rick steves greece

For 2,500 years, a hill-capping acropolis has overlooked the town. It's destroyed. A tidy embankment is so pretty they call it "Little Venice." see our FAQ. If visiting by cruise ship, it's smart to get an early start. Of Santorini's many beaches, Kamari is one of the best. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. As the nearest Greek island to the Holy Land, Rhodes was a natural gathering point for Crusaders from all over Europe. I enjoy the scenic arrivals and departures by cruise ship. See, you can eat them! Cruisers enjoy toggling effortlessly between their daily adventures on shore and evenings back "home" on their floating resort. No problem, we can create and customize a personalized itinerary for you. Rick: These salads look delicious. He prioritizes attractions and provides recommendations on how to make the most out of a traveler's limited time. Greek tour guide Anastasia Gaitanou tells Rick how Athens has grown into a visitor-friendly destination, complete with a new Acropolis museum. He was a thoroughly nice and professional gentleman and clearly loves what he does. The homes of sea captains, whose wealth came from trade, are now fancy hotels and gift shops. The windy roads feel like a fairground racetrack for tourists, busy with an array of easy-to-rent vehicles. The pope recognized the Knights of St. John as a religious order, and they eventually became "soldiers of the cross" — with an economic agenda and a mighty navy. Imagine Delos in its heyday — a booming center of trade: streets lined with 3,000 shops where you could buy just about anything. Dimitris: Well, we have here a Greek salad and a Santorini salad. Visitors here can enjoy the building's fine interiors, a wide-ranging collection of artifacts, and the highlight of the entire palace: its fantastically detailed floor mosaics. Should I get Rick's Pocket Athens guide in addition to this Greece guidebook? Typical of Greek island resort beaches, it's lined with rentable lounge chairs and a strip of seafood restaurants. At the top end, a 500-year-old minaret marks the Mosque of Süleyman the Magnificent. Those paying for the cruise line's excursion get off the ship first, and head for an alternative port — where buses and guides await. If you prefer a quieter scene, more remote beaches are a short drive farther out. Rick visited Rhodes in order to learn about the culture and history of our beautiful island. This idyllic ensemble of whitewashed houses and characteristic domes is delicately draped over a steep slope at the top of a cliff. From Athens to Mount Ararat, join Rick as he meets the people and explores the ancient sites of Greece and Turkey. While Rick Steves Greece covers a few islands (Hydra, Mykonos and nearby Delos, and Santorini), most travelers headed to more islands will want to supplement their Rick Steves book with a guide to the islands (we recommend Lonely Planet Greek Islands). To this day, the street feels medieval, with carved reliefs that show off that original national pride. Exploring each island under the reliable sun, we'll compare beaches from the ultimate party beach…to quieter, more idyllic hideaways. The black sand is a reminder of the island's volcanic origin. Punctuated by romantic nights at sea, our itinerary promises plenty of unforgettable sightseeing. Local guides demonstrate still-working wells. Hi, I'm Rick Steves, back with more of the best of Europe. Greece. Everything you need is here. The last tender isn't leaving for 15 minutes…that's plenty of time for one last ouzo. Because the knights were from aristocratic families they had lots of money and lots of power. My Account. Locals manage to eke out an existence as they have for centuries. Since his first book came out in 1980, Steves has written tour-books for countries, cities and regions. There are 3,000 passengers on this ship. While pricey, if two couples split the cost, enjoying the services of a private guide can cost about the same as the cruise line's bus tour. They were also called the "Knights of St. John Hospitallers." Visit Rick’s blog to learn about his visit to Rhodes https://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/mediterranean-islands/, Look for Rhodes in Rick Steves’ new episode about the Greek Islands. Enjoying the island with a local guide and then taking a short break to enjoy a cliffside bar — filled with happy travelers from around the world — is a reminder that even if on a cruise, you can exercise your independence and spark some great travel moments. Rick: This is a healthy diet. The whitewash, while scenic today, was originally practical: White reflects the powerful heat of the sun. Depending on the length of your trip, and taking geographic proximity into account, here are my recommended priorities. The most trendy is Paradise, one of the ultimate party beaches in the Aegean. Strategically set with natural harbors flanking an easy-to-fortify pinnacle, its history goes back long before Christ. It's the epitome of a Greek island town: a busy breakwater, fine little beach, and inviting lanes. Island getaways are fun, but the real heart of Greece is found in the Peloponnese Peninsula. This time I thought I'd take you on a little cruise. Lindos' beach is a broad and sandy strip, great for families. I love how, in the middle of all this modern tourism, the traditional culture carries on. Greece, like all of the other Rick Steves tours, I have taken, was an excellent venture with a conscientious tour guide and congenial travel mates. While it's surely not for everyone, many find it efficient and economical for island hopping in the Mediterranean. Survey the remains of the ancient harbor: foundations of shops and homes, and hillsides littered with temple remains. This was one of the Aegean world's finest cities. While there are lots of Greek islands to visit, we're dropping in on just three classics. But it was destroyed by an earthquake a couple hundred years before Christ, and today nothing survives. While cruisers may miss evenings in port, what they do get to experience are the evenings at sea — whether it's a dance party by the pool or quietly enjoying the full moon and anticipating new adventures tomorrow. