This week's blog post is from Katie Normand, our Europe, New Zealand and Australia Specialist!
Mediterranean Cruise
on the Oceania Sirena
I’ve always been a
type-A/plan-my-own-itinerary/book-everything-myself kind of person. The idea of
a trip or a cruise where every stop is planned out for me each day sounded
quite restricting—definitely not my style. But a few years ago the opportunity
arose for me to join my Aunt Judy on a cruise around the Mediterranean, and as
it turns out, it ended up being one of the most amazing trips of my life!
Our itinerary was on the Eastern Mediterranean, round-trip from
Athens, Greece. As I reviewed the itinerary before we left, I appreciated that
we were going to hit some of the more popular destinations like Santorini and
Venice, but I was seriously questioning some stops, like Corfu (Greece), Kotor
(Montenegro), or Ancona (Italy).
As we explored the ship our first night, I was shocked by
how much there was to do on the ship alone! There was a pool and hot tub of
course, but also a full spa, a library, a putting green, shuffleboard, and
more. I could probably just spend a whole week on the ship.
Another thing I loved about the ship was the food—or more
specifically, the endless choices! I’m not really what you would consider a
“foodie.” I’m a pretty picky eater, and I always hate to pay for food if I
don’t know I’ll like because if not, it’ll be a waste of food and money!
But the beauty of cruising this way was that the food is
already included in the fare. I really appreciated that Oceania made a point to
have local food from our port available for dinner each night, so it was great
to be able to try local delicacies with the peace of mind of knowing if I
didn’t like it, I could just go grab some pizza or a burger! (Although I ended
up loving everything new that I tried—hello, baklava!)
Our first stop was Santorini, and the beautiful island
certainly lived up to the hype. Sailing into the bay at sunrise was quite a
beautiful sight, and it wasn’t hard at all to find those classic blue domes for
a photo!
After a stop in Katakolon, Greece, where we visited the
original Olympic grounds, we ventured on to Corfu, another Greek Island and
somewhere I probably never would have thought to visit on my own due to the
popularity of some many other Greek islands, but wow—was I blown away by Corfu!
This island had it all. A charming old town with beautiful ancient architecture
and quaint shops, and some of the most stunning beaches I’ve ever seen.
Judy and I also tried the local drink, Ouzo, which is a
clear alcohol so strong you have to dilute it with water to drink, and when you
do, it turns milky white. It tasted just like black licorice!
The next stop was Kotor, Montenegro, another place that
never would’ve been on my radar otherwise. Kotor sits in what’s called Europe’s
southernmost fjord, and sailing into the fjord in the morning when it’s silent
and still was so peaceful and beautiful.
The Old City is well-preserved, and an UNESCO heritage site.
Surrounded by mountains, we climbed a long set of steps up to the old fortress
that overlooks the city and bay for stunning views. We also took a boat trip
out to Our Lady of the Rocks church which sits on an island of its own in the
fjord.
From there we stopped in stunning Split, Croatia which
boasted amazing architecture (the city center is literally built into an old
palace), classic orange rooftops, and outdoor markets, then onto a rainy day
Venice where I completed all of my Christmas present shopping for the year and
enjoyed pizza and gelato (of course)!
From Venice, we sailed to Ancona, Italy, where I was really
confused as to what there is to do here. But instead of staying in the city, we
opted for the shore excursion to San Marino, which is a little-known country
(yes, country!) that sits in the middle of Italy (kind of like the Vatican).
Walking the cobblestone streets, I felt like I had gone back
in time. After watching the changing of the guard at the President’s house, I
actually went to the tourism office to get a stamp for my passport—this was my
20th country visited! What a fun little surprise San Marino was, and
an extra country checked off the bucket list!
After Ancona, we stopped in Bari, Italy which is the gateway
to the Puglia region known for its seaside cliffs, and then we had a day at sea
while returning back to Athens, where we added an extra day post-cruise to
explore this enormous city before returning back to the US.
Overall, I ended up absolutely loving my cruising
experience! I thought the set itinerary would be rigid and dull, but there were
still so many surprises along the way. We still had plenty of flexibility to
choose what we wanted to do in each port, and when we opted to do the Oceania
shore excursions, they were top-notch experiences. And probably the best part
of it all was that after a long day of exploring a city, I could sit back,
relax and have a drink without worrying about how I was getting from place to
place, finding accommodations, or hauling luggage. That alone was worth it,
because my vacation could really be a vacation!
For booking details visit lovelandandsea.com
