Cruising the Empires of the Mediterranean

After standing for an hour and a half, the door scraped open, and the proprietor handed us the last menu for the evening. It was worth the wait! My son Chadbourne and I thankfully slid into one of six cozy tables inside the charming Borghiciana Pastificio Artigianale. This hidden gem of glowing warmth and clinking silverware made the Vatican City of Rome outside disappear. Shortly after, steam curled up with a rich aroma of nutmeg and spinach as we sliced into pillowy homemade ravioli blanketed in freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Each creamy bite paired perfectly with our earthy house red. Davide, the owner, winked as he passed by, “If you don’t try the pistachio tiramisu, you haven’t lived,” he said with mock solemnity. Wandering between tables, he laughed and chatted like we were all family while proudly showing us pictures of his son. “La vita é bella,” he said with a broad grin. Life is beautiful. And from that night on, his motto became the theme for our travel Mediterranean adventures.

The evening in Rome set the tone for our unforgettable voyage aboard the Viking Star, on a cruise aptly named Empires of the Mediterranean. Catching a train, we rode from Rome to Venice, where we embarked on our ship. Setting sail on a charted course through Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece, we docked at nine extraordinary destinations that unveiled ancient wonders, layers of culture, and picturesque landscapes.

Slovenia: Castles and Creatures of Legend

The adventures began on the green slopes of Slovenia. Our bus hissed to a stop as it crested the hill where a fairytale castle emerged from the face of a cliff. Natural elements interwoven seamlessly into manmade components created Predjama Castle, the largest cave castle in the world. Hiding behind this impregnable medieval marvel lies a massive network of chilly, clandestine tunnels. We slipped through narrow archways and into echoing chambers, some barely lit, others whispering stories to us through cracks and dripping walls. We could almost hear the clinking armor of knights patrolling the halls.

This medieval fortress once hid the rebel knight, Erazem of Predjama, who crept out on plundering expeditions in the 15th century. The brave robber baron took from rich merchants and gave to the poor, Slovenia’s own Robin Hood. In response, his enemies laid siege to the castle to defeat him by starvation. However, Erazem outwitted his besiegers, smuggling food in through the maze of tunnels. Tossing down cherries he found on one of his escapades, his attackers snarled in frustration. After a year of siege, the legend ends with a servant betraying him during a fatal trip to the privy.

Just down the road from the castle, we boarded a small open-air train and rumbled into the yawning mouth of Postojna Cave. A cathedral of stone and frigid air seeping into our thin jackets awaited us in the vast subterranean halls. Stalactites glimmered like daggers among the stalagmite giants; an underground river murmured secrets to us in the dark. Somewhere in the black stillness, blind pale-translucent Olms, dubbed “baby dragons”, call this home. Suspended in time, suspended in silence, these century-old amphibian cave dwellers can go without food for up to a decade. So, we decided we could forego warmth for a couple of hours. Slovenia, with over 7,000 caves, is full of such hidden marvels.

Croatia: Dubrovnik’s Double Life

Our next port landed us in Croatia.  The Adriatic rays hit the stone walls with a painter’s touch, catching every angle. “Don’t forget your sunnies,” chirped Bournjana, our cheerful guide in Dubrovnik, already halfway up the ancient stone steps of this sun-drenched baroque town. Attractions such as Onofrio’s Fountain, Lovrjenac Fortress, and the Dominican Monastery were the main draw for tourists. Until the Game of Thrones was thrown into the mix. As Bournjana shared her story about the initial reactions of inhabitants to the onsite filming, she noted, “Few people were excited, and the old geezers just guffawed at the notion”. However, most of the townspeople who wanted to be in the movie got the chance, including our guide’s brother. Now, folks are pleased they were in the limelight. Ask any older local gentleman about the “Walk of Shame”, and he will proudly point out, “The naked lady walked right up those steps over there.”

Game of Thrones fans, like Chadbourne, are enthralled with hunting down filming locations. Traipsing throughout the walled town, we commenced our quest as his Game of Thrones mental map unfolded with each stride along the stone jetty, Jesuit Steps, Cersei’s Walk of Shame, St. Dominic Street, and Benedictine Monastery. The site at Pile Bay (aka Blackwater Bay) was utilized for several episodes in the series. We envisioned Gold Cloaks, the defenders of the city of King’s Landing and enforcers of the law, storming by in their 15th-century-style helmets. These Gold Cloaks tramped up the stone steps, banged on doors, and raided homes along the cliffside. Mission accomplished as our imaginations ignited!

Montenegro: The Watchful Eyes of Kotor

In the gorgeous Bay of Kotor, between forested mountains and glimmering sea, we could simply step off our ship and begin strolling down the cobblestoned streets of Old Town. On benches, windowsills, and in every alley, we saw tails flicking; eyes narrowed. This town was overflowing with more cats than we had ever seen in one place.

Meeting up with Bogdan, our guide who stood broad-shouldered and beaming at the edge of town, we asked about all the felines. “Cats,” he began with solemn reverence, “are our guardians. Kotor’s feline sentinels watch over the town as they have for centuries. Montenegro’s unofficial mascot and symbol of good luck are cats for a good reason.” 

