SeaDream II - September 16, 2023

Piraeus is the seaport for Athens, the capital of western civilization, which boasts a fantastic mix of classical ruins and vivacious modern life. In a single day, you can climb the hill of the Acropolis to wonder at the Parthenon, join the lively Athenians in Constitution Square, and then find a welcoming taverna for some spirited bizouki music, plenty of ouzo to drink, and with luck, energetic Greek dancing.

Hydra, or Idhra, is located in the Aegean Sea, off the Argolis peninsula of the Peloponnesus. It is mostly barren and rocky. Idhra town is the center of population. Sponge fishing, shipbuilding, textile manufacturing, and tourism are the main industries.

With its steep volcanic flanks looming straight up from the sea, and the tiny white village of Thira clinging high atop the cliffs, Santorini is perhaps the most breathtaking and legendary of all the Greek Isles. To the south is Akrotiri, where recent Minoan excavations support the theories that Santorini might be the fabled lost continent of Atlantis.

Paros Island has a lot to offer its visitors! It has many beautiful sandy beaches for all tastes. Some are hidden, tiny little bays, enclosed by extraordinarily "sculptured" rocks, others are long and wide. The lovely countryside with gentle, terraced hills and magnificent rock formations, endless vineyards, olive groves and fruit trees is heart-warming. In the spring, the island is completely green, with flowers growing everywhere!

This island is known as the site of the apocalyptic Revelations of St. John the Divine, written here during his exile from the Roman Empire. The cave where he lived is near the site of the Monastery of the Apocalypse. The Monastery of St. John, built on one of the island's highest points, houses priceless icons and manuscripts in its Treasury.

Limnos, with one of the prettiest harbours in Greece, beautiful beaches and picturesque, traditional villages untouched by modern-day tourism, hardly fits with any Greek Island stereotypes. Limnos was famous since antiquity for its vineyards; Aristotle wrote about the traditional red wine of the island, produced from a very ancient and unique variety of grape that he called Limnio.

Once called Constantinople, the former capital of the Byzantine Empire is the only city in the world to straddle two continents: Europe and Asia. This is the Golden Horn, the door between East and West, and your first vision of its domes and minarets is unforgetable. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Sultan treasures in Topkapi Palace await - as does the Grand Bazaar, laden with carpets, beaten brass and spices from afar.