The Best Eastern Mediterranean Cruise Ports

An Eastern Mediterranean cruise includes stops in some of the most exotic destinations in the Mediterranean Sea. Below we've gathered information on some of the most exciting stops on a cruise through the Eastern Mediterranean.

1. Athens: The Greek capital and the most populous city in Greece. The history of Athens goes back over 3000 years. Athenian architecture is spectacular -- many of the ruins are in amazing condition considering they've been around for thousands of years. Ancient Athens was once a powerful city-state. It was a center of learning, philosophy, and arts. It was the birthplace of Plato, Aristotle, Pericles, Socrates, Sophocles and many other ancient writers, philosophers, and politicians. Athens is rich with history and culture and a vital stop for anybody interested in learning about the birthplace of western civilization.

2. Heraklion: The capital city and largest city on the Greek island of Crete. When you visit Crete expect warm weather and a balmy climate. In 1900 Arthur Evans began his official excavation of the ruins of Knossos on the island of Crete. These ruins allow you an exciting peek into a city from Minoan times. In ancient times Knossos was the most populous city of Crete and had an important port up until 2000 B.C.

3. Cairo: The capital city of Egypt as well as the largest city on the continent of Africa. Cairo has been an important city since the tenth century and is far and away the largest city in Egypt. Cairo is a busy, metropolitan city, home to over 11 million people, and one of the largest cities in the world. The climate in Cairo is consistently hot most of the year. It is a cultural haven filled with art galleries, museums and opera houses - it also hosts an annual international film festival. The Museum of Egyptian Antiquities holds the largest collection of Egyptian antiquities anywhere in the world.

4. Limassol: A spectacularly beautiful island in Greece and the second largest city of Cyprus. Limassol is very popular with European tourists and is packed with tourism activities. It has many interesting excursions such as the Kolossi castle and the Kourion outdoor theater. As is the case with all of Cyprus, the beaches in Limassol are stunning.

5. Rhodes: A Greek island and a very popular port for tourism. Most eastern Mediterranean Sea cruises dock in Rhodes. Greek history and architecture are on display everywhere in Rhodes. A trip on shore to Rhodes offers intriguing history lessons and excursions through quaint villages. The medieval portion of Rhodes called “Old Town” has been designated a World Heritage Site.

6. Ephesus: A Greek city on the western side of Anatolia which has been around since ancient times. It is near present day Selcuk in the Izmir province of Turkey. The ruins at Ephesus are a very popular destination for tourists visiting Turkey. The temple of Hadrian at Ephesus is an incredibly well-preserved and intricate ruin from ancient times. Another interesting destination in Ephesus is the theater. It is a stunning architectural wonder that has been around since the first century and is still used today for an annual festival. The temple and the theatre are within traveling distance from the port.

These are some of the best and most frequented ports of call on eastern Mediterranean cruises. Don't limit yourself to just these six as there are many more wonderful places to visit in the Eastern Mediterranean!