Is Athens A Must?

[namaste1223]

We're starting to explore our options for a 7 or 8 day Eastern Mediterranean cruise. The itinerary we like the best so far includes three Greek ports (Corfu, Santorini and Mykonos) as well as Izmir/Ephesus. Athens (Piraeus) is not included, which means no Acropolis, etc. Would we be missing much? We like history, but are interested in world cultures and beautiful scenery as well. Right now the only port we absolutely want to make sure to include is Ephesus. This might be our only trip, at least for awhile, to this region. Would we be making a mistake to choose a cruise that does not include Athens?

Thank you for any insights...

One more quick question: Is Santorini a tender port? Are any of the others?

Many thanks!

[D4]

Santorini is a tender port. At Mykonos, your ship might dock or tender. That's the only port I've ever been at where I wish my ship would tender instead of dock. The tenders let you right off where most people want to be. But if your ship docks, it is a few miles away. The cruise lines we have been on have docked and then charged us to ride a bus to get closer to the main apart of the island and you walk about 5 minutes after you get off the bus.

 

Only you can decide if it matters to you to miss Athens. For us, the huge draw is the Parthenon. We went to Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, and other ports in 2009 and again in 2012. DH and I both agree that twice was enough for Athens, but not for Santorini and Mykonos.

 

Good luck planning!

[cruisemom42]

For me, Athens would be a must. The two cities of antiquity that anchor the Eastern Med are Athens and Istanbul. I'd try to find an itinerary that includes at least one of them.

 

Some thoughts on your itinerary -- Izmir is not the best port from which to do Ephesus; it is quite a bit farther away. That means you'll spend more time in transit and less time actually seeing Ephesus and surrounding sites.

 

Corfu (for me) is nothing special.

[John Bull]

Santorini is a tender port. At Mykonos, your ship might dock or tender. That's the only port I've ever been at where I wish my ship would tender instead of dock. The tenders let you right off where most people want to be. But if your ship docks, it is a few miles away. The cruise lines we have been on have docked and then charged us to ride a bus to get closer to the main apart of the island and you walk about 5 minutes after you get off the bus.

 

Only you can decide if it matters to you to miss Athens. For us, the huge draw is the Parthenon. We went to Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, and other ports in 2009 and again in 2012. DH and I both agree that twice was enough for Athens, but not for Santorini and Mykonos.

 

Good luck planning!

 

Tee-hee :p

We tendered right into Mykonos harbourfront. Super fast service too, by local boats. And our (Princess) ship would've screwed us for a little 2-mile transfer bus if we'd ported. Some you win.....;)

 

Yes, Santorini is a tender port. The hold-up there isn't the tenders so much as the funicular or donkeys between harbour & clifftop town. Especially for the return - donkeys aren't popular for going down & the line for the funicular can be more than an hour. Walking down takes 30 - 40 mins, some slippery polished stones so take great care. Great port-of-call, though.

 

Corfu is berthed, just a cheap & very frequent 10 min local bus ride to town. Good shopping in Corfu.

 

Those three have comparatively minor historic sights - on Mykonos ( & Santorini?) they involve a little local ferry. But they're basically laid-back vacation isles.

 

Izmir is much further for Ephesus than the alternative port of Kusadasi, but perfectly do-able.

 

Athens would be on many many more people's bucket-list than any of the others - but it's your vacation.

 

The Acropolis & Ephesus are pretty shadeless, hard work in mid-summer.

 

Just my four penn'orth

 

JB :)

[texancruzer]

Hmmmm just my thoughts .........

 

Have our 4th Med cruise booked for October. 1 Western and 2 Eastern done so far.

 

Mykonos is probably my least favorite port of all. We will be visiting again in October and plan to get to Delos this time so maybe it will move up in ranking after that :)

 

Athens is amazing. There is nothing like coming out of the metro (underground exit) and seeing it right in front of you...... almost as good as my first sight of the pyramids in Cairo (almost ;) )

 

Istanbul is one of our very favorite ports...... could go back there over and over again. Wait...... we have :roll eyes:

 

Ephesus is pretty spectacular too and another Turkish port which is nice since we love Turkey in general. People are great !

