Griddying in Greece: Kimble Adriatic Cruise Part Three

Bryan Johnson
Jun 3, 2025
5 min read

May 13: Corfu, Greece

Our third port call of the cruise was the beautiful island of Corfu, Greece, and boy, did things start with a bang! As we sat down with our full plates at breakfast at 7:45, Cindy looked over at the clock mounted on the wall and said, "Hey, do you think that clock's right? It says it's 8:45." Holy crap, the time changed by an hour and we didn't even realize it! Our excursion starts in 45 minutes, and we're sitting here eating breakfast!

Cramming a cup full of bacon to go, we darted off for the 2nd deck so we could run and try and make it to our excursion for the day!

Corfu Cruise Port Terminal: Σταθμός Κρουαζιέρας Κέρκυρας

After running off the ship and hailing the closest cab, we made the 10-minute ride over to the Corfu Old Port, where we embarked on a sailboat for a beautiful day in the sun! We caught our breath as the deck hands began to pull in the ropes! We made it with about five minutes to spare! That cab fare was easily the best €10 we've spent on this trip so far; if we had to walk, we definitely wouldn't have made it on this excursion!

After a 45-minute sail towards the northern part of the island, we made it to our first swim spot for the day! As the crew dropped the anchor, we were told that the water "wasn't cold, it wasn't warm, it was 'fresh'." Whatever that might have meant, the Johnsons and Kimbles were ready to jump in! We were given around 30 minutes to swim and enjoy the water before being called back aboard to our next stop!

Santa Barbara Beach

Along the journey to our next beach, we were treated to some of the best bruschetta I've ever eaten! With fresh tomatoes, feta cheese, and onions, this Greek bruschetta puts to shame any Italian or Spanish bruschetta I've ever had! Lucky for us, Richard didn't want his, so Cindy, Katie, and I split his piece!

Our next spot was Santa Barbara Beach, on the north side of the island, where we were given one hour to swim and enjoy the beach before lunch! Richard, Katie, I had a good time swimming around the bay, watching the fish, and picking up trash off the sea floor. Cindy found her spot along the sunny shoreline where she scavenged for shells and sea glass. Around 12 pm, it was time for lunch, where we were treated to pork and beef kebabs, sausages, pita, and Greek salad!

Strogylo Beach

Following lunch, it was time for our last stop of the excursion! After many cups of wine and a delightful meal, it was difficult to convince myself to keep swimming, but when you're in Greece, you must swim in this crystal clear water as much as you can! We enjoyed another 45 minutes in the beautiful Adriatic Sea before making our way back to the Old Port.

If you asked any of us, this was by far our favorite excursion of the cruise! Swimming in the stunning blue waters, enjoying the sun, and devouring a delicious Greek lunch: what more could we want?!

After returning to the Old Port, we leisurely walked back to the ship and returned with less than an hour before the port call ended. As our cruise departed Corfu around 6 pm, it was time for another evening of dinner and games!

May 14: Olympia, Greece

On our fourth day of the cruise, we opted to stay dry, purely because there weren't any water excursions available at this port. You can't go to Greece and not see some Ancient Greek ruins!

Katakolon Cruise Terminal: Σταθμός Κρουαζιέρας Κατακόλου

For this short cruise port, we disembarked around 7:30 am and jumped on our bus to the Archeological Site of Olympia! Since the port day was a short one, we opted for an excursion through the ship this time around to make sure we were back in time for the early departure!

Archaeological Site of Olympia: Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος Ολυμπίας

At 8:00 am, we began our short guided tour of the Archeological Site of Olympia, followed by some free time to roam the grounds! We learned during our tour that Olympia was home to the religious sanctuary that served as a pilgrimage site for many people throughout Ancient Greece. This explains the ruins of temples dedicated to Zeus and Hera, alongside the ancient gymnasium training grounds.

Beginning in 776 BC, there was an Olympic truce where each city-state within Ancient Greece would send an Olympic representative to participate in the original games! These games were established to honor the Greek god, Zeus, and showcase the talents he bestowed on the Ancient Greek people. The Ancient Olympic Games were held in Olympia until 393 AD, when the Romans destroyed the Temple of Zeus following the rise of Christianity and the suppression of paganism in the Mediterranean world.

Stadium at Olympia: Στάδιο Αρχαίας Ολυμπίας

The main attraction of the day is the Stadium at Olympia, the very first Olympic stadium in history! This stadium stands at 200 meters in length, and is the site of the original ancient Olympic games! Nearly 3000 years ago, the only event held at the original games was the stadion, a 200-meter sprint, the entire length of the stadium.

This reminded Katie and I of our time at the Panathenaic Stadium we visited in Athens back in August. It's really cool that Katie and I had the opportunity to witness some Olympic events in Paris & Bordeaux last summer, and now we're getting a chance to see where it all began!

Unlike the stadium in Athens, the original Olympic stadium was just a dirt field with green slopes surrounding it. If you wanted to witness the sporting event, you had to find a spot on the sloped edges and sit in the grass. Also, keep in mind that these early Olympic games were done in the nude, and only men could attend.

Kladeos Café

Following our tour and free time, it was time to head back to the bus. We were given a little bit of time to check out the shops, so when I saw a cafe selling €1 beers, I couldn't pass on the opportunity to sit in the shade and enjoy a cold one!

Touris Club

We boarded the bus and headed to the Touris Club for lunch and a performance. We were treated to a sampling of some Greek foods for lunch. Although not as good as our lunch yesterday, we were entertained by some traditional Greek music and dancing! The word "Opa" will forever be ingrained in my memory!

After some singing and dancing, it was time for the crowd to get involved. Even though Katie, Richard, and I showed no interest in making a fool of ourselves in front of a crowd, Cindy showed no reservations and got up to dance in front of everyone. We know she was having a great time!

Check out the video Katie captured of Cindy participating in some traditional Greek dances!

We were back onboard for our 1:30 pm departure. Goodbye Greece!

After another evening of enjoying some card games, we enjoyed another dinner in the main dining room, this time at an assigned table all together! Cindy thought she would be adventurous and try out the local seafood options; when it came out with its head still attached, she immediately regretted it!