‘I went on a Greek Islands cruise and you really get your money’s worth’
I couldn't quite believe it. I was sitting in one of the world’s very first theatres. Staring at the bare stage I tried to imagine the music, dances and sports games that would have been performed in front of an audience of some 500.
Built 4,000 years ago in the Palace of Knossos, Crete’s most famous archaeological site, the Minoan theatre looked pretty basic, with tiered seating in the form of stone steps around the central stage area and a raised platform which was the equivalent of the Royal Box.
The Greek island was one of the ports of call on an island-hopping cruise around the Aegean Sea.
Celestyal’s Olympia had set off from Athens for the four-day whistle-stop tour taking in five destinations, which included a stop at Turkish port Kusadasi to visit another theatre in the ancient city of Ephesus. The UNESCO world heritage site was once regarded as the most important trading centre in the Mediterranean.
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As you’d expect, this theatre, built by the Romans nearly 2,000 years ago, was far more sophisticated and on a much grander scale. Acoustics were a dramatic improvement as the Romans had worked out how to amplify sounds using a wall at the back of the stage. A loud clap reverberating around the amphitheatre will give you an idea of just how impressive it must have been for the time. And the quality of the tiered seating wasn’t far removed from what you’d see at some outdoor venues today.
In recent times it has been a spectacular venue for star performances from Luciano Pavarotti, Elton John and Sting.
The cruise’s standard package covers these two excursions, but it’s definitely worth shelling out to make the most of your visits to Patmos, Mykonos and Santorini, the other ports on the itinerary.
Even if you’re not a history buff, all the guides were extremely engaging and their enthusiasm so infectious.
What’s more, dropping into Mykonos and Santorini as part of the cruise is a clever way of visiting these notoriously expensive Greek islands without breaking the bank.
Mykonos’s beaches and party scene and Santorini’s stunning scenery and famed sunsets are a great draw for A-listers such as Paris Hilton, Sharon Stone and Mel Gibson. But a night in a hotel on either of these glitzy isles is likely to set you back at least £200, while hiring a villa comes at an eye-watering price.
Celestyal’s Aegean cruise can cost less than £220 per person which covers all your food and drink (including beer, wine and cocktails) on board and two excursions, so you don’t have to splash the cash to enjoy a bit of the high life. Even factoring in the additional cost of return flights to Greece, it’s still good value.
And when you’re at sea there’s plenty to keep you entertained on board the 1,600-passenger ship, with nightly shows, swimming pools, a spa and gym, and a kids’ club.
Visiting so many locations in one trip is a great way to get a flavour of the Greek islands and another big plus was the chance to get a taste of the local cuisine at every stop. From soutzoukakia, which are Greek meatballs, and souvlaki (meat and veg on skewers) to tzatziki dips, kleftiko lamb, and feta and spinach pies, it was all delicious and well worth ditching the diet for.
The Greek islands are portrayed as an idyllic paradise but with breathtaking scenery and jaw-dropping history the reality is a much more impressive story.
Get on board
Celestyal Cruises offer a three-night all-inclusive Iconic Aegean round trip cruise from £212 per person, departing from Athens on August 26. Calls at Mykonos, Kusadasi, Patmos, Heraklion and Santorini, with excursions to Ephesus and the Palace of Knossos, and tips. Flights extra. celestyal.com/gb
Get there: Sky Express fly from Heathrow to Athens starting at £48 one-way. skyexpress.gr
More info: visitgreece.gr
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