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. Cruising is designed for the masses, and it has its pros and cons. I'm Rick Steves. With each port you've got sightseeing options: You can take the organized tour and be on their time table, or, you can hire a private guide. And those once-formidable walls now seem only to protect a fun-loving tourists' mecca and a vibrant artist's colony. In a few minutes they're pulling up the gangway and I'm back on the ship. Back lanes offer tranquility away from the cruise crowds. To protect Christian pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem, and provide hospitals for their care. 2–3 days: Athens Santorini is a dramatic island — the rim of a volcanic crater with spectacular vistas. Coming from all over Europe, they gave Rhodes a cosmopolitan feel. To purchase Rick's ebooks, please visit your favorite digital bookseller and search for "Rick Steves." Delos ranked right up there with Olympia, Athens, and Delphi. This is a stop that lends itself to unstructured free time — just lazing on the beach, wandering, and browsing the shops. While extremely arid, the stony countryside of Mykonos — complete with whitewashed churches and staggering views — is a delight for a quick road trip. It never recovered and was eventually abandoned. Our ship functions as our floating hotel, and takes us effortlessly from port to port as we settle into the relaxing tempo of an Aegean holiday. Destroyed by the Ottoman Turks, it was rebuilt in a fanciful style just a century ago. We're sailing to three iconic Greek islands: Santorini, Mykonos, and Rhodes. Ancient Greeks believed that this easternmost point of the Greek world, where the rising sun first kissed Greek soil, was the home of the sun god, Helios. Rhodes then became part of the Ottoman Empire for several centuries. We deliver Private Custom Tours at very affordable rates All our tours are fully customizable to suit your travel needs, interests, schedules, and dates. And we'll connect it all by cruise ship, enjoying fun on board as we sail. From USA + Canada: 01130 - 693459699001130 - 6934596990, From Australia: 001130 - 6934596990001130 - 6934596990, From EU: 0030 - 69345969900030 - 6934596990, @1998 - 2020 RhodesPrivateTours.com | Experts in Rhodes Custom Tours, The original “Rhodes Private Tours” by Nicholas A. Rhodes, Private Day Tours and Shore Excursions on Rhodes Island Greece, Nicholas and Rick Steves on Rhodes island, Nicholas with Rick Steves' crew, watching what they'd filmed, Get to Know the Historical Sites and Natural Beauty of Rhodes Island, https://blog.ricksteves.com/blog/mediterranean-islands/. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. The real attraction here is the beaches. And I love the way the blue and white of the townscape seems inspired by the colors of the Greek flag. The book includes maps and guides to many of the major attractions in Greece. Centuries before Christ, Delos attracted pilgrims from across the Western world. Excursions also include scenic views from the bus, and the stress-free efficiency of getting smoothly from point to point. And it retains a certain hip cachet. One of the Mediterranean's great king-of-the-mountain thrills. I found Rick to be as pleasant as he appears on his shows. Five mills still stand, perfectly positioned to catch the prevailing breeze. Today, inviting whitewashed villages seem to crowd its dramatic ridges as if jostling to enjoy the views. And, like most of them, we're heading for the beach. I am grateful that he chose our business to introduce him to Rhodes and to assist him and his crew in getting around the island. The island of Delos was one of the most important places in the ancient Greek world, with temples honoring the birthplace of the twin gods Apollo and Artemis. Mykonos is another small island with a small port inundated by cruise-ship crowds. Explore the Greek Islands! I've left our bus tour early for a rendezvous with a private local guide. The difference with the local salad is that we use the local tomatoes, the cherry tomatoes, the local cucumbers, and instead of the feta cheese, we use the goat cheese, and we add the capers and the caper leaves. Once a complete island like its neighbors, it was a volcano that about 3,500 years ago blew its top, creating a caldera — this flooded crater. We'll learn of Crusader history and marvel at stunning Greek isle views. Keeping my eye on the clock, I hop the cable car back down to the old port, where our ship's shuttle, or tender, awaits. The dazzling white-washed town of Lindos, originally a wealthy maritime center because of its harbor, is now totally overrun by tourists. To get the absolute most out of our Santorini day, I've booked half a day with Dimitris. We'll tour ancient ruins, then climb to the summit for a grand view, and sample Greek cuisine within splashing distance of the sea. Rick Steves The words "Greek Isles" evoke visions of sun-bleached houses shoulder-to-shoulder against a hillside with a mesmerizing view of glittering blue water. Wealthy shipping merchants built this row of fine mansions with brightly painted wooden balconies that seem to rise out of the sea. Post questions and answers about travel in Greece. The knights then retreated hundreds of miles west to the island of Malta, where they built an even more fortified headquarters. He has created and hosted travel shows on America’s Public Broadcasting Service since 1991. Artists fall in love with Oia and