Cruise
Variety Cruises: Finding the Aegean Beyond the Crowds
Article and photography by Nicholas Kontis
Born on Santorini and raised between Greece and California, I have spent a lifetime exploring the Greek islands. Yet even after decades of travel, I recently discovered a side of Greece that many visitors never see.
Traveling aboard the 49-passenger Panorama on Variety Cruises’ Unexplored Greece itinerary. Rather than focusing on the famous tourist magnets of Santorini and Mykonos, the voyage explores lesser-known islands where traditions remain strong and daily life takes a step back in time, moving at a gentler pace.
The advantage of a small ship became apparent immediately. While mega-ships still visit Greek ports. They can overwhelm destinations with thousands of passengers, Panorama slipped quietly into intimate harbors and secluded anchorages inaccessible to larger vessels. The result was a far more authentic connection with the islands and their people.
As a Greek-owned company, Variety Cruises brings a distinctly local perspective to its itineraries. The Captain and crew’s knowledge of the islands extends beyond history and sightseeing. Their understanding of local culture, traditions, and maritime life helped transform the trip from a cruise into a greater exploration of the Aegean.
Each island unveiled a different side of Greece. Ikaria flaunts a world-renowned history of longevity. Kalymnos showcases its rich sponge-diving heritage and seafaring traditions. Patmos combined spiritual significance with elegant architecture and a relaxed atmosphere. Amorgos impresses with dramatic landscapes, charming villages, and the spectacular cliffside Holy Monastery of Hozoviotissa, which has watched over the island for centuries.
One of the voyage’s most rewarding features is its half-board format. Instead of remaining onboard for every meal, passengers were encouraged to dine ashore and support local businesses. Evenings turned into opportunities to discover family-run tavernas, sample regional specialties, and engage with residents. These occasions often proved more memorable than any organized excursion.
The ship’s intimacy also encouraged friendship among guests. With fewer than 50 passengers onboard, conversations moved naturally during meals, on deck, and during excursions. By the end of the Variety voyage, many travelers who had arrived as strangers departed as friends.
The cruise also demonstrated one of the strengths of small-ship travel: flexibility. Weather conditions prompted an itinerary adjustment during the voyage. Although initially unexpected, the change led to a day in Serifos that became one of the trip’s highlights. This served as a reminder that some of travel’s most meaningful experiences occur when plans change and discovery takes over.
Beyond the ports themselves, the voyage offers swim stops in luminous, secret coves, with a relaxed sail through the clandestine Aegean, showcasing the remarkable rugged topography that has shaped Greek culture for millennia. These unrevealed experiences to ports of call without capacity for large cruise ships are an essential part of the experience.
Most importantly, the cruise revealed a Greece beyond the usual Greek backdrops. While iconic destinations like Santorini and Mykonos will always be on many travelers’ radar, the country’s lesser-known greater than 200 islands offer something increasingly rare: authenticity. Here, visitors can still encounter fishmongers, olive growers, small wine producers, and sustainable ways of life, as well as cultural experiences that have not been transformed by mass tourism.
Traveling to lesser-known Greek islands alters your perspective beyond Greece’s rich source of iconic sights and star-studded islands. Variety delivers an immersive trip through quiet harbors, conversations with locals, long meals at waterfront tavernas, and unexpected moments of discovery.
For travelers seeking a more experiential Greek island experience, Variety Cruises’ Unexplored Greece itinerary offers the chance to connect with the country on a deeper level, featuring smaller islands, hidden watering holes, and welcoming locals.
