An Extended Journey to Azure Waters, Dramatic Landscapes and Paradise Islands Cruise on Explora I from Athens (Piraeus)

Athens (Piraeus)

Athens, the capital city of Greece is an active cosmopolitan mix of different cultures and people, passionate about their art and history. The climate is one of the best in Europe, with mild winters and very hot summers, ideal for tourism. It is located just a few miles from the port of Piraeus, the central commercial port of the capital, and the shores of southern Attica. The main attractions of Athens are The Ancient Agora, Anafiotika, The Acropolis, Mount Lycabettus, Thiseion Cinema, Gazi, Monastiraki Flea Market, Pireaus seaside, Pireaus open air market, Kastella Hill, Veakio open air theatre and Piraeus Archaeological.

Mykonos

Probably the most famous of the Greek Islands, Queen of the Cyclades, and the most cosmopolitan. Mykonos, owes its fame to the beauty of its capital, its white houses narrow passages, and their numerous high quality beaches. Tourism is a major industry, and Mykonos is particularly renowned for its cosmopolitan nightlife; many international celebrities visit the island every summer and and its proximity to the island of Delos, rich in archaeological treasures.

Mykonos

Probably the most famous of the Greek Islands, Queen of the Cyclades, and the most cosmopolitan. Mykonos, owes its fame to the beauty of its capital, its white houses narrow passages, and their numerous high quality beaches. Tourism is a major industry, and Mykonos is particularly renowned for its cosmopolitan nightlife; many international celebrities visit the island every summer and and its proximity to the island of Delos, rich in archaeological treasures.

Patmos (Greece)

Patmos is a small Greek island in the Aegean Sea. It has great natural beauty and is crowned by an impressive medieval monastery. The apostle John wrote the Apocalypse on the island. Grigos is the best beach with clear waters with blue only seen in the Mediterranean and the Aegean. In the city of Patmos, you will find endless streets with the seventeenth-century houses of gray stone, white walls neighborhoods and arches of gray stone

Volos (Greece)

We arrive at Volos to awaken all our senses with the view of Meteora, a place wher numerous dark rock mountains, narrow and high, rise perpendicularto the ground. On some of those amazing rocks we see monasterys constructed during the 14th century and finished in the 16th century. With the time stairs have been constructed and bridges to access to those buildings. They are inhabited by monks and nuns, dedicated to the prayers and the paintings of the religious icons.

Thessaloniki (Greece)

Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia, as well as the capital of the Decentralised Administration of Macedonia and Thrace. The city is renowned for its festivals, events, and vibrant cultural life in general, it is also considered to be Greece´s cultural capital. Events such as the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and the Thessaloniki International Film Festival are held annually, while the city also hosts the largest bi-annual meeting of the Greek diaspora. Thessaloniki is home to numerous notable Byzantine monuments, including the Paleochristian and Byzantine monuments of Thessaloniki, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as well as several Roman, Ottoman and Sephardic Jewish structures. The city´s main university, Aristotle University, is the largest in Greece and the Balkans. The earliest known letter by Paul the Apostle was written to the early Christian church in Thessaloniki and is identified as First Thessalonians; it is among the books in the New Testament whose authorship by Paul is generally regarded by scholars as being undisputed. A later letter to the same church follows in the Christian Bible as Second Thessalonians. In addition to its historic roots, Thessaloniki is also a very popular tourist destination in Greece. In 2010, Lonely Planet ranked Thessaloniki as the world´s fifth-best party city worldwide, comparable to other cities such as Dubai and Montreal. For 2013, National Geographic Magazine included Thessaloniki in its top tourist destinations worldwide. If that’s not enough to tempt you, it was the second largest and wealthiest city of the Byzantine Empire.

Kavala

Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha is an archipelago formed by different islands, and is located in the Southern Atlantic. The access to the island is complicated, it is named in the Guiness Book of Records as the farest inhabited place in the world.

Mytilene, Greece

Lesbos , sometimes referred to as Mytilene after its capital, is a Greek island located in the northeastern Aegean Sea. It has an area of 630 sq mi with almost 200 miles of coastline, making it the third largest Greek island. It is separated from Turkey by the narrow Mytilini Strait. Lesbos is a separate regional unit of the North Aegean region, and the only municipality within it. Its population is approximately 86,000, a third of which lives in its capital, Mytilene, in the southeastern part of the island. The remaining population is distributed in small towns and villages. The largest are Plomari, Kalloni, the Gera Villages, Agiassos, Eresos, and Molyvos (the ancient Mythimna). Twelve historic churches on the island were listed together on the 2008 World Monuments Fund´s Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites in the world. Exposure to the elements, outmoded conservation methods, and increased tourism are all threats to the structures.

Paros

Palermo (Sicily)

 Palermo, the capital of Sicily and the Province of Palermo is situated in the northwest of the island of Sicily, right by the Gulf of Palermo in the Tyrrhenian Sea. Palermo is a beautiful place and has a noteworthy architectural heritage. It is known for many of its Norman buildings, including churches, museums, palaces, and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence - it is over 2,700 years old. The city is rich in history, culture, art, music, and food. There are many tourist attractions such as Palermo’s Arabic quarter, Orto botanico Botanical Gardens and Real Tenuta della Favorita Park. In Vucciria market, visitors will experience the unique, strongly Sicilian atmosphere, as well as taste the typical local produce. Things to see and do include the Vucciria market, Palazzo dei Normanni, Quattro Canti, Norman churches, palaces, museums, and the Capuchin Catacombs – the latter of which being not for the faint hearted. It is here where you can see the mummified bodies of monks and more, including that of a small child named Rosalia Lombardo who died in 1920. She is a true marvel.

