Cruising Greece (Pt. 1) | Where We Went, What We Did & What I Wore

We’ve just come back from a fabulous 14-day vacation in the Mediterranean, which encompassed 10 days cruising Greece and a couple of days in Venice and Athens on the front and back ends! While technically I was supposed to be on vacation, as I told you in this post, I negotiated ???? with my husband to let me document the trip on my Instastory. If you want to check it out as it happened, there are two highlight buttons on my Instagram profile page where you can do just that. By the way, Bob and I both ended up really enjoying sharing our trip with you all, and your sweet comments and DMs (direct messages) just meant the world to us. Thank you for sharing our joy! ????

After polling my Instagram followers about what they wanted to hear about post-cruise, and thinking a lot about it, I finally decided that I absolutely had to split things up into two posts just to make it manageable! I loved it that you all wanted to hear everything from where we went and what we did to what I wore. So that’s just what I’m going to give you! Let’s start at the very beginning…

Pink Gingham Button-Down (similar) | White Cami (underneath) | White Belt (similar) | White Duster Cardigan | Jeans | Tennies | Crossbody | Suitcase | Tote (pre-owned) | Travel Blanket

 

Bob and I saved our frequent flyer points for two years so that we could afford to sit in business class on our flight to Venice! Lemme tell ya, it was totally worth it! With seats that converted into beds, and the help of a little Benadryl, we both slept well and woke up in Venice refreshed and ready to explore! We took a 30-minute water taxi ride from the airport to the Molino Stucky Hilton, one of the hotels recommended by our cruise line. Once a flourishing flour mill, the hotel has been beautifully restored and is located on one of the quieter islands just outside of the city center. It was a windy afternoon (as you can see from the photo below!), but we were so excited to be there and have some time to walk around and enjoy the area.

Sleeveless Tassel Shift Dress (UPF 50+) | Rose Gold Flip Flops (not pictured) | Pearl Drop Earrings (similar) | Apple Watch

 

The next morning we took the water taxi shuttle to the cruise port and boarded the Oceania Riviera. (For more on the ship, how and why we chose this cruise line, click HERE.) We sailed on this ship two years ago when we did the Amalfi Coast, so we headed straight to Waves Grill, our favorite open-air onboard restaurant, for the steak and lobster sandwich while we waited for our stateroom to be prepared for us.

Dual Neck Tank Top | Cardigan (similar) | Black & White Windowpane Shorts (similar) | Black Suede Stretch Skinny Belt | Black Patent Flip Flops | Tory Burch Sunglasses (part of the #Nsale) | Apple Watch | Tory Burch Black Logo Earrings | Gold CZ Solitaire Necklace

 

I especially want to point out the Dual Neck Tank Top I wore onboard. It’s a versatile travel piece because it’s designed to be worn either frontward or backward and it doesn’t wrinkle! My color is sold out, but it’s still available in black ($14) and coral ($11.99). What a deal!

Day 1: Venice, Italy

The first night our ship stayed in port, so our excursion the next day was a guided boat and walking tour of Venice. (We love walking tours!) We cruised down the Grand Canal, which bisects the city and then explored the Rialto Mercato, where we commenced the walking part of our tour. We passed by the Rialto Bridge area and finished up by exploring the Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square).

Black Polo Tee (unavailable but similar here) | Black 5″ Stretch Shorts (under $30) | White Skinny Belt (part of a 2-belt set including a black belt too) | Tennies | Earrings | Sunglasses | Apple Watch | Suzy’s Sun Hat | Lip Plumper Gloss in “Sun Diego”

 

My limited edition black polo tee was part of a breast cancer fundraiser that Ralph Lauren did several years ago, so, unfortunately, it’s no longer available. I can’t say enough about my New Balance walking shoes. They were so comfortable and offered such great support for my feet, I wore them on most of our excursions! Also, I wore these fun earrings ($8.49 on Amazon!) several times on our trip and I got tons of compliments on them. (Especially from the locals!)

Day 2: Dubrovnik, Croatia

Called, the “Pearl of the Adriatic,” Dubrovnik is a lovely city, and one of the top tourist destinations on the Adriatic Coast. Although it was shelled by the Serbs in 1991-92, it shows few visible signs of the trauma. The city is known for its famous walled medieval Old Town (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) featuring many monuments, museums, forts, churches, and palaces. Many still-inhabited homes are built right into the city walls. The Serbian siege tore through the town’s distinctive clay roofs and replacing the roofs with matching tiles post siege proved difficult. What that means today is a striking patchwork of colors on the roofs as you take the 1.2 mile walk around the top of the city walls. The walls were built between the 12th and 17th centuries and extend up to 82 feet in some areas. They provided us with stunning views.

 

Coral V-neck Tee | Floral High-Waisted Denim Shorts | UPF 50 Sun Protection Windbreaker (similar) | Floppy Sun Hat (similar from the same company) | Sunglasses | Apple Watch | Raffia-Wrapped Earrings | Long-Wearing Lip Stain (color #626) | BOB’S Lacoste Tee | Our Light-Weight Collapsible, Packable Backpacks

 

My light-weight v-neck tee comes in 12 colors and it’s reduced to only $14.99 right now! (Some other colors are $19.) The backpacks we’re wearing are absolute travel necessities and they’ve gone all over the world with us! They collapse into the built-in pocket the size of a sandwich bag for easy packing, and they’re under $12. We got them years ago when they only made them in black. I’m sorry you can’t see the backs because I got mine monogrammed in hot pink! (But, of course! ????) Now, however, they come in a wide array of colors. Check them all out HERE.

