I’m going on the Norwegian Spirit cruise ship in May and I’m reviewing excursions. Expenses add up – phew! I don’t want to have to book unnecessary excursions. What are some nice attractions within walking distance of the following ports?

1) Piraeus (Athens), Greece
2) Izmir (Ephesus), Turkey
3) Istanbul, Turkey
4) Mykonos, Greece
5) Naples/Pompeii, Italy
6) Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
7) Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy
Toulon, France
9) Barcelona, Spain
10) Venice, Italy

I Have been to many of those ports but not all. So I’ll give answers for those that I know.

1) Piraeus (Athens), Greece ….. You can walk around the port city of Piraeus but you will be about 30 minutes from Athens and will need a taxi or tour to get there.

2) Izmir (Ephesus), Turkey ….. Our ship docked in Kusadasi and you could walk from the port to that city but you will nee d taxi or bus tour to get to Ephesus as it’s about 30 to 40 minutes from the port.

3) Istanbul, Turkey … Have not been to this port

4) Mykonos, Greece …. You can walk about a mile into the city; our ship actually provided a free shuttle bus from the pier into town.

5) Naples/Pompeii, Italy …. Your ship will dock near the town which you can walk through but you will need a taxi or tour to get to Pompeii

6) Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy … Rome is an hour from the port city. You definitely want a tour to get to Rome, although some people have said they took the train into Rome.

7) Livorno (Florence/Pisa), Italy … You’ll need a taxi or tour, especially to get to Pisa and/or to see bot places.

Toulon, France … have not been to that port

9) Barcelona, Spain … The ship docks very close to downtown but you would have to walk about a mile and a half over a bridge to get to the city. You can do that but a taxi for that short distance would be better.

10) Venice, Italy … have not been there

Ar Goss Toll Ee, Nav Pleeon, Pir (like a short peir) A ous (but slightly truncated).

I usually go from the airport or piraeus to monistiraki station. is it true that it does not stop there and I now have to go to Omonia? can I still get a train from Omonia to monistiraki where I am staying very near by?

You can get the metro, blue line directly from airport to monastiraki station, or again the blue line change to omonoia and then get the train to Pireaus. Have fun !

I am an Indian national,residing in Qatar. I am planning a family trip to Greece for my upcoming holidays.

My Itinerary is as follows.

DOHA – ATHENS International Airport

Take some city tour in Athens and the next day I board the cruise ship

Cruise Itinerary

Piraeus (Greece) – Mykonos (Greece) – Kusadasi (Turkey) – Patmos (Greece) – Herkalion (Greece) – Santorini (Greece) – Piraeus (Greece)

I had applied for a MULTI ENTRY Schengen Visa, but the Greek Embassy in Qatar aprroved me a DOUBLE ENTRY Schengen visa and said that it is good enough for my itinerary.

They explained as follows:-

DOHA – ATHENS International Airport (MY FIRST SCHENGEN ENTRY)

Then on the cruise,I start from Piraeus and travel to Mykonos and I exit the schengen area from Mykonos and enter Kusadasi,Turkey. Turkey is not a schengen area, but cruise ship passengers are allowed to enter the port of Turkey, without any visa.

Then I leave Kusadasi and sail to Patmos, Greece (MY SECOND SCHENGEN ENTRY)

and then travel to Herkalion, Santorini and Piraeus, all of which are Greek islands and belong to schengen area.

I spoke to my travel agent and he also told me that the embassy is right, but when I checked the cruise website, they specifically say that passengers must have a MULTI ENTRY SCHENGEN VISA to participate in the cruise, I told this to my agent and he said that cruise website mentioned it as a general statement, because they have many other cruise itineraries which covers many schengen states, which require multiple entries.

What should I do? Can I travel with the DOUBLE ENTRY Schengen visa as per my itinerary?

Does anyone have experience?

Please Help

Your itinerary is covered by a double entry visa. A multiple entry visa would be necessary for itineraries like:

From Piraeus/Athens (Greece) to Istanbul (Turkey), Mykonos (Greece), Patmos (Greece), Kusadasi (Ephesus) Turkey, Rhodes (Greece), Ag.Nikolaos (Crete) Greece, Santorini (Greece), Piraeus (Athens).

From Piraeus (Athens) Greece to Istanbul (Turkey), Izmir (Turkey), Mykonos (Greece), Patmos (Greece), Kusadasi (Turkey), Santorini (Greece), Heraklion (Crete) Greece, Piraeus (Athens)

[Aspasia to his Pericles]

Not wanting to be
utmost to all mankind
she became the
mistress of his mind

Aspasia to his Pericles

Fractured fated mirror
sombre clouded vision
and fired like Pyrrha
heading for a collision

Aspasia to his Pericles

Entering a sacred andron
and his mind of hedonism
he enslaved, a regal swan
with words of mysticism

Aspasia to his Pericles

Dionysian cult sublime
paeans and libations
symposium with red wine
Greek drama sensations

Aspasia to his Pericles

Peloponnesian ancient war
was not her accused domain
exalted…not a tainted whore
supreme status she did attain

Aspasia to his Pericles

Olympian lightening stirring
thundering emotions languish
fantasy with myth intertwining
blinded, him she did cherish

Aspasia to his Pericles

She danced to his bedeviled tune
as in the dull red-light of Piraeus
vision and wisdom now in oblivion
bewitched into his velvet nucleus

Aspasia to his Pericles

Her beauty to him, she did accord
knowing when his work was done
he would leave her without reward
alone, rejected searching for a gun

Aspasia to his Pericles…

* In ancient Greece, hetaires were highly educated,
sophisticated companions who were independent
and sometimes influential women of Greek society.
They were often wrongly confused as prostitutes,
due to having open, but unpaid sexual relations.
Among the most famous and renowned hetaera of
ancient times, was Aspasia, companion of Pericles

* In Greek mythology, red haired Pyrrha was the
daughter of Epimetheus and Pandora…

This to me reads beautifully
a hot and stormy affair of the hearts
and the minds…
my compliments to the writer!
for a fledgling, you do very well

View of Cruise Terminal in Piraeus, Greece as captured from Kroooz-Cams.com 29 October 2009. In port Nautica, MSC Musica, and Artemis.

Duration : 0:7:54

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Technorati Tags: Cruise Ships, greece, piraeus, Terminal, Webcam

Piraeus Theoxenia is a new landmark building and the only 5 star deluxe hotel in Piraeus, set on a prestigious block in the city centre, the business district of Piraeus and the biggest port of Greece. This uniquely designed 9 storey hotel with 76 rooms and suites combines elements of Neo-classical architecture and modern building design. It is a delightful mix of classical world charm & comfortable modernity. The Hotel is Suitable for Business and Leisure Travellers alike.

Duration : 0:1:43

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Piraeus Theoxenia is a new landmark building and the only 5 star deluxe hotel in Piraeus, set on a prestigious block in the city centre, the business district of Piraeus and the biggest port of Greece. This uniquely designed 9 storey hotel with 76 rooms and suites combines elements of Neo-classical architecture and modern building design. It is a delightful mix of classical world charm & comfortable modernity. The Hotel is Suitable for Business and Leisure Travellers alike.

Duration : 0:1:43

Read the rest of this entry »

View of Cruise Terminal in Piraeus, Greece as captured from Kroooz-Cams.com 29 October 2009. In port Nautica, MSC Musica, and Artemis.

Duration : 0:7:54

Read the rest of this entry »

View of Cruise Terminal in Piraeus, Greece as captured from Kroooz-Cams.com 29 October 2009. In port Nautica, MSC Musica, and Artemis.

Duration : 0:7:54

Read the rest of this entry »