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Greece & The Balkans
  • Bruce Hassold
  • Stacy Hassold
  • Bruce Hassold
  • Stacy Hassold

Greece & The Balkans

A 17-day adventure by Bruce & Stacy Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 4, 2025
    Greece & The Balkans
    Monastiraki SquareMonastiraki Square1

    Arriving in Athens

    June 5, 2025 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 91 °F

    Today was a long day of travel from Portland to Athens. We arrived safely, but unfortunately, none of our bags made it onto the connecting flight in JFK. A very helpful agent located all of the bags and made arrangements for them to be delivered to us tomorrow. In the afternoon we went on a walking tour of the city and did a little shopping. The temperature rose to the 90s, and we all struggled a bit with the heat. Even so, it was a beautiful first day in Athens!Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    1The Parthenon
    Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus1Odeon of Herodes AtticusOdeon of Herodes AtticusThe PropylaeaThe Erechtheion and Athena's Olive TreeThe PropylaeaThe CaryatidsThe ParthenonThe ParthenonThe ParthenonThe PropylaeaTemple of Athena Nike1Areopagus Hill

    The Acropolis

    June 6, 2025 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    We got up early this morning, and after a delicious breakfast of omelets and Greek yogurt, we made our way to the Acropolis. Maria found 8am admission tickets for us, so we were able to visit before the heat of the day. Even so, it was very warm.

    We entered from the southern slope and walked past the Theater of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

    We approached the summit through the Propylaea gateway, past the Temple of Athena Nike. As you pass through the gateway, there is a magnificent view of the Parthenon. It's oriented at an oblique angle to the gateway so that as a man enters, he can see both the front and side of the building. All of the buildings are oriented similarly so they can be viewed in a similar manner from the Propylaea.

    We saw Athena's Olive Tree next to the Erechtheion. Mythology holds that this was her gift to the city and was prized far more highly than Poseidon's gift of salt water. As a result, she was chosen to be the goddess of the city that now bears her name.

    From the Acropolis you can see the Areopogus Hill where the apostle Paul presented his speech to the leaders of Athens in Acts 17: 22-34. This is when he declared to them that the Unknown God that they worship is the one true God of all creation, the Lord Jesus Christ.    Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square
    Panathenaic Stadium site of the first modern Olympic games in 18961Overlooking Athens from Lycabettus Hill1Dromeas (The Runner)1The Agora1Temple of Hephaestus

    Athens

    June 6, 2025 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    After visiting the Acropolis, we joined a guide for a driving tour of Athens. Our first stop was to see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Our guide, Michael, explained that each piece of the guard's uniform has a symbolic meaning. The kilt has 400 pleats representing 400 years of oppression under the Ottoman empire. The hat is red for the blood shed by the soldiers. The long black sash on the hat represents the tears of the mothers. The guards raise their feet high in the air and stomp loudly on the ground so the dead will hear them and know that all of Greece remembers their sacrifice.

    Our next stop was the Panathenic Stadium. It is believed to be constructed on the site where Pheidippides completed his run from the Battle of Marathon to announce Greece's victory over the Persian army. It is the only stadium in the world constructed entirely of marble. It was first built in 330 BC, then expanded by Rome in 144 AD by Herodes Atticus, and modernized in 1869 before hosting the first modern Olympic games in 1896.

    We then drove to the top of Lycabettus Hill for a panoramic view of Athens and then visited the Agora as the last stop of our tour.

    Our guide dropped us off at his favorite gelato shop for an afternoon treat. Then we returned to our Airbnb in time to meet the courier who was delivering our delayed luggage.    Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    The town of Oia on the Island of Fira, Santorini
    Disembarking the ship tender in Fira, Santorini1Fira, Santorini1On the streets of FiraSvoronos Bakery in FiraThe Virgin Mary of the Akathist Hymn Church in OiaOia1OiaOia1OiaOn the streets of OiaImerovigliThree Bells of FiraThree Bells of FiraThree Bells of FiraMetropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Lord1Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the LordThe donkey trail from the tender port to the town of FiraSantorini

    Santorini

    June 8, 2025 in Greece ⋅ 🌬 75 °F

    Today, we enjoyed an amazing day visiting the beautiful island of Fira, Santorini. After disembarking the ship tender, we opted for the cable car ride up the hillside to the town of Fira rather than ride the donkeys. We took a few pictures of the view, then stopped at a fantastic bakery for morning snacks before meeting up with our tour guide, Angelo.

    Our first stop was the picturesque town of Oia on the far side of the island. We did some shopping, took in the views, and made a stop at Lolita's for the most delicious gelato.

    Our next stop was the Three Bells of Fira church - another beautiful viewpoint. Angelo then recommended a stop for lunch at The Vine in Fira. We enjoyed a delicious lunch and a spectacular view!

