19 nights · Spain · Departs Barcelona (Spain) · Visiting Ciutadella, Bonifacio, Golfo Aranci, Lipari Island, Giardini Naxos-Taormina, Siracusa, Corfu Island, Kefalonia Island, Itea, Corinth Canal, Lavrion, Piraeus-Athens, Milos Island, Sifnos Island, Serifos Island, Paros Island, Delos Island, Tinos Island · Aboard Lindblad Expeditions on the National Geographic Orion
Image courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions ©
| Cruise line | Lindblad Expeditions |
|---|---|
| Ship | National Geographic Orion |
| Duration | 19 nights |
| Port calls | 19 |
| Departures | 1 sailings |
| From fare | $22,230 per person |
| Year built | 2003 |
| Guests | 106 |
| Cabins | 53 |
| Crew | 75 |
| Length | 103 m |
| Beam | 14 m |
| Cruising speed | 15.0 kn |
Barcelona is a Mediterranean port city built on Roman foundations, with Gothic lanes and striking modernist architecture. La Rambla runs from Plaça de Catalunya towards the waterfront and the old town. Gaudí’s Sagrada Família and Park Güell show the city at its most distinctive. Set aside time for a market lunch and a walk through El Born, where medieval streets meet lively cafés. Barcelona’s beaches offer a welcome pause between visits.
Ciutadella, on Menorca’s western coast, is a port of pale stone, narrow lanes and a handsome old harbour. Begin in the historic centre, where Gothic palaces and the cathedral of Santa Maria frame quiet, sunlit streets. At the waterfront, cafés and fish restaurants look across the inlet, while small boats bob below the ramparts. Walk to Plaça des Born, then choose a table for Menorcan cheese, seafood and local wine.
Bonifacio clings to limestone cliffs at Corsica’s southern tip, its old town rising above a narrow, sheltered strait. From the harbor, climb through the medieval citadel’s steep lanes for sea views reaching Sardinia on clear days. Below, boats thread the fjord-like inlet, while the famed King Aragon’s Staircase descends 187 steps toward the water. Come ashore ready for slopes, stone, and a striking sense of history.
Golfo Aranci puts northeastern Sardinia within easy reach, with Olbia about 15 kilometres inland and the Costa Smeralda farther north. Yet this working ferry town rewards a slower start: its waterfront, small harbour and clear-water beaches are close at hand. The marine reserve around Tavolara and Molara makes boat excursions a compelling choice, especially for swimmers and snorkellers. Come ashore for northern Sardinia’s pleasures, then choose a beach, a boat trip or a drive towards the coast.
Lipari is the largest of the Aeolian Islands, a volcanic chain off Sicily’s northern coast. The town rises around a citadel, home to the Aeolian Archaeological Museum and its collection of island finds. Walk the old lanes to Marina Corta, then choose a waterfront table for fresh seafood. Beyond town, pumice quarries and coastal viewpoints reveal a landscape shaped by fire and sea.
Giardini Naxos sits on Sicily’s Ionian coast, beneath Mount Etna and a short drive from Taormina. Its waterfront pairs pebble beaches with cafés, gelaterie and views across the bay. Sicily’s first Greek colony was founded here in 734 BC. A nearby archaeological park preserves traces of its ancient streets and walls. Come for a seaside day, or use the port as a gateway to Taormina. There, the Greek Theatre commands sweeping views of Etna and the coast.
Siracusa rewards visitors who look beyond its handsome waterfront. On Ortigia, the old island heart, Greek temples, Baroque palaces and lively markets sit within an easy walk. Across the channel, Neapolis Archaeological Park preserves a Greek theatre, Roman amphitheatre and the famed Ear of Dionysius. Pause for granita or fresh seafood, then watch the light soften over the Ionian Sea.
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.
Your first view of Kefalonia may be Argostoli, a working harbor framed by hills and the Ionian Sea. From here, roads lead to traditional villages, the underground lake at Melissani, and the sweeping shore of Myrtos Beach. Argostoli merits a pause for its palm-lined waterfront, lively market, and loggerhead turtles that forage in the harbor. Choose one excursion rather than rushing the island; winding roads make distances longer than the map suggests.
