Greek isles & italy

A 22-day adventure by Steve Read more

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June 20, 2022
Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 1
Monday, June 20, 2022 at 2:45 AM
🌙 9 °C
Altitude: 81 m
England Manchester Airport Railway Station 53.362886, -2.2730553°21’46” N 2°16’23” W
Onward to the airport
June 20, 2022 in England ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
Well I dropped my bag off at the airport yesterday and to my surprise very little queueing check in opened at 4.30 but I was here early ) me thinking it opened at 14.30 🙄) so was one of the first of a long queue forming but managed to get the 17.10 back to Preston so home in time for grand Prix ( so that's a result 👍)

I've booked early taxi (02.45) to get me to airport for 4.15 then hopefully I've only the queue for security with virtually nothing but emergency set of clothes and camera in my bag so I'm hoping it will be a breeze, just need to see how big the queue is at the airport, I asked yesterday and was told it might be 3 hours 😵‍💫Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 1
Monday, June 20, 2022 at 4:49 AM
⛅ 6 °C
Altitude: 73 m
England Manchester Airport 53.361401, -2.27499853°21’41” N 2°16’30” W
Cruise thru the Airport
June 20, 2022 in England ⋅ ⛅ 6 °C
Well taxi got me to airport for 4.00 am and sat in departure lounge with my esspresso, think I timed it well as queue started to form behind me , still 45 minutes from getting out of taxi to sitting with my brew is cool 😊

Memo to myself..... Disregard the news and social media ha haRead more
TravelerEy, that’s a good start to your day, safe travels- hope you have a wonderful time 😇
6/20/22Reply
Steve Catteralllol well it stops there, flight delayed by 30 minutes, should get there by 12 I hope 😘
6/20/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 1
Monday, June 20, 2022 at 4:12 PM
☀️ 15 °C
Altitude: 70 m
Italy San Liborio 42.116667, 11.8242°7’0” N 11°49’12” E
On board
June 20, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C
Well uneventful flight, 30 min delay but hey no great shakes.

Well pandemonium at the airport, I must have walked bloody miles, everyone has turned up at once for the shuttle to the boat, hope it's not as chaotic there

Well I was wrong, chaotic at the airport and no one had a clue, then eventually got the shuttle to the port and the biggest queue I've seen😵‍💫 however credit due there must have been 30 desks dealing with the boarding process so only took half an hour, just settling in to cabin and hope my bags turn up eventually, anyhow loads to do right thru till midnite so I'm going to look out the boat 🍺🍸

Shit this mojito bar is brill, just tried a jalapeno cucumber mojito talk about rock the roof of your mouth, better than a piri piri 😜Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 2
Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 7:59 PM UTC
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Ionian Sea 36.941667, 19.5336°56’30” N 19°31’48” E
Day 2 all at sea
June 21, 2022, Ionian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Wow woke up to glorious sunshine just as the ship passes through the straights of Messina between the toe of Italy and Sicily. Read a few chapter of my book and chill on balcony for a while 😊

God it's roasting been on top deck taking in the rays and exploring the boat.

Well rounded off the day watching a couple of shows after a really nice meal. The shows were very good although i decided to skip the late night 80's party at the pool side 🙄... No staying power 🤣Read more
TravelerWho took that? Good pic!
6/21/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 3
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 9:41 AM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Aegean Sea 36.345, 24.68666736°20’42” N 24°41’12” E
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Day 3 en route to santorini
June 22, 2022, Aegean Sea ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Up early again, the clocks changed...again ...another hour forward 🙄 but what a view to yet again get up to and simply chill with a coffee and book 😊
Traveler you look explorer with hat on or are going to write a novel of your experience enjoy
6/22/22Reply
Traveler breakfast looks good im on porridge
6/22/22Reply
Steve Catterallfoods really good, forty minutes to get ashore ha ha
6/22/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 3
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 3:47 PM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 127 m
Greece Panagía 36.461667, 25.37666736°27’42” N 25°22’36” E
Day 3 Santorini,Oia and visit to winery
June 22, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Arrived and just waiting for the tenders to go to Santorini.

First stop wine tasting at local vineyard cooperative then on to oia, wine was ok but didn't rock my boat, strange way to grow grapes, ground level and round in a circle to protect itself .

On to oia for the picture post card views, the place was manic, in fact the Moroccan souks were less crowded 😊

Lovely postcard perfect place but probably better when 5 cruise ships dock each with a couple of thousand people on 😵‍💫Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 3
Wednesday, June 22, 2022 at 5:02 PM
☀️ 26 °C
Altitude: 17 m
Greece Porí 36.455, 25.43166736°27’18” N 25°25’54” E
Day 3 oia continued and Fira
June 22, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 26 °C
After oia headed back to Fira, which is at top of a massive cliff and the only method of getting down to the port are, 1) walk down 600 steps, 2) ride a donkey down ... I kid you not in this day and age people were doing it 😮‍💨 3) use the cable car, well I opted for the cable car.... The queue to catch it was as bad as an airport queue...Seventy Five minutes in the sun ...omg still it was better than the other two options !

