Mykonos There is no Greek island more synonymous with carefree times, glitz and glamour than Mykonos. At just 33 square miles, Mykonos is a small island, but it’s filled with excitement, especially in the long Greek summer. Mykonos has a very rocky terrain and its windiness (the “meltemia”) can sometimes surprise you, but you’ll also find some of the most amazing beaches around and a cosmopolitan vibe you simply won’t find anywhere else. The main town, Chora, is famous for its winding lanes lined with gleaming white cubiform houses with painted blue doors and sophisticated shops and restaurants, but beyond the town, Mykonos retains a refreshingly bucolic atmosphere. In fact, Nikos Kazantzakis, author of Zorba the Greek, once wrote that “Mykonos is wonderful…the air, the earth, the dry mountain, the simple people, their dialect, the figs, the grapes, the thyme, the mint…” He might have added to the craze—in a good way—because from the 1960s onward Mykonos has been a magnet for bohemians, celebrities and revelers of all stripes. Patmos There are islands in the Mediterranean with captivating history, fantastic beaches and beautiful scenery, and then there is an island like Rhodes that quite literally has it all. Long before the days of the Roman Empire, many maritime trails led to Rhodes, the largest of Greece’s Dodecanese islands, named for the native pink hibiscus flowers. Unlike some popular Greek islands like Mykonos and Santorini, Rhodes is lush and green, a veritable garden in the eastern Aegean. And with an area of 541 square miles, it’s large too. Rhodes is also home to some of the most spectacular medieval fortifications anywhere, built by the Knights of the Order of Saint John in the 14th century. The virtually intact Palace of the Grand Master in the town of Rhodes is a Gothic jewel right out of a fairytale. This, combined with the Street of the Knights and around 200 winding lanes, creates a dazzling, living tapestry. The island of Rhodes is in many ways a microcosm of Greece. The Old Town of Rhodes, at the northernmost point of the island, is probably the best-preserved medieval city in all of Europe. Midway down the eastern side, Lindos—around 34 miles south of Rhodes town— blends archaeological intrigue with a panoramic town that is more reminiscent of a Cycladic island like Mykonos. The western side, meanwhile, has many orchards and vineyards as well as impressive ancient ruins at sites like Kameiros. 60 Your destinations About Onboard Packages Greece & Med Arabian Gulf Destinations Our Ships How to book
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