Viking Cruises

viking.com | 35 Bovolo and a walk up the stairway to heaven is a treat. One last drink and cicchetti at Al Merca before we headed to ship. Aboard the Viking Mars, dinner set the tone: The Restaurant married Italian and Scandinavian sensibilities, with a wine list that emphasised regional producers over the obvious labels. Seafood that tasted impossibly fresh, delicate branzino, and balanced, knowledgeable service signalled that food aboard would be a through-line for the trip. ŠIBENIK: A CROATIAN INTERLUDE Croatia offered a palate cleanser. Šibenik's golden marble streets and St. James Cathedral exuded calm. Dalmatia's cuisine, Venetian and Balkan influences, celebrates seafood. A must visit is restaurant, Konoba Pelegrini, a Michelin-starred kitchen beside the famed cathedral, presented sea bream with mussels, pillowy duck dumplings, and local Janjetina (the lamb dish of dreams). Indigenous grapes; Plavac Mali, Pošip, Malvazija, were a revelation. One of the most incredible dining experiences I have had in recent years as we were guided through the local produce and dishes, by the passionate young team. A tiny wine bar's owner poured a skin-contact Pošip and refused payment: "You're a guest," he said, and I was reminded that hospitality here is sincerity rather than commerce. CROTONE: CALABRIA'S QUIET RICHES Crotone, founded by Greeks in 710 BC, remains refreshingly off the tourist map. The Museo Archeologico offers Magna Graecia's relics, but culinary archaeology grabbed me: Calabria's preservation traditions, born from necessity, now celebrated. In a family osteria, I tried sarde a scapece, sardines marinated with vinegar and wild mint, and tasted nduja in its rightful homeland, smeared on warm bread with Cirò Rosso. Signora Gallo pressed jars of sottolio—peppers, eggplant, sundried tomatoes, into my hands, explaining how they keep summer alive through winter. These pantry women, like resourceful souls elsewhere, revealed the deep connection between place and food. I took one of the many tours on offer by Viking and headed to visit Scolacium Archaeological Park and the hilltop town of Squillace. A day immersed in Roman history, centuries old olives groves and visiting local ceramic workshops. The excursion provided great insight into Calabria's long and varied history with an engaging local guide. BARI: THE ADRIATIC'S BEATING HEART Bari's split personality, modern grid versus Bari Vecchia's labyrinth, reveals Puglia's soul. In the old town, grandmothers hand-roll orecchiette with muscle-memory grace; watching them felt like a masterclass. Look out for 'La Pastaia Nunzia' my dear Barese friend author Flavia Giordano who has published a wonderful book on Puglia had recommended. I wandered narrow streets smelling ragù and found Osteria delle Travi where orecchiette with cime di rapa and anchovies delivered earthy, bitter, salty perfection. Panificio Fiore's focaccia Barese—crispy bottom, fluffy interior, olive oil gloss and cherry tomato jewels— earned me a smuggling binge back to the ship. That evening, The Chef's Table on board the Viking Mars showcased Puglian wines, Primitivo di Manduria and a mineral Castel del Monte Rosato, and the kitchen's regional authenticity felt deliberate rather than derivative. "In the old town, grandmothers hand-roll orecchiette with muscle- memory grace; watching them felt like a masterclass." S P R I N G 2 0 2 6

• Cover