Aboard Explora I with Explora Journeys
Cruise Overview
It's no wonder that all roads lead to the fascinating and maddening metropolis of Athens.
Lift your eyes 200 feet above the city to the Parthenon, its honey-color marble columns rising from a massive limestone base, and you behold architectural perfection that has not been surpassed in 2,500 years.
But, today, this shrine of classical form dominates a 21st-century boomtown.
To experience Athens—Athína in Greek—fully is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid the squalor, tradition juxtaposed with modernity.
Locals depend on humor and flexibility to deal with the chaos; you should do the same.
The rewards are immense.
Although Athens covers a huge area, the major landmarks of the ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods are close to the modern city center.
You can easily walk from the Acropolis to many other key sites, taking time to browse in shops and relax in cafés and tavernas along the way.
From many quarters of the city you can glimpse "the glory that was Greece" in the form of the Acropolis looming above the horizon, but only by actually climbing that rocky precipice can you feel the impact of the ancient settlement.
The Acropolis and Filopappou, two craggy hills sitting side by side; the ancient Agora (marketplace); and Kerameikos, the first cemetery, form the core of ancient and Roman Athens.
Along the Unification of Archaeological Sites promenade, you can follow stone-paved, tree-lined walkways from site to site, undisturbed by traffic.
Cars have also been banned or reduced in other streets in the historical center.
In the National Archaeological Museum, vast numbers of artifacts illustrate the many millennia of Greek civilization; smaller museums such as the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art Museum and the Byzantine and Christian Museum illuminate the history of particular regions or periods.
Athens may seem like one huge city, but it is really a conglomeration of neighborhoods with distinctive characters.
The Eastern influences that prevailed during the 400-year rule of the Ottoman Empire are still evident in Monastiraki, the bazaar area near the foot of the Acropolis.
On the northern slope of the Acropolis, stroll through Plaka (if possible by moonlight), an area of tranquil streets lined with renovated mansions, to get the flavor of the 19th-century's gracious lifestyle.
The narrow lanes of Anafiotika, a section of Plaka, thread past tiny churches and small, color-washed houses with wooden upper stories, recalling a Cycladic island village.
In this maze of winding streets, vestiges of the older city are everywhere: crumbling stairways lined with festive tavernas; dank cellars filled with wine vats; occasionally a court or diminutive garden, enclosed within high walls and filled with magnolia trees and the flaming trumpet-shaped flowers of hibiscus bushes.
Formerly run-down old quarters, such as Thission, Gazi and Psirri, popular nightlife areas filled with bars and mezedopoleia (similar to tapas bars), are now in the process of gentrification, although they still retain much of their original charm, as does the colorful produce and meat market on Athinas.
The area around Syntagma Square, the tourist hub, and Omonia Square, the commercial heart of the city about 1 km (½ mi) northwest, is distinctly European, having been designed by the court architects of King Otho, a Bavarian, in the 19th century.
The chic shops and bistros of ritzy Kolonaki nestle at the foot of Mt.
Lycabettus, Athens's highest hill (909 feet).
Each of Athens's outlying suburbs has a distinctive character: in the north is wealthy, tree-lined Kifissia, once a summer resort for aristocratic Athenians, and in the south and southeast lie Glyfada, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, with their sandy beaches, seaside bars, and lively summer nightlife.
Just beyond the city's southern fringes is Piraeus, a bustling port city of waterside fish tavernas and Saronic Gulf views.
This big, brash resort city has two faces, and they're hard to reconcile.
From the sea, a line of hotels stretches around the northern edge of a great bay, the whole encircled by a magical necklace of pine-clad mountains.
Behind those same hotels, however, the city has been overwhelmed by boxy concrete development and streets lined with a hundred generically named eateries.
An annual horde of European tourists descends on these workaday establishments, but for the international traveler, there is little about Marmaris that can’t be savored elsewhere in Turkey.
