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June 21, 2024

With Windstar Cruises, you can embark on an incredible journey among the Greek islands, discovering breathtaking maritime scenery and ancient treasures.

Windstar offers its guests quality services both onboard and onshore. The range of shore excursions is truly extensive and meticulously planned. Windstar itineraries are carefully designed, as are the boutique accommodations and pricing, with fewer than 350 guests and an intimate and friendly staff-to-guest ratio. From the moment you step on board, the crew is always attentive, ready to provide what you desire and need, when you ask for it and when you want to be surprised. With Wind Spirit you can dock at legendary islands, stroll among white and blue houses and marble alleys, enjoy the grandeur of ancient UNESCO World Heritage temples and sites, savor local flavors, and appreciate the timeless beauty of Greece. There are numerous excursions to choose from, catering to outdoor enthusiasts, gourmet lovers, history buffs, or those who simply enjoy getting to know the people and places they visit.

Athens is a city where history is unavoidable. The UNESCO-listed Acropolis, with its museum housing all the treasures of Greece, is a must-see. You can also visit the Agora or climb Pnyx Hill at sunset to photograph the Parthenon and get a set of Greek komboloi (rosary beads). Even the metro stations here are mini-museums due to the continuously discovered artifacts. You can walk through the Propylaea or the Temple of Erechtheion and see the distant Loggia of the Caryatids (or the Porch of the Maidens). Not to mention the Kerameikos and Plaka districts, Hadrian’s Library, or the Roman Agora. Remember that during this trip, you will walk on the same marble paths once traversed by Mark Antony. All excursions are available in various options, with the possibility of private cars or vans (depending on the number of guests), for either full or half days, with an English-speaking driver and guide.

In Mykonos, wake up to a view of hundreds of whitewashed churches and straw-roofed windmills overlooking the bustling port. An optional tour includes a picturesque ferry ride to the UNESCO-listed island of Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo, dating back to the 6th century BC.

Few places offer such a rich combination of history and scenic beauty. In Ephesus, founded by the Carians and Leleges, you’ll find legendary sites and be incredibly surprised by the beauty of its wild and mythical nature, such as the Terrace Houses, nestled on the slopes of Mount Bulbul, accessible via stairs, with roofs that form terraces for the upper houses. Or be enchanted by monumental works like the reconstructed facade of the Library of Celsus, the Corinthian-style Temple of Hadrian, the Odeon Theater, and the Grand Theater from the Hellenistic period, which has a capacity of 25,000 seats and is still in use today due to its excellent acoustics, where even St. Paul preached. Additionally, the Marble Road running between the Theater and the Library of Celsus is part of a sacred path. There’s also the possibility to visit the House of the Virgin Mary and the Church of Mary, the first dedicated to her, or the church dedicated to St. John above the village of Sirince, a perfect blend of Turkish-Greek culture. Here, after a stroll, you can even enjoy a private lunch. Returning to Kusadasi, you can watch a carpet weaving demonstration or wander the streets around the ship. In the evening, Windstar offers a special treat: a moonlit dinner with a concert near the Library of Celsus or on Harbour Street in ancient Ephesus. Again, all sites can be explored at your own pace, with a private vehicle, driver, and guide.

Patmos is an ideal place for nature lovers, with its sheer cliffs and volcanic soil. It has a picturesque port dominated by the imposing Monastery of St. John, surrounded by white houses that contrast sharply with its dark mass, located around the Cave of St. John, where the evangelist lived for two years while writing the Apocalypse. From the port of Skala, a 10-minute drive takes you to the charming village of Chora. Alternatively, you can experience the humble yet richly fulfilling lives of the 100 nuns living and working in the Monastery of Evangelismos, built in 1613, offering spectacular views of the Bay of Gardens. You can breathe in some monastic life and be enchanted by the Byzantine art of “Spitha” (spark) embroidery. Finally, visit the Simandiris house-museum and stop at Aloni, a local tavern highly appreciated for a traditional snack, a taste of typical Greek hospitality in this enlightening excursion, also possible by car or van if preferred.

The yacht then approaches the spectacular cliffs rising in the Caldera of Santorini, for a catamaran tour of the volcanic islands Nea Kameni, Palea Kameni, and Thirassia, with lunch included onboard. Alternatively, onshore, you find the picturesque blue domes of Oia and Santorini. One option is to climb Mount Profitis Ilias (Prophet Elias), or a guided tour (also by car), or rather a stroll through the narrow cobbled streets overlooking Fira and the volcano, where you can visit many small shops offering an unusual collection of ceramic artworks, paintings, and handmade jewelry. Another option is a guided tour of the Bronze Age excavations at the UNESCO-listed site of Akrotiri, where some believe the remains of Atlantis are hidden. End the day with a toast of local Assyrtiko wine before heading to Athinios port or taking a short walk to Santo Winery, one of the most important in Santorini, where you’ll be rewarded with some of the island’s most famous wines before visiting the underground Wine Museum of Santorini and continuing the tasting.

Monemvasia appears as a medieval town linked to the mainland by a single road, guarding ancient treasures, including city walls and several churches dating back to the 12th century. You can climb to the upper town to closely admire the Castle or the 13th-century Church of Christ in Chains, modified during the Venetian occupation. Then a tour and tasting at “Liotrivi” (Olive Oil Factory), of the Ritsos family, where the famous poet spent his childhood. Or change the scenery with a visit to the Byzantine church of Agia Sophia, or relax on a beach of typical smooth pebbles.

One of the most fascinating seaside towns in the Peloponnese is Nafplio, one of Greece’s most romantic with its medieval old town, narrow cobbled streets, and neoclassical villas with bougainvillea trees. The walk to Kapodistriou Square or Constitution Square (Syntagma Square), passing by the “Komboloi Museum” (typical Greek worry beads), is truly picturesque. Equally enchanting is the path to Mount Palamidis, in memory of the hero of Homeric Epics, where the Castle of Palamidi stands decorated with its 999 rock-carved steps, an exquisite example of 18th-century Venetian architecture, occupied by the Turks in 1716 and handed over to the Greeks a century later. From this height, only magnificent views of the city below and the Bay of Argolis can be seen. Optional tours to the UNESCO site of Mycenae, ruins including the famous Lion Gate, or a tour to the UNESCO site of Epidaurus, where the best-preserved Theater stands, right next to the sanctuary-hospital of Asclepius, the ancient Greek god of healing. It was built in the 4th century BC and still enjoys excellent acoustics, capable of hosting about 12,000 spectators from across the Greek world. Depending on the chosen excursion, before returning to the yacht, you can taste ouzo, the Greeks’ favorite liquor, or follow a wine route of Argolis visiting two wineries, Gofas Winery and Semeli Estate. During the Venetian rule in the Middle Ages, sweet Malvasia wines began to be traded throughout Europe; today, the modern wine region of the Peloponnese is one of the most productive areas, cultivating exceptional native varieties such as Agiorgitiko, Moschofilero, and Mavrodaphne.

Thanks to the Wind Spirit cruise, the treasures of the Greek Islands are discovered and loved uniquely, with a relaxed yet rich pace. You have time to linger in magical places, swim in breathtaking beaches and depths, explore local cuisine, and meet hospitable locals, even shouting “ya mas” (“cheers”).

To stay updated on this and all Windstar cruises, visit the Cruising Journal.

Tina Caracappa

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