WOW OH WOW! Cruising is a great way to see a number of islands and have time to enjoy the local ambiance. I recommend a cruise that has overnights on the islands, if you have the time. We spent overnights with two days in the beautiful islands of Santorini and Mykonos. We enjoyed five of the most enchanting islands dotted around the Aegean Sea where culture, history, pristine beaches, and fishing villages are found. We explored the Minoan Palace of Knossos in Crete, considered Europe’s oldest city. Also a visit to Ephesus in Turkey, exploring a UNESCO world heritage site that was built 3000 years ago, was splendid. The small island of Syros rounded out the group with a beautiful harbor town offering good shopping, food and views of the fishing village.
Click "READ MORE" below to find out more about this trip!
Click "READ MORE" below to find out more about this trip!
MYKONOS: Spending two days with an overnight was a wonderful experience. Mykonos is the largest island in the Aegean Sea. All the shops and houses are painted white to reflect the sun which shines 300 days per year. Once we landed we walked along the shore to the windmills and then through the labyrinth of streets in which you can get lost. The island is very busy as other ships are in port, but they leave before 5 pm, where we were able to stay overnight.
We walked to the bus station and got tickets to the other side of the island. My cruise highlight was the beautiful beach and swimming in the Aegean alongside the yachts and those who arrived in them. The water is crystal clear and a beautiful turquoise. After the swim, and a drink overlooking the sea, we navigate our way on the bus back to the ship, have dinner and go back to the island to party with the locals. We went to the Scandinavian Bar where the "younger set" appear around 11 pm. Sitting at the bar and making friends with the owner, we scored complimentary shots, 2 t-shirts, and a hat. We feel we came out ahead! We catch the last bus back to the ferry for the ship. It was a very pleasurable day.
SANTORINI: We arrived early in the morning and by 8 am we were climbing an active volcano on a smaller island. Santorini (also called Thera) now consists of four islands that used to be one, before the volcano blew the island apart around 2500 BC. The top is about 3600 feet above sea level and hot steam is still coming up from the ground.
The capital of the island is called Fira and is breathtaking with its houses and shops built right into the side of the mountainous terrain, called the "Caldera". Most are painted white and this is where most pictures are shown. We spend a lot of time in this area shopping, having lunch and dinner with sunset over the Aegean on the last night.
We also enjoyed our tour to Oia-a village at the other end of the island with spectacular views also. They show how the grapes are grown on the ground, in circles, for their vineyards. Spending two days on this island and two nights was a great treat!
Observations: People have been living on these islands for more than 8000 years. This was a stopping-off place for people moving north from Africa and west from Asia Minor. This area of the world has quite a long history and that history can be seen in just about every place we went.
HEARKLION, CRETE: Crete is the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. We spend a day here. A visit to the Palace of Knossos is interesting. The palace was built in 2500 BC and consisted of 200 rooms. It housed all the royal family, their servants, relatives, and guards so at one time over a thousand people could live here. The Palace was 250,000 square feet and was eventually destroyed by a series of earth quakes around 500 BC. After returning to the pier in Herkalion we walked the streets of the shopping mall and purchased some local foodstuffs to bring home for gifts.
KUSADASI, TURKEY is the port on the Aegean where we would travel to Ephesus and learn about its rich history. Ephesus shaped the history of the Greek, Turkish, and Christian civilizations from its privileged location. It is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders in the Ancient World. Saint Paul wrote his epistles to the Ephesians from here while he was in jail for preaching Christianity.
Ephesus in currently one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. The splendor of its golden age is visible throughout its streets and exceptionally well preserved ruins.
At the finish of the Ephesus portion of our tour, we visit a Turkish carpet establishment and view the women weaving the carpets. Inside, they serve champagne and discuss the different pricing structures and show a zillion rugs. I do not think anyone purchased, but the pricing was super! Champagne wasn't bad either!
We walked to the bus station and got tickets to the other side of the island. My cruise highlight was the beautiful beach and swimming in the Aegean alongside the yachts and those who arrived in them. The water is crystal clear and a beautiful turquoise. After the swim, and a drink overlooking the sea, we navigate our way on the bus back to the ship, have dinner and go back to the island to party with the locals. We went to the Scandinavian Bar where the "younger set" appear around 11 pm. Sitting at the bar and making friends with the owner, we scored complimentary shots, 2 t-shirts, and a hat. We feel we came out ahead! We catch the last bus back to the ferry for the ship. It was a very pleasurable day.
SANTORINI: We arrived early in the morning and by 8 am we were climbing an active volcano on a smaller island. Santorini (also called Thera) now consists of four islands that used to be one, before the volcano blew the island apart around 2500 BC. The top is about 3600 feet above sea level and hot steam is still coming up from the ground.
The capital of the island is called Fira and is breathtaking with its houses and shops built right into the side of the mountainous terrain, called the "Caldera". Most are painted white and this is where most pictures are shown. We spend a lot of time in this area shopping, having lunch and dinner with sunset over the Aegean on the last night.
We also enjoyed our tour to Oia-a village at the other end of the island with spectacular views also. They show how the grapes are grown on the ground, in circles, for their vineyards. Spending two days on this island and two nights was a great treat!
Observations: People have been living on these islands for more than 8000 years. This was a stopping-off place for people moving north from Africa and west from Asia Minor. This area of the world has quite a long history and that history can be seen in just about every place we went.
HEARKLION, CRETE: Crete is the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. We spend a day here. A visit to the Palace of Knossos is interesting. The palace was built in 2500 BC and consisted of 200 rooms. It housed all the royal family, their servants, relatives, and guards so at one time over a thousand people could live here. The Palace was 250,000 square feet and was eventually destroyed by a series of earth quakes around 500 BC. After returning to the pier in Herkalion we walked the streets of the shopping mall and purchased some local foodstuffs to bring home for gifts.
KUSADASI, TURKEY is the port on the Aegean where we would travel to Ephesus and learn about its rich history. Ephesus shaped the history of the Greek, Turkish, and Christian civilizations from its privileged location. It is considered to be one of the Seven Wonders in the Ancient World. Saint Paul wrote his epistles to the Ephesians from here while he was in jail for preaching Christianity.
Ephesus in currently one of the largest Roman archaeological sites in the Mediterranean. The splendor of its golden age is visible throughout its streets and exceptionally well preserved ruins.
At the finish of the Ephesus portion of our tour, we visit a Turkish carpet establishment and view the women weaving the carpets. Inside, they serve champagne and discuss the different pricing structures and show a zillion rugs. I do not think anyone purchased, but the pricing was super! Champagne wasn't bad either!
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