Cruising the Greek Islands of the Southern Aegean

Greece’s capital lies on the shores of the Saronic Gulf in the eastern part of the country. Its plural name reflects the original villages that once surrounded the Acropolis. The rocky plateau, crowned by UNESCO World Heritage monuments, is sure to captivate you. Below, the city’s vibrant neighborhoods await exploration: wander through Plaka’s colorful, winding streets, where the evening scents of moussaka and garlic prawns tempt your senses. For a deeper dive into Athens’ cultural heritage, visit the National Archaeological Museum and the Museum of Cycladic Art, both showcasing the city’s rich historical legacy.

Patmos is one of the iconic must-visit islands of the Dodecanese. It is famed as the home of Saint John, traditionally believed to have written the final book of the Bible. The Cave of the Apocalypse and the Monastery of Saint John, both UNESCO World Heritage sites, stand atop a hillside adorned with vineyards and orchards. Along the coast, the sparkling coves of Kambos and Lampi provide stunning spots for swimming and soaking in the island’s natural beauty.

With its particularly agreeable climate, the island of Rhodes invites you to walk its pathways and discover its immaculate villages and sumptuous medieval city, a UNESCO World Heritage site. At the center of the island the mountains are covered in forest and on the western slopes you find vineyards and crops. Rhodes also owes much of its charm and its character to the Knights of St John who reigned over the island from 1310 to 1522 and built impressive defensive walls punctuated with majestic gateways. Do not miss this delightful island with its peaceful beaches and its large walkways, perpetuating the myth of the famous Colossus, the legendary statue that is one of the Seven Wonders of the World.

The spectacular volcanic island of Santorini stands out proud in the Cyclades. Its basalt cliffs offer particularly expansive views of the Aegean. To enjoy these views, you can head for the capital, Fira. Its floral belvederes of bougainvillea provide a bird’s-eye view of several thousand meters of coastline. Further away, the gorgeous village of Oia looks like a stairway of blue and white houses on the slopes of the volcano. In the south of the island, you are able to visit the stunning ruins of Akrotiri, an ancient city destroyed by an eruption and covered with a thick layer of lava stone.

It’s no accident that the island of Amorgos was chosen as a shooting location for Luc Besson’s film, The Big Blue. You fall under the charm of this island as your ship edges closer. Amorgos is the most easterly island in the Cyclades and stands out for its rocky inlets with crystal-clear water and its small, picturesque villages. This port of call is your chance to visit one of the prettiest villages in the Cyclades, Chora, and discover its cobbled streets and whitewashed houses overlooked by a castle. Byzantine churches, windmills and courtyards brimming with flowers complete this typical tableau of timeless Greece.

This legendary Cyclades island of Delos stands just a few miles southwest of Mykonos. The ceremonial solemnity of this ancient holy sanctuary do not leave you indifferent. The sheer size and importance of this UNESCO World Heritage site which covers over half of the island is thrilling in itself. From the Stoa of Antigonos, the Terrace of the Lions, to the carved marble animal statues, you make discovery after discovery, against a backdrop of the Aegean stretching to the horizon. The theater steps on the hillside are a particularly good place from which to enjoy the expansive view.

Nicknamed “little Venice”, Mykonos is famous for its Alefkandra district where houses are built right on the water’s edge. Their multi-colored loggias are emblematic of this Cyclades island, as are the pelicans and windmills. You can get close up to the birds on the quaysides of the old port. Up on the hillside, you can see the windmill sails turning. In the cobbled streets of the pedestrian center, bougainvillea bedeck immaculate facades. As you weave in and out of the little streets, snatches of coastline undoubtedly call you to the island’s beaches, the quietest of which can be found on the northern coast.

The engaging town of Nafplion is staggered up green hillsides of the Argolic Gulf, to the east of the Peloponnese. Do not be surprised by its extremely varied cultural heritage. Some of the must-see visits are the ancient agora on the plateau of Akronafplia, Italianate arcades in Syntagma square as well as the baroque fortress of Palamidi on a hillside of the same name. At the top of the hill, views of the gulf and the surrounding mountains are simply awesome. If you want to chill out by the water’s edge, walk along the Arvanitia promenade to a beautiful creek in the shade of cedars and cypresses.

After breakfast, bid farewell to your fellow travelers as you disembark today. Then, head to the airport for your flight home.