10-Night Crete & Dodecanese — Heraklion to Rhodes
Route Overview
The Route
Day 1 — Heraklion: Embarkation
Board in Heraklion and spend the afternoon at Knossos and the Archaeological Museum. Welcome dinner aboard with Crete's famous mountains as a backdrop.
Day 2 — Santorini (from Crete)
A 4-hour passage north to Santorini — arrive in the caldera for lunch. Afternoon at Akrotiri (the Minoan excavations) and the volcanic black sand beaches. Sundowner from Oia's famous terrace. Overnight aboard in the caldera.
Day 3 — Ios & Naxos
Morning departure from Santorini, stopping at Ios for lunch at the small harbour and a swim at Mylopotas Beach, then continuing to Naxos — the largest Cycladic island, with a full evening to explore the Portara and the old town.
Day 4 — Astypalaia
A longer passage east to the butterfly-shaped island of Astypalaia — technically a Dodecanese island but geographically at the crossroads of the Cyclades and Dodecanese. A spectacular Chora above a Venetian castle, excellent fish restaurants and very few tourists.
Day 5 — Kos
Arrive at Kos — the birthplace of Hippocrates, father of medicine. The Asklepeion (ancient medical school) is one of the best-preserved classical sites in the Dodecanese. The town has a lively waterfront and the remarkable harbour fort of the Knights of St John.
Day 6 — Symi
The jewel of the Dodecanese — a horseshoe harbour of extraordinary beauty, flanked by neoclassical mansions in ochre and terracotta. The Monastery of Panormitis on the southern coast is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Greece. Dinner at Mythos or The Old Markets.
Day 7 — Halki
A tiny, almost car-free island of great beauty — the harbour town has neoclassical mansions (many now restored), crystal-clear water and a population of barely 300. Complete peace.
Day 8 — Rhodes: Lindos
Arrive off the spectacular village of Lindos on Rhodes's eastern coast — the Acropolis above, white cubic houses below, and a beautiful bay with a sandy beach. Anchor and go ashore by tender. Dinner at one of the rooftop restaurants with views of the Acropolis floodlit at night.
Day 9 — Rhodes Old Town
The medieval walled city of Rhodes — the Street of the Knights, the Palace of the Grand Masters and the extraordinary Grand Harbour. The old town is the best-preserved medieval city in Europe. A full day of exploration, with dinner at Mavrikios in Lindos or Marco Polo Café in the old town.
Day 10 — Free Day & Departure Preparation
A final morning at anchor off Lindos or in Rhodes harbour. Provisioning for the return journey and a farewell dinner in the old town before a last night aboard.
Day 11 — Disembarkation
Disembarkation at Rhodes. Diagoras International Airport serves many European cities directly; connections via Athens to worldwide destinations.