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Mediterranean Cruise and Rome
  • Darlene Rodillo
  • Darlene Rodillo

Mediterranean Cruise and Rome

Celebrating my daughter, Sydney, for her graduation and checking off some bucket list items with a Mediterranean cruise with Princess Cruise Lines. Starting in Athens, ending in Rome. Stops in Greece, Montenegro, Spain, Gibraltar, France, and Italy. Okumaya devam et
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  • Gezinin başlangıcı
    15 Temmuz 2022
    Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin

    No COVID!!!

    14 Temmuz 2022, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Pre-cruise Covid test is NEGATIVE!!! We are clear for travel. Such anxiety prior to leaving the US since the cruise requires a negative test. We used the Abbott test recommended by the cruise line to do the proctored test. It was an easy process and we got the results at home in 15 minutes!!!Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin

    Getting to the airport and loungin’

    15 Temmuz 2022, Amerika Birleşik Devletleri ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Driving to Holly’s place in Buckhead and grabbing an Uber to the airport…only to arrive super early lol. Easy check-in and virtually no security line. What?!? Since we were so early, we hit the Club ATL Lounge for some snacks and drinks to pass the time. As we arrived at the gate, the flight was oversold and they were offering $3000, yes, that’s right, $3000, per person to volunteer to take a flight the next day. If our plans were flexible, I totally would have taken Delta up on the offer!Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    We are stamped!!! 🇬🇷Mercedes taxi cabs

    Landed in Athens, Greece 🇬🇷

    16 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ 🌙 79 °F

    A 10 hour flight from Atlanta, Georgia and we wake up in sunny Athens, Greece. Our passports are stamped and we will soon be on our way to the Piraeus cruise port! We booked a driver through Viator and will try to slide him some extra Euros to drive us by some of the tourist sights. I should have planned better and flown in a day early to see more of Athens, but the work guilt got me.

    Athens is not what I expected although we are only seeing the airport and heading to the cruise port, with just distant views of the tourist sites. Our driver said the city of Athens has 5 million people…while the entire country has 10 million people. The city looks run down and poor. Weird to see stores like IKEA and Lidl. Lots of graffiti on the buildings.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Sky Walk on both sides of the shipLoving the aft balcony roomInternational Cafe - open 24/7Sail Away partyGoodbye, Athens!Medallions to get in and out of the room and find each other...a little creepy like Big Brother

    Exploring the Regal Princess

    16 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    After boarding we got to know our ship and discover some of the restaurants and bars. The crew is about 80% Filipino, so we fit right in! There’s a really cool, but freaky glass walkway. We discovered the 24-hour International Cafe with various desserts, froo-froo coffee drinks, and light snacks. The Sail Away party was a fun way to leave the port with dancing and music. The Medallions are super cool and unlock the room door when you approach the room. Lots of amenities we haven’t even found yet. I know we’ll enjoy our aft balcony room for the next 14 days as we sail away from each port. We were able to catch the Athens sunset before dinner.Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    The cable cars heading up to FiraStill quiet in FiraDonkeys walking by, they don't travel aloneFirst "blue dome" sighting

    Getting to Fira from the ship

    17 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Santorini is a tender port, so we had to get our ticket for the water shuttle for about a 15 minute ride from the ship to the port. From there, you have the option to take a cable car, walk up a long windy staircase, or ride a donkey to the main town of Fira. We did some exploring on our own on the cobblestone walkways before meeting our tour guide. We left on one of the first water shuttles and arrived so early that many of the cafés were not even open yet.Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Most photographed blue dome in Santorini
    Walking the narrow streets of OiaGrabbing some baklavaHad to try a beer from Santorini Brewing CompanyThe town square in Oia

    Santorini Views from Fira and Oia

    17 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ 🌬 79 °F

    We met our guide at the cable car exit and visited the most photographed blue dome church and the Three Bells of Fira as our first stop. Because we had 3 other cruise boats also docked, both Fira and Oia were crazy busy with people everywhere.

