Greek Isles and the Turkish coastline

Touch down, drop your bags, and dive straight into the city.

Welcome to Athens. However late your flight gets in, this ancient city rewards even a first evening’s exploring. Wander into Plaka, the oldest neighbourhood in Athens, where narrow lanes wind past neoclassical houses and tavernas spill out onto the cobblestones. Order something you can’t pronounce, watch the Acropolis light up above the rooftops, and let the jet lag wait until tomorrow.

The Acropolis isn’t a photo stop. It’s a full day.

Give today to the ruins that put Athens on every traveller’s list. Climb up to the Acropolis and stand beneath the Parthenon, then work through the Acropolis Museum below, where the artefacts are displayed against glass floors looking straight down onto the excavation site. Round out the afternoon at the Ancient Agora, the original marketplace and civic heart of the city, or the nearby Temple of Olympian Zeus.

See the Athens locals actually live in.

Trade the ruins for the rhythm of the city. Browse the stalls of the Monastiraki flea market, follow the smell of fresh bread and produce through the Central Market, and climb Lycabettus Hill for a sunset view over the entire city with the Acropolis lit up in the distance. Finish with dinner in Psiri, the neighbourhood where Athenians go for their own night out.

Boarding day. The adventure officially starts.

Head down to Piraeus and step aboard Rhapsody of the Seas. Before you sail, there’s time to explore the port town itself — the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus is a 10-minute walk from the terminal and holds sculpture spanning the Bronze Age through to Rome. Wander over to Zea Harbour for the Hellenic Maritime Museum, or grab a plate of grilled octopus at a taverna overlooking the water in Mikrolimano before the ship pulls out.

The island every cruise brochure promises. This one delivers it.

Ride the cable car up to Fira and take in whitewashed villages stacked against black volcanic cliffs. Swim off a red-and-black pebbled beach, wander the excavated ruins of Akrotiri, or hire a bike, an ATV or just your own two feet to explore further. However you spend the day, the view back down to the caldera is the one you’ll be showing everyone at home.

Windmills by day, nightlife that doesn’t quit.

Mykonos runs on its own energy. Walk marble laneways strung with bougainvillea, cycle out to the quieter village of Ano Mera, or check out the Folklore Museum’s collection of Mykonian ship models. When the sun drops, head to Super Paradise beach for the kind of party this island is famous for, or watch it burn out over the Aegean from a seaside taverna instead.

Walk into one of the best-preserved ancient cities on earth.

150 years of excavation and still only 20% uncovered — Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage site that rewards even the most well-travelled history buffs. Stand in front of the Celsus Library, built in 117 AD and fronted by towering columns and a statue of the goddess of wisdom. Walk Marble Street all the way to the Temple of Artemis, where one lone column still stands from this ancient wonder of the world.

A yachting town with 2,500 years of history behind it.

Bodrum sits on a peninsula that’s been drawing visitors since the days of Herodotus. Wander whitewashed villages trimmed in purple bougainvillea, spend the afternoon on miles of sandy beach, or work through the town’s list of historical sites. The pace slows here, and the evenings run long.

A full day with nowhere to be.

Sleep in, work through the ship’s pools and lounges, or book in at the spa. After five ports in a row, a sea day is exactly the reset you’ll want before Crete.

A full day with nowhere to be.

Sleep in, work through the ship’s pools and lounges, or book in at the spa. After five ports in a row, a sea day is exactly the reset you’ll want before Crete.

Last morning, and one more reason to linger in Piraeus.

Before you head to the airport, there’s time to squeeze in a final taste of Greece. Grab breakfast at a harbourside café in Mikrolimano, take one more look through the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus if you missed it on day one, or simply sit at the water’s edge and let the trip sink in before you disembark.