Day 3: Kotor, Montenegro

Truth be told, we planned this entire voyage around this port! Two years ago, when we cruised the French and Italian Riviera with Oceania, we had the privilege of being invited to dine with the ship’s Captain one night. At that dinner, we asked him which port was his absolute favorite. His answer? Montenegro! Honestly, that question has become one of our favorite ones to ask of Cruise Directors, Destination Services staff, waiters, etc. on every cruise we take! After hearing the same answer over and over again, we knew we had to see if for ourselves. Now that we’ve been there, I have to tell you that we wholeheartedly agree!

Our ship was scheduled to dock at 8 a.m., and the Captain advised everyone to get up at 6 a.m. to enjoy the beauty of the 17-mile waterway that leads into the beautiful bay surrounded by mountains that is the port of Kotor. Even though it was tough to haul ourselves out of bed, we did it, and we were so glad! In what ended up being one of the highlights of our entire trip, we spent the most glorious early morning drinking coffee and taking in the scenery from our balcony! Once docked, we headed out on our excursion, where we took in even more spectacular views! We visited Our Lady of the Rocks Church, which is set on a man-made island. According to legends, the island was created over many years by seamen who dropped a rock into the bay after each successful voyage. Listed as a UNESCO World Natural and Historical Heritage Site, Kotor, itself, is full of old narrow streets, monuments, churches, and picturesque buildings and has become a famous yachting and sailing destination. Montenegro stole our hearts!

Somehow, since Bob used portrait mode, the bottom portion of this dress blurred in this photo! The bottom actually looks exactly like the top, as you can see on the front view below!

How stunning is this view?

Monogrammed Bow Swing Dress | White Slip-on Tennies (similar) | Beaded Disk Drop Earrings | Apple Watch

This easy-fit monogrammed swing dress was gifted to me by Marley Lilly. Y’all know they’re my number one stop for all things monogrammed! They’re having a Christmas in July sale right now and there are so many cute things! (Check it out HERE.) My dress is on sale for under $25 and is still available in every size. (It also comes in a darling pink print.) It fits TTS (true to size), and I’m wearing an XS. (I’m 5’5″, so you can judge for length.) Also, my beaded drop earrings are a bargain at $13.99 and come in several colors. You can check them out HERE.

Day 4: Corfu, Greece

The island of Corfu, called Kerkyra by locals, is known for its gorgeous scenery, numerous olive groves, turquoise blue waters, rugged mountains, hidden coves, and miles of sandy beaches. We opted for an excursion to the Achillion Palace. The palace was built in 1891 as the summer home for Empress Elizabeth of Austria and was named in honor of her favorite Greek hero, Achilles. The interior and extensive gardens were beautiful and provided us with gorgeous views of the surrounding area.

 

Flutter Sleeve Top (similar) | Coral Belt (reversible) | 5″ Casual Stretch Khaki Shorts | Tan Sneakers (similar here or here) | Coral Ring Earrings | Apple Watch | Lip Plumper Gloss in “Sun Diego”

 

Day 5: Katakolon, Greece (Olympia)

The small, relaxed seaside village of Katakolon is located on the western coast of the Peloponnese, Greece’s largest peninsula. Best known for cute dockside tavernas, Katakolon also serves as the gateway to the 5000-acre ancient Olympia, one of ancient Greece’s most notable sites. Archeologists believe that the first Olympic games took place at the site in 776 BC and the games were dedicated to Zeus. The early games lasted five days and early competitions included wrestling, running, chariot racing, horse racing, and the pentathlon. With the exception of the chariot races, participants in all events were nude! (Which we could not get over! ????) Even today, the ancient site is still where the Olympic flame is lit and carried by a series of runners to the host city.

Pompom Neckline Crewneck Tee | Lilly Pulitzer Skort (Mine is from several years ago, similar here) | Tennies | Earrings | Sunglasses | Apple Watch | Lip Plumper Gloss in “Sun Diego”

This lightweight crewneck tee with the darling tiny pompoms at the neck has been one of my best purchases of the summer! It’s machine washable and dryable, and it adds a little something extra when a white tee would otherwise work! It also comes in navy with white poms, which would look so cute with white shorts or jeans.

Whew! Thanks for hanging in there with me while I shared the first half of our cruise with you! It means so much to me that you all are interested in where we went and what we did and reliving it with y’all is bringing me such joy! Come back on Friday for part two!

Blessings,

 

 

 

P. S. You probably noticed that several of our destinations have been named UNESCO World Natural and Historical Heritage Sites. I’ll admit that Bob and I had heard the term before but didn’t know exactly what that was before our trip! In case you’re wondering too, here’s the deal: A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area selected by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as having cultural, historical, scientific or other significance, and is legally protected by international treaties. ????

SHOP MY LOOK FROM THE PHOTO AT THE TOP OF THIS POST