We learned that while traveling the world, these feline “sailors” kept rats and mice out of supplies on board ships. They arrived when the vessels docked, often heading into town to take up permanent residence. Feeding stations are scattered around, and several shop owners placed a cat bowl or a little shelter outside their entry. The large population of cats today protects the residents from an invasion of mice and other pests. Bogdan said, “It’s hard to believe that at one time in medieval days, all the cats were killed. Yet people would share a room or house with a dozen rats and not think anything of it.” Times have changed. Now, somewhere in the shadows, a few mice scurried, and cats pounced.

Santorini: Painted Domes and Secrets 

Biting our fingernails on a bus ride over never-ending hairpin turns, we reached the top of the cliff on the famous island of Santorini. We were on our way to checking this item off both our bucket lists. Stunning Santorini lived up to its reputation as we stood amidst whitewashed buildings clinging to the caldera in stacked layers, blue domes glowing under the Mediterranean sky.

Most of the churches on this island are Greek Orthodox Christian, playing pivotal roles in the religious life of the inhabitants. However, our local guide shared an old “common secret” with us. When a Santorinian needed to build a house in the middle of nowhere, prices were prohibitive for the electric company to create a new distribution line to their home. Yet, churches received priority on electric mains and did not pay for installation or taxes. Therefore, in the past, some locals first built a church. Then, they constructed their house next door. 

Officially, there are now over 1,200 churches for fewer than 15,000 residents. Each dome tells a story – blue for fishermen, red for farmers, and white for tradition. This private code was written across the rugged landscape, one church at a time.

Olympia: Racing with Gods and Ghosts

Arriving at Olympia, pebbles beneath the olive trees crunched under our feet as we crossed into sacred grounds. The wind swept through broken columns, carrying the echoes of cheering crowds and pounding hooves while the dusty ruins whispered stories about the birth of the Olympic Games.

Our favorite myth for the origin of the games goes something like this. King Oenomaus declared, “No suitor shall take my daughter, Hippodameia, without earning her through a chariot race against me. If he wins, he marries and gets my kingdom. If he loses… he dies.” Twelve confident princes died before Pelops arrived murmuring, “What madness guards this bride?” Knowing he could not win, he conspired with Myrtilus, the king’s master charioteer, to sabotage the king’s chariot by replacing bronze axle linchpins with pins made of wax. Near the end of the race, the wheels flew off, and the chariot crashed, dragging the king to his death. Victory went to Pelops. To honor the gods and bury his guilt, he founded the Olympic Games at Olympia, which included chariot racing. 

We walked the path where statues of Olympic victors used to rest on stone pedestals and halted at the arena. The ancient Olympic Games were held every four years to honor the god Zeus for over a millennium. Picturing the competitors in our minds, their skin glistened as they slathered olive oil from stone basins all over their naked bodies to seek protection from heat, mud, and strikes. 

At the end of the tour, our guide pointed out the Archaeological Museum of Olympia. We decided to stop and explore. The exhibits were magnificent and brought the Olympics to life! The fact that archaeologists dug up these marble and bronze statues, olive oil bowls, and so many other artifacts from the area we just wandered through amazed us.

Final Moments on the Viking Star

Our 10-day cruise would soon come to an end. Consequently, we made the most of our final day on our Viking ship. As we passed by Mamsen’s, I said, “Let’s keep with our tradition and order the famous Norwegian Vafler (waffle).” We cut into crispy treats smothered in syrup, berries, and Brunost goat cheese. Grinning with contentment, we sipped our morning brew in the Explorer’s Lounge overlooking the Aegean Sea. 

After our daily tour, we fully embraced the ship life to which we were accustomed. We snagged prime seats behind the ship’s pianist and enjoyed live music during “Munch Moments”. The magic of the master expressionist, Edvard Munch, was showcased with his art pieces on a bigger-than-life scale.

For our last dinner, we celebrated our voyage and my birthday at the Chef’s Table. The prix fixe menu was a remarkable way to indulge in a five-course wine pairing culinary experience inspired by the Silk and Spice Road. To memorialize the exquisite presentations, we snapped pictures, savoring every final moment. 

Sailing through the Mediterranean was more than sightseeing. We traveled through a living storybook. Each stop holds a tale, a flavor, a face we will never forget. Reminding us that life is full of wonder as we relished homemade cuisine in tiny restaurants, climbed stone steps where ancients once trod, explored medieval towns, and cruised over deep seas of sapphire mingled with turquoise. As Davide said that first night in Rome, “La vita é bella”. And our journey was living proof, life is beautiful!

Pamela Lovegren captures travelers’ imaginations, inspires an enthusiasm for travel, and helps readers envision their next journey. Her experiences range from resort management, leadership conferences, property management, and business consulting to extensive traveling and travel editor of the Well-Traveled Pen. Pamela enjoys celebrating and encouraging women of 50+ who desire to live life with spirit and passion each day.

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