Dalmatian Gems, Montenegro & Greece

Located on the tip of Istria, Slovenia’s main port was an island until the 19th century, but local history goes back much further. Called Aegida by the Greeks, Capris by the Romans and Justinopolis in Byzantine times, Koper was the influential city in the Venetian Empire and five mayors sat on the throne of the Venetian doges. Today monuments of this Golden Age line the cobblestone streets of an Old Town that boasts a wealth of architecture, cultural monuments and intriguing shops.

Vodice is a popular seaside town on the Dalmatian coast of the Adriatic Sea. It has the familiar red-tiled roofs and wide stone seaside promenades of other Dalmatian ports. In the town, there are several interesting features. One is the old Church of St. Cross dating from 1402, and the newer, baroque Parish Church of St. Cross from 1746, with a tall bell tower. The Church of St. Elijah is even older, dating from 1298. There are several popular pebble and sand beaches around Vodice. Outside town are a pair of fields with archaeological remains of Roman era occupation, including walls, cisterns, wells and fortifications. Each field also holds a small church. The Coric Tower is a fortified manor built by a powerful family during the mid-17th century to protect against Turkish attacks. From Vodice it is also easy to access the seaside town of Sibenik, the waterfalls and pools of Krka National Park and the offshore islands of the Kornati National Park.

One of the best preserved medieval towns of the Adriatic, Kotor is protected by UNESCO. Between 1420 and 1797, the area was under the rule of the Republic of Venice and the Venetian influence can be seen in its architecture. The Gulf of Kotor is sometimes called the southernmost fjord in Europe, although it is actually a submerged river canyon. The overhanging limestone cliffs of Orjen and Lovcen complete one of the Mediterranean’s most beautiful landscapes.

Pylos occupies a superb and dominant position on one of the best natural harbors in Greece. Your gaze is inevitably drawn to the bay that is almost landlocked due to the position of the offshore island of Sfaktira. The Battle of Navarino, which took place here one night in 1827, effectively sealed Greek independence. An unusually stylish town with a pair of medieval castles, Pylos is an excellent base for exploring the Peloponnese.

Enjoy time at leisure to explore this town, which spreads across the slopes of the hill, its picturesque cobbled lanes lined with two-story houses. Opposite the harbor, in the Square of the Three Admirals, a three-sided column rises between two canons – one Turkish and the other Venetian. The figures of the admirals of the three fleets, English, French and Russian that defeated the Turko-Egyptian navy in the Battle of Navarino are represented. A visit to Niokastro, one of the two castles guarding the harbor, affords wonderful views out over the bay.

Held to be one of the loveliest small towns in all the islands, Navplion has a tradition and culture all its own. The sheltered location, below a rocky headland crowned by a Venetian fortress is perhaps unrivaled in Greece. After the Greek revolution of the early 19th century, Navplion served as the first modern capital. The neoclassical houses, large official buildings and carefully planned seafront streets all date from this period.

Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.