Greek Islands
April 2023. It's been a year since my journey with đẹp trai began and, by a happy twist of fate, it's also my parents' wedding anniversary. That calls for a celebration! So we wanted to weave together good family time and romance in the best way possible: cruising through the enchanting Greek islands, and visiting Athens at the same time! With their striking white and blue colours, ancient ruins and beautiful sunsets, it was a perfect spot for us lovebirds.
photo by Dario Varesini
☀️ | 18-20°C
📍Azamara Pursuit
The luxury cruise Azamara Pursuit is an all-inclusive and holds 2700 people, guests and staff altogether. As first-time cruisers, đẹp trai and I were thrilled with our journey, surrounded by a diverse age group, primarily ranging from 40-70.
Azamara Pursuit, Greek Islands
The large-window lounges, patios, spa and outdoor jacuzzi collectively crafted a restful atmosphere. But hey, restful doesn’t mean boring! We had live music, DJ at night, board game rooms and their absolutely awesome White Night event. The dining scene? Top-notch! Along with the common restaurants & bars, the cruise also had specialty restaurants and the exclusive Chef’s table for the luckiest ones.
Starting in Athens, we were island hopping through Mykonos, Ephesus (Kusadasi, Turkey), Rhodes, Patmos, Santorini, Heraklion, and then circling back to Athens. A bit too much? Not at all! We’re talking about the ultra-cool vibes of Mykonos, the charm of medieval Rhodes and the spiritual feel of Biblical Patmos here. But I must say, our top favourites were Ephesus and Santorini!
Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey
It was once the second largest city of the Roman Empire, second only to Rome. Its population rounded up to more than 250 000 in the 100 AD. This ancient city was lost after an earthquake in the 7th century and was not rediscovered until 1869. Today, the excavations are still in progress. It’s impressive how many ruins have been incredibly well preserved, though. The Library of Celsus, in particular, is a world-class show. It was the third largest library of the Ancient World following Alexandria and Pergamum. We’ve also learned about public life back then. Like how the public bathrooms worked, and I’d better stop here!
Nearby Ephesus is Mt. Koressos where the House of the Virgin Mary is located. It’s believed this is the place where Apostle John took her following Jesus’ death. A wall of wish hang fabrics of pilgrim’s wishes.
Oia, Santorini
Now we've arrived in Santorini, having just docked at the charming port of Fira, the island's capital. Being elevated at 800ft above the sea surface, you can reach the main city by cable car, trekking, or caldera boat. What about riding on a donkey up the hill? That was an option and very popular one, but it wasn’t something for me, and I couldn’t wait any longer to visit Oia! Flashback to scenes from The Sisterhood and The Traveling Pants and other movies that have inspired me a lot. And now I’m here for real, living it up! Thankfully, we were in April, sunny and a little breezy like in a good spring day, minus the overwhelming crowds. I could fully enjoy the walk and sight! Was it the white houses, the old streets, the beautiful view from this altitude, or something else? Who knows, but there’s definitely something elegant about this place.
This trip was an absolute dream. Sure I felt a bit like I was only scratching the surface but overall, it was a great experience that I will never forget. On the land like on the sea, there was never any shortage of fun. And the cherry on top? The warm and welcoming people, making every moment spent there feel like being wrapped in a cozy hug of hospitality.