Naples (Italy)

Naples is the capital of Campania, one of the largest metropolises on the Mediterranean Sea. The Port of Naples is one of the largest Italian seaport and one of the largest seaport in the Mediterranean Sea. Naples' historic city centre is the largest in Europe and is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Naples has long been a major cultural centre with a global sphere of influence, particularly during the Renaissance and Enlightenment eras. In the immediate vicinity of Naples are numerous culturally and historically significant sites, including the Palace of Caserta and the Roman ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum. Culinary Naples is synonymous with pizza, which originated in the city. Neapolitan music has furthermore been highly influential, credited with the invention of the romantic guitar and the mandolin, as well as notable contributions to opera and folk standards.

Porto Santo Stefano

Genoa (Italy)

Genoa is the capital of Liguria and the sixth largest city in Italy. Genoa is one of Europe's largest cities on the Mediterranean Sea and the largest seaport in Italy. Nicknamed the Superb One due to its glorious past and impressive landmarks. Part of the old town of Genoa was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The city's rich art, music, gastronomy, architecture, and history allowed it to become the 2004 European Capital of Culture. It is the birthplace of Christopher Columbus and it's waiting for you to discover everything it has to offer. This is a hugely popular embarkation and disembarkation port for many Western Mediterranean sailings, but other distant lands also await.

Civitavecchia (Rome)

 Civitavecchia is the city of Rome´s port on the Tyrrhenian Sea. The harbour is formed by two piers and a breakwater, on which is a lighthouse. The name Civitavecchia means Ancient Town. There, the Eternal City lies before us in large format architectural and artistic sculptures such as the Colosseum, the most important monument of ancient Rome and used for public entertainment. Do not miss the Trevi Fountain and make a wish while you throw a coin over your shoulder and then continue to the Pantheon, one of the best-preserved monuments of antiquity, Piazza Navona, and the Vatican City. Take a walk through the Plaza of Spain and rest on the steps of Trinita dei Monti before heading to Via Condotti, a wide avenue lined with shops. Civitavecchia is always popular with cruise passengers because, as noted earlier, it is the gateway to Rome. All cruise lines tend to offer shore excursions here to the Eternal City and we highly recommend that you book one. 

Corfu

Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands,[2] and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The municipality includes the island Corfu and the smaller islands Ereikoussa, Mathraki and Othonoi. The principal city of the island and seat of the municipality is also named Corfu. The island´s history is laden with battles and conquests. The legacy of these struggles is visible in the form of castles punctuating strategic locations across the island. Two of these castles enclose its capital, which is the only city in Greece to be surrounded in such a way. The city´s old city was designated for the UNESCO World Heritage List.Corfu is a very popular tourist destination.

Kotor (Montenegro)

Kotor is a coastal town in a secluded part of the Gulf of Kotor in Montenegro. The old Mediterranean port of Kotor is surrounded by fortifications built during the Venetian period. It is located on the Bay of Kotor , one of the most indented parts of the Adriatic Sea. Some have called the southernmost fjord in Europe, but it is a ria, a submerged river canyon. Together with the nearly overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen, Kotor and its surrounding area form an impressive and picturesque Mediterranean landscape. In recent years, Kotor has seen a steady increase in tourists, many of them coming by cruise ship. Visitors are attracted both by the natural beauty of the Gulf of Kotor and by the old town of Kotor. Kotor is part of the World Heritage Site dubbed the Natural and Culture Historical Region of Kotor. Kotor has one of the best preserved medieval old towns in the Adriatic and is a UNESCO world heritage site. Narrow streets, contiguous houses, bulwarks, churches, cathedrals, squares, carnivals and feasts. It is home to numerous sights, such as the Cathedral of Saint Tryphon in the old town (built in 1166), and the ancient walls which stretch for 3 miles directly above the city. Sveti Ðorde and Gospa od Skrpijela islets off the coast of Perast are also among the more popular destinations in the vicinity of Kotor.

Split (Croatia)

Split is a popular destination located in the Mediterranean Basin on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, on the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its bay and port. Split is the largest Dalmatian city, and the second largest city of Croatia. Spread over a central peninsula and its surroundings, Split's greater area includes the neighboring seaside towns as well. The historic center of Split was included into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites (1979). Split is said to be one of the centre of Croatian culture. This city of history, culture, and tradition it is also a city of fun parties and great night life. It is also known for the summer season festivals, dramas, operas, and concerts. There is also a variety of restaurants and wine cellars, where you can taste the local specials.

Rovinj (Croatia)

This picturesque Croatian town is known as the Blue Pearl of the Adriatic. The Rovinj archipelago is formed by 14 islands. The old town lies within an egg-shaped peninsula and its houses are pastel coloured situated down to the shoreline. Romantic and mysterious, the historical centre has plenty of Venetian influences, the town clock bears the Venetian lion. Cobbled streets and piazzas with plenty of boutiques and cafes, lead to the Baroque, hilltop church of St Euphemia that offers spectacular views. You will also find beautiful beaches full of pine trees just minute from the old town. Also don't miss the Punta Corrente Forest Park, a Roman amphitheatre and the subterranean Baredine Cave.

Fusina (Italy)