Marghera-Fusina, Italy Cruise from Venice to Piraeus — 12 Days

11 nights · Marghera-Fusina, Italy · Departs Venice (Italy) · Visiting Zadar, Dubrovnik, Corfu Island, Volos, Thessaloniki, Mykonos Island, Milos Island, Nafplio, Piraeus-Athens · Aboard MSC Explora Journeys on the MSC Explora 2

MSC Explora Journeys logo
Cruise lineMSC Explora Journeys
ShipMSC Explora 2
Duration11 nights
Port calls10
From fare$5,960 per person
Year built2024
Guests1473
Cabins461
Crew640
Length248 m
Beam32 m
Cruising speed18.0 kn
  1. Day 1

    Venice, Italy

    Arrive in Venice by water, where the lagoon’s canals replace ordinary streets. St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace anchor the celebrated Piazza San Marco. Take a vaporetto along the Grand Canal, then explore a quieter neighborhood on foot. Confirm your ship’s terminal and transfer arrangements before setting out; cruise access varies. Near Rialto, the market and bridge offer a lively glimpse of the city’s trade. Give yourself time to leave the main routes and follow smaller canals.

  2. Day 2

    Zadar, Croatia

    Zadar pairs a compact old town with a clear Adriatic setting. Roman streets, Venetian gates and medieval churches tell the story of a city shaped by centuries of trade. On the seafront, the Sea Organ turns waves into music through stone pipes. Nearby, the Sun Salutation gathers solar energy and shines after dark. Beyond the walls, Nin’s salt pans and the island-dotted coast reward a closer look.

  3. Day 3

    Dubrovnik, Croatia

    Spend a day inside Dubrovnik’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, best explored on foot. Walk the city walls for close views of fortifications, roofs, and harbor. Then follow Stradun to Rector’s Palace and the Franciscan monastery. Book wall access in advance during busy months, and start early in summer. Mount Srđ offers a higher view, reached by cable car or road. Leave time for side lanes; their quieter corners reveal the city’s daily rhythm.

  4. Day 4

    Corfu Island, Greece

    Corfu rewards visitors who look beyond the beach resorts. Its Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, bears the marks of centuries of Venetian rule. Walk the arcaded Liston, then climb to the Old Fortress for views across the rooftops and Ionian Sea. Beyond town, cypress-lined roads lead to Paleokastritsa’s coves, while the Achilleion palace recalls an imperial past. Allow time for lunch; Corfiot cooking pairs Ionian seafood with Italian and Greek influences.

  5. Day 6

    Volos, Greece

    Volos sits at the head of the Pagasetic Gulf, with Mount Pelion rising behind the city. Its waterfront cafés and lively tsipouradika serve the local ritual of tsipouro with small plates. The Archaeological Museum displays finds from Thessaly, including rare Neolithic objects. Beyond town, Pelion villages offer stone mansions, shaded squares and mountain paths. Take the historic narrow-gauge railway through the hills, or follow the coast to clear-water beaches.

  6. Day 7

    Thessaloniki, Greece

    Thessaloniki rewards travelers who look beyond the waterfront. Greece’s second-largest city layers Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman history into a lively modern center. Walk the seafront to the White Tower, then explore Byzantine churches and monuments recognized by UNESCO. The Roman Rotunda and Arch of Galerius reveal the city’s imperial past. Make time for Ladadika’s tavernas and Modiano Market, where northern Greek flavors take the lead.

  7. Day 9

    Mykonos Island, Greece

    Mykonos rewards an early start: whitewashed lanes, blue-domed churches and waterfront cafés are quieter before the cruise crowds arrive. In Little Venice, old captains’ houses lean over the Aegean, while the island’s windmills stand above the harbor. Beyond town, beaches range from lively Psarou to the broad sands of Elia. Take a short boat ride to Delos, where ancient sanctuaries and marble streets mark one of Greece’s great archaeological sites.

  8. Day 10

    Milos Island, Greece

    Arrive at Adamas, Milos’s sheltered ferry port, and you step onto an island shaped by fire and sea. Its volcanic geology has carved pale cliffs, sea caves, and beaches across the coast. Visit Sarakiniko’s sculpted white rock, then climb to Plaka for island-wide views and a quiet evening. At Tripiti, visit the early Christian catacombs and ancient theater, near where the Venus de Milo was found in 1820.

  9. Day 11

    Nafplio, Greece

    Nafplion is the Peloponnese at its most inviting: a seafront town shaped by Venetian, Ottoman and Greek histories. In the old quarter, cobbled lanes lead to Syntagma Square, lined with historic façades and cafés. Above the rooftops, Palamidi Fortress commands the view; offshore, Bourtzi guards the harbor. Come ashore for a compact, walkable city, then linger over lunch beside the water.

  10. Day 12

    Piraeus-Athens, Greece

    Piraeus is Athens’ working harbour, not a resort port—and that is its appeal. From here, the capital’s ancient landmarks are within reach, while the waterfront keeps its own busy, distinctly Greek character. Visit the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, then linger over grilled fish in Mikrolimano, a small harbour lined with tavernas. Metro connections make central Athens straightforward. Or stay near the water and watch ferries depart for the islands.

MSC Explora 2 Cruises

Published September 4, 2026
Last updated October 30, 2026
Author: J. Richard


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