I embarked on an 11 night cruise which started in Istanbul, Turkey and ended in Athens, Greece. The Azamara Quest is a luxury cruise ship that holds a maximum of 600 passengers. The crew size is 400 and we were treated royally from beginning to end.
After two days on land in Istanbul, we cruised to the next port, Çannakale. It’s a little beachside town to the north of the Aegean Sea. Cute, quaint and a welcome respite from bustling Istanbul. The narrow cobblestone streets are affectionately known as “ankle-breakers” but definitely worth a visit because the shopping is fabulous. Most of the townspeople do not speak English but are more than willing to help. Wandering through Çannakale, we come across the town of Troy and perhaps the most interesting thing there was the Trojan horse prop used in the movie Troy starring Brad Pitt. That evening we pull up anchor and sail to the town of Çeşme. It was here that I tasted the most delicious grilled octopus with sliced peaches, green apples and garlic pieces. Yummy!
Next we visit the ports of Kusadasi in Turkey, Santorini and Patmos, Greece. In Ephesus, a neighboring city of Kusadasi, archaeological ruins reveal a time when Ephesians worked and lived. I took a dip in a pool where Cleopatra bathed, and walked along travertine marbled cliffs. Patmos (pop. 3,000), is a small Greek island accessible only by boat. The tallest building there is a UNESCO heritage site of one of the oldest monastery in Greece. It houses an interesting collection of imperial documents and religious books written on animal-skin parchment because paper wasn’t invented back then.
No visit to Greece is complete without a stop in Santorini and Mykonos. Actually Santorini was my sole purpose for going on this cruise. Our clever ship captain learned that there will be two other mega ships in port in Santorini, so he changed the itinerary and got us there ahead of the larger ships. We quickly tendered to the island and enjoyed a short cable car ride up to the top. From there, we marveled at the white buildings with blue roofs overlooking the sea. After a leisurely lunch and Aperol Spritz, we meandered back down to our ship and wondered where were all the Greek tycoons?
Visiting Kavala, Greece in the summertime is not a good idea if you don’t like the heat. In August, they were going through a heat wave and it was 96 degrees F. After checking out a couple attractions, I decided to cool off with a beer and bite at a beachside restaurant. Mussels were picked this morning from the ocean, steamed with a little bit of olive oil and garlic. So fresh, tender and simply prepared. It was delicious! I don’t think I can ever go back to eating the rubbery atrocities that is served back home.
I disembarked in Athens and overnighted at the Sofitel Athens, the only hotel conveniently located adjacent to the Athens Airport. It was an absolute joy to shower in a full size shower, instead of the postage stamp sized one on the Azamara. Although there are some very nice restaurants at the Sofitel, you can easily walk across the street into the airport and eat there for a fraction of the price. Some additional parting thoughts on the Azamara Quest. I love the ship size and the crew to pax ratio. Unlimited alcohol, fresh brewed coffees, excellent themed dinners, self laundromat are all included for no additional cost on this luxury cruise. Being a smaller ship, getting on and off was a breeze. The entertainment and solo traveler activities could use some improvement. 11 days was just right, starting in cultural Turkey, and building up to vibrant Mykonos.
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Great job Val!!!!💕
I love detailed descriptions! Looking forward to reading all your future posts.