    Thankfully our guide who has lived on the island for 23 years had plenty of experience getting us to our stops, knowledgeable about how the islands were formed by a volcanic eruption, and provided great recommendations. Once in Oia, we walked to another famous blue dome church and walked around the northern city checking out the shops, patisseries, and restaurants. The streets were crowded with other tourists, some lugging their bags to their hotels located just off the cobblestone streets. We would stop every so often to catch more amazing views of the caldera.

    From our guide, we learned that Santorini was originally one island, but is now five separate islands due to a volcano eruption in 1615 BC which was the biggest eruption in history. This went on for 3 days and it is believed that an earthquake caused eruption. I wish we had more time to go to the museum to learn more about this, but we were limited due to our time ashore.

    We spent some time walking in the streets of Oia and Sydney found an amazing spot for baklava and I was able to sample a beer from the Santorini Brewing Company.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Insane winds = Crazy HAIR!
    Kamari BeachAuthentic gyrosR Hotel - we need to come back for a vacationRestaurants, cafes, and shops lining the boardwalk

    Santorini Summit and Kamari Beach

    17 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    We drove from Oia to Profitis Ilias and took in the island views from Santorini’s highest point. From here you get a 360 view of the entire island. Also at the top of this mountain, is the Monastery of the Prophet Elijah where 9 monks live.

    The wind was pretty fierce all day and we learned that an island slogan is “Santorini, where everyday is a bad hair day.” Being at the highest point and the fierce wind gave us our crazy hair pictures.

    Our final tour stop was at Kamari Beach which is at the southeastern side of Santorini. Because of the volcanic ash, the beaches have black “sand” which to me doesn’t really qualify as sand like our beaches back home. This “sand” as they call it is more like black rocks, and I’m not sure how people were walking around barefoot on it. Although it was a hot day, the water felt chilly and because it was so windy, there were whitecaps and strong waves.

    We spent some time walking on the boardwalk where every restaurant had a view of the beach serving an array of fresh seafood. The boardwalk was filled with various shops, restaurants, and hotels. This would be a great place to stay for a beach vacation.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    2
    Some of these vineyards are 200 years oldNewer vines - each arch represents 1 generation of winemakersCrazy how the vines stay on the groundWith the expansion, the 8 arches are for each generation of winemaking.Beautiful, modern tasting roomWhere the magic happensVats holding the wineExample of the "Vine basket"Most common grapeThis wine was our favorite, so we took a bottle home.It was closed 🤦‍♀️

    Estate Argyros Winery

    17 Temmuz 2022, Yunanistan ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    Our guide recommended the 8th generation winery called Estate Argyros Winery not far from the Kamari beach area and right beside the Santorini Brewing Company…which, unfortunately was closed today, a Sunday. She dropped us off at the winery where we enjoyed a wine and food pairing tasting with a tour. This winery prioduces 400,000 bottles per year and exports 60% of it. Most of the grapes they grow are white grapes, about 80% versus much fewer red grapes. The tasting room was extremely modern and had incredible lightning. The winery is undergoing an expansion, and this location started in 2014 and was completed in 2018, with more construction to increase wine production.

    We tried 4 wines today:

    1 - Assyrtiko - the most popular grape with 100-120 yr old vines, recommended to drink w food, this wine can hold for up to 10 years which will reduce the acidity

    2 - Athiri - an aromatic grape, easy to drink and ready to drink now, this is our favorite and we ended up buying a bottle to take home

    3 - Vinsanto - sweet dessert wine

    4 - Rose - blend of white and red varietals

    We also took a short tour to learn more about the unique wine production in the area. The guide shared the 2 different ways they grow the grapes. It’s very unique in that the grapes are on the ground versus hanging down. The grapes don’t grow in soil, but in volcanic ash. Because it’s in volcanic ash, they don’t have to use pesticides. The main way of growing the grapes is twisting the vines into a circular formation that looks like a bird’s nest. The “vine nest” traps the morning humidity providing the perfect climate for grape growing. Because there are fewer red grapes, they are trying to find new ways of growing them to increase production.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    New friendsEnjoying some sunshineFirst formal night!

