GREECE
Our cruise this year is on the Aegean Odyssey, a small ship owned by Voyages to Antiquity. We will be cruising the Adriatic from Athens to the Peloponese, Corfu, Croatia and Italy.
On this cruise we set out with 50 AM740 listeners and Cruise Holidays of Clarkson and had a great time - what a wonderful group of people to travel with! We met new people and hooked up with some past travellers too - lots of fun and some adventures too!
We landed in Athens and were transferred to the beautiful Grande Bretagne Hotel. The location couldnt have been better. We were right across the street from Syntagma Square and were within walking distance the most famous sites of Athens.
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| Walking the marble sidewalks of Athens outside our hotel |
The Very Posh 5 star Grand Bretagne Hotel
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| Our very posh bathroom |
Our view at breakfast
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| Breakfast on the 8th floor with views of the Acropolis |
Grand Bretagne Lobby
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| Spa Pool |
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| Rooftop Pool |
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| Walking in the National Gardens beside Syntagma Square |
Since we were in Athens just 3 years ago and saw the the Acropolis and the museums, we decided just to walk and wander. We went to the Plaka, Monistiraki, and the ancient agora.
It was time for lunch and in Monastiraki, there are streets of restaurants. We chose Efaris which is a TripAdvisor favourite. We always have great food when we are in Greece.
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| Finishing off with an Ouzo |
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| The whole city was in bloom. Pink Oleander and blue Jacaranda trees were beautiful. |
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| Just a short walk around the block is the University of Athens |
We were off to the Port of Piraeus to board our home for the next 12 days. The ship was small, but nice decorated, immaculately clean and very nice for an older ship.
Ship tour
Lido Deck and pool
Reception
Library
Charleston Lounge
Terrace Cafe - Buffet
Marco Polo Dining Room
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| Captain's Table |
Ambassador Lounge
Nauplia Greece, May 9
Nauplia was our first port and it was a tender port. First we took a tour to the Amphitheatre of Epidaurus and then a wander around the beautiful and charming old town of Nauplia
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| Any tour that includes dogs has to be good! |
NAUPLIA
There was bouganvillia in bloom on every street of Old Nauplia
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| The tender dock |
Port of Katakolon for Olympia
We walked around the port for the morning and then we were off to Ancient Olympia (about an hours drive away) for the afternoon.
A street of restaurants by the waters edge
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| fishing boats in the harbour |
We had a scenic drive into the mountains to see Olympia, the ancient site of the first Olympic Games. The size of the site was quite surprising. I was expecting to see only the ancient olympic stadium, but what we saw was the entire olympic complex.
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| Much of the site still needs to be excavated and assembled |
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| Our tour group listening to our very imformative guide. |
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| These pillars make up the outer walls of the open-air wrestling ring. Originally there was a wooden roof supported by these pillars, surrounding this wrestling arena. |
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| Temples were part of the Olympic Venue |
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| Collapsed Columns from the temple of Zeus |
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| The ancient stadium and running track |
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| The archway leading to the stadium. The surrounding countryside was beautiful here. |
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| Where the Olympic Flame is lit before each Olympic Games |
We also visited the Olympia Museum
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| Nike (421 BC) |
Statues from the Pediment (gable end of roof) of the Temple of Zeus.
Incredible works of art with such detail on the the clothing (300-400 BC)
Delphi
We docked at the port of Itea with Delphi just a 30 minute drive away. Central Greece is a highly mountainous area, and the ancient site of Delphi is located on a slope of Mount Parnassus
. Its beautiful views overlook the coastal plain and the valley of olive groves.
The town of Delphi was nestled up against the mountain and was a picture-perfect Greek Town.
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| Valley of the Olives - Thousands and thousands of olive trees grow in this valley |
The town of Delphi was nestled up against the mountain and was a picture-perfect Greek Town.
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Corfu - Our last stop in Greece
Achillion Palace Tour
Located in the village of Gastouri on the island of Corfu, Achillion Palace was built by Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1890. Designed by Italian architect Raffaello Caritto, the palace was built in a Pompeian architectural style and features paintings and sculptures of Achilles throughout. Among the sculptures is the famous Dying Achilles in the center of the palace gardens, sculpted by the Greek Ernst Herter.
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| Sisi of Austria |
Achilles in the Garden
The beautiful patio surrounded by the Greek Muses
CORFU TOWN
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| We had only a short time to walk the very impressive wide pedestrian streets of Old Town Corfu. |
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| Beautiful Architecture |
The Venetian influence is seen in the Architecture of the Old Town
Next Post (part 2) : Sailing off to the Dalmatian Coast (Dubrovnik, Split Croatia)
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