The Greek Islands: A brief tour

By: Nancy Wigston Staff Reporter., Published on Tue Feb 19 2013

PATMOS, THE AEGEAN SEA, GREECEOur Aegean Sea cruise departs Istanbul at sunset. The Sea Dream, our 100-passenger boat, makes stops at the war fields of Gallipoli and at Ephesus, with its famed library. Now, as we slip into the harbour of Patmos, the legendary romance of the Greek Isles is manifest. If it's Tuesday, this must be Patmos, quips the guy from Pittsburgh, as our cruise ship tender docks on a tiny island in Greece's Dodecanese Isles. According to Forbes magazine (2009), Patmos is Europe's Most Idyllic Place to Live, which seems accurate. Under cobalt skies, houses flash white in the sun. A black-robed Orthodox priest parks his Vespa, enters a caf, fires up his laptop and lights a cigarette. Whether your ship is a floating multi-storey hotel or a 90-passenger yacht, Greek's fabled islands are best seen on a cruise. Perhaps Zorba the Greek said it best: Happy is the man who, before dying, has the good fortune to sail the Aegean Sea. Too right, Zorba! And that goes for women, too. Banished to a grotto on Patmos, St. John recorded his haunting visions in the Book of Revelations. Today, visitors seek out the Cave of the Apocalypse, and the treasure-filled Monastery of St. John, a not-too-strenuous hike from port. Banishment doesn't sound too awful on a sunny day in port not if it means living in that house on the corner, the one with pink bougainvillea shading the front door. At Sea Eons of Greek, Roman, and Medieval history beckon at each stop. No pressure though; cruisers sometimes spend a day on board, gazing at hypnotic sea views, enjoying yoga or spa treatments like one called the exotic virgin coconut oil scalp massage. There are no bad choices, from watching Greek-themed flicks (Nia Vardalos' My Life in Ruins) with popcorn, to the daily ritual of toasting the setting sun. Rhodes That said, few pass on Rhodes, a large, green island crammed with lore. Famous for its Colossus, a wonder of the ancient world, Rhodes today is remembered as the fortress-home of the Knights of St. John, who arrived in 1309. Their fort, church, city walls, and nicely functioning port remained after a hasty departure for Malta in 1522. (Hello, Ottoman Empire.) Walking in Rhodes Town offers an authentic 12th- to 15th-century experience, apart from the modern tourists relaxing over enormous bootshaped glasses of beer. Knights we'd expected, but a synagogue? Following the sign down a narrow lane, we discover Kahal Shalom (1577, restored 2004) and its sparkling chandeliers, antique holy books and mementoes of a once-vibrant community. Soon, we're chatting in animated French, no less we're Canadians after all with Samy Modiano, deported with his community in 1944 by Nazi occupiers. At 13, Samy celebrated his bar mitzvah, secretly, in Auschwitz; there's a tattooed number on his arm. Relocated to Rome in 1945, he now spends May to October in his old hometown, ebulliently guiding visitors around the temple. Ouvert pour tout le monde! he smiles. Santorini Santa Irini is the protector of this madly popular island, where the initial challenge is getting up the cliff from port to Fira town: choices include walking (hot), donkey riding (not recommended) or gondola ride (yes). This island is beauty nonpareil: icing-white buildings atop a rocky coastline like a fantastic cake, blues seas below. It's easy to explore, folks are friendly and shops are plentiful. Restaurants serve grilled fish and Greek salads that are simple, fresh and authentic. Athens Aegean cruises usually begin or end in Piraeus, allowing time, however brief, for you to visit the capital. Elfi, tour guide extraordinaire, showed us the wonders of the Acropolis, where ancient history springs to life. Those patterned stones? In the 5th century B.C., folks played backgammon on them. Later, passing a statue of 19th-century Lord Byron, who died trying to liberate her country, she hails the heartthrob poet as a hero of Greece. Over lunch, she expounds on witchcraft and reads subtle meanings into our coffee grounds. The Athens we saw was thronged with tourists and free of political drama. Alone at the New Acropolis Museum, I wandered through galleries of splendid sculptures, some familiar from art history courses. The next morning, I sipped coffee, watching the sun rise over the ancient citadel. A full moon hung low on the horizon. If You Go: Things to remember ARRIVING To join the Sea Dream cruise from Istanbul to Athens in cruise jargon this five-star ship is a yacht club I flew non-stop from Toronto on Turkish Airlines (thycanada.com; 888-596-6886) a member of Star Alliance. Visas for Turkey required, payable on arrival. Our yacht (seadream.com) meant fewer passengers (max. 110), personalized service, and access to smaller ports. By booking cruises in advance, you'll save. Check out websites like cruisedeals.com.

SLEEP Boats take care of pesky details like finding hotels. Although my cruise experience is limited, the Sea Dream made travelling a breeze they promise to know your name within the first few days, and they do. Meals are lavish (with a daily raw menu featured) and tours at destinations are plentiful. Book and pay for land tours separately. In Athens, I chose the mid-priced (90 Euros) Athens Gate (athensgate.gr) for its views and location, a short walk from the New Acropolis Museum. Attentive hotel staff found and returned my camera, forgotten at the lobby computer. ENTERTAINMENT Yachts like the Sea Dream offer quiet entertainment like jazz piano or my favourite an 80s Disco Night that turned out to be a large-screen outdoor rerun of the Queen's last big do, with every British rocker still alive on hand to celebrate and a decade-younger Harry and William in the audience. Rockin' in the Aegean Sea it can't be beat.