    After lunch, we visited the Metropolitan Church of the Presentation of the Lord and then did a bit more shopping before returning to the ship.    Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    The Library of Celsus in the Ancient City of Ephesus
    The port of Kusadasi1A Catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary built on the site where she is believed to have livedThe Ephesus valleyThe Baths of VariusThe AgoraThe OdeonThe Temple of ArtemisThe Domitian square and Temple1The goddess NikeCuretes Street, named for the Vestal Virgins who stoked the fire at the Temple of Artemis1Mosaic tile floor in the AgoraThe Temple of Hadrian1The Library of CelsusThe Lower City GateThe Great TheaterTraditional Turkish LunchThe ruins of the Basilica of Saint JohnThe baptismal at the Basilica of St. JohnA Turkish carpet cooperative

    Ephesus

    June 9, 2025 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Today the ship came to port in Kusadasi, Turkey. We joined a tour to visit the ancient city of Ephesus and a catholic shrine to the Virgin Mary built on the site where legend says she may have lived during her later years with the apostle John. It was interesting to see some of the locations described in Acts 19 from the time period when apostle Paul was in Ephesus, including the Great Theater and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis. We had a delicious traditional Turkish lunch and visited a Turkish rug cooperative in the afternoon.Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    1Bougatsa at NEONKoulouri at Ouzounian1Koulouri at Ouzounian1Frapé1FrapéOlive vendor at the Kapani MarketDried fruit and Nut vendor at the Kapani MarketAthonos SquareProduce vendor at the Kapani Market1Spice vendor at the Kapani MarketAgia Sophia Church1Agia Sophia ChurchSoutzoukakia at Bombiaia1Soutzoukakia and Gyros at BombiaiaThe Flower Market

    Thessaloniki

    June 12, 2025 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    Today, we joined a local guide for a food tour of Thessaloniki.

    We started the tour at the port and walked through Ladadika. Our first food stop was at NEON, where we had bougatsa. Then we headed to Ouzounian for a fresh koulouri. We visited Bezesteni, the old fabric market, and had a frapé just outside.

    Next, we explored the Kapani Market and passed through Athonos Square, then made our way to the Agia Sophia Church. At the end of Iktinou Street, we picked up some Trigona Panoramatos.

    We ended the tour near Louloudadika, where we enjoyed soutzoukakia and chicken gyros.

    It was a wonderful tour, and all of the local Greek cuisine was delicious!    Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    111

    Sounion & the Temple of Poseidon

    June 14, 2025 in Greece ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Our cruise ended this morning at the port of Piraeus. We said goodbye to Nancy as she started her trip home, and we met our driver for a day trip to Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. The drive along the coastline of the Aegean Sea was beautiful. After visiting the temple, we stopped in a small fishing village for a delicious lunch. Then we were off to the Athens Airport to catch our flight to Dubrovnik.Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    11

    Arriving in Dubrovnik

    June 14, 2025 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    We arrived in Dubrovnik just as the sun was setting. We dropped our bags at our AirBNB which was located inside the walls of the old town, and then set off to explore. We found a spot for a delicious gelato and enjoyed the relative quiet of the city and the cooler evening weather.Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    1

    Afternoon Tour of Dubrovnik

    June 15, 2025 in Croatia ⋅ ☀️ 81 °F

    In the afternoon, we went on a private tour of the old town of Dubrovnik with a local guide. The tour included walking the city walls - in the heat of the day! It was quite warm, but we all thoroughly enjoyed learning the history of the city and enjoying the beautiful views. We had a very nice dinner at a restaurant recommended by our guide that was just outside the city walls, in a courtyard with a view of the small harbor.Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    Perast, Montenegro
    Our Lady of the Rocks Catholic Church11PerastPerast Cake

    Perast, Montenegro

    June 16, 2025 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Today we left early in the morning on a small group tour to Montenegro. Our first stop was the small village of Perast on the Bay of Kotor. There is a small island in the bay - the location of Our Lady of the Rocks Catholic Church. Legend has it that two fisherman saw a vision of the Virgin Mary on multiple occasions while sailing on the bay. So locals began a tradition called the Fasinada where a flotilla of small fishing boats would carry stones to the location and drop them. Over the course of hundreds of years an island formed, and in the 15th century the church was constructed. The Fasinada is still perfomed annually on July 22. After visiting the island we had time to enjoy coffee and Perast Cake, made with almonds and citrus. Delicious!Read more

  • Greece & The Balkans
    Saint Tryphon's Cathedral
    Saint Michael’s ChurchTraditional Montenegro Dress (blue for the sea, red for the city, and green for the country)Apple PastrySaint Tryphon's CathedralThe Clock TowerThe City Gate

    Kotor, Montenegro

    June 16, 2025 in Montenegro ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized for its well-preserved medieval architecture and for being a significant port and trading center throughout its history. The city was founded by the Romans, but over time was held by the Byzantines, Serbians, Venetians, Habsburgs, Austrians, and Yugoslavians due to its strategic location on the Adriatic coast.Read more

  • Trip end
    June 20, 2025
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