Culinary and Cultural Cruise from Barcelona to Athens - 2018

                               Nafplion is by far one of the most beautiful and romantic towns in Greece.  Known to the world as an important center of the Ancient Greek civilization, the enchanting seaside town of Nafplion amazes every visitor.  The town used to be the capital of Greece from 1829-1834 and is now the administrative center of Argolida prefecture,  Inhabited by a population of around 12,000, the town thrives on tourism throughout the year.  The town itself dates back to the Neolithic period and is also surrounded by the World Heritage sites of Epidaurus and Mycenae.  Nafplion is located less than two hours' drive by car from Athens, on the Peloponnese peninsula.  The beautiful old city has a wealth of narrow alleyways and streets, steep stairs, taverns serving delicious Greek food, lively bars, clubs and cafes with a lovely seafront prom...

The seaside Greek town of Katakolon, with a population around 600, is your typical small-town cruise port.  Fishing boats bob in the harbor; cafes lace the waterfront; shops sell t-shirts, has and jewelry and a small beach draws swimmers and splashers. Drive 40 minutes from Katalolon, and you are transported back thousands of years.   Stroll the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ancient Olympia, and you walk in the footsteps of early Greek and Roman athletes, wrestlers, chariot drivers, discus throwers, runners and long jumpers who vied for glory and the gods' favor.  Stand alongside the massive columns, and, with the tales of a good guide, you can envision the once magnificent temples, athletes training in the palestra and runners readying on the track.  Alexander the Great, Nero, Plato and Aristotle are among those who watched the games from where you will stand. Even after a very good night's sleep, am tired, so have opted out of today's jaunt to Ol...

                         At the end of his travails, a weary Odysseus was shipwrecked on the vernal island of the Phaecans, who patiently heard his tale before setting him on a boat home to Ithaki.  This island is modern-day Corfu and you can expect the same level of kindness from this cosmopolitan jewel. Ever since it was first settled by the Corcyrans in the 8th century Corfu, or Kerkyra (ker-kih-rah) in Greek, has been an object of desire for both its untamed beauty and strategic position in the Mediterranean.  It was a seat of European learning in the early days of modern Greece, with cultural institutions such as libraries and academic centers.  To this day Corfiots remain fiercely proud of their intellectual and artistic roots, a legacy visible from its fine museums and cultural life.  Venture up its woody mountains studded with spear-sharp cypress trees and explore vert...

   Crotone is the City of Pythagoras and only this suggests old Kroton has a lot more to it than at first meets the eye.  In fact, Crotone is the oldest part of Magna Grecia in Calabria, while at the same time being the youngest province in Italy.  Between the two, ad awful lot has happened in 5000 years. For a start the land has been constantly eroded by the Neto river which flows from the Sila mountains once a favorite spot for Virgil.   This has left many small coves and beaches popular with tourists.  Some of them also harbored the Greek fleet which at one point was set alight by the wives of the sailors who were tired of traveling. Today was a scheduled special event.  We'd been instructed not to eat breakfast or lunch because Chef David would be preparing all the goodies we'd purchased at the outdoor market yesterday.  At 1:00 p.m., we gathered in a part of the outdoor dining of the Colonnade Restaurant which had been set up ...