From Jeddah to Athens (Piraeus) · Mediterranean · 10 nights
From Jeddah to Athens (Piraeus)
Explora I launched in 2023 with Explora II following in 2024, and these luxury all-inclusive resort-style vessels marked the entrance of new cruise line Explora Journeys into the luxury cruise market.
These identical ships feature spacious accommodation, generous
outdoor areas, a huge choice of restaurants, an attractive guest to
crew ratio of 1.25 to 1, three outdoor pools and a fourth with a
retractable glass roof, these ships really have it all.
The port city of Jeddah has long been a cultural crossroads, serving as the gateway to Mecca for pilgrims making the Hajj, and there's a cosmopolitan feel here that other Saudi cities lack. The old Al-Balad neighbourhood is home to the city's most characterful buildings, while the buzzing Corniche promenade is a great spot for people watching.
The Red Sea port of Al Wajh is the gateway to Al-'Ula and the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hegra was only opened to tourists in 2020, and the rock-hewn tombs are reminiscent of its much more famous sister city, Petra, which lies a few hundred miles to the north in Jordan.
Prepare to be amazed – the thin belt of greenery along the banks of the Nile in Upper Egypt gives Luxor a lush setting for an extraordinary collection of tombs, temple complexes and stone structures that hint at the magnificence of this former Ancient Egyptian capital.
Ain Sukhna is the nearest Red Sea port to Egypt's capital, Cairo. Obviously the highlight of your visit may well be the Pyramids and Sphinx at Giza, but on no account neglect a visit to the Egyptian Museum, which has a truly stupendous collection of ancient artefacts, not least, of course, the Tutankhamen treasures.
Sun-kissed Rhodes, the largest of the Dodecanese islands, is steeped in history; the medieval heart of Rhodes Town was once home to the crusading Knights of St John, and later fell to the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent. The hillside village of Lindos, with its pretty whitewashed houses, is another highlight.
The Turkish port of Kusadasi is the gateway to Ephesus, one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the Eastern Mediterranean. This was the Roman capital of Asia Minor, and the remains constitute the most complete classical city in Europe.
Athens is a city awash with historical and cultural significance, but it's much more than an open air museum; this is a dynamic, bustling metropolis, and a place where history is still very much unfolding.
