Frequent TABLE contributor and frequent traveler Stephen Treffinger boarded a Viking cruise ship for a weeklong sojourn to Venice, Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece. Along with our envy, he racked up some incredible memories of some of the world’s most beautiful coastlines.
Cruising Through Europe’s Coastlines with Viking
In centuries past (and in several Merchant Ivory films), the Grand Tour took Europeans on a multi-leg trip that typically included Italy, accompanied by a family member, governess, or tutor. Today, these journeys are usually undertaken on a cruise ship, with arguably less grandeur — but less luggage and more freedom.
It was thus that I boarded a Viking ship in Italy for a week-long sojourn to Venice, Croatia, Montenegro, and Greece before flying home from Athens. I had done two prior sailings with Viking that took me to Egypt and Antarctica. Both had an intense focus, the former on history and archaeological sites, the latter on snow, penguins, and seals. Now, I was in for a more traditional trip, with a new city or even country each day.
Left: A fishing boat off of Mali Ston, Croatia. Right: The bell tower of the Cathedral of Saint Domnius in Split, Croatia. Photos by Jessica Kelly.
Exploration Through Viking Cruises
Before even stepping on board, I had picked a handful of excursions, mostly food-centric, that would take up the lion’s share of available time in any one place, and left other destinations free for roaming around. This seemed like a sensible approach, and proved to be an interesting way to keep things interesting.
Venice
Since I had been to Venice a couple of times before and had toured most of the major draws, I opted to get lost and avoid the crowded center, ducking into an alleyway and drifting, ignoring my phone, for hours. I began with coffee in a place that looked like it had never seen a tourist. Then onto a cicchetti joint for open-faced sandwiches (sardines, salt cod) and a glass of wine at 10 a.m. (When in Venice and all.) I eventually made my way to a favorite painting, Titian’s Assumption of the Virgin that I’d first seen in person over 30 years before, and stood before it, in awe, for a remarkably long time before catching the boat back.
Left: Pre-mussels grappa in Mali Ston, Croatia. Right: Mussels for lunch off the coast of Mali Ston, Croatia. Photos by Jessica Kelly.
Croatia
In Croatia, in addition to some informative olive oil and wine tasting, there was an excursion to Mali Ston, an area near Dubrovnik that produces some of the world’s finest oysters. We motored out to a dock in the middle of the growing beds and watched our host shuck dozens of them in rapid succession as we sipped herb-infused grappa. We were served a handful of the local treasures with bread and white wine. Absolute heaven. The fact that almost none of these gems ever make it out of Croatia only added to our delight. Gilding the lily, the team then plucked ropes of mussels out of the water, cooked and served them in a delicious broth.
Montenegro
It was raining when I disembarked in Kotor, Montenegro, where I had decided to again wander. Surrounded by fortresses, it’s an atmospheric place with stone paths and more than a few Catholic churches from its Venetian and Austrian rulers. It was far too slippery to hike up the long, steep stone staircase to St. John’s Fortress for the views. (I ran into some very fit guys from the ship who told me they had turned around-about because it was too perilous.)
Top Left: The Old Fortress in Corfu, Greece. Top Right: Ruins in Olympia, Greece. Bottom: A vineyard in Olympia, Greece. Photos by Stephen Treffinger and Jessica Kelly.
Corfu
In Corfu, on an overcast day, I ducked into a particularly beautiful church and stood in back, taking in an Orthodox service with its long responsoria, a call and repeat between the priest and congregation, and could have stayed there for hours. The next day, it was more olive oil and more wine (the region is lousy with excellent examples of both). Thus fortified and fulfilled, I got back on the ship, which would depart in the middle of the night for Athens.
Upon returning, I headed to the spa for my now established routine (sauna/cold plunge/steam/cold plunge) then return to my room for a nap in the miraculously comfy bed. I would dress up a little (but not that much) before heading out for an aperitif and dinner at one of several restaurants (variety being the spice of cruise ships), leaving it to chance most nights but almost running into and dining with someone I had met along the way, sharing stories of our day’s adventures while sipping wine and eating remarkably good food before drifting to sleep, only to wake up in another new place.
Story by Stephen Treffinger
Photography Courtesy of Viking, Stephen Treffinger, and Jessica Kelly
Subscribe to TABLE Magazine’s print edition.
