Our Greek & Turkish Adventure: Athens to the Aegean Islands
August 2024 – Because sometimes you just need to chase the Mediterranean sun
Getting There
Our journey kicked off with Air Canada from Raleigh-Durham, connecting through Toronto before the long hop across the Atlantic to Athens.
Two Days in Athens Before the Cruise
We used Welcome Pickups for our airport transfer – driver waiting with a sign, great English, zero stress. Stayed at the Athens Marriott Hotel, which has a free shuttle to downtown (saved us a fortune on taxis). The two days pre-cruise were perfect for beating jet lag and exploring properly.
Day 1: Wandering & Eating
We took the hotel shuttle and wandered– ancient ruins between cafes, street musicians, no agenda. By evening, we found Tavern Klimataria- a legit local spot, not a tourist trap.
Tavern Klimataria
Day 2: Ancient History
Parthenon, UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Our private Athens tour through Viator hit all the highlights: the Parthenon, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Roman Agora, and the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square. Our guide also took us to an authentic Greek restaurant where we ate alongside locals. Back to the hotel by evening, relaxed for the cruise.
The Cruise: Norwegian Cruise Line
Mykonos
Mykonos: First stop: party island meets postcard paradise. We spent the day wandering through Mykonos Town (Chora) with its iconic whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches, narrow winding streets. Checked out the famous windmills and Little Venice where colorful buildings sit right on the water's edge. Hit one of the gorgeous beaches – the water in August was crystal clear and perfectly refreshing.
The Basilica Cistern is the largest ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul
Istanbul: Massive city on two continents. Our ship docked overnight, giving us two full days to explore. We booked a private shore excursion that covered all the highlights: Basilica Cistern is the largest underground cistern, Blue Mosque with its stunning blue tiles and six minarets, Hagia Sophia (1,500 years of history as church, mosque, and museum), Byzantine Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace (former Ottoman Sultan residence), and the Grand Bazaar (4,000+ shops). We sipped Turkish tea while shopping for bags of tea and Turkish delights to bring home.
That evening, we ate at a restaurant right at the port. The next day, we just wandered the city on our own. Bonus tip: There's a mall right beside the cruise terminal with high-end shops and eateries – convenient if you need a quick break or last-minute shopping.
"Historic Areas of Istanbul" are a designated UNESCO World Heritage site
Ephesus, Kusadasi, UNESCO World Heritage site
Kusadasi (Ephesus): We took a private Ephesus tour from the port, and Ephesus is absolutely worth it – one of the best-preserved ancient cities you'll ever see. At the end of the tour, we visited a local village to watch traditional carpet making and pottery making – fascinating to see the craftsmanship and centuries-old techniques.
Rhodes: We spent the day exploring the medieval Old Town (UNESCO site) on foot – Street of the Knights, Palace of the Grand Master, getting lost in the maze of medieval streets. Stopped for lunch at a local eatery tucked in the old town.
Santorini from the ship
Santorini: The showstopper. We booked the "Ultimate Santorini" shore excursion through Norwegian – best decision. Pro tip: Ship excursions take you to a different port spot to meet your bus, so you skip the cable car chaos at the start. Lines to the cable car are very long during peak season.
Started at Akrotiri, one of the most important prehistoric sites in the Mediterranean, remarkably preserved under volcanic ash for 3,000+ years. Then Oia perched on red cliffs with those iconic caldera views. We had a Greek meal at a local restaurant in Imerovigli with breathtaking views of the caldera and volcano. Tour ended in Fira where we explored and shopped before taking the cable car down to return to the ship (way better than the donkeys). Book early, expect crowds.
Santorini from the cable car
Oia, Santorini
Back in Athens
After the cruise ended, we decided to stay one more day in Athens before our flight home. Spent the day wandering around Plaka – it's one of those places you can explore multiple times and always find something new. Had lunch at a local restaurant, soaking in the last bit of Greek atmosphere before heading home.
Athens
