I get a ton of requests for the Greek islands so when I got an offer to experience an intensive seven night Greek cruise, I jumped at the chance. Personally, I tend to pick my cruises (outside the Caribbean) based on cruise ports. I wanted to see alot of Greek islands and this itinerary checked off alot of those boxes. Additionally, each cruise line has their own personality so I like to try as many as possible to personally understand the nuances. There are a lot of players in the cruise market at various price points. If you are wanting to do a Greek cruise, please reach out to me. I love to work with clients to find out what interests them to find an itinerary and a cruise that best fits your needs. That makes me different from a customer service representative with Royal Caribbean or Viking. I am not loyal to just one brand.
Below is some information on the cruise and things I loved at each of the ports. Tell me what your favorite port is in the comments.
ATHENS
My cruise was round trip out of Athens so I flew in the night before and explored the city. One to two nights in Athens is plenty for most travelers. Many of the flights tend to arrive before noon each day. Flights tend to be about 10 hrs from the east coast (JFK) to Athens. So it is a long flight.
I checked off two of the must sees for most travelers to Athens: The Plaka and the Acropolis.
- PLAKA- I recommend staying within walking distance to the Plaka and Acropolis because traffic is congested in Athens and you want to walk to as many places as possible. I loved all the outdoor dining and shops in the Plaka area. This area can be congested so it is prime for pick pocketers. So be sure to secure your wallet and phone when visiting.
All my clients get a list of my favorite spots so you'll have to book with me to get the details on that! - ACROPOLIS AND ACRPOLIS MUSEUM - I love that smack dab in the middle of the city you have this iconic and historic site. I am not a huge historian, but you can't help but be in awe of the depth of history in this city. As everyone says, pack good shoes with tread as the streets are uneven and marble is very slick. The Acropolis Museum is located a stone's throw from the Acropolis so I hopped over there to check out statues and artifacts galore.
Not sure if you want to do a guide or do it on your own? This is part of what I help my clients decide on when planning their trip.
THESSALONIKI
Our first cruise stop was the city of Thessaloniki. It is the second largest in Greece. One of the things I loved most about this area of the world is that in midst of such beauty there is so much history. In this city, you can see remnants of Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman empires. The city was founded in 315 BC, and named for a half-sister of Alexander the Great. It is home to eight of UNESCO world heritage sites . WOW! Some of my favorites were:
- Church of Saint Demetrius- this is a Byzantine church that was converted to a mosque and is now a Christian Orthodox church. We got to witness a baptism which was such a privilege to see. The church was built on Roman baths.
- Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki - I really enjoyed this museum as it had so many relics from the Byzantine era (gold crowns!) .
To finish the day off, we did a little shopping and I had the most delicious danish, MPOUGATSA with cream and a great cup of coffee. YUM!
KUSADASI
My second cruise port was Kusadasi, Turkey. I was so excited to check a new country and this stop didn't disappoint! I was not expecting to love this port this much but it was amazing! One of the main sites in this port is to visit Ephesus. It was one of the largest and most important cities in the ancient Mediterranean world. It later became a key city in the expansion of Christianity and from where Paul launched many of his missions.
We also visited the House of Mary. It is thought to be one of the last places Mary, mother of Jesus, lived. The countryside that surrounded it was serene, spiritual and gorgeous. There is a natural spring on the land and you can take a bottle and fill it to take home with you. Additionally, visitors can leave a prayer on the wall which is what the brightly colored paper is on one of the pictures.
Finally, we got to see how silk is harvested from the worm and how a Turkish rug was made. The craftmanship in these rugs in phenomenal. The place we visited is a coop that teaches locals the craft of rug making and then they take a loom back to make the rugs in their home!
HERAKLION (CRETE)
Each stop was like Christmas with each port being a delightful present and so different and unique. We visited the countryside where grape vines and olive trees are plentiful. It was lovely! We got to visit a family who makes wine and danced a traditional Greek dance for us. It was such a treat! Wine was delish but the Raki,, Greek liquor was very strong. It could have been the fact that it was 10 am but it's five o'clock some where! The family also showed us how to dance the traditional dance in Crete. What a treat! Opa!
We wrapped up our time in port shopping at the local market. I did really good restraining myself from buying anything while on the trip so far but when I got to the markets it just couldn't help myself! Note to myself to leave room in my suitcase next time!
SANTORINI
The island's name is actually Thira but everyone knows it by Santorini. This is a stop on many people's bucket lists. With that being said it can be crowded. Most visitors will be surprised that there are only a few spots on the island with the iconic blue domes. But the gorgeous white buildings and blue water are everywhere!!