Although it is a pretty spot, there isn’t much reason to linger unless you are meeting a yacht, traveling on to the Greek island of Rhodes, or perhaps snapping up an unbeatable deal at one of the top resorts, some of which are spectacular worlds unto themselves.
Lift your eyes 200 feet above the city to the Parthenon, its honey-color marble columns rising from a massive limestone base, and you behold architectural perfection that has not been surpassed in 2,500 years.
But, today, this shrine of classical form dominates a 21st-century boomtown.
To experience Athens—Athína in Greek—fully is to understand the essence of Greece: ancient monuments surviving in a sea of cement, startling beauty amid the squalor, tradition juxtaposed with modernity.
Locals depend on humor and flexibility to deal with the chaos; you should do the same.
The rewards are immense.
Although Athens covers a huge area, the major landmarks of the ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods are close to the modern city center.
You can easily walk from the Acropolis to many other key sites, taking time to browse in shops and relax in cafés and tavernas along the way.
From many quarters of the city you can glimpse "the glory that was Greece" in the form of the Acropolis looming above the horizon, but only by actually climbing that rocky precipice can you feel the impact of the ancient settlement.
The Acropolis and Filopappou, two craggy hills sitting side by side; the ancient Agora (marketplace); and Kerameikos, the first cemetery, form the core of ancient and Roman Athens.
Along the Unification of Archaeological Sites promenade, you can follow stone-paved, tree-lined walkways from site to site, undisturbed by traffic.
Cars have also been banned or reduced in other streets in the historical center.
In the National Archaeological Museum, vast numbers of artifacts illustrate the many millennia of Greek civilization; smaller museums such as the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art Museum and the Byzantine and Christian Museum illuminate the history of particular regions or periods.
Athens may seem like one huge city, but it is really a conglomeration of neighborhoods with distinctive characters.
The Eastern influences that prevailed during the 400-year rule of the Ottoman Empire are still evident in Monastiraki, the bazaar area near the foot of the Acropolis.
On the northern slope of the Acropolis, stroll through Plaka (if possible by moonlight), an area of tranquil streets lined with renovated mansions, to get the flavor of the 19th-century's gracious lifestyle.
The narrow lanes of Anafiotika, a section of Plaka, thread past tiny churches and small, color-washed houses with wooden upper stories, recalling a Cycladic island village.
In this maze of winding streets, vestiges of the older city are everywhere: crumbling stairways lined with festive tavernas; dank cellars filled with wine vats; occasionally a court or diminutive garden, enclosed within high walls and filled with magnolia trees and the flaming trumpet-shaped flowers of hibiscus bushes.
Formerly run-down old quarters, such as Thission, Gazi and Psirri, popular nightlife areas filled with bars and mezedopoleia (similar to tapas bars), are now in the process of gentrification, although they still retain much of their original charm, as does the colorful produce and meat market on Athinas.
The area around Syntagma Square, the tourist hub, and Omonia Square, the commercial heart of the city about 1 km (½ mi) northwest, is distinctly European, having been designed by the court architects of King Otho, a Bavarian, in the 19th century.
The chic shops and bistros of ritzy Kolonaki nestle at the foot of Mt.
Lycabettus, Athens's highest hill (909 feet).
Each of Athens's outlying suburbs has a distinctive character: in the north is wealthy, tree-lined Kifissia, once a summer resort for aristocratic Athenians, and in the south and southeast lie Glyfada, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, with their sandy beaches, seaside bars, and lively summer nightlife.
Just beyond the city's southern fringes is Piraeus, a bustling port city of waterside fish tavernas and Saronic Gulf views.
This big, brash resort city has two faces, and they're hard to reconcile.
From the sea, a line of hotels stretches around the northern edge of a great bay, the whole encircled by a magical necklace of pine-clad mountains.
Behind those same hotels, however, the city has been overwhelmed by boxy concrete development and streets lined with a hundred generically named eateries.
An annual horde of European tourists descends on these workaday establishments, but for the international traveler, there is little about Marmaris that can’t be savored elsewhere in Turkey.
