Which ancient ruins were your favorite?

[ejkj84]

We have recently booked our first European Cruise to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. I am starting to research all the ports and there seems to be lots of different ancient ruins to see on our itinerary. I am definitely excited about this, but I do want to balance seeing ruins with other sites. From the people who have been to several of these sites, which were your favorites? At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour? I think we would like to go to 2-4 of these places:

 

 

 

Pompeii (From Naples port)

 

Ephesus (From Kusadasi)

 

Delos (From Mykonos)

 

Olympia

 

Athens

 

Rome

[paul929207]

We have only been to four. I would rank them from best:

 

1. Rome

2 Athens

3 Ephesus

4 Pompeii

[cruisemom42]

I have visited them all (and many more besides...;)). But before I rate them, it would help to know what you mean by "the best"? The ones that have the most history attached to them? The ones that are the most extensive? Most accessible? Most photo ops?

[Zukini]

We have recently booked our first European Cruise to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. I am starting to research all the ports and there seems to be lots of different ancient ruins to see on our itinerary. I am definitely excited about this, but I do want to balance seeing ruins with other sites. From the people who have been to several of these sites, which were your favorites? At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour? I think we would like to go to 2-4 of these places:

 

 

 

Pompeii (From Naples port)

 

Ephesus (From Kusadasi)

 

Delos (From Mykonos)

 

Olympia

 

Athens

 

Rome

 

We recently returned from a tour that included some of these sites, so I'll venture my opinion, but I'm not certain what you mean by "ancient ruins"....if you're talking about complete ruined cities, like Pompeii or Ephesus, or just the presence of ancient ruins, like the Roman Forum.

 

1) Rome, of course, has the Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Colosseum and countless other individual sites. In addition to that, though, the ruins of the city of Ostia Antica are about a 30 minute train ride north of the city. This is a complete city in ruins, with a lot of mosaics still in place, and even some two story buildings. It's an extensive set of ruins, and because it's off the beaten path it's seldom mobbed with tour groups.

 

2) Ephesus is also a complete ruined city. While the structures are in greater disrepair, they are also more spectacular than the ones at Ostia. In particular, the Terrace Houses still have many frescoes and colored mosaics in place. It's also more crowded, though, because it is the main destination for anyone going to Ephesus.

 

3) Athens has the ruins standing on the Acropolis, and the surrounding Agora, temples, and theaters. The ruins here are more in line with what you would find in Rome...clusters of ruins embedded in a modern city.

 

4) By the time we had seen those sites, we didn't have the energy to see a third complete ruined city at Pompeii, so I can't give you insight into that. I haven't been to any of the other ports you've mentioned.

 

Each is different and each has its own unique story and history, and presents itself in a different way. I would call Rome, Athens, and Ephesus must-sees, and I would add on either Ostia (less crowded), Pompeii (most eerie), or Herculaneum (most compact).

 

Check the link in my signature for a trip review that covers some of those place, including Rome, Ostia Antica, Ephesus, and Athens.:)

[Zukini]

At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour?

 

That's another subject that's highly individual. We used guidebooks at some sites, Rick Steves audio tours at others, and guides at still others.

 

A good guide can make all the difference in the world, and can really bring history to life. A mediocre guide can give you the basics, and in some cases can detract from your enjoyment, so if you decide to use a guide, research and find one that's recommended by others.

 

Books are ok, if they have a detailed touring plan for a site. Audio tours? I've used the Rick Steves tours at a few sites, and while they're not bad, I found the pacing to be slower than I would have liked. Many sites have audio guides for rent that are keyed to numbered placards at points along the route. While we didn't try these, they might be worth looking into.

 

I don't know that any site can be fully appreciated just by wandering and reading the placards that are provided.

[cruiseAZ]

We just visited many of these sites. We had great small group tours with a guide at Pompeii (through AP tours) and Ephesus (through Ekol) and the guides really added to the trip. We spent 3 days in Rome and we did the Forum, Colloseum and Parthenon using Rick Steves ipod tours - which were great and saved us money. We also did the Acropolis on our own with a Rick Steves ipod tour. The Acropolis was very crowded (almost got crushed at the entry gate) and was my least favorite because of the crowds on the lower areas getting up and down from the top. The stones were very slippery and many people fell. I used a walking stick at all sites for extra balance.

