Nothing truly prepares you for your first glimpse of Venice. Because of the way it was built, it just rises out of the water. No shoreline, no sandy beaches, no buffer at all between the buildings and the water. Then once in the city, the never ending labyrinth of streets, canals, and squares is enough to boggle the mind.
Florence is the birthplace of the Renaissance and as such has so much to offer. If that is not enough to draw you to Florence, then the fact that is the center of Tuscany should be the icing on the cake for you.
All roads lead to Rome and eventually, all travelers must visit Rome. The rise and fall of the Roman Empire is nothing compared to the city it left behind. The glorious city is so full of history, charm, and crazy drivers that it should be a mortal sin to not visit Rome at least once in your lifetime.
We went to Cinque Terre as a side trip from Florence. There are other ways of doing it but we had an extra day in Florence and decided it was worth the trek to see Cinque Terre. It was a long day that started before dawn and ended late in the evening but it was worth every minute.
Mykonos is a wonderful Island that has gained a reputation for a “party” island. I imagine that during the peak season it can be quite riotous, especially at the clothing optional beaches of which, there are two. However, we arrived towards the end of the season and experienced a different Mykonos.
If all roads lead to Rome, then history begins in Athens. So much of our civilization started in Athens. This remarkably historic area is not to be missed. It has been a thriving and growing metropolis for millennia and will, hopefully, continue to be.
I think Santorini was the biggest surprise and my favorite island of the Greek Islands that we visited. We arrived by cruise ship and since the ferry port is not deep enough for cruise ships, our ship chose to dock near the town of Fira and tender in passengers. If you don’t know what that means, I will explain. Rather than pulling up to and docking at a dock, the ships anchor in deeper water and uses its small “tender” ships to shuttle passengers to shore.
We were traveling with friends when we arrived in Santorini and had secured a private tour before arrival. I highly recommend this option if you are traveling with several people and want to see all that Santorini has to offer and you don’t have more than a day to do so.
First, let me explain how the name is pronounced (this was new to me). The name in Greek pronounces the soft e (road-ess kind of like princess). Who knew, right? Anyway, this fun and quirky island is only about 20 miles from Turkey. It is so close to Turkey that my cellular provider sent me a “welcome to Turkey!” text message. I found that rather humorous but I am easily amused that way.
Chania on the island of Crete in Greece is the second largest city on the island. This beautiful old city has some remarkable surprises. But first, you have to get there!