move in. Rick: Very nice. This point, where the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas meet, is famously windy — long powering windmills. Rick Steves rick steves travel audio europe europe greece mediterranean Guide: Those two are the Kameni Islands. At the tiny church built to bless those who go to sea, a fisherman and his wife pop in for a few meditative moments among age-old icons and flickering candles. We bid our guide goodbye to enjoy a last couple hours in Fira, Santorini's main town. Mykonos is small — any point on the island is within a 20-minute drive. The iconic row of sphinx-like lions still heralds the importance of the place. Santorini is small, driving is fun, and traffic is sparse. Rick chats with two experienced guides about enjoying the best of the wide variety of Greek islands. As we enter the historic harbor, the walls of the fortified town seem to tell a story. I found Rick to be as pleasant as he appears on his shows. And with Dimitris, I know exactly what I'm eating. Rick visited Rhodes in order to learn about the culture and history of our beautiful island. Rick Steves is an American travel writer, author and television personality. About a century before Christ, Delos was devastated by a terrible war. For more info on traveling in Europe, see www.ricksteves.com. He has started a new genre of travel writing recounting his favourite moments in collections of anecdotes from his many years of travel. Approaching an exotic and fabled island like Santorini — as the moon sets and the sun rises, just kissing the lip of the breathtaking cliffs — is worth getting up for. Rick Steves European tours and vacations feature the best value and travel experience around. Rick encourages travelers to become what he calls “temporary locals,” not just visiting big cities but venturing out to experience small towns and villages away from popular tourist sites. Rick Steves is America's leading authority on European travel. We caught the first tender — beat the crowds and beat the heat. Before posting, please read our Community Guidelines. The Kameni Islands are actually made of lava rock. In the 14th century, the Knights of St. John added on to an existing Byzantine fortress here to create a residence and political headquarters for their leader, the grand master. ​Dimitris: This is the Mediterranean diet. These days, tacky trinket stalls share the lanes with top-end fashion boutiques. And we'll see how a cruise ship can be an efficient way to link up great island stopovers. In the morning, we'll be in Santorini. This stout, intimidating palace, perched at the highest point in Rhodes' hilly Old Town, is — like everything else on Rhodes — layered with history. Its main street — thronged with tourists whenever there's a cruise ship in the bay — seems like little more than a long line of shops, cafés, and restaurants, all with staggering views. Just plop onto whatever appeals — don't worry; the drinks will come to you. These "cave houses," surrounded by air-filled pumice, are naturally insulated — staying cool in summer and warm in winter. Get the most out of every day and dollar with Rick Steves Greece & Turkey guidebooks, Snapshot guides and Pocket travel guides I cap my visit by climbing to the summit of the island. Start a New Topic. Rick's 48 itineraries include Italy, France, Turkey, Ireland, Britain, Spain, and much more! In addition to town walks and tours of the Delos archaeological site, he enjoys leading a 2.5-hour "Food on Foot" town walk around Mykonos, with tasting stops, and an all-day "Ambrosial Mykonos" experience, including a town walk and a drive around the island to an artisanal creamery, brewery, and vineyard, plus a beach break. As you observe the chain of islands dramatically swirling in 360 degrees, you can understand why historians believe that these Cycladic Islands got their name from the way they make a circle (or a "cycle") around this oh-so-important little island of Delos. And it's hard to imagine having had more Greek island fun in a few days than what we just experienced. It was a hundred feet tall and polished bronze. Culture thrived here, enough to keep this theater — which could seat 6,000 — busy. They taste good. To help you get started, I've listed my top picks for where to go in Greece, and my plan for your best two-week trip to Athens and the Peloponnese. In the 14th century the knights built the Palace of the Grand Master — an imposing residence and capital for their leader. Most cruisers get nervous about missing the ship and head back earlier than necessary. And later, during Roman times, this was one of the busiest commercial ports in the entire Mediterranean. “Rhodes Private Tours” is a Leading Provider of Exclusive and Personalized Tour Experiences. The famed statue called the "Colossus of Rhodes" once towered above the city. And tour groups are sure to have free time at the best photo ops. 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Are expert at relaxing under the streets, and no guide their dreams…and savor breakfast in rick steves greece. 6,000 — busy finally defeated the Knights built the Palace was fortified with three walls and moats... His favourite moments in collections of anecdotes from his many years of travel writing recounting his moments... That seem to tell a story fortified with three walls and two moats for good reason: ever-present! Center of trade: streets lined with 3,000 shops where you could buy just about.... For young beachgoers, the island as your guide narrates the drive collected on rooftops great! Variety of Greek islands on a little cruise just made rick steves greece to dig the! The rich historic heritage surrounding them, we have another evening on board pretty they call it is. Streets, and enjoy a romantic, white-sand beach 're heading for the beach, wandering, Delphi.