Day-By-Day

Day One – Venice (Chioggia), Italy: Board your ship and settle into your stateroom. Chioggia is a charming fishing community located at the southern end of the Venetian Lagoon and steeped in age-old seafaring traditions. Its combination of canals, bridges, and fishing boats has lent it the nickname “Little Venice.” Lined with shops, bars, and restaurants, the main pedestrian street of Corso del Popolo exudes a lively atmosphere amid the aroma of delicious fresh seafood dishes. Chioggia is a scenic journey by water taxi from the capital of the Veneto region.

Day Two - Venice (Chioggia), Italy: The Venetian Republic ruled Adriatic waves for millennia. During the 8th century, as the Roman Empire began to decline, many Europeans fled to Venice and its neighboring towns, including Chioggia. Merchants put their skills to use, and the city-state was soon thriving. The Venetian Lagoon’s canal banks feature buildings influenced by Byzantine and Islamic architecture, reflecting Venice’s robust trading network.

Day Three - Split, Croatia: Built around the Roman Palace of Emperor Diocletian, Split is one of Croatia’s oldest cities. Its promenade commands majestic views over a bay and the Adriatic Sea. Despite evidence of Split’s origins in the 6th century BC, the city is traditionally considered over 1,700 years old, counting from the palace's construction. Its well-preserved remains have been seamlessly assimilated into the modern city.

Day Four - Dubrovnik, Croatia: Dubrovnik is a historic jewel, with its spectacular Adriatic setting, 12th century medieval streets, and incredibly preserved structures. Its Old Town is so stunning that the playwright George Bernard Shaw famously called it “paradise on Earth.” A towering medieval wall spectacularly surrounds it. Inside, the ancient city’s Stradun is lined with authentic stone houses.

Day Five - Kotor, Montenegro: Kotor is Montenegro's picturesque capital, set amid glorious mountains and dramatic scenery. Towering cliffs soar above the narrow Kotor ria—a submerged river canyon often called Europe’s southernmost fjord. Kotor is also home to one of the Adriatic’s best-preserved medieval Old Towns. The charms of this red-roofed city are endless, from the mismatched towers of its Romanesque cathedral to its narrow streets.

Day Six - Corfu (Kérkyra), Greece: Corfu boasts a rich history influenced by conquerors and royalty in search of tranquility. Corfu’s Old Town and Fortress—crafted by the once-powerful Venetian Republic—form a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its narrow alleys lead to one of Europe’s most notable public squares and a charming promenade that was once exclusively for the local aristocracy. Everywhere, stunning coastal views unfold, and picturesque byways guide visitors to history-laden sites. 

Day Seven - Olympia (Katakolon), Greece: Katakolon is huddled around a pretty little harbor dotted with colorful fishing boats. Nearby, the fertile valleys of the western Peloponnese are a bounty of olive groves, vineyards, and orchards, which lead to the legendary city of Olympia. The well-kept ruins here transport visitors back to the days of the earliest athletes who competed for nothing less than the gods' favor. The remains evoke the glory of the Games.

Day Eight - Athens (Piraeus), Greece: has been called the “birthplace of democracy.” Its legacy looms large from atop Acropolis Hill, the pinnacle of ancient Greece. This open-air museum is an astonishing repository of once-mighty structures. From its colonnaded Parthenon—more than 2,600 years ago—revered Greek philosophers like Plato and Aristotle formulated new ideas of government and debated its role in civic life to captivated audiences.

Day Nine - Athens (Piraeus), Greece: For a more intimate experience of Athens, the charming Plaka District invites guests with its labyrinth of cobblestone lanes. Neoclassical architecture lines the narrow streets of the “Neighborhood of the Gods,” so named for its location. Browsing its shops or simply perusing its nooks and crannies are pastimes visitors and locals favor.

Day Ten – Crete (Heraklion), Greece: Crete was the home of the Minoans, Europe’s earliest recorded civilization. Its capital, Heraklion, developed from the wealth of the Venetian Empire, which ruled here for four centuries. Crete experienced a Renaissance building boom, reinforcing Heraklion as the region’s most fortified city. The island has beautiful beaches, towering mountains, and flowing rivers. It is also a place where the distinctive mantinades—couplets of love accompanied by Cretan instruments—can emerge at numerous cafés.

Day Eleven - Rhodes, Greece: Rhodes is home to the Palace of the Grand Masters, a remarkable and vast fortification. Its historic district is Europe’s largest active medieval town. Outside the city, pine and cypress forests blanket the mountain slopes, while vineyards and groves of citrus and olive trees soak up the Aegean sun. The Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem conquered the island in the 14th century, bringing great wealth from the Holy Land. Under their rule, the city was rebuilt to reflect the medieval ideal.

Day Twelve - Ephesus (Kuşadasi), Turkey: One of antiquity’s most well-preserved cities, Ephesus provides an unmatched glimpse into the ancients' lives. Many of its ruins have persisted since Ephesus was one of the largest metropolises in the ancient world. Excavations date back to the 10th century BC, when this city was home to one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World — the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus remains filled with wonders today: the towering facade of the Library of Celsus, the massive amphitheater that once accommodated 25,000 spectators, and residences adorned with frescoes.

Day Thirteen – Troy (Çanakkale), Turkey: Troy was an object of desire dating back to the ancient Greeks. Today, the nearby ruins of Troy, once a powerhouse of Asia Minor, provide a glimpse of the region’s former glory. The remarkably preserved structures of this UNESCO World Heritage Site offer hints of life here in the days of Alexander the Great and the later Roman Emperor Augustus. But it is the fabled Trojan Horse that is most prominent here. In Homer’s Iliad, the wooden steed gave ancient Greeks entry to the city during the Trojan War, and its legend is still very much alive today.

Day Fourteen - Istanbul, Turkey: Istanbul exudes a fascinating mix of Western and Eastern cultures. Its strategic locale led to its role as a significant trade center—eventually becoming a cultural crossroads along the world-famous Silk Road. One of the city’s stunning centerpieces is Hagia Sophia, founded as a basilica, converted to a mosque, then a museum; it is now a mosque again and features exquisite mosaics and frescoes. The city’s Grand Bazaar offers a rich taste of Turkish culture, from a vast selection of carpets and fabric to luscious dates and the local sweet favorite, Turkish Delight.

Day Fifteen - Istanbul, Turkey: Bid farewell to your fellow guests and journey home. Or spend more time exploring.

Viking Tip: Be sure to attend informative and entertaining daily late
afternoon Port Talks in the Star Theater, all about the next day’s destination and experiences.