As the famous Meltemi winds stormed down the Aegean Sea, expedition leader John Frick changed our course for the sheltered waters of mainland Peloponnesus. Our adaptable guides introduced us to the city of Nafplio, an Ottoman stronghold won by the Greeks in the War of Independence. Nafplio served as the first modern Greek capital from 1829–1834. Guests made the most of their morning excursion in Nafplio, which featured a walking tour, an optional 999-step ascent to the Fortress of Palamidi, and some generous servings at the local world class gelato shop.
9/5/2024
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Sea Cloud
Santorini, Greece
Our full day on the fascinating island of Santorini (Thera) started with a stroll through the beautiful town of Oia, once a quiet village of blue domes and whitewashed houses, but now growing in size and popularity. After our visit, we headed for the archaeological museum in Fira, where numerous well-preserved frescoes from the Middle Bronze Age are on display. These spectacular paintings give us a tantalizing glimpse at life in the Aegean around 1630 BC, including one of our best depictions of ships and seafaring in this era. We paused for a leisurely lunch at Mario’s Restaurant, which featured both a refreshing seaside location and delightful local fare, such as a delicate fava spread, feta with herbs, and stuffed tomatoes. We ended our island visit with a tour of the archaeological site of Akrotiri, destroyed by a volcanic eruption around 1630 BC and popularly known as the Pompeii of the Aegean. Our tender back to the ship was a bit more leisurely than expected, but once aboard we enjoyed a Greek barbecue dinner on the Lido Deck, and we ended our splendid day with a performance of salty songs of the sea by the Sea Cloud Shanty Gang.