to discover that 16,000 people still lived in these simple cave dwellings (sassi) until as late as the 1950s, when they were evicted from slum conditions in a mass rehousing project. However, Matera is no
longer the so-called “shame of Italy”. Now Unesco-listed, in 2019 it was Europe’s Capital of Culture and is the high spot of my two-night pre-cruise stay. It’s no surprise the dramatic setting gave the city a starring role in the most recent James Bond film, No Time to Die, and Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, where it doubled as Jerusalem. Matera, just across the
Puglian border in neighbouring Basilicata, is an hour’s drive from our base in Bari. We stayed at the trendy 54-room Bventuno Hotel (also called B21 Lifestyle Hotel), which is handy for both the airport and train station as well as trips to Matera and Alberobello, with its concentration of conical trulli buildings for which the area is famous. For clients who fancy some relaxation, the boutique property is also next to San Francesco Beach.
1989, Swedish sailing enthusiast Mikael Krafft fulfilled his dream of reviving the 19th-century golden age of tall ships combined with modern comforts. And now I’m in Italy on one of the line’s new sail-
and-rail escapes, which will suit clients who are keen to live la dolce vita while remaining mindful of their carbon footprint.
ALL ABOARD On our 714-nautical mile Amalfi and Sicily round-trip voyage, the 166-passenger Star Flyer is propelled by the wind wherever possible; the line calculates its three ships sail an average of 40% of the time in the Mediterranean and 70% in the Caribbean. Adding to the retro travel vibe is the 310-mile rail journey from southern Italy’s Puglia region to meet the ship in the port of Civitavecchia, gateway to Rome. The journey began with a stay in Bari, capital of Puglia, before boarding the train, which was once the most convenient way to travel around Italy before the advent of cheap air travel. Just over four hours later, green countryside scattered with olive groves and vineyards makes way for the suburbs of Rome. After
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an easy change of platform, 50 minutes later we’re pulling in to Civitavecchia. There’s time for the first of many Aperol spritzes in a sunny seafront cafe, against the backdrop of Star Flyer’s four distinctive masts peeking out above the harbour wall.
WINDS OF CHANGE Even for seasoned cruisers, nothing beats watching the ship’s billowing sails being raised by hand for the first time. We nudge out into the open sea accompanied by the stirring sound of 1492: Conquest of Paradise by Vangelis. I suspect I’m not the only one with goosebumps and the hair standing up on the back of my neck from the thrill, rather than simply a chill in the warm night air. Star Flyer’s small size – it looks like a toy moored alongside a 6,000-passenger mega-ship when we dock in Messina – means that it can dock at far smaller and sleepier ports of call that are out of bounds to big vessels. This represents an integral part of the Star Clippers experience. The ports of call do take in tourist-heavy, but undeniably beautiful, Amalfi – with a vertiginous yet rewardingly scenic excursion along²
travelweekly.co.uk
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