Aegean Gems All-Inclusive Family Cruise

Thanks to its proximity to the mainland, Mykonos was one of the first Greek islands to become an international travel destination. During the late ’60s and early ’70s, Mykonos was famed as a haunt for the rich. The island’s nightlife – then and now – was a glittering whirl of colored lights, music, and parties. But there’s another side to Mykonos – the neighboring island of Delos. In classical mythology, Delos was the birthplace of Apollo and his twin sister Artemis. Travelers to Delos can stroll among the island’s vast ruins, which include three temples consecrated to the Sun God and the famed Lions Walk. Mykonos town features hip boutiques, restaurants, jewelry stores, souvenirs, taverns and cafés. The island’s famed windmills are found just south of the waterfront.

Athens is the capital of Greece. It was also at the heart of Ancient Greece, a powerful civilization and empire. The city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel topped with ancient buildings like the colonnaded Parthenon temple. The Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry and more from Ancient Greece.

Souda sits just 15 minutes’ drive from Chania – one of Crete’s most charming cities. Most snap-happy tourists pin the old harbour on their maps. It’s as pretty as a picture, with a lighthouse, pastel-painted buildings and a café-lined promenade. If that’s not enough of a history fix, there are plenty of museums to delve into – with really scenic settings. The Maritime Museum’s housed in a former Venetian prison, while the Archaeological Museum’s tucked inside a Gothic church.
Swap the beach for Lake Kournas. A 40-minute drive from Souda, this mountain-cuddled lake boasts cyan-blue waters and a ring of sunbed-loaded pebbles.
Work your way along Chania’s Skridlof Street, AKA Leather Lane. It’s stuffed with shops selling shoes, bags and belts, as well as occasional non-leather items, like jewellery and clothes.
Spend the day exploring the Akrotiri peninsula – just north of Souda. This barren headland’s home to a couple of peaceful monasteries, plus the spectacular Stavros Beach.

The island of Rhodes is just waiting for you when your cruise takes you to the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Its northernmost headland is straddled by Rhodes Town, by far the largest town on the island, in full view of Turkey less than 20km north.

The ancient city that occupied this site, laid out during the fifth century BC by Hippodamos of Miletos, was almost twice the size of its modern counterpart, and at over 100,000 held more than double its population. While the fortified enclave now known as the Old Town is of more recent construction, created by the Knights Hospitaller in the fourteenth century, it’s one of the finest medieval walled cities you could ever hope to see.

A Mediterranean cruise excursion to Rhodes will recall one of the lost Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Colossus, an ancient statue of Apollo erected to commemorate the 305 BC siege, which supposedly straddled the entrance to Mandhráki harbour.

Following your cruise, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back to Ireland.

Alternatively, you could add a hotel stay on this wonderful island.

Palma is a stunner. Rising in honey-coloured stone from the broad waters of the Badia de Palma, this enduring city dates back to the 13th-century Christian reconquest of the island, and to the Moors, Romans and Talayotic people before that. A richly studded diadem of historical sites, Palma also shelters a seemingly endless array of galleries, restaurants, craft studios and bars – it’s without doubt Mallorca’s greatest treasure. Wander in any direction from the awe-inspiring Gothic Catedral at its geographic and historical heart and you’ll find bent medieval streets lined with aristocratic townhouses, looming baroque churches, teeming public squares, vibrant bohemian neighbourhoods and markets overflowing with all the bounty of the island. You could spend weeks in this city alone, and still uncover fresh joys every day.