Large arm of the Mediterranean Sea, lying northwest to southeast between the Italian and the Balkan peninsulas.  The Strait of Otranto, between Italy and Albania, links the Adriatic with the Ionian Sea to the south. The sea is about 805 km/500 mi long; area 135,250 sq km/52,220 sq mi. Fishing is an important activity; sardines, lobsters, and tuna are the chief catch. The Adriatic has little tidal flow, and the water is very salty and rich in fish. Cruising the Adriatic draining opinion mythic journey of ancient peoples and a copy of ingrained merging of man and the sea.