Well that's a quick trip, there's plenty to do even if there's only a few towns but if I came again I'd fly and try to avoid the bedlam of when the boats come in,

Tomorrow, I hope to wake up in Piraeus and head into Athens which I'm really looking forward to 😉 tonight it's shower, change and hit the bars and cabaret 😘🍺🍸Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 4
Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 11:02 AM
🌙 25 °C
Altitude: 94 m
Greece Areopagus 37.971667, 23.72333337°58’18” N 23°43’24” E
Day 4, Athens acropolis and partheon
June 23, 2022 in Greece ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
Kalimera ...
Arrived on time but delay on port authorities clearing ship, now on my way to the acropolis. It's about 9 miles from the port but always somewhere I've wanted to go.

Can't believe the queue to get in and apart from an olive grove there's very little shade, think it's going to be a hot one 😅Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 4
Thursday, June 23, 2022 at 1:00 PM
☀️ 34 °C
Altitude: 93 m
Greece Roman Baths 37.9719, 23.73387237°58’19” N 23°44’2” E
Day 4
June 23, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 34 °C
It's hot now, seeking refuge in the shade and a bar ! I think the acropolis visit is a bit of a must do thing but really disappointed massive queues to get in and very few places to stop and look, all the interesting bits are on walkways and there are staff with whistles demanding people keep moving so really disappointed, having said that the view from the top is immense, I could even see the ship in port 9 miles away !Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 5
Friday, June 24, 2022 at 6:11 AM
☀️ 23 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Greece Órmos Toúrlos 37.465, 25.3237°27’54” N 25°19’12” E
Day 5 mykonos & island of Delos
June 24, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
Early morning arrival at Mykonos, just berthing then breakfast. Hoping to get a ferry over to the island of Delos mythology says it's meant to be where Apollo and Artemis were born and has some really good ruins, here's hoping 😚Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 5
Friday, June 24, 2022 at 8:40 AM
☀️ 25 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Greece Little Venice 37.45, 25.32666737°27’0” N 25°19’36” E
Mykanos
June 24, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
What a lovely town, would certainly like to come here again and perhaps explore more of the island.
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 5
Friday, June 24, 2022 at 9:07 AM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Greece Nisída Áno Rematiáris 37.398333, 25.26333337°23’54” N 25°15’48” E
Delos
June 24, 2022 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Half hour boat ride to Delos, decided to only take a short look round so that I can also see some of myksnos
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 6
Saturday, June 25, 2022 at 6:05 AM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Ionian Sea 36.384134, 22.71811436°23’3” N 22°43’5” E
Day 6. All at Sea
June 25, 2022, Ionian Sea ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
After a really good day in Mykonos today is a day to simply relax on board as we sail to Malta.
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 7
Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 8:51 AM
🌙 25 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Malta Oil Wharf 35.885, 14.52166735°53’6” N 14°31’18” E
Day 7 Malta
June 26, 2022 in Malta ⋅ 🌙 25 °C
First sight of Malta
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 7
Sunday, June 26, 2022 at 12:32 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Malta Il-Barrakka ta’ Fuq 35.893333, 14.51166735°53’36” N 14°30’42” E
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Day 7 Valletta
June 26, 2022 in Malta ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Back to valletta after whistle stop drive around some of the island, time for beer 🍺

Quite a nice city surprised at how hilly it actually is, luckily the streets are narrow so there's some shade in this heat.Read more
Traveler looks very nice was it reasonable the beer
6/26/22Reply
Steve Catterallfive euros, so not bad especially as it was ice cold 😜
6/26/22Reply
TravelerStuart wants to know if you like as Malta
6/26/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 8
Monday, June 27, 2022 at 8:51 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Italy Chiesa SS. Annunziata dei Catalani 38.191667, 15.55666738°11’30” N 15°33’24” E
Day 8 Messina, Sicilly
June 27, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Well had the chance to go on a tour of Taormina and Mount Etna but decided instead to have a stroll around the town instead, after all I saw mount Etna from the ship lol.

Went for a stroll onto the square and went in St Mary's cathedral which was as opulent as all churches here seem to be. Outside is a really amazing clock tower it's said to be the biggest and most complex clock in the world. It has astronomical figures and settings along with figures that move every quarter of an hour, really cool.

Caught a tram up to the shops and had a good look round then caught another team to the museum, was going to walk but a) it was too far and B) it's bloody roasting again ha ha.