[6rugrats]

I'll rate based on most interesting things to see (according to me!):

 

1. Best - Rome

 

2. Most disappointing - Olympia

 

I'll have to exclude Pompeii, as I've never been there.

[cruisemom42]

We have recently booked our first European Cruise to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. I am starting to research all the ports and there seems to be lots of different ancient ruins to see on our itinerary. I am definitely excited about this, but I do want to balance seeing ruins with other sites. From the people who have been to several of these sites, which were your favorites? At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour? I think we would like to go to 2-4 of these places:

 

 

 

Pompeii (From Naples port)

 

Ephesus (From Kusadasi)

 

Delos (From Mykonos)

 

Olympia

 

Athens

 

Rome

 

 

Well, since the OP hasn't come back to answer, I will just rate them based on my own criteria. ;) For the record, in places like Rome and Athens there is more to see than just ruins, but I will only concentrate on ruins, since that is what the OP asked..... And for me, historical importance is a factor I rate highly; therefore, I find Athens to be more significant than, say, Ephesus.

 

1. Rome -- capital of the vast Roman empire for centuries, there are some monumental ruins to be seen here that differ from anything else you'll see. The Colosseum is vast and should be seen both inside and out to really get an idea of what a huge operation this was, and how many Romans could be accommodated inside. The Pantheon is one of the most incredibly well-preserved buildings from antiquity and really shows off the engineering skills of the Romans. The Roman Forum is only one of a series of fori (open public spaces) where the Romans met, made laws, held trials, built temples, and generally conducted the business of a large empire. It is the earliest, where the primary temples (to Jupiter, Vesta, Castor & Pollux) are located, as well as the Senate building and much more. Other ruins in Rome are almost too numerous to mention: Trajan's Forum and market (which contains the famous Trajan's Column), the other Imperial Fori, Palatine Hill, the Ara Pacis, Mausoleum of Augustus, Mausoleum of Hadrian (otherwise known as the Castel Sant'Angelo), the temples in Largo Argentina area, even some of the bridges over the Tiber date to Roman times.....

 

2. Athens -- First major democratic government and home of a Golden Age of art and architecture that have been revered by almost every succeeding Western empire. The Athenians never ruled an empire in the sense that the Romans did. Most of the ruins in Athens are concentrated in the area on and around the Acropolis (which is the generic name for a "high place", not a specific name of this place in Athens, btw....). What makes the Acropolis so coherent is that almost all the structures were built at the same time and according to a master plan, not added piecemeal. The Parthenon of course needs no description, but I find the other major temple, the Erechtheion, to be equally (if not more) fascinating. Also, the monumental gate, called the Propylaea, and the perfect little temple of Athena Nike to the right of the Propylaea add to the wonder. In addition to the Acropolis, a must-see is the ancient Greek Agora, which is right at the foot of the Acropolis and contains a great little museum with a focus on the early democracy in Athens. If you look at another recent thread, I posted photos and descriptions of some other key things to see in the Greek Agora. Also worth seeing: Roman Agora (mainly for the Temple of the Winds), the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the two wonderful museums -- the National Archaeological Museum and the new Acropolis Museum.

 

3. Pompeii -- It's a huge site, but that's what makes it fascinating. Everyone knows the story of the eruption of the volcano in 79 AD. The city is amazingly preserved and really gives an idea of what life would've been like in a Roman city at the time. Not just a look at how the wealthy lived, but also the taverns, shops, businesses, and brothels of the time. Be forewarned that many of the delicate pieces are in the Naples Archaeological Museum (statues, frescoes, mosaics, etc) for protection. You need a minimum several hours to tour the site. Easily reachable on your own by bus or train from Naples.

 

4. Ephesus -- Another large site, although many tours stick to a clear path that only showcases some highlights. This city was one of the seats of Roman power in the Empire's Eastern provinces. The famous Library of Celsus is beautiful (but highly reconstructed). The large theatre is supposedly where Paul preached and is still used today for some concerts. There are ongoing excavations of the site, including the Terrace Houses, which might best be compared to the luxury urban lofts of their day. You can (and definitely should) see these; the frescoes, flooring, even plumbing can still be viewed. There is an extra charge for entry to the Terrace Houses. Also, by the way, since we are talking ruins, I consider it well worth the 10 minutes needed to make a brief stop at the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, either before or after Ephesus. There's not much to be seen now, but this is the site of one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.

