After our amazing wedding in Lago Iseo in Italy, we took off to Venice to catch a cruise ship (Royal Caribbean’s Splendor of the Seas) to visit different parts of Italy, Greece, Croatia, and Turkey in our Honeymoon Cruise in the Mediterranean.
DAY 1: Venice, Italy 
We shared a cab with my sister Kathy to Milan from Lago d’Iseo, and from there took the fast train to Venice where we caught our cruise ship the following day. We had about 1 day and 1 night in Venice and we wanted to make the most of it.
Venice is a beautiful city built on top of hardened wood foundations across 117 islands. Called the “city of bridges”, it’s unmistakable and famous waterways and narrow winding streets have drawn millions of people annually, and is a place everyone needs to visit at least once in their lifetime.
It was a little sad to know that the city is pretty much dedicated to tourists (more tourists are in Venice than locals). It certainly gives the vibe of a “touristy Italy” rather than an authentic experience that you would find in a lesser internationally known destination like Lake Iseo.
Despite that, it’s still quite an experience! We had a romantic Gondola ride through the waterways with a singing gondolier, and spent the evening walking through the cobbled streets trying food at the fresh food markets, and visiting the iconic Piazza San Marco.
The whole of Venice does give off a certain charm, even our hotel (on one of the waterways) had an old early-1900’s vibe; our room even had a touch of old elegance.
If you do travel to Italy, Venice is certainly worth a day or two on your itinerary. It’s olden charms, gondola rides through narrow waterways and bridges strewn across the city give the city a very unique look that you won’t find anywhere else.
After a day and a half in Venice, we took off in a water taxi to our ship, The Splendor of the Seas to our first destination!
DAY 2: Dubrovnik, Croatia
The morning of the second day, the team at Royal Caribbean planned a get-together for all honeymooners like ourselves where we enjoyed mimosas and cake and received a few presents from the crew! We even made a few friends with whom we spent some time doing excursions and themed games on board.
After our special breakfast, we got ready for our first stop in Dubrovnik, Croatia. We braved the sweltering heat to enjoy this city (where “King’s Landing” from Game of Thrones is filmed), walking the tall defensive walls, and visiting the churches, shops and cafes of this medieval city nestled between the ocean and the alps.
DAY 3: Corfu, Greece
The next day we stopped in Corfu, Greece. It was absolutely stunning. We spent the day relaxing and swimming. Corfu is a magical mix of history, culture and nature that has enchanted great powers from the Byzantines to the British. Visit the countryside and beaches, explore elegant palaces or stroll the streets and lanes of the Old Town.
DAY 4: Santorini, Greece
Although it took quite some time to get off the cruise ship due to the waves, we finally were able to enjoy a few hours (much too short) on the romantic Santorini island. If we had to do it all over again, this is the one stop we would have planned ahead and booked a TOUR in order to get off earlier and really see the island.
DAY 5: Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey 
Ephesus was by far one of the most unexpected surprises! We loved it from beginning to end. The seaside breeze, the culture, the people….everything was more than we could have imagined! We were greeted by a troupe of dancers, then quickly picked up for our tour.
Our tour included a visit to the Temples of Artemis and Hadrian. We were lucky to start extremely early in order to avoid the crowds. Our extremely proficient and knowledgeable tour guide took us back in time to learn more about the history of the temples and their former habitants, in addition observing the the beautiful mosaics and baths.
We then proceeded to Mt. Koressos and the House of the Virgin Mary (where we were told Mother Mary spent the rest of her life). Sophia was overwhelmed at the site and we both felt really taken by the beauty and simplicity of the area. We hung our prayers on the wall and departed this amazing site.
The day ended with wonderful Turkish food at a local restaurant recommended by our guide.
DAY 6: Athens (Piraeus), Greece
A day in Athens is hardly long enough to do it justice, as we just had a few hours which we spent visiting the Acropolis, and walking through a few of the more “touristy” streets. The Ancient Acropolis that overlooks Athens for the past 2,500 years is quite a wonder to discover, though there were a staggering amount of other tourists there at the same time, making it a bit hard to navigate and enjoy.
After our tour of the Acropolis, we walked around to some local shops and bought some souvenirs and had lunch. We just touched the surface of this beautiful city, and wish we had more time to explore it!
DAY 7: Katakolon, Greece
Our next destination on the cruise had us stop in Katakolon to tour the original Olympics in the ruins of Olympia. We decided instead just to stay by the port where we docked and spend time relaxing on the beach and swimming for the day. Another Canadian couple joined us, and we relaxed, drank and swam (though not in that order!) the day away. It was a fantastic and beautiful day with barely anybody around!
DAY 8: Cruising back to Venice, Italy
Our last day was spent on the cruise ship, where we just relaxed, taking in all that the cruise ship had to offer, including swimming, taking in some live shows, and mini-golf! Overall, taking this cruise ship was a fantastic experience.
We had the best of being in a different city or country almost every day, spending the nights on the ship watching shows, playing games, and even making new friends.
Hi, I’m Jason Wingate and I caught the travel bug a few years ago with my wife Sophia Bello. Together, we’ve been travelling the world and sharing our experiences here on our blog, hoping to inspire and help you on your own journey!