Kalimera and kalispera

An unusual trip for yours truly; this time the means of transport to reach the destinations of the journey is a cruise ship, a forced choice given the presence of children among the travellers. There are 10 of us, with a total cost of about 10 thousand euros. Ship from Norwegian Cruise Line, Venice-Greek islands route, booking made through the Italian operator Chiariva Viaggi. Impeccable organisation on board, the only drawback being the pools, which are too small, as are the spaces dedicated to relaxing by the pool; American-style shows, international staff, no difficulty for those who don't speak English. Do-it-yourself excursions at every stop (excessive costs for the excursions offered by NCL).

Corfu: the town is reached from the port by city bus (an alternative is a walk of about 20 minutes, not demanding); you immediately head uphill along little lanes to the new fortress (from around 1200!). Then you go down towards the town (Kerkira) to the Spianada, to reach the old fortress. The visit is over in about 3 hours. Santorini: several ways to reach Fira from the port: on foot (the climb is very demanding), by donkey, or by cable car (the queue is nerve-racking, and so is the one for coming back down to the port). More characterful is the town of Oia, reachable from Fira by city bus; a spectacular view of the whole caldera. Mykonos: if you're going to Mykonos for its renowned beaches... ask for your money back and choose our islands instead. The town is reached on foot from the port, and the windmills are "in view" too.

The most interesting beaches are between 3 and 12 km from the centre; with the scheduled bus, in 1 hour you make a stop at all the main ones.

...... Forget about the airport service in Venice, which deserves the Oscar for the worst of all the ones I've ever experienced (and there have been quite a few!!)