 

Santorini is a must see for a first timer to the area..... we will be visiting again in October and plan is to see Akritiri (which was closed last time we were there) We took the donkeys up and the cable car down. But in all truthfulness after this visit in October I really don't HAVE to go back. Felt very touristy to me.

 

Corfu was a pleasant surprise...... not like most of the rest of Greece in that it is very green and lush. Called the Emerald Isle of Greece. Because of its location it gets a lot more rain than other Greek locales. Gorgeous views, quaint seaside villages and Corfu town was interesting too. Some great shopping here too.

 

Keep reading....... the more you know about each place the better you will know which ports are must dos. Everyone else will have their opinion but in the end you know what you like and will want to see.

 

BUT to answer your original question : YES Athens is a must in my opinion.

[buchhalm]

I would choose "the ruins" in Ephesos over Athens any time.

OK, the Acropolis in nice enough and the Plaka are is great, but the rest of Athens is pretty horrible.

The excarvations etc in Ephesos are spectacular and you can roam around for hours.

Plenty of shade and trees and grass - none of which you will find under the forever hidden under scaffolding Acropolis. And, in Ephesos, they have short performances a few times a day with the village people ( :-) ) dressed in Roman costumes. Gladiator fights and such things. Turkey got talent!

 

Mykonos. Hope for a tender. They run the tenders pretty much all day long and you will be dropped right in town where all the cafe's etc are. Great spot for a Greek lunch and people watching.

 

Santorini. Tender. If you are not on a tour, they will most likely drop you in the old port.

Fromntherevit is a loooooong, steeeep way up the cliff to town. Options are donkey ride (wobbly and uncomfortable), walking up the path (shared with said donkeys) which is steep, quite slippery and scented with donkey poo.

Then there is the cable car. In the morning, when cruise ship(s) are in port, the lines for the 5-minute ride can be well over an hour. And they do not sell return tickets. So more of the same coming back down. So a low for that!

BUT the main town (Thira/ Fira) is spectacular. Just oam around and loose yourself. Spectacular views everywhere. I believe it is impossible to take a bad photo in Santorini.

:-)

Very good shopping opportunities for jewelry in Santorini (and Mykonos)!

Copies of classic designs, conservative designs and funky-trendy designs. Haggle for the price! A ring we bought started at €5500 and after a little chat, an Ouzo and a coffee we bought for €2600... (had the thing then valued and appraised for insurance back home and it was valued at WELL above what we paid for).

Quite a few of the "classier" shops do have outlets in Athens and even Europe, Australia and the US where - at least they tell you that - you would be able to exchange your purchase if you change your mind. Haven't tested that...

[John Bull]

 

Istanbul is one of our very favorite ports...... could go back there over and over again. Wait...... we have :roll eyes:

 

 

Hi Tex,

 

Istanbul isn't on tne itinerary that the OP is considering, so it adds a further complication.

But I'll gladly to add to the OP's dilemma by agreeing with you.:D

Betcha Cruisemom agrees too ;)

 

I rate it higher than anywhere else mentioned on this thread. And well worth an overnite, available on many cruises.

 

Just MHO

 

JB :)

[texancruzer]

Hi Tex,

 

Istanbul isn't on tne itinerary that the OP is considering, so it adds a further complication.

But I'll gladly to add to the OP's dilemma by agreeing with you.:D

Betcha Cruisemom agrees too ;)

 

I rate it higher than anywhere else mentioned on this thread. And well worth an overnite, available on many cruises.

 

Just MHO

 

JB :)

 

I know, but I threw it in as many of the Eastern Med itineraries that go to Kusadasi or Izmir will also go to Istanbul (many of them overnight).

 

And if it were me, I would always try to get to Istanbul !

[agabbymama]

I'd recommend the OP get to the library and get some travel books (Fodors, Frommers, Rick Steves, etc.) See what each port has to offer. Everyone's ideas of great places aren't the same.

 

I have been to the ruins at Delphi, so Ephesus wasn't that great to me.

Once was enough, wouldn't go back.

