Croatia, Greece and Montenegro: Eastern Mediterranean Dreams

Eastward Bound — Cruising the Mediterranean

Over 20 million people now take cruise holidays each year. One popular destination is the Eastern Mediterranean and there are number of reasons why this vacation option has risen in popularity. Obviously, cruises are an excellent way of visiting more than one destination within a week or two and the longer the cruise the more places you can explore.

Dropping by

If you’re considering an Eastern Mediterranean cruise (lucky you!) the first decision will be to decide on your ports of call. Most holiday operators will sail to specific locations such as a week travelling to Croatia, Greece and Montenegro. This means you’ll be able to spend nights and days exploring cities such as Corfu Town, Dubrovnik, Athens and Kotor. Holidaymakers will usually begin their cruise at one port, travel to a set itinerary of locations during their week or two and then end the cruise at the original departure port.

Where to make your beeline

The Eastern Mediterranean includes destinations such as mainland Greece and the sun-drenched Greek Islands as well as other beach locations in Turkey and Egypt. Cyprus is another popular cruise option thanks to the beaches and nightlife options at ports of call such as Limassol. A cruise from Cyprus can then be taken to Israel to visit famous cities such as Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Alternative cruises from Cyprus can include Egypt, Syria, Rhodes, and the Greek Islands.

You’re in the Eastern Med. Now what?

One of the cool things about cruise holidays is that you can fit in a number of activities around your destinations. You can enjoy scuba diving in the Adriatic Sea from Dubrovnik or in the warm Aegean and Ionian Sea waters surrounding the Greek Islands. Spend a day cycling around the Bodrum Peninsula in Turkey or explore historic cities such as Alexandria in Egypt and the medieval old town of Rhodes. At the end of the day you can enjoy the local cuisine in the restaurants and taverns of whichever country you’re visiting.

Packing your sailing gear and heading out on a cruise is the way to obtain a flavor of a number of different countries and to see destinations you may never have previously considered. The Eastern Mediterranean offers a host of exotic locations. Arriving at a new port each day is all part of this vacation experience. You just need to be up for the ride. Who’s in?

Image by trishhartmann, used under Creative Commons license.

David Oscar is a travel journalist and has a special fondness for Croatia. He visits this country at least for times every year.