FRANCESCO da Mosto is a cheery guide to the coastline

between his native Venice and Istanbul in the current BBC

television series. And his voyage aboard the restored wooden

19th century yawl, the Black Swan, in the wake of his explorer

ancestor Alvise da Mosto, can also be enjoyed in this

accompanying book.

Packed with stunning photography, it follows Francesco and

the crew of the Black Swan through the Adriatic, Ionian and

Aegean Seas, bound for Istanbul in Turkey.

On the way the Venetian historian entertains us both with a

chatty ship's log, alongside a comprehensive exploration of the

cultural sights, and his country's maritime conflicts.

There is plenty to see, for in the Mediterranean sunshine

antiquities have been better preserved than in the rain of the

north.

The first part of the coast which Francesco visits is

Istria, once part of the Venetian empire, now within Croatia

and Slovenia and Pula, once a Roman port and then part of the

Venetian empire. Here you can see the most complete Roman

amphitheatre in existence, and walk along streets in the

Venetian style, all built in the hard-wearing Istrian limestone

which was also used to build St Mark's Square in Venice.

Francesco could not sail along the beautiful coast of

Croatia – with the "pearl of the Adriatic", the resort of

Dubrovnik – without being confronted by the relics of more

recent history, the bloody conflict in the Balkans during the

1990s.

In the town of Mostar, scene of bitter fighting between

Christian and Muslim inhabitants, on each side of the River

Neretva, the bridge, destroyed in the conflict, has since been

rebuilt and young men of all creeds are once again meeting to

jump from it into the river.

"It was a beautiful landscape, and you start to feel that

something terrible happened not long ago," says Francesco, who

was also moved by the grave of a young soldier by the side of

the bridge.

"When you go to Mostar you see thousands of bullet marks. I

met these two brothers who were jumping from the bridge in

Mostar and they have these terrible memories."

On down the mountainous coast of Montenegro – with Albania

dubbed the "unknown Mediterranean" because it is almost

untouched by tourism – the Black Swan drops anchor at the tiny

island of Scarpello, where Francesco visits the Sanctuary of

Our Lady of the Rock.

This chapel was visited by Venetian sailors on voyages to

the east, praying to the Virgin Mary for safe deliverance. And

inside it is decorated with silver plaques left by sailors over

the centuries, giving thanks for safe return as they sailed

back into home waters.

In fact, says Francesco, Captain Julio, at the helm of the

Black Swan, was no fan of praying for religious intervention,

feeling that it would reflect badly on him as a captain if he

called on a higher being to get him out of troubles at sea.

"He wasn't very happy when the priest came to bless the boat

when we were setting out from Venice!" says Francesco.

Francesco was not just a passenger on board the Black Swan.

As part of a crew of six he played his part in raising and

lowering sails and pulling in ropes, under the direction of

Captain Julio. And once the boat left the relatively sheltered

Adriatic, there were some hairy moments.

"We broke three sails in the last part of the journey," he

says. "We had the worst weather in the Aegean Sea, between

Crete and Rhodes."

Francesco's inspiration for the voyage came from his

ancestor Alvise da Mosto, who sailed the same route at the age

of 20 in the mid 1400s. Alvise left behind his "portolano", a

detailed guide to the coast which Francesco travelled.

Francesco has often had it in mind to follow in his

ancestor's footsteps, and with two TV series for the BBC on

Italy and Venice under his belt, he was delighted when the BBC

agreed to film the voyage.

Mind you, he does acknowledge that he probably had it easier

than Alvise.

"There were no problems with pirates, I had a marvellous

cabin and the crew were great and the food was marvellous," he

says.

"They would have suffered more than me, but we did follow in

their footsteps. I was always finding places where they had

been."

Francesco da Mosto is taking the opportunity to meet fans

after enjoying a family holiday in Fowey. He will be visiting

the Torbay Bookshop in Paignton (01803 522011) at 12.30pm on

Friday, August 22 to sign copies of his book