Athens
R1 Pre-Cruise
Tours
by Linda Coffman
Athens-Corinth-Cape Sounion
With such a historic and destination-rich
itinerary, I approached planning for this European cruise
carefully. For the Caribbean, my first stop is the swim wear
section of a local department store; for this trip, I headed for
the travel guidebook shelves at my local Borders Bookstore. (photo-the Hephaisteion, best
preserved temple in Greece)
Having devoured the guidebooks in the
weeks leading up to our departure, I skimmed them again on our
flights from Atlanta to Athens. So much to see... and such a
short period of time. Comparing my list of top "must
see" sites to those described in Renaissance Cruises' Shore
Excursion booklet, I was pleased to see that many matched up.
While I seldom recommend a guided tour in the Caribbean, or even
Bermuda, I highly value them in European locales. Good tour
guides in Europe have the insight and ability to breathe life
into inanimate objects. Moreover, they seldom hear a question
they can't answer -- they are well educated and, after all, have
grown up amid the historical artifacts we've come to discover.
With limited hours in ports, a tour
offers the expediency of immediate transportation. For those of
us who don't speak the local language, there is the comfort of an
English-speaking escort and the knowledge we won't get lost on
public busses or cheated by an unscrupulous taxi driver.
Corinth - June 10th
Buoyed by anticipation, Mel and I were ready to
begin touring within three hours of arrival in Athens. The
afternoon tour to Corinth - Ancient Civilization and Legendary
Canal seemed a good place to start. A five hour excursion, much
of the time was spent driving past olive fields and small
villages getting to Corinth and back. Our guide spent the first
hour explaining the history of the construction of the canal and
the once rich and powerful city of Corinth. We dozed and awoke to
discover we were at the canal, an 1893 engineering marvel, cut
through solid rock to connect the Ionian Sea with the Aegean sea
. The canal vastly improved sea transportation -- prior to its
completion, ships were moved from one sea to the other by
dragging them on a special overland road (photo-Corinth Canal).
After a comfort stop in a local café,
we headed for the excavation of Ancient Corinth and our first
taste of Greek history. Our guide led us through the museum and
explained the various styles of pottery, mosaics, frescoes, and
statues. It was here we learned one is never to
photograph a statue with a person posing beside it. Greek statues
are unclothed and this rule is to avoid any "misuse" of
such a photo.
Corinth is a confection of antiquity. The bottom
layer is the Greek city, above it was the Roman city, and current
buildings are the icing. Seeing the modern city high above our
position before the fountain and bathhouse, it wasn't difficult
to imagine it once covered by another entire city. Unlike their
northern European counterparts, the ancient Greeks and Romans
were very conscious of bathing and sanitation and built elaborate
public latrines and bath houses. Felled not by invasions, but by
earthquakes, the remains of Corinth's Temple of Apollo,
marketplace, and Fountain of Priene are restored enough to invite
the imagination to fill in the missing stones and pillars. (photo-bath house)
Athens - June 11th
Our morning began with the Highlights of Athens tour.
The name doesn't do justice to the main feature of the morning --
this is what visitors to Athens eagerly anticipate -- the
Acropolis, capped by the crown jewel, the Parthenon. After a
steep climb over slippery uneven stones, we entered the Acropolis
through the Propylaea, sacred gates guarding the sanctuary of
Athena. Built in the 5th century BC, the Acropolis was a place of
worship -- with the Parthenon (dedicated to Athena, goddess of
wisdom and protectoress of cities) built on the highest point.
Shining in the morning sun, elegant white columns reach
heavenward in perfect symmetry. It's simply breathtaking. Tiny by
comparison, the Erechtheion Temple is equally as lovely. Built on
the most sacred spot of the Acropolis, it is here that we find
the Caryatid Porch, supported by columns of delicately carved
maidens. (photos-Parthenon
above & Caryatid Porch below)
From the fringe of the Acropolis is a bird's eye view of
two of Athens' most famous theaters, the Odeon of Herod Atticus
and the 17,000 seat Theater of Dionysos. Reluctantly leaving the
tranquility of the Acropolis, we plunge back into the absolutely
horrendous Athens traffic and head for a stop at the Olympic
Stadium, the 1896 birthplace of the modern Olympiad. The morning
tour came to an end after a ride past the Temple of Zeus, the
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the University of Athens and the
National Library. With no superfluous shopping stops, it was a
satisfying and educational tour with plenty of time at the
Acropolis -- highly recommended.
The afternoon tour of The Old
City and Archaeological Museum was (thankfully) less demanding.
