Sailing the Mediterranean: Naples to Malta Aboard Sea Cloud Spirit
Mediterranean Voyage: Sailing from Naples on the Sea Cloud Spirit
Sea Cloud Spirit under full sail
Embarking from the Historic Bay of Naples
If you’re going on a voyage, then the Bay of Naples makes for a pretty classic embarkation point. A great many historical figures have departed the shores beneath smoky old Vesuvius - way back in time the mythical Odysseus had his encounter with the Sirens somewhere on this coast; Roman Emperors such as Claudius and Tiberius spent time in the bay area; Admiral Nelson famously evacuated King Ferdinand IV and his court from Naples aboard his flagship, HMS Vanguard along, of course, with Sir William Hamilton and his own siren of a wife, Emma; and later the English poets Lord Byron, Percy Bysshe Shelley, John Keats all took to the sea hereabouts.
Leaving Naples at night
So what was good for that little lot was certainly good enough for me - especially as I was embarking on a journey from Naples aboard the fabulous Sea Cloud Spirit - the three-masted sailing ship I raved about in last week’s article.
Naples: A City of Vibrant Contrasts
But first a note about Naples itself. The quote says: “when a man is tired of London he is tired of life”, but I’d prefer to use it in connection with Naples - a slightly crazy city which is loud, highly colourful and buzzing with life. I know of few other places that are quite as hot and frenzied, while at the same time being so stylish and cool.
Not that I could live there, it’d be far too exhausting for an old country hick like me. But I loved our recent short stay prior to joining our cruise. I even managed to discover an excellent and inexpensive hotel situated just 50 metres from the ship’s berth (the Smart Hotel, situated on the actual quay). Our 24-hours in the city prior to embarkation included two delicious meals in local restaurants (more expensive than Naples used to be, but not bad at under £70 for two, including wine) and a ridiculously cheap shopping expedition (clothes in Italy are fabulous value).
However, with the heat heading up towards 40 degrees we were very pleased indeed to board the cool, sleek and air-condition Sea Cloud Spirit come late afternoon. Gliding out of the central old port on the open air Lido Deck with its masts all its its wood and brass, with a glass of champagne in my hand at sunset, was not something I’ll forget in a hurry.
Capri's Unexpected Downpour and a Mediterranean Cool Down
Capri is hit by the storm
Nor was our visit to Capri the next morning. Why? Because the heavens opened in tropical style and the rain crashed down in sheets. So forceful was the downpour, shopkeepers manning the island’s glitzy and expensive establishments were photographing the deluge and the flash flooding from the protection of their doorways. We, however, got a real soaking. Not that it bothered us much because we were soon back aboard ship and, anyway, we’ve been to Capri a couple of times before in its usual bright sunshine.
Moreover, the giant rainstorm cleared the air across the entire region and helped cool the central Mediterranean's muggy temperatures for the rest of our trip.
Discovering Trapani: Sicily's Historic Salt Trade Hub
After 36 hours at sea we arrived at Trapani, on Sicily’s western coast. A fascinating old place, jutting out into the sea on its own small promontory between steep mountains and dead flat salt-pans. Indeed, it’s history is based on the once highly valuable salt-trade and the harbour is still busy with fishing boats and ferries which ply to-and-fro to the nearby Egadi Islands. Like a lot of historic Sicilian ports, the old town seems to close in on itself, shrugging off the neighbouring sea and anyone who might be on it with large bastions of the local tufa stone.
There’s a good reason why Sicilian ports do this. Being at the centre of the Mediterranean, the large island was a target for invaders and pirates over many centuries.
Trapani’s historic sea walls
Trapani’s streets wind through the older sections of town, eventually opening onto more recent expansions and also the beaches of peninsula’s north coast. And high above town, the village of Erice is perched atop Monte San Giuliano and a journey up there by cable car is one of the must-do things you can enjoy in the area. It is a place of medieval walls and stone buildings clustered along narrow, cobbled paths. The vast panoramas encompass the sea, the salt-pans, the neighbouring uplands and a huge distant plain. We very much enjoyed a trip up to Erice, partly because it was a lot cooler up there.
Historic forts at Erice
Palermo: Sicily's Vibrant Capital and Culinary Delights
Next, for us, was an overnight sail around Sicily’s mountainous north-western corner to the island capital, Palermo. What a place… I’d never visited before despite the city being on my wish-list for years - a wish-list made all the more urgent recently as I watched Stanley Tucci’s 'Searching for Italy’ TV series. In one episode the actor explores Palermo’s lively markets and learns about the international influences on Sicilian cuisine. I did exactly the same thing. Indeed, I videoed exactly the same fish merchant chanting the delights of his fresh seafood - it would have been difficult to miss him!
The city’s multilayered history is to be seen in the diverse architecture. Structures reflecting Norman, Arab, and Baroque styles stand alongside one another, particularly in the older districts. Palermo is a mix of wide boulevards leading to more confined areas where narrow streets set off in every direction. It’s in these narrow byways that the city’s daily life unfolds, especially in and around the open-air markets, such as the opens you find at Ballarò and Vucciria.