 

5. Olympia -- I had a difficult time deciding between Olympia and Delos for these two spots, but Olympia won out due to the fact that it was the home of the original Olympic games and because it contained one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the statue of Zeus. (Although the statue remained at Olympia for over 800 years, it was eventually removed to Constantinople where it was destroyed by fire.) While you can't see the statue, you can see the ruins of temple that housed it, as well as various gymnastic facilities and tracks used during the Olympic competitions, held every four years just like now. There is also a nice little museum onsite.

 

6. Delos -- A sacred site to the Greeks, it is supposedly the birthplace of Apollos and Artemis (read your mythology to get the back story). It was always a place of worship in ancient times, when it was prohibited for anyone to either give birth or die on the island. Later there were some residences built on the island when it became more of a commercial center (known for slave trading). Some of the sites include a small theatre (sited on a hill), some houses with mosaics (e.g., House of Dionysus, House of the Dolphins), the Sacred Lake, and the famous "Avenue of Lions" which border a sacred processional path and date from around 600 BC. Again, there is a small museum onsite that is well worth visiting.

 

Hope this helps.

[chipmaster]

Rome and Athens are huge cities with ruins, museums and many other historical sites.

 

FWIW we found Pompeii, Ephesus, Acroplis, Colleseum, Forum all to be special stops and never felt ruined :D

 

We have recently booked our first European Cruise to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. I am starting to research all the ports and there seems to be lots of different ancient ruins to see on our itinerary. I am definitely excited about this, but I do want to balance seeing ruins with other sites. From the people who have been to several of these sites, which were your favorites? At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour? I think we would like to go to 2-4 of these places:

 

 

 

Pompeii (From Naples port)

 

Ephesus (From Kusadasi)

 

Delos (From Mykonos)

 

Olympia

 

Athens

 

Rome

[june1]

Absolutely # 1-3 was Ephesus - fabulous Wish we had gone to the terrace houses.

 

4. Rome's Coliseum

4. Athens' Parthenon

5. Pompeii

 

Just my opinion.

[right trip]

I have been to all the places you mentioned except Delos. Some one them more than once. I would return to every one. To me, Rome is a must. In fact over the years we have visited there many times.

I was not disappointed with Olympia, but then I taught World History for years. My students and I traveled the roads of these places through books and videos. Now I have the opporunity to literally walk the streets.

Read all that you can find and decide which sites you would like best. They are all so different, I believe you would not feel ruin over-load, if you saw them all.

Happy exploring.

Bobbie:)

[Gracie115]

Well, since the OP hasn't come back to answer, I will just rate them based on my own criteria. ;) For the record, in places like Rome and Athens there is more to see than just ruins, but I will only concentrate on ruins, since that is what the OP asked..... And for me, historical importance is a factor I rate highly; therefore, I find Athens to be more significant than, say, Ephesus.

 

1. Rome -- capital of the vast Roman empire for centuries, there are some monumental ruins to be seen here that differ from anything else you'll see. The Colosseum is vast and should be seen both inside and out to really get an idea of what a huge operation this was, and how many Romans could be accommodated inside. The Pantheonis one of the most incredibly well-preserved buildings from antiquity and really shows off the engineering skills of the Romans. The Roman Forum is only one of a series of fori (open public spaces) where the Romans met, made laws, held trials, built temples, and generally conducted the business of a large empire. It is the earliest, where the primary temples (to Jupiter, Vesta, Castor & Pollux) are located, as well as the Senate building and much more. Other ruins in Rome are almost too numerous to mention: Trajan's Forum and market (which contains the famous Trajan's Column), the other Imperial Fori, Palatine Hill, the Ara Pacis, Mausoleum of Augustus, Mausoleum of Hadrian (otherwise known as the Castel Sant'Angelo), the temples in Largo Argentina area, even some of the bridges over the Tiber date to Roman times.....

 

2. Athens -- First major democratic government and home of a Golden Age of art and architecture that have been revered by almost every succeeding Western empire. The Athenians never ruled an empire in the sense that the Romans did. Most of the ruins in Athens are concentrated in the area on and around the Acropolis (which is the generic name for a "high place", not a specific name of this place in Athens, btw....). What makes the Acropolis so coherent is that almost all the structures were built at the same time and according to a master plan, not added piecemeal. The Parthenon of course needs no description, but I find the other major temple, the Erechtheion, to be equally (if not more) fascinating. Also, the monumental gate, called the Propylaea, and the perfect little temple of Athena Nike to the right of the Propylaea add to the wonder. In addition to the Acropolis, a must-see is the ancient Greek Agora, which is right at the foot of the Acropolis and contains a great little museum with a focus on the early democracy in Athens. If you look at another recent thread, I posted photos and descriptions of some other key things to see in the Greek Agora. Also worth seeing: Roman Agora (mainly for the Temple of the Winds), the Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the two wonderful museums -- the National Archaeological Museum and the new Acropolis Museum.