    From the Aegean to the Adriatic Sea

    18 Temmuz 2022, Aegean Sea ⋅ 🌙 79 °F

    Our first day at sea leaving Santorini on the way to Montenegro. We enjoyed time on the ship in the evening when we returned from Santorini and met new friends and then spent some time the next day getting some sun, planning for the other ports, and catching up on reading. It was also the first formal night, so we got all dolled up for dinner at the Crown Grill, known for its seafood and steaks. We left feeling stuffed, so we had to do an outfit change into more comfy clothing.Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Walls surrounding the Old TownEntrance to the Old TownA beautiful café that we foundThe town hasn't woken up yetJust up the stairs to hike to the Church of our Lady of Health

    The Old Town - Kotor, Montenegro

    19 Temmuz 2022, Karadağ ⋅ 🌙 72 °F

    One of the most beautiful and scenic cruises into the port city. With mountain villages on both sides, any view from the boat is simply amazing. It’s an easy walk to the Old Town surrounded by huge stone walls used to protect the city. When we first walked in, it was around 7:30 in the morning and the Old Town was very quiet and just starting to open for business. There was something so special about watching store owners getting ready for the day.

    We followed Rick Steves' walking tour guide of the Old Town. His maps and information were spot-on. Since we had about an hour before our boat tour began, we meandered through the cobblestone streets finding a variety of cafés, restaurants, souvenir shops, and artisans. Everything is walkable and the tourist information center provides a large map for walking up the mountain to view some of the other sights.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Our Lady of the Rocks IslandView of PerastThe church and small visitor center with Catholic souvenirs and cold drinksEntrance to the submarine hideoutInside the submarine hideoutThe up and coming high end hotelThe Blue Cave

    Bay of Kotor Fun 🚤

    19 Temmuz 2022, Karadağ ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    After our walk around the Old Town, we met our tour group at Park Slobode which was just to the left down the sidewalk after passing the port exit. We boarded the speedboat and headed our to a popular tourist site, the island of Our Lady of the Rocks where a church was built to honor the sighting of Mary at this location. It is a man made island and on July 22 (we just missed it, but it probably would have been a zoo) many people visit the island to drop rocks at the location. Today, it was busy with tourists coming and going around all sides of the island.

    From here we went into one of the submarine hideouts used in WWII. Today, the hideaway gates are left open and the pseudo rocks are actually pieces of styrofoam that were camouflaged to hide the entrances.

    On the way to the famous Blue Cave, we passed by an old prison which is being revamped into a high end hotel.

    Once arriving at the Blue Cave, we had to maneuver around numerous boats and eventually found a spot alongside the cliff to float around. The water was chilly, clear, and briny.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Dolphin Sighting on our way back to the port

    Views on the bay boat ride

    19 Temmuz 2022, Karadağ ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    The views of the fjord were so beautiful. We saw villages on the coasts as well as houses and churches nestled in the mountains. On the return trip to the port, we even had a dolphin spotting and then hit a wave that slid half the passengers to one side while trying to avoid another boat! 🌊

    We saw many yachts and sailboats enjoying the beautiful day…almost too many!    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Scary steps up the mountainBeautiful panoramic view of the Old Town and the Bay of KotorFinding some shadeWe made it safely back to the Old TownOur souvenir from Montenegro

    Strenuous hike up the mountain

    19 Temmuz 2022, Karadağ ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    After our frolic in the bay, we stopped at a grocery and grabbed some volpi, a fresh loaf of bread, and some random snacks (one we thought were cheese puffs, that ended up being peanut butter puffs) because we only had 8 hours at this port. We were in a rush to get back to the Old Town to hike up to the Church of Our Lady of Health. This hike was no joke, and it was especially hot today, which made the hike almost unbearable. Even in the heat, the views along the way were totally worth it. We saw amazing views of the Old Town and the Bay of Kotor.

