{"id":70639,"date":"2023-06-06T13:03:25","date_gmt":"2023-06-06T20:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/?p=70639"},"modified":"2023-09-29T16:17:28","modified_gmt":"2023-09-29T23:17:28","slug":"greek-island-cruises-small","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/activities\/featured-activities\/greek-island-cruises-small\/","title":{"rendered":"Island Hopping the Greek Isles: A Must-Do On Your Cruise"},"content":{"rendered":"

With 227 breathtaking islands, <\/span>Greece is incredible. <\/span>Our Greek Isle cruises<\/a> w<\/span><\/span>hisk you to small villages and iconic cities. Stand i<\/span>n the same place as the world\u2019s greatest philosophers and poets, share <\/span><\/span>mezes<\/span> <\/span>with friendly locals<\/span>,<\/span> or <\/span>watch the sun sink into the <\/span>jewel-blue <\/span>Aegean Sea.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Athens, the Gateway to Greek Isles<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Athens<\/a> is the gateway to the Greek Isles and a departure and arrival port for some of our Greek Cruises<\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0A balmy climate and world-renowned beaches are just some of the things that make Athens special. There are also ancient wonders, modern museums, and a vibrant nightlife, where late-night dinners and dancing until dawn are routine.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do in Athens:<\/span><\/b> Tour the Acropolis<\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0which looms 230 ft. above the city and holds the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, and the Propylaea.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"View<\/span><\/div>
View the Acropolis in Athens.<\/em><\/h6>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Santorini, Wine Island<\/span><\/h3>\n

Santorini<\/a>, or Thira, is well-known for its maze of white-washed houses and blue-domed churches perched on the cliffs of a caldera. Santorini is a group of islands formed by volcanic eruptions. Tangerine sunsets and white-, black-, and red-sand beaches make it one of the world\u2019s most beautiful places. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do on Santorini<\/span><\/b>: Explore Oia<\/a>, on<\/span>e of Santorini\u2019s most popular towns and visit a local taverna for a cooking class.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Mykonos, Island of the Winds\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

A taste of Mykonos <\/a><\/span>never feels like enough. When it\u2019s time to cruise to the next Greek island, you\u2019ll want to stay. Once a haven for wealthy starlets, Mykonos is now known for its pulsating nightlife, seaside tavernas and iconic windmills.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Meander the maze of narrow streets. Sample <\/span>mostra<\/span><\/i>, a flavorful, bruschetta-like dish and <\/span>ouza<\/span><\/i>, an anise liquor only made in Greece.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do on Mykonos:<\/span><\/b> Explore Little Venice, a neighborhood where restaurants and houses float on the water.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"White<\/span><\/div>
Soak up the beautiful views in Santorini.<\/em><\/h6>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Rhodes, Island of the Sun<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Rhodes<\/a> is a favorite of Greek Island cruises. It has an independent spirit, a good climate and natural beauty, from the mountains down to one of the world\u2019s most breathtaking beaches, St. Paul\u2019s Bay. Lindos, a beautiful fishing village, offers a peaceful day of wandering. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ll find the Church of Panagia at its center, which is worth a peek inside. The interior is stunning with frescoes and a mosaic floor.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do on Rhodes: <\/span><\/b>Ride a donkey to the Acropolis of Lindos<\/a>, w<\/span>hich hosts the remains of several ancient civilizations.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Katakolon (Olympia)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

With a small population size, Katakolon<\/a> i<\/span>s a friendly place with a long history. It may be tiny, but it\u2019s the birthplace of the Olympic Games. Expect a welcome as warm as the sunshine when\u00a0you arrive at its white-sand shores. Katakolon is known for traditional culinary practices, so take time for a traditional meal or a food tour.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do in Katakolon: <\/span><\/b>Gaze at the ruins of ancient Olympia<\/a> a<\/span>nd then learn about Greek cuisine at a fourth-generation family farm.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

\"Large<\/span><\/div>
Marvel at the ancient ruins in Olympia.<\/em><\/h6>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Gythion (Sparta), Land of the Gods<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

On the eastern shore of the Mani Peninsula, lush hills covered in olive trees and sparkling seas make Gythion<\/a>, <\/span>the entryway to Sparta, a joy to discover. Sparta was one of the most important cities of ancient Greece. Walk amid ancient ruins \u2014 Artemis Orthia and Apollo Karneios. Marvel at a Roman theater. The Mani holds some of Greece\u2019s most beautiful\u2014and strangest\u2014natural scenery. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Must-do in Gythion: <\/span><\/b>Stroll along Mavrovouni Beach, popular for wind surfing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Learn more about our Greek Isle cruises<\/a> or contact one of our Personal Cruise Consultants<\/a> to begin planning your next adventure.<\/p>\n

Article by Amanda Halm<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1984,"featured_media":71870,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[36,51,38],"tags":[4242,4244],"class_list":["post-70639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-activities","category-featured-activities","category-tours-land-programs","tag-europe","tag-mediterranean"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70639","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1984"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=70639"}],"version-history":[{"count":32,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70639\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71882,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/70639\/revisions\/71882"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71870"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=70639"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=70639"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hollandamerica.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=70639"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}