 

3. Pompeii -- It's a huge site, but that's what makes it fascinating. Everyone knows the story of the eruption of the volcano in 79 AD. The city is amazingly preserved and really gives an idea of what life would've been like in a Roman city at the time. Not just a look at how the wealthy lived, but also the taverns, shops, businesses, and brothels of the time. Be forewarned that many of the delicate pieces are in the Naples Archaeological Museum (statues, frescoes, mosaics, etc) for protection. You need a minimum several hours to tour the site. Easily reachable on your own by bus or train from Naples.

 

4. Ephesus -- Another large site, although many tours stick to a clear path that only showcases some highlights. This city was one of the seats of Roman power in the Empire's Eastern provinces. The famous Library of Celsus is beautiful (but highly reconstructed). The large theatre is supposedly where Paul preached and is still used today for some concerts. There are ongoing excavations of the site, including the Terrace Houses, which might best be compared to the luxury urban lofts of their day. You can (and definitely should) see these; the frescoes, flooring, even plumbing can still be viewed. There is an extra charge for entry to the Terrace Houses. Also, by the way, since we are talking ruins, I consider it well worth the 10 minutes needed to make a brief stop at the ruins of the Temple of Artemis, either before or after Ephesus. There's not much to be seen now, but this is the site of one of the Wonders of the Ancient World.

 

5. Olympia -- I had a difficult time deciding between Olympia and Delos for these two spots, but Olympia won out due to the fact that it was the home of the original Olympic games and because it contained one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the statue of Zeus. (Although the statue remained at Olympia for over 800 years, it was eventually removed to Constantinople where it was destroyed by fire.) While you can't see the statue, you can see the ruins of temple that housed it, as well as various gymnastic facilities and tracks used during the Olympic competitions, held every four years just like now. There is also a nice little museum onsite.

 

6. Delos -- A sacred site to the Greeks, it is supposedly the birthplace of Apollos and Artemis (read your mythology to get the back story). It was always a place of worship in ancient times, when it was prohibited for anyone to either give birth or die on the island. Later there were some residences built on the island when it became more of a commercial center (known for slave trading). Some of the sites include a small theatre (sited on a hill), some houses with mosaics (e.g., House of Dionysus, House of the Dolphins), the Sacred Lake, and the famous "Avenue of Lions" which border a sacred processional path and date from around 600 BC. Again, there is a small museum onsite that is well worth visiting.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I don't know if it helped th OP but it sure helps me!!! We're taking our first Med trip this September and your information is most helpful, not just here but in many other posts I've read from you...so thanks!!!:):D

[cruisemom42]

I don't know if it helped th OP but it sure helps me!!! We're taking our first Med trip this September and your information is most helpful, not just here but in many other posts I've read from you...so thanks!!!:):D

 

Thanks for that; I'm very glad to hear it. :D

[Mexfolkart]

I have been to all that Cynthia mentions and her list is excellent. I was not crazy about Delos, but glad I did go. I would also include Cape Souinon outside of Athens as it is not only a beautiful drive down there but a spectacular setting for the ruins..

Sherry

[jamlex]

Cynthia--

 

Leaving for these POC's on the Celebrity Equinox, June 27.

 

Thank you for taking the time to write these very help

 

ful notes.

 

Jeff & Caryn

 

PS--To all reading this who on shipmates--look forward to meeting you on Board.

[ejkj84]

I just wanted to thank everyone for the information shared about the ruins. To answer the question about what "best" means, I really don’t know since I have not been to anything like this before. I guess I probably want the best "mix" of sites. In that if any are similar, is there one I should choose over the other? Also I was trying to get an idea of what everyones favorites were so I could allow more time at them and maybe get guided tours vs. just walking around. Also some stops have many other things to do, while others are more limited. For example, I don’t see much else besides Olympia at that stop. Whereas the Naples stop has several choice. Unfortunately, money will not let me visit every site and get a guided tour. Anyways, the info so far has been helpful, thanks!

