History in our wake
Submerge yourself in culture on a mini-cruise around the stunning islands of Greece
It’s early evening in Mykonos, and the setting sun casts a rosy glow on the quintet of whitewashed windmills that stand guard above the waterfront. An especially stroppy pelican struts along a quayside lined with bars, restaurants and cafes, practically spilling out towards the water’s edge.
The slowly darkening ocean sparkles like so much cut glass. Crowds throng the streets, eating, drinking and shopping along winding lanes that are almost overflowing with vibrant colourful oleander.
In the glorious spring sunshine we were taking in the matchless mix of history and hedonism of this glitzy Greek island during a short but port-intensive four-day cruise, sailing out of Athens on the small but perfectly formed Celestyal Majesty.
Most days we managed to visit two different places, allowing us whistle-stop views of such stunning sights as the massive, rugged Acropolis of Lindos, with its gaunt, sun-bleached stone ramparts and columns dramatically set against the cobalt blue sky.
Also on Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese islands, we wandered through the labyrinth of narrow streets in the capital’s Old Town, awestruck by this medieval theme park that remains almost completely intact.
Today, locals and tourists mingle in ancient squares and cobbled lanes where the Knights Templars made their last and doomed stand against the Ottoman Turks – history is seared into every stone of this deceptively indolent and picturesque island.
Sailing northwards we dropped anchor at Patmos. Known as Holy Island, where Saint John is said to have written the Book of Revelation, it is a UNESCO heritage site.
After making the pilgrimage to the tiny Grotto of St John, believed to be the spot where he saw visions from Christ, we descended to a charming waterfront of whitewashed houses with fishing boats moored at the quay.
The smell of fresh fish cooking wafted from the tavernas on the honey-coloured beach and except for the occasional buzz of motor scooters racing along the harbour like maddened wasps, it was serenely peaceful.
Our time at sea passed in a contented blur of fine dining with the accent on traditional Mediterranean cooking, both on board and on shore, and plenty of people-watching over a glass of wine or two, or a cocktail, as we threaded our way through a string of idyllic islands on the ever-sparkling “wine-dark sea” immortalised by Homer.
Nights were often spent late in port, allowing the opportunity for passengers to eat ashore. And there was more than enough on-board late-night entertainment in the shape of floor shows, live
bands, a disco and even a small casino.
The big selling points were the relatively small size of the ship, and the wealth of different destinations – six in all – squeezed into the itinerary. Every port of call had been fascinating and our last one was no exception – the showstopping Cyclades isle of Santorini.
The sight of row upon row of whitewashed houses tumbling down into the electric blue Aegean was breathtaking.
From the almost Olympian heights of the town of Oia, we gazed down into the crater of a long extinct volcano rumoured to be the site of Atlantis. Blue-domed church roofs stood out against the twilight as we sat nursing frosted beers.
While the horizon around us reddened, I could hear faint strains of Stevie Wonder’s My Cherie Amour carried on the breeze.
It was a blissful end to our magnificent mini adventure, and although our cruise may have been short, the sights we saw in those four days would stay long in our memories.