Volendam 2026, Piraeus, Greece...

This morning I went out on the outer decks and took a few photos before meeting our tour guide George for an adventure to Delphi. Our friend and fellow President Club member Tim accompanied us on today’s journey. Delphi was a 3-hour drive northwest of Athens from the port of Piraeus passing through the scenic Greek countryside and villages along the way. Delphi is a renowned UNESCO World Heritage archaeological site and modern town in Central Greece, on the lower slopes of Mount Parnassus. In ancient times, the Greeks viewed Delphi as the "center of the earth” and the spiritual center of the Greek speaking world, housing the famous Oracle of Delphi where the high priestess, the Pythia, delivered prophecies. We entered the sanctuary by the Sacred Way; a path lined with votive monuments and treasuries built by various Greek city-states to display their wealth and gratitude. From here we climbed to the Temple of Apollo, the primary sanctuary where the Pythia sat on a tripod to deliver prophecies from Apollo. The actually home of Apollo himself, the Temple dominated the entire sanctuary. We left Ann and Cathy at the Temple and Tim and I climbed further to the Ancient Theatre a 5000-seat stone theatre built into the hillside that hosted musical and dramatic events during the Pythian Games. From here we climbed further to the Ancient Stadium located on the highest tier of the site, it hosted athletic competitions of the Pythian Games. It was a great day exploring the archaeological site independently, following the ancient route through the sanctuary and discovering monuments that once surrounded one of antiquity's most influential religious centers. After leaving Delphi, we made a short stop at the quaint and picturesque village of Arachova. Built along the slopes of Mount Parnassus, this mountain town offers a completely different atmosphere from the archaeological site we just explored. Due to a short day in Piraeus and the long drive we were still able to squeeze in as much as we could in the time we had…it was a really good day, and I also got a few sail away photos. Tomorrow is a much-needed sea day and another hour back before we arrive in Malta.  Still loving every day!!!