Eastern Mediterranean Cruises

Embarking on eastern Mediterranean cruises offer great adventures to an exotic region of the world as you can travel to places like Egypt, Malta, Turkey and ports in the Greek Islands, Greece and Croatia, to name a few.

In general, most eastern Mediterranean cruises sail spring through fall, with the most sailings and people traveling in the high season of summer, when the region gets quite hot! This is also a time when, because of demand, prices are higher. Cruising in the fall and the spring is when you will find somewhat lower temperatures, smaller crowds and less expensive prices.

Venice is the most used departure point for ships sailing on eastern Mediterranean cruises, although points such as Bari, Savona and Rome, all in Italy, are also popular.

Now as far as destinations go, one you should be sure to check out is Dubrovnik, located on the southern tip of Croatia. It has an old city that goes back to the 13th century and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. If you are interested in history and culture, this is the place for you. Walking the old city you can see the 14th century Dominican and Franciscan monasteries as well as the entrance to the city, the Pile Gate. There is also a vibrant café scene here, where you can try some flavorful and strong beer or some exotically strong coffee. In Dubrovnik you can also find a number of nice beaches, which makes an enjoyable vacation addition to any eastern Mediterranean cruises.

If your cruise stops in at Greece, your boat will likely dock at Piraeus, Olympia or Athens. Each place has a number of ancient monuments as well as other interesting things to see and do. For instance, in Athens you will find the famous Acropolis. Olympia is where the Olympic Games first started and at Piraeus there are actually 3 different harbors.

In the Greek islands, main stops for the cruises include Delos, Patmos, Samos, Rhodes, Santorini, Corfu and Mykonos. Just the sparkling blue seas and beautiful beaches make stopping at any of these places worthwhile.

Another location to check out is Turkey, most well-known for its melting pot of western and eastern cultures and a number of architectural wonders coupled with exotic cuisine and a vibrant nightlife. Usual stops are at Kusadasi, the seacoast resort of Bodrum and, of course, the capital city of Istanbul, another spectacular Eastern Mediterranean port and a city unlike that of any other in the world.

High points of this treasure in Turkey include Topkapi Palace, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia church and museum and also the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, whose history stretches back to the 15th century and has more than 4,000 stores distributed over around 60 streets. Those considering exploring more of Istanbul and the area, perhaps if you have more time, should look at a cruise on the Bosphorous, which goes to Prince’s Islands, or maybe a sojourn around Ortakay, which is a historic neighborhood.

Now if you booked one of the eastern Mediterranean cruises that docks in Malta, this is another place with a variety of historical sites, some dating back more than 7,000 years, and it also has some great beaches and spas.

So remember, when you are thinking about a cruise to the Mediterranean, eastern Mediterranean cruises have some great places to visit with experiences you’ll remember for a lifetime.