Greek Odyssey

Embark your ship and settle into your stateroom. Athens has been called the “birthplace of democracy.” Its legacy looms large from atop Acropolis Hill, the pinnacle of ancient Greece. This open air museum is an astonishing repository of once-mighty structures. From its colonnaded Parthenon—more than 2,600 years ago—revered Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle formulated new ideas of government and debated its role in civic life to captivated audiences. Remnants of spiritual life are also here in the several temples to Athena and Zeus.

For a more intimate experience of Athens, the charming Plaka District invites guests with its labyrinth of cobblestone lanes. Neoclassical architecture lines the narrow streets of the “Neighborhood of the Gods,” so named for its location. Browsing its shops or simply perusing its nooks and crannies are pastimes favored by visitors and locals alike. This historic area is the ideal setting in which to enjoy traditional small plates of mezes and a sip of ouzo.

Volos was built in a region once occupied by ancient Greek cities—including Iolcos, home of the fabled Jason, seeker of the Golden Fleece. It is the gateway to Meteora, where spectacular monasteries perch upon towering pinnacles of rock. Hermit monks lived in caves at the bases of these pillars as early as the 9th century. As the Ottomans encroached, the monks looked heavenward to build these fortress-like sanctuaries as safe havens. Today, some are accessible by stairway, footpath or road.

Thessaloníki is the capital of Greek Macedonia. This splendid metropolis on the Thermaic Gulf was founded around 315 BC by King Cassander of Macedon, who named it for his wife, a half sister of Alexander the Great. Centuries later, it rivaled Constantinople in its importance as an administrative and power center of the Byzantine Empire. During the Middle Ages, impressive buildings were built here as monuments to Christianity. Today, 15 of them are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the imposing city walls and the 8th-century Church of Hagia Sophia.

Mt. Athos is a finger-like peninsula pointing into the Aegean Sea. Its namesake summit rises to 6,670 feet from steep slopes dense with forests. This rugged coast may appear uninhabitable, but nestled among its soaring peaks are 20 Orthodox Christian monasteries. Monks from throughout the Balkans and Russia have lived austere lives here since as early as 800 AD. So sacred is this land that the monastic residents forbid the free movement of people and goods without permission from the Monastic State's officials.

One of antiquity's best-preserved cities, Ephesus offers an unparalleled look into the lives of the ancients. Many of its ruins have endured from the time Ephesus was one of the largest metropolises of the ancient world. Excavations reach back to the 10th century BC, when this city hosted one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World—the Temple of Artemis. Today, Ephesus is still full of wonders: the towering facade of the Library of Celsus, the massive amphitheater that once sat 25,000 spectators and residences adorned with frescoes.

Rhodes is home to the Palace of the Grand Masters, a remarkable and sprawling fortification. Its historic quarter is Europe's largest active medieval town. Outside the city, forests of pine and cypress blanket mountain slopes; vineyards and groves of citrus and olive soak up the Aegean sun. The Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem conquered the island in the 14th century, bringing great wealth from the Holy Land. Under their rule, the city was reconstructed to mirror the medieval ideal. Many of the buildings from this era remain and make for rewarding strolls.

Santorini is one of the most visually arresting islands in the Aegean. Its whitewashed capital of Thíra perches on a cliff 1,300 feet above the sea, offering spectacular views of this magnificent city and surrounding turquoise waters. Thíra's winding streets are a delight to explore and its charming cafés invite lingering respites in the Cyclades sun. Not to be upstaged, the island and its surrounding islets also offer opportunities to experience fully the natural volcanic splendor, from thermal spring soaks to caldera hikes.

Souda Bay enjoys a picturesque setting between Crete's Akrotiri Peninsula and Cape Drapano. Historic fortifications, vestiges from the island's days under the Venetian Empire, greet ships at the mouth of the long bay, one of the deepest natural harbors in the Mediterranean. Beyond, the island of Crete is blessed with generous beaches, soaring mountains and coursing rivers. It is also where the distinct mantinades—couplets of love accompanied by Cretan instruments—could break out at any number of cafés where patrons sip tsikoudia, a grape-based brandy distilled in the hills.

Nafplio is a remarkably preserved coastal gem on the Peloponnese peninsula. Its richly historic neighborhoods are tucked between breathtaking mountains and the Bay of Argos, which is home to the diminutive 15th-century Bourtzi island fortress. Nearby on a hillside stands the magnificent ancient site of Mycenae. From this rock-carved city, the Mycenaean civilization held sway over much of the Mediterranean between approximately 1500 and 1100 BC, and was most notable for being the home of the mythological conqueror of Troy, King Agamemnon.

The capital of Greece, Athens is one of the world's oldest cities. Continuously inhabited since at least 3,000 BC, the city has experienced many different periods of independence and occupation, including rule by the Romans, Crusaders and the Ottoman Empire.

Following the Greek War of Independence, Athens was made capital of the new state of Greece in 1834. Today, ancient monuments from the city's time as the cradle of early Western civilization still stand, protected amid the frenetic pace of modern life in this cosmopolitan metropolis. After breakfast, disembark your ship and journey home.