Seven-night sailings pair Italian coastal towns with Corsica, Sardinia and French Riviera ports
Miami, September 2026 – Along the French and Italian Rivieras, the view from the water is a major part of the attraction: pastel villages set around small harbors as steep headlands rise behind them, and waterfront promenades come into focus as a ship approaches. In 2027, Star Clippers will bring guests into that scene aboard two tall ships, with four seven-night sailings that combine time under sail with visits to coastal towns and Mediterranean islands.
All four voyages sail round trip from Nice. Two follow a Corsica & French Riviera route that opens with Portofino and ends with calls along the French coast. The two Italian Ligurian Sea sailings visit Porto Venere and Elba before heading to Corsica and Sardinia. Each route is offered aboard the 227-guest Royal Clipper in the spring and the 166-guest Star Clipper in the fall, with some differences between the seasonal departures.
“Some coastlines are meant to be seen from the water, and the French and Italian Rivieras are among them,” said Terri Haas, vice president of sales and marketing for Star Clippers. “What sets Star Clippers apart is our guests can not only watch the villages and headlands come into view under sail, but they can then go ashore to explore the places they’ve just seen from the sea.”
The four featured departures are:
Portofino is the first call on the Corsica & French Riviera sailing, departing April 24, 2027, aboard Royal Clipper. Guests enter a harbor framed by pastel buildings and enjoy walking paths that climb above the village. The ship then visits Propriano and Calvi in Corsica, with a stop between them in Alghero, Sardinia, whose medieval streets and waterfront walls transport guests to ancient times. The final calls are Sanary-sur-Mer, a Provençal fishing harbor, and St. Tropez. Fares start at $2,660 per person, double occupancy.
The May 1, 2027 Ligurian Sea itinerary, aboard Royal Clipper, starts its port visits in Porto Venere, where the Church of San Pietro stands on a rocky point overlooking the sea. Next is Portoferraio on Elba, an island known for its beaches and the site of Napoleon’s exile. Calls at cliffside Bonifacio, Corsica, and Alghero follow, before the ship visits Ajaccio and the French border town of Menton. Travelers choosing between the two spring departures will find more Italian ports and island time on this route, while the April voyage includes Portofino and the French coast’s Sanary-sur-Mer and St. Tropez. Fares start at $2,660.
The Ligurian Sea sailing, departing Oct. 2, 2027 aboard Star Clipper, adds more beach time and Monaco, distinguishing it from the May sailing on the Royal Clipper. This voyage returns to Porto Venere, Elba, Bonifacio and Alghero. On its day in Corsica’s Gulf of Ajaccio, Star Clipper adds a call at Porticcio Beach before heading to Ajaccio. It then ports in Monaco, where guests can walk the narrow streets of Monaco-Ville, visit the Prince’s Palace and look out over the harbor from the hilltop old town before the ship returns to Nice. Fares start at $2,500.
On the Oct. 9, 2027 Corsica & French Riviera, aboard Star Clipper has similarities to its April departure where guests visit Portofino, Calvi, Sanary-sur-Mer and St. Tropez. But this sailing spends more time in Corsica and adds L’Île-Rousse, a town square edged with cafes, and Ajaccio – where guests can venture into the baroque, 16th-century Notre-Dame Cathedral, where Napoléon was baptized. Those calls take the place of Propriano and Alghero on the spring route. Fares start at $2,500.
Time between ports is part of the Star Clippers’ experience. Guests can watch the crew raise the sails, try their hand at tying nautical knots or climb to the crow’s nest. Others can settle into the bowsprit net, cool off in a deck pool or listen to the daily briefing as the next stretch of coastline comes into view. In the evening, the piano bar and occasional performances by local musicians offer a relaxed way to end the day.
For information or reservations, contact a travel advisor, call Star Clippers at 800-442-0551 or visit StarClippers.com.