At Itea, the Gulf of Corinth meets the foothills of Mount Parnassus. Delphi lies about 16 kilometres inland, on a dramatic mountainside. Its sanctuary of Apollo and ancient theatre reward the visit. Back in Itea, waterfront cafés look across the gulf. Nearby Amfissa is famed for its extensive olive groves. Choose Itea for a measured day ashore: sacred history above, sea air and an easy promenade below.
Few passages put engineering so close at hand. The 6.3-kilometre Corinth Canal cuts through the Isthmus, linking the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. Limestone walls rise nearly 80 metres above a channel just 24 metres wide. Opened in 1893, it shortened the voyage around the Peloponnese. Beyond the canal, explore ancient Corinth, where temples, mosaics and the Acrocorinth fortress reveal Greece’s layered past.
Lavrion sits on Attica’s southeastern coast, about 60 kilometres from central Athens. Its ancient silver mines helped fund the Athenian fleet that defeated Persia at Salamis. Today, the harbor serves the Cyclades, while traces of mining history remain in town and at nearby archaeological sites. A short drive brings you to Cape Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon commands a headland above the Aegean.
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.
Lavrion sits on Attica’s southeastern coast, about 60 kilometres from central Athens. Its ancient silver mines helped fund the Athenian fleet that defeated Persia at Salamis. Today, the harbor serves the Cyclades, while traces of mining history remain in town and at nearby archaeological sites. A short drive brings you to Cape Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon commands a headland above the Aegean.
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.
Sifnos is a Cycladic island where whitewashed villages, blue-domed churches and quiet beaches reward a slower pace. Ferries arrive at Kamares, a sheltered bay framed by hills and sandy shore. From here, buses and taxis reach Apollonia, the island’s lively capital, and Kastro, a dramatic medieval settlement above the sea. Make time for Sifnos’s renowned pottery and local dishes, especially revithada, chickpeas slow-baked overnight.
Serifos rewards travellers who prefer the Cyclades before the crowds arrive. Ferries dock at Livadi, a sheltered bay lined with cafés and backed by hills. Above it, Chora climbs steeply to a Venetian kastro, whitewashed lanes and broad Aegean views. The island’s iron-mining past is visible at Megalo Livadi, where abandoned loading works meet a quiet beach. Allow time for a swim at Psili Ammos, often ranked among Greece’s finest.
Your first glimpse of Paros is its whitewashed capital, Parikia, gathered around a sheltered harbour in the Cyclades. Walk to Panagia Ekatontapiliani, one of Greece’s most important early Christian monuments. Then choose your pleasure: Naoussa’s fishing harbour and lanes, or a swim at an island beach. Paros is also known for the fine marble prized by sculptors across the ancient world.
Giardini Naxos sits on Sicily’s Ionian coast, beneath Mount Etna and a short drive from Taormina. Its waterfront pairs pebble beaches with cafés, gelaterie and views across the bay. Sicily’s first Greek colony was founded here in 734 BC. A nearby archaeological park preserves traces of its ancient streets and walls. Come for a seaside day, or use the port as a gateway to Taormina. There, the Greek Theatre commands sweeping views of Etna and the coast.
From Mykonos, a short boat ride brings you to Delos, one of the Aegean’s most important archaeological sites. Greek myth names it the birthplace of Apollo and Artemis. Delos later became a major religious sanctuary and commercial centre. Its ruins include the Terrace of the Lions, mosaic-lined houses and an ancient theatre above the sea. UNESCO-listed and uninhabited, Delos lets visitors explore the remains of an ancient city in its island setting.
Tinos rewards travelers who look beyond the famous Cyclades. Its marble-working tradition shaped villages such as Pyrgos, where carved doorways and a museum reveal remarkable craftsmanship. In Chora, the Church of Panagia Evangelistria draws pilgrims from across Greece, especially on August 15. Leave the capital for dovecote-dotted hills, quiet hamlets and beaches facing the Aegean. Ferries connect Tinos with Mykonos and other islands, making it an easy, rewarding change of pace.
Lavrion sits on Attica’s southeastern coast, about 60 kilometres from central Athens. Its ancient silver mines helped fund the Athenian fleet that defeated Persia at Salamis. Today, the harbor serves the Cyclades, while traces of mining history remain in town and at nearby archaeological sites. A short drive brings you to Cape Sounion, where the Temple of Poseidon commands a headland above the Aegean.
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.
Published August 3, 2026
Last updated October 3, 2026
Author: J. Richard
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