Fish stall in Palermo
I’ll admit to being far too addicted to these places, with all their colour and their noise, scents and savoury smells, to worry too much about Palermo's numerous churches and former palaces.
Palermo’s Fontana Pretoria
In the evening we were treated to a wonderful concert aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit - as mentioned in last week’s article, four world-class musicians from the ensemble Recondite Armonia blew the 70-or-so passengers away with their musicianship.
Scenic Sailing and the Straits of Messina
Mt Etna above Giardina Naxos
Next was another day at sea - a particularly comfortable and scenic one as we sailed with a following wind along Sicily’s mountainous northern coast, passing between it and the Aeolian archipelago, namely Lipari (the largest island), Salina, Vulcano, Stromboli (with its active volcano puffing the occasional plume of smoke), Panarea, Filicudi and Alicudi.
Straits of Messina at dusk
In his “welcome aboard” lecture the Sea Cloud Spirit’s captain had promised us he’d try to sail us down through the Straits of Messina in daylight, as the passage between mainland Italy and Sicily really is a maritime treat. But for a while it looked as though we were going to be disappointed because the authorities give ships certain time slots so that they can negotiate the strong currents and difficult waters safely. How he managed to persuade them to move forward our slot from 11pm to an early time I do not know, but he did and we passengers were grateful for it. Sailing through the Straits at sunset, with Mount Etna gently wafting red smoke from its high summit, is the kind of experience you can bore dinner guests with for decades to come.
Sailing through the Straits of Messina at dusk
Taormina and Syracuse: Sicilian Gems
The next morning we awoke moored off the port of Giardina Naxos, which really acts as the seaside annex for the well known hilltop town of Taormina. Some readers might recognise the name - it was the real-life location for the highly popular The White Lotus TV series’ second season. The luxurious San Domenico Palace, a former monastery converted into a high-end hotel, served as the fictional White Lotus resort, its historic architecture and panoramic terraces featuring prominently throughout the show.
We went up to Taormina to enjoy the stunning views of the Ionian Sea and Mount Etna. The town’s layout features a central pedestrian street, the Corso Umberto, which is lined with historic buildings, shops, and cafes. Side alleys branch off, revealing more intimate squares and quieter corners. The ancient Greek Theatre, carved into the hillside, is a prominent landmark, and is still used for performances.
The Corso Umbert, Taormina
At one end, a cable car descends to the coast, where you’ll find rocky coves and the renowned Isola Bella, a small, protected island. It is now a museum and visitor centre, but I was amused to learn it was for many years owned by the Trevelyan family, of Cornish origins.
The Sea Cloud Spirit, like all cruise ships, offers excursions from its destination ports - the only difference being that the usual giant floating cities require fleets of buses and armies of guides, whereas our modest-sized vessel employed only the odd luxury minibus here or there. At Giardina Naxos local boatmen had been hired to take us around the rocky coves and show us the areas many sea-caves.
Coast beneth Taormina
Our final Sicilian stop was the south-eastern port of Syracuse, an historic walled city if ever there was one. I say walled city, but the oldest and best known part of town is actually an island connected to the mainland by three bridges. The isle of Ortigia has a distinct character of its own. Structures from different eras stand shoulder-to-shoulder, with remnants of ancient Greek and Roman periods interwoven between, and Medieval and Baroque additions are to be seen everywhere. Basically, old Syracuse is a living museum. Which is as it should be because the place was a significant Mediterranean city for centuries.
Syracuse from the sea
There’s no choice but to use Shanks’ Pony if you want to explore Ortigia, a compact rabbit-warren of a place made up of narrow alleys and open squares. My smart-watch said I’d done 14,000 steps by the time I’d spent the morning there. Not bad in 35-degree heat, although the deep narrow streets offer plenty of shade.
The central square, though, was hot. It is dominated by the Duomo, Syracuse's cathedral, which has the columns of an ancient Greek temple hiding inside its Baroque facade. Nearby, the Fountain of Arethusa, a freshwater spring located directly beside the sea, is a natural feature and helps to explain why early sailors settled here.
Fountain of Arethusa, Syracuse
Onward to Malta
Some of them, thousands of years ago, may have set sail for Malta in their boats. We did too, but there was nothing rudimentary about our vessel as we enjoyed a final Captain’s Dinner aboard the luxurious Sea Cloud Spirit. The 101-mile overnight journey passed with nothing more than a wine-induced hiccup or two.
Valetta Harbour, Malta
FACT FILE 1: Sea Cloud Cruises
Martin cruised aboard the Sea Cloud Spirit as a guest of Sea Cloud Cruises - find out more at www.seacloud.com and contact the company by emailing: info@seacloud.com Phone: +49 (0)40-30 95 92-50 - or you can reach their cruise consultancy at: cruise-consultant@seacloud.com Phone.: +49 (0)40-30 95 92-50 To get more of an idea of the cruises take a look at https://www.youtube.com/user/SEACLOUDCRUISESGmbH
FACT FILE 2: Airport Parking
Martin parked at Heathrow with Holiday Extras. Nine days’ parking at Maple Parking Business Meet & Greet at Heathrow Terminal 5 is available for £203.99 (based on arrival on 05/08/2025). For more information and to book, HolidayExtras.com or call 0800 316 5678.