    Because we were pressed for time, we didn’t make it to the top of the Town Walls to the Fortress of St. John and just headed back to the Old Town to check out a few local shops. We fell in love with a wooden Santa that had to come home with us. This handmade wooden decoration has such an amazing story behind it, for example, the red and yellow are for the Montenegro flag 🇲🇪, the cherries on Santa’s beard represent the family that created the figurine, the blue represented the blue waters of the Bay of Kotor, especially depicted in the blue eyes, even though it’s a rare find to see a Montenegrin with blue eyes.

    After checking out a few shops, we high tailed it to the port to make it to the last tender back to the ship. Eight hours with a tender was definitely not enough time to explore this port city.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Astronomical Clock...hate we missed the big show at noonTourist Information BuildingFiat central!Municipal Building24 Hour vending of EVERYTHING!!!1The "bir-maids"Bir-maid staircase

    Livin’ HOT in Messina, Sicily

    20 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    To take a break from an organized tour, we decided to walk Messina on our own. The famous Mt. Etna volcano crater was a 2 hour drive away and a suggested town, Taromina, was about an hour and a half away. We used the port guide to find a few key sites, but then made our way to the Tourist Information building to find a map of the city.

    We enjoyed learning about the various buildings, parks, fountains, and churches on our self-guided walking tour. After getting the map from the tourist information booth, we followed the red path and easily found the various historical sites. We came across a 24-hour vending machine vestibule that sold snacks, coffee, drinks, and BEER!!! You had to scan your ID (I guess to ensure you were of drinking age) to make a beer purchase.

    One of the oddest sights was the staircase with the “bir-maids” aka bird heads with mermaid tails. Not sure what this was about, but I think it also was an area for homeless people.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Bellini's - our favorite bar

    Top of Messina 🍺 ⛪️

    20 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    We continued to follow the map and didn’t even realize that the Red Path we chose ended at a beautiful photo spot at the top where we saw the Sacrario Cristo Re and the amazing view of the port leading to the Strait of Messina. At the top we found a random cafe and of course I had to try a Sicilian beer called Birra Messina. We got a little lost on the way back to the port, so we found a piece of mail, delivered on the doorstep, so that we could find what street we were on.

    After getting our bearings, we found the Irish Bar and the cannoli place we had passed earlier in the day. We arrived at the ship with 8 minutes to spare and had some celebratory drinks at one of our favorite bars, called Bellini’s. 🥂    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    View from the shipOlive tree growing on the side of the roadLimoncello FactoryWalking to the beach in PositanoThe Lemon Lady - handmaking bagsShopping in PositanoThe Gulf of Napoli with a few watchtowers

    It starts with a Mt. Vesuvius sunrise

    21 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 77 °F

    Early morning sunrise from the ship over the beautiful Mt. Vesuvius. Upon arriving at the port, we meet Priscilla, our guide who will be leading our tour to Positano, Sorrento, and the Pompeii Ruins.

    Our first stop was on the way to Positano to take in a view of the Gulf of Napoli. Along the way, we see olive, lemon, and orange trees. We also see many vineyards, even along the city streets. One of the top alcoholic products is Limoncello, so we made a quick stop at the factory where they sold everything lemon and we were able to taste the different versions of Limoncello.

    We continued along the switchback road down to the coastal town of Positano which we learned is the most expensive place to live on the Amalfi Coast. There are various hikes up the mountain. Along the Amalfi Coast, there are 45 watch towers which were used to watch out for pirates long ago.

    There is only one narrow road going into Positano from the main road. Once on this road, there is no turning back. Once parked, it’s shopping central. The first thing I noticed were the vibrant colors of the fabrics and I knew I wanted a blue and yellow dress with lemons on it as a way to remember this beautiful place. I was captured by a store where I peeped around the corner to find a lady, who I assume is the “Lemon Lady”, as written on the bags, hand making the bags being sold in the store. There was another lady who was responsible for painting the designs on the bags. I wanted to take home every single one!

