This is a sailing built around walking through history rather than just looking at it from the rail. After leaving Venice, Koper and Zadar ease into the trip along Slovenia and Croatia's Adriatic coast, small ports with old stone centers and far fewer crowds than the itinerary's bigger names. Dubrovnik is the first true landmark — its walled old town, limestone streets, and terracotta rooftops are as recognizable from a distance as they are dramatic up close. From there the ship threads into the Bay of Kotor, a fjord-like inlet in Montenegro ringed by mountains, before Corfu and Olympia bring the classical world into view.
Santorini is the visual high point for most travelers — whitewashed villages stacked along the caldera rim, with views out over the volcanic bay that give the island its reputation. The sailing ends in Athens, close enough to the Acropolis for a half-day there before flying home. Nine nights in October, when the Mediterranean sun is gentler and the ports are noticeably quieter than in peak summer.
At a glance
| Cruise line | Viking |
|---|---|
| Ship | Viking Vesta |
| Sails | 17 October 2027 |
| Length | 9 nights, 10 days |
| Ports | 9 calls in 5 countries, no days at sea, overnight in Athens |
| Embarks / disembarks | Venice (Fusina), Italy → Athens (Piraeus), Greece |
| Price | Group rate deluxe balcony from US$6,474 per person, double occupancy, taxes and port fees included |
| Hosted by | Explora Voyage — we travel with the group |
Itinerary
Ports, arrival and departure times are taken from the cruise line's published schedule and can change — we confirm the final version with the group before departure.
| Day | Port of call | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Venice (Fusina), Italy | Sun, 17 Oct |
| Day 2 | Koper, Slovenia | Mon, 18 Oct |
| Day 3 | Zadar, Croatia | Tue, 19 Oct |
| Day 4 | Dubrovnik, Croatia | Wed, 20 Oct |
| Day 5 | Kotor, Montenegro | Thu, 21 Oct |
| Day 6 | Corfu (Kérkyra), Greece | Fri, 22 Oct |
| Day 7 | Olympia (Katakolon), Greece | Sat, 23 Oct |
| Day 8 | Santorini (Thíra), Greece | Sun, 24 Oct |
| Day 9 | Athens (Piraeus), Greece | Mon, 25 Oct |
| Day 10 | Athens (Piraeus), Greece | Tue, 26 Oct |
Ports of call
Nine destinations across five countries, no days at sea.
The ship boards at Fusina, on the mainland edge of the lagoon, with Venice itself a short water crossing away. Chioggia at the lagoon’s southern end is the quieter alternative — a working fishing town laid out like a smaller Venice, with canals and no crowds.
Slovenia’s only commercial port, and once Capodistria, the Venetian capital of Istria. The old centre is compact and largely Gothic-Venetian: the Praetorian Palace and the Loggia face each other across Tito Square, with the Cathedral of the Assumption alongside.
A Dalmatian city built on a Roman street grid, with a ninth-century round church standing over the old forum. Two modern installations on the waterfront — a sea organ played by the waves and a solar-powered light disc — have become the reason people stay for sunset. Krka’s waterfalls are inland.
The walled city on the Adriatic, entered through the Pile Gate onto the Stradun — a single marbled street polished by centuries of feet. The circuit of the walls is about two kilometres and gives the view the city is known for. Sponza Palace and Onofrio’s fifteenth-century fountain sit at either end.
At the head of a long flooded river canyon that looks like a fjord and is often mistaken for one. The medieval town below is a knot of stone lanes and small squares holding the Cathedral of St Tryphon; the fortress steps climb the cliff behind it for anyone willing to make the ascent.
The greenest of the Ionian islands, held by Venice for four centuries and never Ottoman — which is why the Old Town, a UNESCO site, reads as Italian rather than Greek. Mouse Island and the Vlacherna Monastery sit just off the coast south of town.
The small port of Katakolon exists mainly as the way in to Olympia, an hour inland. The sanctuary held the games every four years for a millennium; the Temple of Zeus, the workshop of Pheidias and the original stadium track are all still legible on the ground.
What remains of a volcano that blew its centre out around 1600 BC, leaving a caldera ringed by cliffs. Thíra and Oia stand along the rim in whitewash and blue domes, several hundred metres above the water where the ship anchors.
The ship stays overnight at Piraeus, so there is a full day in Athens before disembarking. The Acropolis and the Parthenon are the obvious draw; the Panathenaic Stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the lanes of the Plaka fill the rest of it.
Joining the group
Send a message with the number of travellers and the cabin grade you want. No payment at this stage.
Group space is held under one booking, so your party can be placed near each other.
A non-refundable deposit of US$25 per person secures the cabin. Final payment is usually due about one month after booking, and we confirm the exact date when you book. If you cancel by 19 June 2027, your payment is refunded less US$100 per person. Other cancellation terms follow the cruise line's group policy for this sailing.
Before your trip, we’ll send you key departure information and guidance on completing online check-in, which guests generally handle themselves as it may require a selfie and credit card details. We can also assist with group dining reservations and booking shore excursions you’ve selected, subject to availability.
Tell us your destination, dates, and budget — we will search across every line we work with and come back with options.
