Featured image of post Rhodes & Mykonos: Medieval Knights and Mystical Ruins - October 4-5, 2022

Rhodes & Mykonos: Medieval Knights and Mystical Ruins - October 4-5, 2022



Rhodes: Medieval Grandeur on Our Own Terms

Morning in the Dodecanese

The Norwegian Jade docked in Rhodes the following morning, offering us a beautiful view from the deck as the sun hit the ancient harbor.

View from the deck in Rhodes

Today, we decided to skip the organized excursions and explore this famous medieval city on our own. Rhodes is unique because the inhabited medieval town is still contained within its massive original fortifications.

Outskirts of town

Exploring the walls

Fortifications of Rhodes Ancient stone arches

Rhodes architecture

Wandering the town

A Musical Lunch

As we meandered down the narrow alleys and through the fortifications, we stumbled upon a restaurant called Ta Mezeklikia. It looked unassuming from the entrance, but once we walked through the archway, we found ourselves in a large courtyard, generously shaded by an old tree with live music from an acoustic guitarist. What a great find!

We were stunned by the portion sizes! Everything was fresh and delicious, with our stomachs almost bursting.

Greek salad Sardines

Octopus Souvlaki

The Palace of the Grand Master

After lunch, we wandered through Old Town over to the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes. This 14th-century citadel is one of the few examples of Gothic architecture in Greece and is incredibly well-preserved.

Lots of shopping Gold is popular

The palace

Interior courtyard

Palace details

No safety rails here

Floor mosaics

Intricate stonework

Wood and stone Knights’ uniforms

We finished our walking tour by strolling down the Street of the Knights, which looks exactly as it did hundreds of years ago, and visiting the Archaeological Museum before heading back to the ship.

Street of the Knights Archaeological Museum of Rhodes

Tonight’s dinner was at Cagney’s, the ship’s steakhouse. It was a classic, high-quality meal that hit the spot after a full day of walking.

Shrimp and oysters Tomato salad

Lamb, shrimp, sides

7-layer cake and creme brulee


Mykonos & The Sacred Island of Delos

Arrival in Mykonos

The next day, we stopped in Mykonos. Our morning was dedicated to an excursion titled “Delos: Birthplace of Artemis and Apollo.” We met at the ship’s theater at 8:15 am and boarded a ferry from the dock to the nearby island of Delos.

Morning in Mykonos

The ferry to Delos

Delos is a massive, active archaeological site. Interestingly, it was also home to a high population of feral cats. Our tour guide was clearly a regular; she carried a bag of cat kibble with her and stopped to feed the cats at almost every stop on the tour!

Active restoration Cats of Delos

Living areas

Mosaics still intact

Ampitheatre ruins

Terrace of the Lions

Delos columns

A Surprising Lesson in Protection

During the tour, our guide stopped and pointed to a relief carved into one of the stone walls. “What is this?” she asked.

The mysterious relief

When no one answered, she proudly proclaimed, “This is a penis!” The group collectively gasped and then broke into laughter. There was a young child, about 7 years old, on the tour who immediately asked her mother what a penis was, which made for a bit of an awkward parenting moment!

We learned that phalluses were commonly carved into stone walls in ancient times to represent protection from evil spirits. Similarly, many people in the region wear blue eye jewelry to ward off the “evil eye”.

Back to the Jade

After the tour of Delos concluded, we headed back to the ship. Unfortunately, the timing of the excursion didn’t leave us enough of a window to explore Mykonos Town itself, but the deep dive into the history of Delos was well worth the trade-off.

Teppanyaki: Dinner and a Show

Once we set sail, we went to the teppanyaki restaurant for dinner. This specific dining venue isn’t included in the Free-at-Sea dining package, so we paid $49 per person plus a 20% gratuity. As I mentioned in my Planning and Pre-Cruise Athens post, we covered this cost with the purchased onboard credits.

The meal was a multi-course experience and a total show. The chefs are incredibly talented, performing tricks with their utensils and ingredients while they cook right in front of you.

Teppanyaki Menu

We started with miso soup and a fresh salad before the main event began.

Miso Soup Seaweed Salad

The food was fantastic. We watched our fried rice come together while our seafood entrees were sizzling away in the background. Teppanyaki is always a fun time!

Main Course Prep Green Tea Cake and Ice Cream

Tomorrow, we continue our tour around the Greek Isles with a visit to Argostoli…stay tuned!

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Getting excited reading about these trips and want to go?  Contact me at kat (at) yellowdogtravel (d0t) com with your ideas and I can help you plan it!  Or if you've already put a deposit on a cruise through the cruise line, contact me to get more information on transferring the reservation to me to get bonuses like extra onboard credit or gifts.  I have lots of happy repeat clients - references always available.

Another disclaimer:  The intention of this blog was to remind Future Me in full detail about where I went and what I did. I could have made it private, but I frequently get questions from family, friends and internet folks about how I planned things, got deals, etc., so instead of repeating the story over and over, I direct them here. If you are offended by anything I say or do, save yourself the discomfort and kindly click away from my blog. Thanks for reading and have a wonderful day!

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