The Norwegian Getaway

On the 6th of May we made our way from our tiny Luxe Hotel in Piraeus, Athens, to the Cruise Terminal. We got a free bus that dropped us at the terminal and we joined the cue to get our ship cards. Your ship card becomes like a passport when cruising. It gets you on and off the ship at the various ports / countries, it gives access to your stateroom and also keeps track of your account with the ship.

Soon we were walking the gangway onto the Norwegian Getaway cruise ship, ready to find the buffet area for lunch. The amazing thing about these cruises is that there is ALWAYS food available. We found the buffet on the 14th floor and got a table. Ice tea, tea and coffee or juices are on tap, and other drinks can be ordered if you have a drinks package. As non-drinkers we don’t find the package necessary. The food was awesome and we soon started exploring the ship.

The weather had been threatening to turn all morning, but by the afternoon the dark clouds looked angry and soon we had heavy rain and thunder. The weather made for some dramatic photos on the upper deck.

A little later in the afternoon we accessed our room and continued investigating our plans for the next morning when we would arrive in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Thessaloniki

Thessaloniki is on the mainland of Greece in the furthest corner of the Thermaic Gulf. We docked at 8am and found the City Sightseeing Bus.

The first stop was The White Tower of Thessaloniki, or locally known as Lefkos Pyrgos. The White Tower stands tall on the waterfront and sits right alongside a walking path that follows the coastline. It had 6 floors and is 34 meters tall in total. The tower is also the home for a museum of Thessaloniki’s history. We decided not to stop quite yet and headed to the larger Archaeological Museum about 1 kilometer away.

The Archaeological Museum was bigger than we anticipated. We walked in the cool halls and examined the hundreds of artefacts collected, numbered and written about.

In the first picture we found pots made on wheels like modern pottery. These post were found un burial sites with human remains.

It was interesting to imagine a sling being the primary weapon of choice. It reminds me of the bible story of David and Goliath. The skill needed to wield a sling and kill a man must be incredible.

These relief stones were from around 30 BC and were a grave monument.

One of my favourite things was a mosaic floor with tiny tiles which had been lifted and rebuilt in the museum. The detail was incredible.

We observed, jewellery, sculptures, busts and coins from the area, all painstakingly dug from archaeological sites in the area.

The Old City

Ready for our next stop we got back on the bus as it wound through narrow cobbled streets up the hill towards the old city.

The old city is surrounded by wide city walls that could be occupied by the military of the day to protect the castle. Parts of the walls still stand and we exited the bus to walk the rest of the way. We entered via Anna Palaiologina Gate.

The local residents live amongst the history and put up with the buses and tourists visiting their neighbourhoods. The homes seem to be small with dark shutters to block out the heat and peering eyes.

A little further up the hill we came across the Acropolis of Thessaloniki. It is an ancient ruin, which is partially intact with only the outer walls standing. Paths lead between the walls into a central courtyard area which is used as a shortcut by locals and school children.

Just alongside the wall is the Heptapyrgion of Thessaloniki, also a historical landmark and fortress. It was built as a byzantine fortress but was eventually turned into a prison which still functioned until 1989!

The view from the acropolis was spectacular with the city dropping down below to the sea. We waited for the bus again as the crowds grew.

We passed the Alaca Imaret Mosque also known as The Colourful Mosque.

Our next stop was The Church of Saint Dimitrios. There was no charge to enter and we walked into a spectacular church. The church has a dramatic history of initially being built as Roman Baths but the location was then built into a basilica around 629 AD. In 1206 it became a part of the Latin Empire and then in 1430 the Ottoman Empire where it was converted into a mosque.

The church was destroyed during the great fire of Thessaloniki in 1917 and after decades in 1940, it was eventually restored using the tombstones from the Jewish Cemetery as building material. Today it is on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

We took the bus a short way through the city and hopped off at the statue of Eleftherios Venezelos (which is just below the Roman Forum) who was a Prime Minister of Greece who led the liberal party and served as Prime Minister for 12 years.

We walked through the markets and shopping district down towards the waterfront and eventually made it back to our ship which was due to depart at 4pm. Our feet were TIRED and we settled in for a lovely dinner on the ship.

Our ship travelled overnight towards Izmir, Turkey and docked at 7am the next morning. Follow along as we explore the ruins of Ephesus from Izmir on a ship excursion.

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