    We continued walking down the narrow pedestrian area and made it to the beach. We didn’t have much time so we popped into the church there and enjoyed the views of the water and up the mountain. After leaving Positano with a few new bags and dresses, we circled through the town and made our way to the main road for the next stop in Sorrento. From the van, I was able to snap a picture of the Gulf of Napoli which was bustling with lots of boats.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    The Human Head rock formation

    Winding our way to Sorrento

    21 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    We continued along the winding road to another picturesque coastal town, Sorrento. Along the way, I was able to catch a shot of the “human head” rock formation along the cliffside.

    In the middle of the town square is a monument for Torquato Tasso, a very rich man in this area responsible for the growth of Sorrento. From this monument, there are pedestrian streets filled with food vendors, leather goods, and cafés. I tried my first Limoncello sorbet and it was like heaven.

    We were mesmerized by how reasonably priced the leather goods were and had to bring a few new, unique leather bags home. The bright colors in the fabrics were also in Sorrento and I finally found my blue and yellow lemon patterned dress 👗!!! The narrow streets were bustling with people and every so often the smell of lemon or pizza would fill the air. We had limited time and by this point had not eaten, so we walked into a random sandwich shop and had them make “whatever” for us. This whatever turned into an artisanal loaf with prosciutto and fresh mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Delish!    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    Pregnant ladyThis was the beginning of the city and their version of the Statue of Liberty

    Fascinated by the history of Pompeii🌋

    21 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    We were mesmerized learning about the history of the Mt. Vesuvius eruption and how it destroyed the flourishing city of Pompeii. Today, it is the 7th most dangerous volcano in the world. Our guide, Luca, provided us with listening devices as he walked us through the museum and a small part of Pompeii. We spent about an hour on the tour, but it could have taken close to half a day to cover all the grounds.

    Looking at the plaster molds of the bodies was bone chilling. The ones that shook me the most were the mother trying to cover her child and the plaster casting of the pregnant lady. Imagining an ash storm lasting for 2 days is unimaginable. The people of the town had no idea that Mt. Vesuvius was a volcano, and perished as the ash continued to fall on them.

    From the museum we began touring the city. Luca compared Pompeii to New York in terms of it being a large, flourishing city. Similar to any large city, there was a city-center with government buildings, places of entertainment, and parks, surrounded by homes.    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    McCafe treats

    Back to Naples for a couple of hours

    21 Temmuz 2022, İtalya ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    Our tour dropped us back at the port where we brought all our purchases back to our stateroom and then hightailed it back to Naples to walk around before leaving the port.

    We passed by a few older looking buildings and made our way to Galleria Umberto which housed various stores like, Zara and cafés. Before we even realized this was a shopping area, we admired the mosaics in the floor and the high cameo arches. The domed central roof made of glass and iron bars brought in so much natural light. What an amazing building! After some souvenir shopping, we finally got that pizza Napoli which was delicious!!! Inside the galleria, we came across a McDonalds which had a McCafe that rivaled any Starbucks back in SC. Of course, on our walk back to the port, we passed by many other pizza places that all looked amazing.

    As we said goodbye to Naples, we were able to catch the sunset. Ciao!    Okumaya devam et

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  • Darlene RodilloMediterranean Cruise and RomeGezgin
    First ones on the HOHO bus
    Port OlimpicArc de TriomfPlaca d'EspanyaMuseum interni de Catalunya

    Barcelona HOHO Highlights 🚌

    23 Temmuz 2022, Ispanya ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    It was recommended to use the Hop on Hop Off (HOHO) bus for some of the main sights in Barcelona. We had tickets for Sagrada Familia Basilica and Park Guell, so we took the Cruise Shuttle to the drop-off spot at the World Trade Center and got on the first HOHO across the walkway and began the Red Line. In a few stops we arrived at the Arc de Triomf stop and hopped off. It was a bit of a walk and we took the long way to get there, but we found a few other cool buildings along the way. We continued the Red Line until one of the exchange sites for the Blue Line. Once on the Blue Line, we hopped off at Sagrada Familia Basilica...WOW!!!Okumaya devam et

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