Crowds gather for the sunset on Santorini. Photo / Getty Images
A short cruise is a perfect introduction to the Greek islands, writes Keeley Bolger.
There's no mistaking the destination of my cruise.
From the blue and white flags, lunchtime language masterclasses, daily dances, mounds of feta cheese at the buffet, bottles of ouzo behind the bar and even the odd ancient poem on the wall, it's clear from the moment we get on board that we're heading to Greece.
Our whistle-stop three-day voyage will take us to the eternally popular Greek islands Mykonos, Santorini and Patmos, as well as Kusadasi in Turkey.
For a first-time cruise passenger and a newcomer to Greece, this is an ideal way to gain my sea legs. Packing in as much as possible during the day and travelling at night also means we don't compromise on sightseeing.
After a frantic first day in steamy Athens, spent trekking up to the Acropolis in the mid-afternoon heat and examining artefacts at the blissfully air-conditioned museum, basking in the shade on deck is just what the doctor ordered. We slump down, our plates piled high with stuffed vine leaves and Greek salads from the buffet, and eat while watching the white churches and pretty homes of Mykonos come into focus.
Bar-hoppers trail between taverns dotted along the coast, while those with euros to burn head to the eclectic boutiques in the cobbled alleys, stocking up on one-off jewellery and designer handbags.
Neither big partygoers nor enthusiastic shoppers, my husband and I instead order reviving takeaway frappes and stroll around the chapels and lanes.
But as cooling as the icy coffees are, we can't resist braving the rocky entry to the sea and diving into the water for a quick pre-dinner dip.
After a seafood feast, we toast the day and head off for one last walk, before trotting back to the ship as everyone else on the island gears up for a big night. There are no lie-ins for us the next day, but with a full weekend of exploring on the agenda, rising early isn't a hardship.
First up is a guided walking tour of the ancient metropolis of Ephesus, built in the 10th century BC.
We linger underneath the Library of Celsus, built to honour the Roman governor, and admire the ruined temples. We're distracted temporarily by a string of stray cats prowling the site of antiquity, before we climb the steps of the amphitheatre to soak up the view.
With a couple of hours to spare, I take advantage of the ship's spa and have the kinks and knots kneaded out of my muscles with a relaxing massage.
And the relaxing vibe continues once we arrive in Patmos. Smaller and less bustling than the other islands we visit, the pretty town boasts the sacred grotto where St John the Evangelist wrote the Book Of Revelation.
We paddle in the bathtub-warm sea, cooling off at one of the friendly coffee shops before tucking into some seafood and vowing we'll definitely come back again.
Our last day sees us docking in Heraklion, Crete, to spend the morning at Knossos, the impressive Bronze Age archaeological site and the capital of Minoan Crete. Although busy here, the guides are slick, moving clusters of visitors around each artefact, ensuring very little overcrowding.
For our final afternoon, we head back to the ship and sail towards Santorini, one of the Cyclades islands.
Many passengers come out on deck to marvel at the multicoloured cliffs as we approach.
Once the site of a huge volcanic eruption, Santorini is now a tourist hot spot, attracting backpackers, honeymooners, young families and cruise passengers alike.
As sunset beckons, we duck away from the competing selfie sticks and settle on a bench with a cold can of Mythos beer, wowed by the colour of the sea and the sky, as the light disappears.
We deliberate over whether we should stock up on souvenirs, pay our respects at the church or pore over goodies at the archaeological museum.
But with the call of the ship in mind, we opt for a juicy kebab at a nearby shack and watch the world go by.
As holidays go, this is a busy one, but in three days, we manage to dip our toes into more Greek islands than we could have done alone, and we leave with a real appetite for seeing more of the country.
CHECKLIST
Getting there
A 10-night cruise aboard the Azamara Pursuit with helloworld starts at $4895 pp, twin-share. Sailing on October 10, 2018.