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My husband and I stayed a few days at a beautiful hotel in the Plaka. Our first port was Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is a cosmopolitan seaside city and the largest in Greece after Athens. We crossed the Aegean Sea to Kusadasi, Turkey, to explore the ancient city of Ephesus. Next stop, Crete. We explored the ancient Minoan civilization at the Knossos Museum and visited a family run vineyard. On to Santorini! We meandered up the walkways to get our iconic photo in the charming village of Oia, with its iconic white houses and blue domes. Our fifth port was Mykonos, Greece, where we explored the picturesque Little Venice and the iconic windmills. Later, we took a boat to Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Our last port was Milos, Greece. We took a sailboat tour around the island, exploring the stunning rock formations and stopped at Kleftiko Beach and then Sarakiniko Beach, famously known as “Moon Beach.”
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DAY1
Athens
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The birthplace of Democracy
Ahoy, friends! I am still on cloud 9 from my recent 7-night Greece Cruise with Celestyal! I'm Jennifer, a travel advisor, world traveler, wine enthusiast, and bonafide foodie. I help a lot of clients plan their Greece vacations, but I have never taken an island tour. It was an amazing trip and I can't wait to share my experiences with you.
My husband and I flew to Athens and stayed a few days at a beautiful hotel in the Plaka. We explored the ancient city of Athens, including the iconic Acropolis and the fascinating Acropolis Museum. We wandered around the charming streets of the Plaka, the oldest neighborhood in Athens and we ate. Oh boy, did we eat! I fell in love with the Greek salad, which traditionally does not contact lettuce. It’s tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, sometimes capers, and feta. I dream about that feta now!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Acropolis Museum
Acropolis
Discovering what Greek salad should be
Enjoying the Plaka
DAY2
Thessaloniki
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Panoramic Tour of Thessaloniki
Our first port was Thessaloniki. Thessaloniki is a gorgeous and cosmopolitan seaside city and the largest in Greece after Athens. We did a panoramic tour of Thessaloniki, which started with a visit to the White Tower. We went to the Archeological Museum, the highlight of the tour. We had the opportunity to gaze upon beautiful ancient gold coins, crowns, and rare ancient artifacts. After the museum, we drove up to the Acropolis of the city and took in the amazing views. We finished our tour with a visit to the Church of St. Dimitrious, patron saint of Thessaloniki. After our tour, we walked around the city and had a fabulous gyro for lunch. Back on the ship for dinner and transport to our next adventure.
HIGHLIGHTS:
White Tower
Archeological Museum
Breathtaking views from the Acropolis of the city
DAY3
Kusadasi
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Europe's Most Complete Ancient City
We crossed the Aegean Sea to Kusadasi, Turkey, to explore the ancient city of Ephesus on our second day. We walked through the marble streets and admired the well-preserved ruins of the Library of Celsus and the Great Theater. Before getting back to the ship, we visited a Turkish rug factory and learned how this ancient craft is done. Some of us came home with a beautiful souvenir that will last a lifetime!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Great Theatre
Library of Celsus
Terrace Houses
Turkish Rug Factory Tour
DAY4
Crete
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Greece's Largest Island
Next stop, Crete. We explored the ancient Minoan civilization at the Knossos Museum. Afterward, we had visited a family run vineyard. The owner, Mr. Vasilis, showed us how to make wine and raki, a local liquor. We were invited into his home to enjoy a traditional Greek breakfast while watching traditional Greek dancers! Opa! We had a delectable meal at a seaside restaurant, finishing with some baklava!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Wine and Olive Oil Tasting
Knossos Museum
Black Beach
DAY5
Santorini
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The Quintessential Greece
On to Santorini, Greece! We meandered up the walkways to get our iconic photo in the charming village of Oia, with its iconic white houses and blue domes. The views of the Aegean Sea are breathtaking! We visited the Akrotiri archeological site, preserved by the ash of a volcanic eruption during the Bronze Age. We had several great meals, and of course, a Greek salad, and found a wonderful creamery that served frozen Greek yogurt. Yummy!
HIGHLIGHTS:
Oia and the blue domes
Akrotiri Archeological Site
Greek salad!
Take in the sunset
DAY6
Mykonos
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An Island of Beauty and Magic
Our fifth port was Mykonos, Greece, where we explored the picturesque Little Venice and the iconic windmills. Later, we took a boat to Delos, the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Oh, and we ate a fabulous meal of octopus and shrimp with a Greek salad.
HIGHLIGHTS:
Little Venice
Iconic Windmills
Meandering through the village
Delos
Shopping
DAY7
Milos
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The Aegean's Most Exotic Island
Our last port was Milos, Greece. We took a sailboat tour around the island, exploring the stunning rock formations and stopped at Kleftiko Beach where some of us (me excluded) jumped into the frigid water! We enjoyed the most delicious lunch aboard the boat and then took a leisurely stroll through the Plaka. Our last stop was Sarakiniko Beach, famously known as “Moon Beach.”
HIGHLIGHTS:
Crystal clear water
Kleftiko Beach
Moon Beach
FINAL THOUGHTS
Alas, our cruise came to an end but our trip was not quite over. Since our plane left late in the day, we took a cooking class before going to the airport. We had an incredible journey through ancient history and stunning landscapes.