While I normally prefer to browse through museums at my own pace,
our guide's commentary was invaluable. Her shared knowledge of
the history and evolution of Greek sculpture insured that we
understood the significance of what we were viewing. As a result,
this was a more rewarding visit than it would have been on our
own. Of particular interest are the golden artifacts from Mycenae
and the colorful and lively frescoes rescued from the walls of
Akrotiri in Santorini. Preserved for years beneath the ash of a
volcanic eruption, the frescoes are displayed in the museum's
only air-conditioned room.
On to the Plaka, the Old City
of Athens, where we did a bit of shopping. Most of the stores
contained the usual tourist items (printed tee-shirts $6,
embroidered tee-shirts $10, jewelry in many variations of the
Greek key design, framed prints $6 and up, and hand-made rugs and
pillow covers, to name but some of the wares). A real find were
lovely framed prints in "Helen" (down a side street,
Pandrossou 7-15), a small shop specializing in silver jewelry and
quality popular art. US dollars are widely accepted and we were
advised to barter for the best prices.
Before rejoining our bus, I
viewed the interior of the Greek Orthodox Cathedral while Mel
waited outside in the pleasant square. Shorts are not allowed in
the cathedral and only those of us wearing skirts were able to go
inside to see the ornate ceiling frescoes and religious
artifacts.
Cape Sounion - June 12th
Our Shore Excursion booklet explained that
because Athens hotels require an early check out -- and the R1
couldn't be boarded until afternoon -- tours are offered to while
away the hours until embarkation. We chose the trip to Scenic
Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon (photo). This was
an excellent choice and a real high point in our trip. Once out
of the city we passed miles of beaches and seaside villas and
resorts on the hour-long drive to majestic Cape Sounion. Gleaming
white in the sunshine, the Temple of Poseidon is a beacon atop
the sheer cliff above the sea. Our anticipation built as we
glimpsed it from far down the coast.
God of the sea, Poseidon was honored by
this sanctuary in the most appropriate manner -- the temple was a
sort of ancient lighthouse, giving comfort to sailors who knew
they were close to home when they spied it from their vessels.
The temple itself was built of a very hard marble and the Doric
columns designed with fewer and shallower flutes to withstand
exposure to salt air. Reaching it from the small café at the
bottom of the hill is something of a challenge. We carefully
picked our way up on a steep and slippery pathway. The view from
the top is spectacular and we were blessed with a sunny clear
morning.
After sufficient time to fully explore
the temple grounds, we set off to sample a typical Greek luncheon
in a pleasant beachfront restaurant before the drive to the port
of Piraeus and embarkation on the R1.
Facts and Touring Tips
Tour prices may vary from season to
season (and from one cruise line to the next), so I haven't
specified them. We felt Renaissance's tours were competitively
priced with those offered by Royal Caribbean last year in the
southern Mediterranean as well as the ones we purchased on our
own in Barcelona. Prices ranged from $40 to $70 per person
(longer tours, and those which included a meal, were more
expensive).
Without exception, the Shore Excursion
booklet we received with our Renaissance documents recommended
"seasonal clothing and comfortable walking shoes." I
can't emphasize enough the need for comfortable shoes.
Conservative walking shorts or slacks and short-sleeved shirts
were the norm -- it was quite hot in Athens and I chose a skirt
or light dress. A hat and sunglasses are a necessity. As is the
case in many European cities, respectful attire is required when
visiting churches and cathedrals. Shorts are not allowed.
Several of our tour descriptions
contained the disclaimer, "This tour involves strenuous
walking and climbing." We had no problem reaching the sites
thus described and we're not particularly athletic.
Unfortunately, Europe is not user-friendly for those with
mobility problems. While none of our fellow travelers were
confined to wheelchairs, there were some difficulties for anyone
not sure-footed. I can't stress enough that care should be taken
when an uphill walk includes stone and marble steps. More than
once I felt my rubber-soled shoes slipping, particularly on the
way down. It's easy to be distracted by spectacular scenery and
sights -- stop when you want to look around and watch the ground
when walking.
Athens in the summer is hot and muggy.
But for the pink and white star-shaped blooms of the oleander,
there isn't much in the way of vegetation. Any grass is parched
and brown -- parks are not inviting. A must for tourists is
bottled water. Available for purchase at all our stops, it was
nearly everyone's drink of choice. In addition, several of us
carried individually wrapped moist towelettes which proved
refreshing. Tissues are a necessity if the "facilities"
run out of paper, as they often do.
Last, but not least... Ladies, don't
weight yourself down with a heavy purse. Carry only what you need
and carry that inconspicuously. Don't become a target for
pickpockets or purse snatchers. No one on our tours was bothered
in this manner, but I've heard stories from other cruisers who've
run into this sort of thing. Our guides cautioned us in several
locales.
Smooth
Sailing! ~ Linda
Greek
Island Hopping - Visit Santorini and Rhodes,
Greek islands in the sun.
Turkish
Delights - Uncovering
Ephesus, exploring Istanbul, and that unexpected "eastern" plumbing
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