Durban - Our recent visit to the Greek Isles has revealed luxury cruise travel as the best way to explore the continent as we got to travel from country to country in a matter of days.
Having experienced cruise travel before, my friends and I were expecting more of the same. Little did we know that we were about to embark on a great European adventure of our lives.
When we arrived in Venice, Italy, we were taken to the harbour to begin our tour on board the phenomenal cruise liner, the Splendour of the Seas.
The Royal Caribbean luxury cruise, which can accommodate 2 500 passengers and 750 employees, was to be our home for the next 10 days.
Waitress Sissy Souza from Brazil, who attended to us at the upmarket King and I restaurant, described the ship as the “floating city” boasting several restaurants and bars, a casino, pools, state-of-the-art gymnasium, nightclub and several shops.
Our first port of call was the town of Split in Croatia, which has excellent restaurants and bars lining the small harbour town. The town’s residents are proud of its old historic buildings and the authorities have done an amazing job in preserving this heritage.
The next 24 hours was spent cruising and our group got the opportunity to fully enjoy what the ship had to offer. Several onboard activities included dancing, swimming and taking part in various competitions designed to keep passengers entertained.
The onboard entertainment was very popular with a lot of passengers. However, others used the time to relax next to the pool with a good book while sipping a cocktail.
After 24 hours of onboard entertainment we were ready for our next excursion in the town of Kusadasi, Turkey. This visit turned out to have a lot of educational value as we got to learn about the country’s history.
The most significant tourist attraction we visited in Kusadasi was the House of Virgin Mary. Every day thousands of tourists from around the world visit the house and historians have collected enough evidence to conclude that the mother of Christ spent her last years in that brick house.
Tourists from different parts of the world regard the House of Virgin Mary as a holy place and visitors come here in numbers to drink holy water from the fountain and to ask for blessings. A visit to Kusadasi is not complete without a tour of the Biblical Ancient Ephesus, which is an ancient Greco-Roman City. Even though only a small portion of the ancient ruins have been excavated, the private tour gave us great insight into the country’s ancient civilisation.
The reconstruction of the ruins of Ephesus was an eye-opener for our group, especially the great ancient library of Celsus and the Grand Theatre.
Our visit to Kusadasi ended with a lunch at a typical Turkish restaurant and a shopping spree at an upmarket leather jacket manufacturer which sells some of the best leather in the world.
Our next stop was the small island of Mykonos, Greece, which attracts thousands of tourists because of its large rocks and deep blue waters of the Aegean Sea.
Even though our stay in Mykonos was short-lived, I was happy to realise my dream of swimming in the island’s clear blue seas. Mykonos town is appealing with its winding streets and whitewashed houses. It was refreshing to take a stroll though the maze of shops, restaurants and bars.
Shopping
While in Greece, our next stop was the picturesque town of Katakolon which is the home of ancient Greek musical instruments and games and ancient Greek technology. In Katakolon we got the opportunity to do some shopping in the local market and came across great souvenirs.
Our last stop was the truly stunning and unique city of Venice. As we disembarked the Splendour of the Seas, we experienced our last adventure and Venice did not disappoint. Located in a lagoon, Venice is unique with its narrow streets and waterways.
Its primary form of transport are the water taxis that run through the Grande Canal, while the famous gondolas, a traditional boat, are a major hit with tourists. What also makes Venice attractive for me is that it is home to major European fashion labels – a good way to spend the last of my budget.
Our last activity before we left Venice for our long trip back home was a visit to Ristorante Al Colombo, the oldest restaurant in Venice which used to be a favourite spot for poets and artists many centuries ago. Here we got to experience real fine Italian dining.
While we were looking forward to going back home, we all agreed that this was a cruise trip which fulfilled all our great expectations. - The Mercury