Adriatic Cruise Holidays
If you love culture, history and natural beauty then the Adriatic Sea is the right destination for you as this small part of Europe has all of that and more to offer.
Starting in the North of Italy, the Adriatic Sea continues down the East coast of Italy, down through the Balkans and meets the Ionian Sea in the South, the Adriatic Sea is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea.
That means you can enjoy some of Eastern Europe’s greatest towns and cities, lots of famous Italian resorts and add on the best of the Med or Greek Islands on an Adriatic cruise holiday which can be reached via a short flight or even on a NoFly cruise from the UK.
There are a number of fantastic countries that have coastlines on the Adriatic Sea including Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Albania, and Italy.
Interestingly despite been a relatively small sea contains over 1300 islands, which are mostly found off of the coast of Croatia, with some of the larger ones been able to visit on an Adriatic cruise holiday.
Cruises To Adriatic
Cruise Holidays in Adriatic
The Adriatic is a great holiday destination all year around thanks for a relatively mild temperature through the winter and beautiful sunny weather from the summer months but it really is the range of great ports of call that makes the Adriatic such a popular cruise holiday destinations.
It is no surprise therefore that the majority of cruise lines that operate in Europe offer holidays in the region and there are a number of departure ports that are well worth adding on a few days before or after your cruise to really take in all that they have to offer.
Adriatic Cruise Guide
Popular Ports
Amongst the most popular ports of call on the Adriatic Sea are Venice, Pula, Split, Dubrovnik, Kotor, Bari and Koper
Adriatic Cruise Destinations
All of the countries on the Adriatic offer lots of choices for those on an Adriatic cruise holiday and best of all, most ports are just the right size to explore on your own but there are also some fantastic excursion just waiting to be explored.
The country of Albania may not be the first one to come to mind when you think of as a cruise destination and perhaps not even when you think about an Adriatic Sea cruise destination but it really ought to.
The seaside town and port of Sarande (also known as Serande) is the gateway to the country that is really growing its reputation as a fantastic tourist destination full of history, culture, and a beautiful coastline.
The Bosnian coastline may only stretch for around 20kms or so but that still does not mean that you cannot take a cruise holiday to one of the most historic Balkan countries as there is a small but well equipped cruise port in Neum, the countries only seaside resort.
Croatia is one of the most popular destinations for an Adriatic / Mediterranean cruise and it is no surprise why.
There are a number of smaller ports of call that showcase the history, culture and natural beauty of this stunning country but for many it is the large city of Split in the north of the country and the marvellous walled city of Dubrovnik in the south of the country that are the main ports of call.
It is arguably the Adriatic coast of Italy that is the biggest draw of the region and whilst that is unfair to other great destinations, it should take nothing away from the many great ports of Call along Italy’s eastern seaboard.
The northeast of Italy is home to the iconic canal city of Venice and it is here that many cruises in the region start and finish. Other popular ports include Trieste, near to the Slovenian border, Ravenna (for San Marino), Pescara and Bari.
Montenegro is a country full of natural beauty and it is also home to one of the world’s greatest entrances to a cruise port as you sail past small villages, mountains and even an island fortress on your way into Kotor, an entrance often known as the only Fjord in the Med (despite been on the Adriatic and not been a fjord!).
All cruise ships visiting Slovenia call into Koper, which is a beautiful town in its own right and you can easily spend a day walking around the historical town centre and taking in the sights, culture and attractions on offer but the port also acts as a gateway for trips to the fantastic capital city of Ljubljana or the idyllic surrounds of Lake Bled.
Popular Cruise Lines
Here are our top cruise lines offering holidays in the Adriatic.
MSC Cruises, Marella Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Costa Cruises and Celebrity Cruises
Adriatic Sea
Whilst often over-looked as a European cruise holiday destination, the Adriatic Sea is a great location for a holiday thanks to the great ports of call which all offer something different but which are also all full of history, culture, and iconic sites of interest.
The region is also known for its great climate and for its blue skies so you should have the perfect weather for getting off of the ship and exploring but when it comes to seadays, it is also ideal for sitting gup on top deck and either sunbathing, taking a soak in the pool or simply sitting out and taking in the great views.
Most of the ports you will call into are small to medium towns, so there is often no need for an expensive excursion as you can simply get off of the ships and explore on your own but there are also some great excursions to enjoy including to the Plitvice Lakes National Park and to the beautiful city of Ljubljana.
Best Time To Visit The Adriatic
Whilst the area is great to visit all year around, the sunny weather and blue sky’s between May-September are the ideal time to visit and to make the msot of the stunning natural beauty found throughout the Adriatic coastal region.
Here at CruiseHols.co.uk we bring you all of the information you will ever need to choose the right cruise destination for you and your family.
Our destination guides include everything from ports to attractions and excursion to the positives and negatives of the destination.
