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Clockwise from top left: Istanbul’s Blue Mosque;

a castraura (first bud of an artichoke) harvested


near Venice; Turkish tea; an Istanbulite baker; and
sacred space on Santorini.

B eneath the skylight-dotted dome in a sixteenth-century


bathhouse, my Turkish attendant, Husna, vigorously scrubbed
me from neck to toe as I lay on the communal göbek tasi
(heated marble platform), just a few feet from where my
friend, Jeanne, was being doused with water from a large,
somewhat incongruous plastic bucket.
This was definitely not your typical shore excursion. Which
was exactly what the two of us wanted.
When I’d first floated the idea of a cruise as an efficient
way to visit the Eastern Mediterranean, Jeanne — a lifelong
independent traveler — was skeptical, fearing excursions
with bossy flag-waving guides, fixed schedules, and little
flexibility. But we were dying to visit Istanbul and Venice, and
Holland America Line’s 12-day Mediterranean Empires voyage
promised both cities, plus visits to the seductive Greek isles.
The clincher: The sailing was aboard the swanky Nieuw

The Med
Amsterdam, a new ship making waves for its sleek New York
City–style interiors and $3 million art collection.
A cruise made perfect sense, we ultimately agreed, especially
when done our way. Read: independent exploration, plenty of
free time to chill, and adventures off the typical tourist radar.
Having been there, done that, here are our suggestions on

Your Way
how to ditch the crowds, avoid the clichés, and experience
the Med (and the world in general) more like a local.

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Prefer independent travel but love the perks and unpack-only-once convenience of a cruise? Anita Carmin shares 12 ways to have it both ways on your next voyage.

Choose cruises with overnight calls and late departures, which allow
time to absorb the local culture (as well as key sights) and take in the vibrant
nightlife. You’ll have an entirely different impression of Venice’s Piazza San
Marco come nightfall when strains of string quartets fill the air, lovers stroll
the square, and the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie. In Istanbul, fall
into step with the hip after-work crowd for a stroll down trendy İstiklâl
Caddesi (Independence Avenue), the mile-long pedestrian boulevard lined with
boutiques, art galleries, cafés, and nightclubs. Join the backgammon-playing and
nargileh (water pipe)-smoking Istanbulites for a cup of Turkish tea at one of the
side-street outdoor teahouses.
In addition to overnights in Venice and Istanbul, our cruise offered an 11:00
p.m. departure from Greek party-town Mykonos and a full 12-hour call at
Kuşadasi, permitting time to visit ancient Ephesus, shop for Turkish carpets in
the Grand Bazaar, and people-watch over Mythos beers in a pier-side café.
More Med Your Way on page 30 P

28 Virtuoso Insights Virtuoso Insights 29


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In port, get up early and explore the city on foot before
the throngs of tourists arrive. In Venice, you’ll have Piazza
San Marco, and the labyrinth of streets leading from it, all to
yourself. Stop for a breakfast cappuccino and brioche in one of
the tiny cafés where you can chat with the Venetians. Foodies
will want to hit the Pescheria (fish market) located by the Rialto

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Bridge early (it opens at 5:00 a.m. on weekdays) for a look at the
fresh sardines, octopus, and enormous whole swordfish before
the market fills with amateur shutterbugs.

Escape the crowds of the main piazzas and squares. It


goes without saying that the most popular piazzas and town
squares are also the most crowded and expensive. On a sunny
Saturday in Venice, Jeanne and I stumbled across a nearly
deserted, unnamed, not-in-any-guidebook square within blocks
of Piazza San Marco. That’s where we lunched on grande slices of

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traditional margherita pizza and ice-cold Italian beer purchased
from a nearby pizzeria.

Venture out of the port towns. On the Greek isle of Santorini,


while nearly everyone else on the ship was visiting Fira Town, we
headed to Oia (pronounced eee-ya), a straight-out-of-the-movies
village of blue-domed churches, whitewashed buildings, and
P l ea s an t A d
drop-dead-gorgeous views, perched on the northwesternmost
tip of the island. To get there, we opted for a self-guided Holland
America shore excursion. Tip: Book any tour to Oia as soon as
you can.

A Greek Orthodox church in Oia and (above)


café culture in Venice’s Piazza San Marco.

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Take the train and other public transportation; you’ll
not only feel like a local, you’ll meet the locals. In some cases
(Kuşadasi to Ephesus, for instance), it makes sense to opt for a
shore-excursion bus. But in Greece’s seaside town of Katakolon,
it’s just as easy, considerably less expensive, and fun to take the
The spice of life in Istanbul and (below) train to ancient Olympia. In the morning, Jeanne and I enjoyed
traditional Turkish coffee. watching the townspeople setting off on their errands; in the
afternoon, we got a kick out of the exuberant teenagers (they’re

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the same the world over) heading home after school.

