EXPLORING THE AEGEAN SEA WITH VARIETY CRUISES
by Petra Shepherd
Variety Cruises (Greece's leading small ship operator) anchors in secluded ports inaccessible to larger vessels. These include the less visited islands of the Cyclades in the Aegean Sea, think dazzling white villages, golden beaches and clear, azure waters.
I'm on board the 49-passenger yacht Panorama to check out what these islands have to offer and experience my first ever cruise. Full disclosure, I've sailed all my life but the modern luxuries and comforts on board Panorama couldn't be more different from a damp, cramped North Sea crossing. Having a spent the summer, envying the cruising antics of the Beckhams, Bezos and even the Royals, I was looking forward to a week of sun, sea and sand and living out my own super yacht fantasy. However, there's nothing bling about Panorama, 173 feet of sleek beauty, a classic design, 3 masted motor sailer, redefining what yachting was meant to be.
A spacious lounge and dining areas decorated with warm colours, comfortable cabins, two decks for sunbathing and no shortage of sun loungers. Stepping onboard Panorama feels a bit like stepping back in time.
Ancient Greek geographers gave this unique cluster of islands the name Cylades because they saw that they formed a circle ("kyklos" in Greek) around the sacred island of Delos. According to the myth, the islands were the debris that remained after a battle between giants. In reality, they resulted from earthquakes and volcanic eruption.
Their colours are blue and white like the Greek flag and although the islands come in all sizes, each one has its own distinct character but with the same incomparable light, translucent water and distinctive white buildings. My itinerary was to include the big hitters like Mykonos and Santorini but also some of the lesser-known islands. However, there's always the potential for an itinerary to change due to the weather, so although there was some initial disappointment that we were to miss Poros and Paros (included on the original itinerary), we were rewarded with a few unexpected treats toward the end of the cruise. It's perhaps best not to heavily research the cruise itinerary and instead go with the flow, the captain and crew were easily able to pivot our itinerary due to the powerful meltemi winds often experienced in the Cyclades in the summer.
Much has been written about over tourism in Mykonos and particularly Santorini, but is a holiday really a holiday unless you've taken a selfie against an iconic background and the blue and white domes of Santorini and the windmills of Mykonos more than fit the bill.
Despite the crowds, they're fun places to explore and people watch. The private shore excursion on offer in Santorini also offers an opportunity to visit the famous archaeological site of Akrotiri. If Santorini is known as the Greek Pompeii it is because of Akrotiri. Excavations uncovered an ancient town frozen in time by ash from an eruption some 3,600 years ago. Remains of sophisticated buildings with great frescoes and other constructions are evidence of an elaborate lifestyle. Our guide also pointed out one of the very first WCs!
Lovers of all things ancient Greece will marvel at Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo and Artemis and home to the stone lions (the ones on the terrace facing the sacred lake are replicas, the originals are in the museum) and get a buzz from sailing past the Temple of Poseidon, under the haunting shadow of the rocky headland at Cape Sounion on the last day.
Variety Cruises is known for its small ships, allowing for docking in less accessible destinations and as a consequence it was the lesser-known islands that we visited, Syros, Serifos and Folegandros that impressed me the most. Days fell into a blissful pattern of anchoring off secluded beaches, usually with nobody else there for a swim stop and then off to a new island to discover.
Syros, the capital of the Cyclades with a unique blend of neoclassical and Cycladic architecture. Its main town, Ermoupoli, features colourful, elegant buildings and is built around two hills: the stately Ermoupoli with its Orthodox churches, and Anos Syros, a medieval, Catholic village. Rugged Serifos (a new addition to the itinerary, replacing Paros) is known for its dramatic mountainous landscape and laid-back atmosphere, bursting with Hellenic flavour. The cruise itinerary allows for a lot of free time to perhaps while away an afternoon sampling fresh local cuisine at a beach front taverna or as I did to take the bus to the charming hilltop capital, Chora with spectacular views of the harbour below. However, it was Folegandros that topped the leader board as my favourite Cycladic Island.
We docked at a perfectly curved bay, opposite a pebble beach and mirror calm, crystal clear water, uncrowded and tranquil with just a few tavernas. Like Serifos, it's a bus ride to the main hilltop town also called Choro where you'll find plenty of restaurants and a relaxed, authentic vibe far from the mass tourism of the larger islands. Goat is a speciality here and Katerina, our variety Cruise's cruise co-ordinator had a wealth of knowledge of which restaurants to frequent. Folegrandros might have been small in scale but it positively oozed atmosphere- I loved it. Santorini doesn't have the monopoly on sunsets and after a walk to the beautiful church of Panagia, (a steep, stone zigzag path starting from Pounda Square in Chora takes you up to the church in about 15 minutes) you're rewarded with a panoramic view of the entire island and the Aegean Sea. The whitewashed church against the golden light creates a quintessential Greek island scene.
I was the only Brit on board with my fellow passengers split between Americans and Australians with a handful of Europeans. I was intrigued why so many Australians had travelled from a land where sunshine is plentiful to cruise in the Mediterranean. It was the relaxed atmosphere of the ship (think a large house party of friends) and the swim stops with the ability to dive from the boat as and when you wanted that for them was the biggest selling point.
As a Piscean, who is never happier than in the water, I had to rather agree with them. I was always first in and last out and if there was a chance to actually swim from the boat to the beach or vice versa, I and others always took it. A good excuse to swim off some calories after the sumptuous meals on board. Meals are provided on a half board basis, a buffet breakfast, the odd lunch buffet and a bbq on deck along with two posh frock nights so to speak. The welcome dinner and captains farewell dinner, 4 courses where the chef really went to town with a velvety langoustine and corn soup and Aegean Dorado, grilled with celeriac and green apple puree, charred fennel and egg lemon foam, sounds odd but surprisingly delicious, served by the friendly and attentive crew.
As my first taste of small boat cruising, Panorama was hard to beat, the ship was small enough to provide an intimate experience, yet large enough to offer true comfort and a sense of informal elegance - it almost felt like we were on a private yacht, one in which I made dozens of news friends and some incredible memories.
Factfile
The cruise will most likely involve an overnight stay in Athens either pre or post cruise. Petra recommends https://www.athensretro.com/ a historic retreat in the heart of Monastiraki with easy access to the port at Pireaus.
Petra was a guest of Variety Cruises
For more information and to book visit https://www.varietycruises.com/
Please mention Your Holiday and Cruise Magazine