This is a port that you have to tender (take a small boat into port as ships can't dock right in port). It sits on a hill so once you arrive on land, you also have to take the cable car up the hill (or take the donkey path - cue the donkey poo) to get into the city of Fira. One evening when we were there, the wait time to take the cable car back to the boat was 2 hrs long (so many chose to walk down the donkey path). So it is important to keep in mid when looking at the time in port, that it will be less due to the tender and the cable car.
So once we took the cable car up the hill to Fira we headed to Oia where we could see those gorgeous blue domes and snap some pictures. The crowds are heavy in this area so be prepared. When we were leaving I saw seven large motor coach busses sitting in the parking lot to off load people. Yikes!
Because I was there with a bunch of travel agents, there was no relaxing as we wanted to see as much of the island as possible. So I grabbed a Gyro and headed for Kamari beach to dip my toes in the water. Boy was it cold but the Aegean doesn't get much over 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Kamari beach has these really interesting black pebbles. If you have tender feet wears shoes. I also loved the little shops that lined the beach area and that it was so far away from the congestion of Fira and Oia. While driving around the island, I was really surprised to see how dry this island is. There just aren't that many trees. It is such a stark contrast to some of the islands we see in the Caribbean. Both lovely in their own way!
Most don't head to Santorini for archeological sites but we stopped over in Akrotiri. It is a settlement from the Cycladic Bronze Age that was covered by volcanic ash. It was an important port town for ships traveling between mainland Greece and Egypt and Syria. There is so much left to excavate that it would be fascinating to return in 10 years to see what else they have discovered.
Finally, we stopped at a winery and took in the gorgeous view of the caldera. The caldera is a cauldron-like volcanic depression along the cost of Santorini. Some speculate that it is the location of the legend of the lost city of Atlantis. It creates some majestic views for sure!
MYKONOS
Mykonos is known for its party vibe at night and its windmills. While I didn't partake in the party scene because frankly I was exhausted from our daily port adventures, I still enjoyed the island. I was pleasantly surprised with its colorful doors and cute boutique stores. If you aren't in to the party beach club scene there are other areas to head to where you can enjoy sipping your Rose and taking in the beautiful water.
And again since I am a travel agent, I wanted to take advantage of the opportunity to explore the island of Delos that is not far from Mykonos. It was an excursion option on our cruise. I enjoyed a beautiful 30 minute ferry ride over to the island. Delos is an island that was dedicated to Apollo and Artemis. Delos is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is considered one of the most sacred of all islands in the Aegean Sea. It was home to many wealthy merchants, bankers and ship owners. If you are a cat lover you will love all the cats you see on the islands. I can't tell you how many pictures I have of them on my camera roll but I will spare you and just share this one!
Want to know my favorite beach clubs or where to watch the sunset with your favorite beverage? Book your trip with me and you will get all the details.
MILOS
This island was the perfect end to my adventure. It is very quiet and chill island with not alot of tourists , which was perfect.
We took a dreamy three hour cruise around the coast of the island and saw its amazing coastline. Visitors can explore the unique geological formations, such as Kleftiko, a collection of sea caves. It was an old pirate hideout at one time. The water was clear and gorgeous here and was a perfect spot to stop and enjoy the view.
The island is home to so many minerals which makes the rock facades it so interesting to take in. In fact, Milos has a history rich in mining and trade. This is due to minerals such as Obsidian (volcanic glass), Bentonite, Perlite and Manganese just to name a few. Most of its mining and trade days are over due to their desire to preserve the island . But these minerals create some beautiful landscape.
Milos is know for its unique beaches. One place you will defiantly see tourists at is "Moon Beach" or Sarakiniko Beach, with its moon-like white rock formations. I have truly never seen anything like it . The rock is soft like chalk that locals have dug caves into the side of the cliffs.
Since my trip, I often get asked which is my favorite island. And honestly I don't know that I have an answer for that. They were all so unique and wonderful on their own . Kind of like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. I love each one for its own uniqueness. I guess that is what I like to experience all of these islands so I can share them with my clients to help them pick an itinerary that is best for them. Similarly, I have used many different cruise companies for these islands and also planned land only trips. There isn't a one size fits all and I love helping clients pick the one that is perfect for them.
Is a trip to the Greek Islands on your bucket list? I would to help you get started planning an adventure built just for you! To get started, just click the button below to get a quote.
Opa!
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