Get the inside scoop from the folks who live there.
Without exception, I find shopkeepers, restaurant patrons, and
fellow bus riders more than happy to offer suggestions on their
favorite places to eat and shop. A proprietor at Istanbul’s Spice
Bazaar directed us to Pandeli Restaurant (a fixture since 1901)
for “authentic” Turkish coffee and badem kurabiyesi (almond
cookies). A shopkeeper in Mykonos insisted we try Opa Taverna
for its fresh calamari. She even left her shop unattended, leading
us through the maze of narrow lanes, to introduce us to Sava,
the taverna’s amusing and chatty owner.
More Med Your Way on page 32 P
30 Virtuoso Insights
While On Board. . .

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Consult your ship’s savvy staff. Opt for small specialty restaurants
They’ll point you to the non-touristy on your ship and you’ll enjoy an
spots they’ve discovered while experience akin to dining in a favorite
traveling the globe. The best place venue at home. Aboard the Nieuw
to get an authentic Turkish bath in Amsterdam, we ate in the hip Pan
Istanbul? We asked the “spa girls” in Asian restaurant, Tamarind, and in
Holland America’s Greenhouse Spa. the intimate Pinnacle Grill where, one

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(Investigating the top spa spots is one night, we splurged on a Master Chef
of their favorite activities in port.) dinner of seven courses, each paired
They directed us to the 427-year-old with wine.
Çemberlitaş Hamami, told us where
to catch the bus to get there, and Book a verandah stateroom or suite.
which stop to get off. Also helpful: That way, you can lounge outdoors
the ship’s travel guide. The Nieuw in your pajamas in the morning, and
Amsterdam’s Tom Vercillo was a wealth unwind in glorious peace and quiet after
of information on where to go, what to a long day ashore. Everyone will tell you:
see, and what to avoid. In addition to A verandah is well worth the money.
his lectures, Tom stationed himself in
Next to godliness: Istanbul’s 427-year-old Ship shape: a Deluxe Verandah
the Atrium for “plan your day ashore” Çemberlitaş Hamami (bathhouse). aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam. More Med Your Way on page 34 P
advice sessions throughout the cruise.

I s ram World Ad Pau l Gau g u i n A d


DOING IT
SEE
Holland America Line offers a choice of 52
Mediterranean itineraries in 2011. Among them: the
12-day Mediterranean Empires voyage. Sailing round-
trip from Venice, the 2,106-passenger Nieuw Amsterdam
visits Split, Athens, Istanbul, Mykonos, Kuşadasi,
Santorini, and Katakolon. Departs April 30; May 22;
July 28; and September 9, 2011. Ocean-view fares from
$2,189; Verandahs from $2,999.

STAY
For cruises beginning and/or ending in Venice, extend
your vacation with a stay at Hotel Cipriani & Palazzo
Vendramin. Located amid lush vineyards and gardens
on the tip of Giudecca Island, this legendary hotel is
just a five-minute boat ride from Piazza San Marco but
light years away in the peace-and-quiet department.
In addition to an enormous outdoor saltwater pool
and garden-side spa, the Cipriani boasts the elegant
Venetian-glass-adorned Fortuny Restaurant and the
The Nieuw Amsterdam at sea and (above)
more casual Cip’s Club complete with floating terrace.
M ad r i d A d

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the ship’s posh – and private – Cabana Club. Virtuoso guests receive a room upgrade on arrival,
if available; full breakfast daily; one US$100 resort
credit during stay; and more. From EUR837 (approx.
US$1,142) per room, per night.

Order room service for breakfast. (There’s no extra


charge on many cruises, including those from Holland
America Line.) True, there’s something very civilized
about a white-tablecloth breakfast in an elegant dining
room but, most days, Jeanne and I preferred the at-home
informality of drinking coffee and nibbling on toast

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while simultaneously catching up on the news and
getting ready for the day ahead.

Find your own little paradise. More cruise lines are


now offering, for an additional fee, exclusive areas
with an upscale resort-like ambiance. On the Nieuw
Amsterdam, you can while away your sea days (or port
days, for that matter) with fresh-fruit skewers, Evian
spray misters, and personal iPods in a private cabana on
the top deck. Dining in the Hotel Cipriani’s Dogaressa Suite

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and (below) the hotel’s legendary facade.

Sign up for the ship’s small-group enrichment


programs. Learn to salsa or tango. Take a wine-tasting
class. Practice yoga. Or pick up tips on taking better travel
photos.
Interested in perfecting your kitchen skills? Enroll
in a hands-on cooking class. You never know which
luminaries you might meet. On our Med voyage, celebrity
Photos ©Genivs Loci

Chef Richard Chamberlain dished and dazzled in the


Nieuw Amsterdam’s Culinary Arts Center.

34 Virtuoso Insights

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