Shore Excursion: Athens Summer (140 KB)

Greek fishermen bring their catch to shore at the end of the day. Their craggy faces are etched by long days at sea, toiling under the same sun that rose and set for eons over their ancestors…

Long ago, these islands were the landing places of an endless tide of invaders from far off lands. From ancient Phoenicia, Persia, the Peloponnesus, Imperial Rome and Constantinople they came. Followed by waves of European Crusader knights, Genoan mariners, Venetian merchants and turbanned Turkish troops of the Ottoman Empire. They stormed ashore to conquer – only to be vanquished by time and absorbed into the dry volcanic earth. All that remains are their stone ruins, ghostly shapes wrapped in myth and mystery.

Today the Cyclades are an inviting playground for pleasure seekers aboard Star Clipper. Where white-washed churches point tilted Greek crosses heavenward in skies of brilliant blue, while sun worshippers bask on the beaches under Helios’ golden gaze. Twisting cobblestone alleyways lead to tavernas where octopus salad and ouzo are in order. Ancient Minoan palaces and medieval fortresses whisper tales of pagan rites and knightly rituals.

In hidden coves, Star Clipper finds harbors where pristine sands and warm crystalline waters beckon you to explore underwater grottos while beachgoers laze away under sun-blessed skies, yet another dream-like day in the mythic, magical Cyclades.