Although it is a pretty spot, there isn’t much reason to linger unless you are meeting a yacht, traveling on to the Greek island of Rhodes, or perhaps snapping up an unbeatable deal at one of the top resorts, some of which are spectacular worlds unto themselves.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Explora I
Launch Year: 2023 Length: 248 Width: 32 Currency: EUR Capacity: Crew Count: Deck Count: 11 Cabin Count: 461
EXPLORA I, the first of six luxury best-in-class ships, will set sail in 2023, with the remaining ships ready to set sail in 2024, 2026, 2027 and 2028.
Immerse yourself in all of the detail behind the Explora Journeys ships, from design and architecture, to safety and technology features.
Exquisitely designed with the guest and relaxed, home-like comfort in mind - and in partnership with the world’s foremost superyacht and luxury hospitality designers - the innovative ship will seamlessly blend elegant Swiss precision with modern European craftsmanship and vibrant design.
Water as a focal point
Fourteen decks will provide ample indoor public space, maximising guest choice and create areas of quiet seclusion and privacy. Generous outdoor decks will boast more than 2,500 sqm (26,909 sq ft) delivering stunning views of the sea, with 64 private cabanas across 3 outdoor pools.
A fourth pool, with a retractable glass roof, will allow swimming and poolside relaxation in any weather.
Combined with various indoor and outdoor whirlpool baths on the ship’s promenade deck, the ship has been designed with water as a real focal point of the onboard experience - helping our guests discover their ocean state of mind.
Homes at sea
With 461 oceanfront suites and residences, guests will enjoy feeling closer to the sea and in port thanks to their floor-to-ceiling windows and personal private terrace. Suites will start at 35 sqm (377 sq ft) which makes them among the most spacious for the luxury cruise category.
Explora I Facilities
Explora I Includes
Cabin Details
Each of our 461 ocean-front suites, penthouses and residences - all designed with a refined, European elegance - are created to get you closer to the ocean itself, with floor-to-ceiling windows and private sun terraces.
With unrivalled space and privacy, and service that means everything is taken care of, our guests can relax into their comfortable homes at sea with their luggage delivered and a chilled bottle of champagne waiting as they undertake their Ocean Journey. Our suites start at 35 sqm (377 sq ft), among the most spacious for the category.
HOMES AT SEA
Luxurious, serene, and spacious, each of our 461 ocean-front suites, penthouses and residences have been created with refined European elegance, comfort and simplicity as the focus to offer a real ‘Home at Sea’ to our guests.
Exquisitely designed to stimulate the senses and enhance the connection with the ocean, each of our suites comes with its own spacious terrace with daybeds and an alfresco dining area, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows to maximise natural light and the infinite ocean views.
Our suites range from 35 sqm (377 sq ft), in the Ocean Terrace Suites category, up to 280 sqm (3,014 sq ft) for the Owner's Residence, with an average size of 42 sqm (453 sq ft), making them among the most spacious in the industry.
With unrivalled space and privacy – and 24-hour service that means everything is taken care of – our guests can relax into their comfortable ‘Homes at Sea’ with their luggage delivered and a chilled bottle of champagne waiting as they undertake their Ocean Journey.
IN-SUITE TECHNOLOGY
- Complimentary Wi-Fi
- Infotainment system with Smart TV and easy connectivity to personal devices
- Smartphone app for access to all services
- Telephones with voicemail
- On-demand TV options
- Wireless charging base on bedside tables
- Individual climate control in each suite
SERVICES
- 24-hour butler service*
- 24-hour concierge service
- 24-hour in-suite dining
- 24-hour laundry, dry-cleaning and ironing services**
- Twice-daily housekeeping services, including evening turndown service
- Shoeshine service
BUTLERS SERVICES*
- Packing and unpacking to personal preference
- Laundering and pressing assistance
- Private in-suite dining
- Personal communication through our app and on messenger platforms
- Itinerary and transport planning
- Celebrations planning
- Onboard and ashore reservations assistance
* Available for Ocean Residences
** Additional charges may apply