 

Now Athens is a must if you are interested in Greece at all. The Acropolis is just one of the must sees. Olympic Stadium, the Plaka, Parliament, Changing of the Guards, the Agora (ancient Roman Market Place), Hadrian's Arch & Temple, the National Park (maybe not as large as Central Park), but certainly worth a look see, then up to Lycabettus Hill to look down upon Athens. Corinth and the Canal are close enough to visit too.

 

I did a Princess Grand tour, 12 days from Civitavecchia (Rome), to Monaco, to Livorno (Pisa & Florence), Naples, Santorini, Kusadasi, Mykonos (missed due to high winds), Athens, Katakolon (Olympia), Corfu, and ending in Venice. We added Paris to the front of the trip, 3 days in Rome, 3 days in Venice and 2 days at the end in Paris, for a 21 day trip. It was fantastic and a good overview of the Med.

 

Only the OP can determine what is most important for them to see.

[ILoveScotland]

I've been to Athens twice, and it is one of the places where I'd like to return and stay several days so that I get beyond the Acropolis which is so grand and could go to the museums and have some time to wander around the Plaka and not be rushed.

 

Santorini is beautiful. I also liked Rhodes. Mykonos was okay, but I was with DH who was in a wheelchair, and we docked far from the town. Ephesus is incredible.

 

Istanbul stole my heart so much on my cruise that I returned six months later and stayed 3 nights.

 

namaste1223l, it's your holiday so only you can ultimately decide. I agree with others. Buy travel guides. Do online research which can give you lots of information. Then decide based on what you learn and which places jump out at you and say, "Hurry, come see me."

[phillie gal]

The choice is ultimately yours but Athens will give you everything you ask for; history, world cultures and beautiful scenery. My three favorite ports on our easten med cruise were Naples for Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, Athens, and Kusadasi for Ephesus. Santorini was nice, beautiful sights but that was really it. Decide if you want to miss this, it's more amazing than any picture can depict:

[namaste1223]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to try and steer us in the right direction. We're still not sure what to do even though we're continuing to do more research. One easy solution would be to tack on an available 6 day cruise to this one (which is offered as a combined itinerary), which would then add Athens, Olympia and Dubrovnik, Croatia to our list of ports visited. The problem with that is that my daughter can't get that amount of time off from work. She is the one that seems particularly interested in Athens. I also found a cruise that stops in Athens and Istanbul and continues on to ports in Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine, which sounds fascinating. We might just go with the un-Athens cruise this year and pick it up next year on a cruise like the one I just mentioned. I'm thinking of booking the original one just to make sure we get our choice of cabins, etc. and continue to look around up until final payment would be due in May. We can always cancel this one and book another, right? :p

[Goingagin]

Thank you all very much for taking the time to try and steer us in the right direction. We're still not sure what to do even though we're continuing to do more research. One easy solution would be to tack on an available 6 day cruise to this one (which is offered as a combined itinerary), which would then add Athens, Olympia and Dubrovnik, Croatia to our list of ports visited. The problem with that is that my daughter can't get that amount of time off from work. She is the one that seems particularly interested in Athens. I also found a cruise that stops in Athens and Istanbul and continues on to ports in Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine, which sounds fascinating. We might just go with the un-Athens cruise this year and pick it up next year on a cruise like the one I just mentioned. I'm thinking of booking the original one just to make sure we get our choice of cabins, etc. and continue to look around up until final payment would be due in May. We can always cancel this one and book another, right? :p

Hello

Any cruise or holiday in the region is great - especially if you are into ruins (as I am). Athens is a must - in fact we have booked an apartment there for 3 weeks in September before taking the Black sea cruise you looked at. There is lots to do in Athens (been before - which is why we are going back) There are many small islands just of Piraeus which have local ferries for day trips- you can get to Corinth, Mycena, Naphlion, Delphi all on day trips (although some would be a long day),Turkey is great and apart from Ephesus the whole turquiose coast is covered in ruins. The Black Sea cruise has two day stop in Istanbul and there's lots there too. Best ruins are in Libyia - so fingers crossed they get their act together there - before the Arab Spring there were cruise ships starting to call there. But... whatever you pick will be great - good people, great food, generally pleasant weather, and plenty to see and do.

