Athens and the Acropolis

I had always wanted to visit Athens and the Acropolis and thanks to a cruse I got to spend a day and night there. Although a busy and hot city, it was well worth it. We climbed the hill to the top of the Acropolis -you really must go early, late or in the middle of the day (when it is really too hot) or book with a tour to avoid having to queue for tickets. Once you are up there, the view is brilliant, surrounded by a busy metropolis.

You forget when you see the pictures that there is a modem city just yards away from this amazing, ancient site.

Everybody says the museum at the foot of the Acropolis is well worth the visit. To us, the air-conditioning alone was heaven. We were not disappointed by the original statues and artefacts and the way the museum is laid out. As they are still excavating underneath the museum, they have made it possible to view them working through glass. I would recommend a guided Tour, as they explain the most important pieces in the collections - there is a lot to take in.

I would recommend taking a taxi rather than the local bus, if not participating in a pre-organised Tour. We did both, and found the bus took a long time, was busy and not particularly comfortable in the heat. With another 'must do' ticked off, we found an ice cold beer, lunch and three lovely American ladies (daughter, mother and grandmother) to swap travel stories with.

Guess what? It was time to return to our luxurious Carnival Vista air conditioned cabin and relax. One of my favourite places was the 'adult only' Serenity where you can relax and enjoy 'time out' from everything else. If you would like to know more about cruising with Carnival, or any of the places we visited, please give me a call. I am happy to help you make a decision on whether this or another cruise line is for you.