Spectacular Santorini

You’ve seen the classic images of Santorini: a cluster of whitewashed terraced houses clinging to high crimson cliffs – – highlighted by marine blue church domes. Spectacular sunsets, black sand beaches, and legends of the lost continent of Atlantis add dramatic color and mystery to an already full palate. The volcanic island’s wow factor just has to be seen and experienced in person. Celestyal’s 7-Day Idyllic Aegean cruise offers two full days to explore Santorini – more …

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Many Treasures on Magnificent Milos

Milos, Greece lures travelers in many ways: few crowds, a variety of noteworthy attractions, yummy cuisine, and friendly people. This lesser-known volcanic island in the Aegean lies at the southwestern tip of the Cyclades group. It proved one of my great travel discoveries, with its mysterious landscape, incredible beaches, and very sport where a 19th-century farmer unearthed the famous Venus de Milo (s) statue. Somehow the “s” has been lost beyond the shores of its island namesake. …

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Mythology and Archaeology on Delos

Before our cruise on the Celestyal Crystal began, we signed on for a tour of Delos. Reaching the tiny, uninhabited island requires a circuitous route, starting with a shuttle to Chora, the main town of Mykonos, followed by a walk around the harbor to the ferryboat dock. Then, you hop on board the ferry and make the half-hour cruise to Delos. (You pass the famous Mykonos windmills in the distance.) Delos, one of Greece’s most important archaeological …

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Discovering the Celestyal Crystal on Embarkation Day

Celestyal Cruise’s 7-Day Idyllic Aegean Island cruise departs and returns from Piraeus (near Athens) on Mondays. This week-long itinerary, new in 2018, differs from Celestyal’s 3 and 4-day cruises. The Celestyal Crystal, a medium size cruise liner with a maximum of 1,200 passengers, spends an overnight in both Mykonos and Santorini. Boarding begins at 2 pm; however, we arrived later, at 4:00 pm. That time slot worked out beautifully. We passed through the pre-boarding rituals in a …

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Pre-Cruise: Scaling the Acropolis in Athens

We flew into Athens the day before our Celestyal cruise embarkation to eliminate last minute flight worries. The added time gave us the chance to explore Greece’s capital. No sooner than we checked into the ideally located Airotel (Hotel) Parthenon, John and I left to explore the Acropolis, looming over the city center. The view reminded me of Edinburgh, Scotland where Castle Rock dominates the skyline. We began the gradual climb up the craggy limestone hill, a …

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7-Day Idyllic Aegean Cruise aboard the Celestyal Crystal

A week-long cruise of the Greek isles sounds romantic, and that’s exactly how I intend to keep it!  My guy and I maintain our Boomer romance by driving two and half hours between our homes in different Florida cities. The opportunity to cruise together offers a quality time escape, not to mention sightseeing within a region known for its scenic beauty. Beginning in April, 2018, Celestyal Cruises rolled out a new seven-day Aegean Island itinerary, the only …

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Debi Lander’s Bio

Debi Lander

Debi Lander, freelance writer/photographer, specializes in travel, food and lifestyle. Her work focuses on historic and cultural sites, culinary experiences and adventure travel. She currently resides in Ocala, Florida and is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association. bylandersea.com

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