[marazul]

Whereas the Naples stop has several choices.

 

 

In Naples it would be very tough to decide between the Amalfi coast and/or Capri and going to Pompeii. Search the Italy boards and look at independent tour alternatives. There are many reliable tour guides that will drive you in a minivan to see the Amalfi coast AND stop at Pompeii. If you put a group of 6 or 8 together it would be a lot less expensive than the ship's tour. Ship's tours in Italy are notorious for the shoping stops. If you do your own, you can specify no shopping and you will have a lot more time to visit more sites.

[itsjb1]

One that has not been mentioned is Herculaneum, which you get to from Naples as well. It was also buried by the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii. It is smaller than Pompeii and we actually found it more interesting. We did a ship tour, and the guide was very good. It was also far less busy than Pompeii.

[UlvaZell]

We have recently booked our first European Cruise to Greece, Italy, and Turkey. I am starting to research all the ports and there seems to be lots of different ancient ruins to see on our itinerary. I am definitely excited about this, but I do want to balance seeing ruins with other sites. From the people who have been to several of these sites, which were your favorites? At which ones would you recommend getting a professional guided tour vs. a self guided or audio tour? I think we would like to go to 2-4 of these places:

 

 

 

Pompeii (From Naples port)

 

Ephesus (From Kusadasi)

 

Delos (From Mykonos)

 

Olympia

 

Athens

 

Rome

 

I've been to 3...

 

1) Athens - The Acropolis if only because of the scale of the place. The mount is immense and the Parthenon is amazing. I have seen pictures/videos of it all my life and to see it in person was a "living the post card" moment. We also went to the adjacent Agora, Hadrian's arch etc.

 

2) Ephesus - The history of the place is fascinating, both ancient and recent. The architecture is amazing as well as the technology. The clay water pipes and the public restroom with the running water... incredible. Most of all to stand on the stage of the theater were Paul spoke to the Ephesians... wow.

 

3) Olympia - The ruins are interesting but for me they were sparse and it was difficult to picture what it must have looked like. The adjacent museum was great! Tons of great artifacts and photo ops...

[UKBayern]

One that has not been mentioned is Herculaneum, which you get to from Naples as well. It was also buried by the volcanic eruption that buried Pompeii. It is smaller than Pompeii and we actually found it more interesting. We did a ship tour, and the guide was very good. It was also far less busy than Pompeii.

 

You beat me to it, I was going to recommend Herculaneum as well. It is much more compact, closer to Naples, and there are more buildings still standing than in Pompeii.

 

Be careful for the ruins-overkill. We are really into history and historical sites (I have a university degree in history), but packing in too many ruins even for us can lead to an overkill. In the end you just think "oh no, not another heap of stones". This happened to us when we went on the Maya trail for a month. After we had seen 8 to 10 major Mayan sites in Central America, we just did not want to do it anymore. Read up on the possible options and select only a few.

The time in port, the effort and price to get to the ruins and the temperature is also an issue. We skipped Ephesus, because the time in port was very short, it was very hot, and for us Europeans it is a breeze to book a cheap package holiday to Kusadasi at some other time. People watching on the boulevard with a nice cup of Turkish tea can also be nice sometimes ;).

 

For Americans, it can be a good idea to go to the more unusual places, because it is easier for them to just get onto a flight to Athens and Rome in the future and DIY, than to get to Olympia, Delos, Ephesus by themselves.

 

OP, with research and upfront reading, Pompeii/Herculaneum, Rome and Athens can be done DIY, especially if you can walk and are comfortable using the public transport. Last time we were in Egypt, we broke our "no organized tour" mantra, because that is a slightly more difficult to navigate country, and do it all yourselves in 2 days would only lead to frustration.

[DiamondDiva]

We just completed an Equinox trip to this area. Yes, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast can both be done in one day from Naples in a smnall group. We got together with 4 others from our Connections group here on CC and went with Rome In Limo, which has an office in Naples. For a very reasonable price, our guide Rafaelle drove us to Sorrento and Positano in the morning, with lunch in his home town of Sorrento, and then he drove us to Pompeii in the afternoon. We were 6 in a very comfy van, complete with group singing as we drove along the gorgeous Amalfi coastline. A fun day at a very reasonable cost and back to the ship in plenty of time.

 

http://www.romeinlimo.com/