[namaste1223]

Hello

Any cruise or holiday in the region is great - especially if you are into ruins (as I am). Athens is a must - in fact we have booked an apartment there for 3 weeks in September before taking the Black sea cruise you looked at.

 

Thank you! Please come back and do a review of your Black Sea cruise when you return! In my limited experience I never knew there existed a cruise to ports like those in Ukraine and I'd love to know if this could be a serious contender for a future cruise (like maybe next year!)...

[Goingagin]

Thank you! Please come back and do a review of your Black Sea cruise when you return! In my limited experience I never knew there existed a cruise to ports like those in Ukraine and I'd love to know if this could be a serious contender for a future cruise (like maybe next year!)...

Will do - I'm really looking forward to it - it is a very different cruise. wont be home though till end of October - look for me then

[cruisemom42]

Hello

Any cruise or holiday in the region is great - especially if you are into ruins (as I am). Athens is a must - in fact we have booked an apartment there for 3 weeks in September before taking the Black sea cruise you looked at. There is lots to do in Athens (been before - which is why we are going back) There are many small islands just of Piraeus which have local ferries for day trips- you can get to Corinth, Mycena, Naphlion, Delphi all on day trips (although some would be a long day),Turkey is great and apart from Ephesus the whole turquiose coast is covered in ruins. The Black Sea cruise has two day stop in Istanbul and there's lots there too. Best ruins are in Libyia - so fingers crossed they get their act together there - before the Arab Spring there were cruise ships starting to call there. But... whatever you pick will be great - good people, great food, generally pleasant weather, and plenty to see and do.

 

You sound like a kindred spirit. I have loved visiting the many Greek and Roman ruins all around the Med, and am waiting for the day when I can get to Libya.

 

And like you I am planning a Black Sea cruise, but in 2014. There are some intriguing itineraries out there. I've realized that both Constanta and Nessebur have some very interesting ruins nearby.

 

What line are you sailing with? (I'm still in the deciding stages.)

[Goingagin]

You sound like a kindred spirit. I have loved visiting the many Greek and Roman ruins all around the Med, and am waiting for the day when I can get to Libya.

 

And like you I am planning a Black Sea cruise, but in 2014. There are some intriguing itineraries out there. I've realized that both Constanta and Nessebur have some very interesting ruins nearby.

 

What line are you sailing with? (I'm still in the deciding stages.)

 

We are sailing on Pacific Princess - one of the smaller Princess ships - which is great - I prefer smaller - they usually don't have to tender where some of the larger vessels do. There were 'better' itineraries but this fitted with our other travel plans and hit the high spots. We have been on Ocean Princess a number of times and this is a sister ship so I'm looking forward to feeling at home. Libya is AMAZING if you can get there - high point is Leptis Magna but also Sabratha (especially if you like mosaics - they are by far the best I have ever seen) Happy cruising and ruin hunting.

[ILoveScotland]

Several years ago my now late DH and I took a 2 week Eastern Med cruise on the Celebrity Galaxy beginning and ending at Rome. We went in October. In addition to the Greek Isles, Athens and Ephesus, we went to Istanbul where we stayed overnight. Then we cruised through the Bosporus and across the Black Sea stopping at Yalta and Odessa.

 

Our day in Yalta was sunny and warm. But our day in Odessa was cold and rainy, and we didn't see much. I'd like to return but don't know that I ever will.

[altiva]

We're starting to explore our options for a 7 or 8 day Eastern Mediterranean cruise. The itinerary we like the best so far includes three Greek ports (Corfu, Santorini and Mykonos) as well as Izmir/Ephesus. Athens (Piraeus) is not included, which means no Acropolis, etc. Would we be missing much? We like history, but are interested in world cultures and beautiful scenery as well. Right now the only port we absolutely want to make sure to include is Ephesus. This might be our only trip, at least for awhile, to this region. Would we be making a mistake to choose a cruise that does not include Athens?

Thank you for any insights...

One more quick question: Is Santorini a tender port? Are any of the others?

Many thanks!

 

Athens, the eye of Greece, mother of arts And eloquence, native to famous wits.