All in all glad I didn't roast on a tour bus, at least I've been able to stop and have some really decent coffees ...and beer. N.b I stayed away from moretti in favour of birra Messina and Ceres 😜Read more
TravelerWow brill photo! Looks like you’re having a great time, not missing much back home, rain, rain and more rain 🌧 xx
6/27/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 9
Tuesday, June 28, 2022 at 6:11 AM
⛅ 25 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Italy Molo Angioino 40.836993, 14.26073540°50’13” N 14°15’39” E
Day 9 naples
June 28, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C
Arrived in Naples, decided not to do a tour of Pompeii as I imagine there will be several coachloads at the same time, anyhow it might spoil my memories from my last visit.

Instead I'm going to go round the city and seek shelter from the sun in some bar or other ha ha. It was hot yesterday but there's a weather warning for extreme heat today 😧

Well I will never criticise the london tube again ! Thought I'd be clever and use the metro, well it would be ok if there were maps available , well that's forty minutes of my life I won't get back ha ha ended up in middle of nowhere !Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 10
Wednesday, June 29, 2022 at 3:41 PM
🌧 15 °C
Altitude: 61 m
Italy Statue of Dante Alighieri 43.768333, 11.26166743°46’6” N 11°15’42” E
Day 10, livorno, florence & pisa
June 29, 2022 in Italy ⋅ 🌧 15 °C
Passed Corsica and the isle of Elba on the way to the final port of trip,Livorno, before returning to Rome. Have seen a couple of pods of dolphins both yesterday and today but only through my telescope as they seem to keep away from the boat 😵‍💫

It's predicted to be yet another hot day but all's welland once off the ship the plan is to go to Pisa and then Florence.

Well managed to get to Pisa ok 😜

Now in Florence, think I could spend a couple of days here it seems quite nice and at least the roads are stone so not meltingRead more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 11
Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 6:37 PM
☁️ 13 °C
Altitude: 23 m
Italy Tempio di Saturno 41.891667, 12.48333341°53’30” N 12°28’60” E
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Day 11. Rome
June 30, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C
Well that's the cruise over today, I've a quick tour round Rome arranged and then 2 nights in Rome which should be good 😜

OMG, I don't know how I got this hotel but it's location is out of this world. Its literally minutes away from loads of stuff and the coliseum is a five minute slow stroll. It's taken me two and a half hours just to stroll round the area outside the hotel.Read more
Traveler hotel looks like it's not finished
6/30/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 12
Friday, July 1, 2022 at 10:21 AM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 22 m
Italy Pantheon 41.898676, 12.47651441°53’55” N 12°28’35” E
Day 12, rome in a day
July 1, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Well I found a web site with a guide for a day - walking so I'm now having a coffee outside the pantheon, next stop is Trevor fountain followed by the Spanish steps but apparently you can stand on the steps but not sit down 😧Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 12
Friday, July 1, 2022 at 12:02 PM
☀️ 29 °C
Altitude: 20 m
Italy Castel Sant'Angelo 41.903333, 12.46833341°54’12” N 12°28’6” E
Forum hotel
July 1, 2022 in Italy ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C
Well the hotel deserves a slot of its own 😜
TravelerGreat views! 😱Looks like you’ve had a brill time!
6/30/22Reply
TravelerVery nice, would you recommend it? The one I stayed in last time was nice, with a good rooftop restaurant but I didn’t much like my room.
7/1/22Reply
Steve Catterallyeah it was nice hotel, nice restaurant but not sure on your room taste, it did have a mini bar though 🤣
7/2/22Reply
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 12
Friday, July 1, 2022 at 2:53 PM
⛅ 29 °C
Altitude: 38 m
Vatican City Museo Gregoriano Profano 41.906667, 12.45333341°54’24” N 12°27’12” E
Day 12. Exploring rome
July 1, 2022 in Vatican City ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
So many things to see, it's where to start ha ha. Well that was an understatement - I'm back at the hotel now after walking a grand total of 21177 steps 😵‍💫

Vatican city on it's own is immense and the route thru the Vatican museum to get to the sistene chapel is unbelievable, and the items in there are quite beyond belief. You could on fact spend a couple of days looking at all the exhibits and paintings.Read more
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Greek isles & italy Steve Catterall
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Day 13
Saturday, July 2, 2022 at 1:27 PM
☀️ 24 °C
Altitude: 2,296 m
France Les Fréaux 45.026667, 6.25545°1’36” N 6°15’18” E
Day 13 sadly homeward bound
July 2, 2022 in France ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
Well if I could I would have stopped in Rome longer as the time I gave myself doesn't do this city any justice. However now I've been I will certainly come back and the hotel was really really good, close to things to see and as I found out last night a really really good restaurant 😜

Well it's home to the rain I suppose until my next trip in eight weeks 😜Read more
TravelerArrr glad you’ve had a great time, it’s looked fab I can’t wait to hear more about it. It’s Sunshine here one minute and pouring rain the next. Rosie will be pleased to see you too 😺
7/2/22Reply
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Trip end
July 11, 2022