There are few better perspectives on the Mediterranean than approaching its coastal villages from the sea. Pastel-colored houses gather around tiny harbors, church towers appear beneath steep hillsides and historic waterfronts slowly come into view.
In 2027, Star Clippers is putting that experience at the center of four seven-night voyages exploring the French and Italian Rivieras, Corsica and Sardinia aboard two of its traditional tall ships.
All four itineraries will sail round trip from Nice, combining some of the Mediterranean’s best-known destinations with smaller ports and islands. Spring departures will be aboard the 227-passenger Royal Clipper, while fall voyages will sail aboard the more intimate 166-passenger Star Clipper.
The result is a decidedly different way to experience the Riviera—one where the time spent sailing between destinations can be nearly as memorable as the ports themselves.
From Nice to Portofino, Corsica and St. Tropez
The season begins on April 24, 2027, when Royal Clipper departs Nice on a Corsica & French Riviera itinerary.
The first stop is Portofino, one of the Italian Riviera’s most recognizable villages. Its colorful buildings curve around a compact harbor, while walking trails climb into the hills above town for broader views across the Ligurian coast.
From Italy, Royal Clipper heads for Corsica, calling at Propriano and Calvi, with a visit to Alghero in Sardiniabetween them. Alghero’s medieval streets, fortified waterfront and distinctive character make it one of Sardinia’s most atmospheric coastal towns.
The final portion of the voyage turns toward France, visiting the Provençal fishing harbor of Sanary-sur-Mer before arriving in St. Tropez, then returning to Nice.
Exploring the Ligurian Sea
A second Royal Clipper itinerary departing May 1 places greater emphasis on Italian ports and Mediterranean islands.
The voyage begins its port calls at Porto Venere, where colorful waterfront buildings sit beneath the dramatic Church of San Pietro on a rocky promontory overlooking the Ligurian Sea.
From there, Royal Clipper sails to Portoferraio on Elba. The island is perhaps best known as the place of Napoleon Bonaparte’s first exile, but its beaches, coastal scenery and historic towns provide plenty of reasons to linger.
The route continues to Bonifacio, dramatically positioned atop limestone cliffs at the southern end of Corsica, before crossing to Alghero in Sardinia. Later calls include Ajaccio, Corsica’s capital, and the French Riviera town of Mentonnear the Italian border.
For travelers deciding between the two spring sailings, the distinction is relatively straightforward: the May itinerary offers more Italian ports and island time, while the April departure incorporates Portofino, Sanary-sur-Mer and St. Tropez.
A Fall Voyage with Monaco and More Beach Time
Star Clippers returns to the region in October, this time aboard Star Clipper.
The October 2 Ligurian Sea sailing revisits Porto Venere, Elba, Bonifacio and Alghero but introduces a few important differences from the spring itinerary.
While in Corsica’s Gulf of Ajaccio, the ship adds a call at Porticcio Beach before visiting Ajaccio itself. The voyage then continues to Monaco, where travelers can explore the narrow lanes of Monaco-Ville, visit the Prince’s Palace and take in views of the harbor from the principality’s hilltop old town.
It’s an itinerary that combines the glamour traditionally associated with the Riviera with smaller coastal communities and time at the beach.
More Time in Corsica
The final featured voyage departs Nice on October 9 aboard Star Clipper and returns to the Corsica & French Rivieraroute.
Portofino, Calvi, Sanary-sur-Mer and St. Tropez remain part of the itinerary, but the fall version spends additional time exploring Corsica.
One addition is L’Île-Rousse, a relaxed seaside town whose central square is lined with cafés. The ship also visits Ajaccio, where travelers can explore the 16th-century baroque Notre-Dame Cathedral, the church where Napoleon was baptized.
Those destinations replace Propriano and Alghero from the spring version of the itinerary, giving travelers another variation on the route.
When Sailing Is Part of the Destination
What separates these voyages from a conventional Mediterranean cruise is the ship itself.
Rather than simply functioning as transportation between ports, Royal Clipper and Star Clipper are sailing vessels where guests can watch the crew raise the sails and experience the rhythms of traveling under wind power.
Passengers who want to become more involved can learn to tie nautical knots or even climb to the crow’s nest. Those looking for something considerably less energetic can stretch out in the bowsprit net above the water, cool off in a deck pool or simply watch the coastline pass from the teak decks.
Evenings are deliberately informal, with a piano bar and occasional performances from local musicians.
The ships themselves are small by modern cruise standards. Star Clippers’ fleet carries between 166 and 227 guests, with expansive teak decks, swimming pools, informal dining and lounges rather than the large-scale attractions associated with contemporary mega-ships.
Seeing the Riviera from a Different Perspective
Traveling the French and Italian Rivieras by road or rail offers plenty of rewards, but seeing these coastlines from the deck of a sailing ship provides an entirely different sense of place.
Portofino’s harbor, Bonifacio’s cliffs and the old towns of Corsica and Sardinia aren’t simply destinations reached at the end of a journey. They’re part of the scenery as the ships approach and depart.
That combination of sailing and exploring ashore is ultimately the appeal of Star Clippers’ 2027 Riviera season: familiar Mediterranean destinations viewed from a perspective that travelers on land rarely get to experience.
