See my southern Med wanderings as I sail from Katakolon, gateway to Olympia, onto the picturesque UNESCO Heritage Sites of Corfu, Dubrovnik, Kotor and Ravenna!

As the Oceania Riviera departed from Taranto, it was full steam ahead for Katakolon, the jumping off point to the birthplace of the Olympic Games. When I visited the port in 2016, it had nothing but a dusty main street and beach bar outfitted with bike pedals where patrons could pedal in their seats for probably the sole entertainment in town. Everyone used to head straight to Olympia, bypassing the sleepy community.

Now hailed as the number 2 cruise port in Greece, I was shocked to see it chock-a-block with tourist shops and jewelry stores. As cruise passengers spilled all over the sidewalks, I decided to head out of the town center for some peace and quiet – even though there wasn’t much, except for a couple of eateries and grocery stores, a small Orthodox church and another beach…

The blazing sun drew stark shadows and I was fascinated by this almost mirror image of the gate’s stylized sun and Mati (Greek evil eye) on the road.

In Greek mythology, nereids are fish-tailed sea nymphs often seen riding dolphins or sea horses. I came across this villa guarded by an ornate gate with a pair of pink nymphs, while the main house sported a colorful mural of 2 giant sea horses flanking a nereid on her dolphin.

Next stop is Corfu, aka the Green Island, which purports to have something for everyone – food, history, nature, and nightlife! A short walk from the cruise dock is the Boschetto Garden, a nicely landscaped park with lovely views of the ocean and Old Fortress nearby. It was renamed in 2006 as The Durrell Gardens to honor Lawrence and Gerald Durrell, whose writings helped popularize Corfu as a travel destination. Seated with a book in his hand is the statue of Frederick North, 5th Earl of Guilford, who founded the first Greek University in Corfu.

Having been to Dubrovnik a few times, I decided on a less urban pursuit and hike Mount Srđ. Part of the Dinaric Alps, the 1,352 ft mountain can be ascended by cable car or on foot from the city. There’s a Via Crucis monument at the hairpin turn on 14 of the trail’s 15 switchbacks, offering ample opportunities for contemplation, respite, or picture taking.

Popular film location in Game of Thrones, Fort Bokar with its iconic cylindrical walls is easily spotted from Mount Srđ. It was built in the 15th century by Italian architect Michelozzo di Bartololmeo to defend Pile Gate, the medieval town’s main entrance.

Sailing south, the ship dropped anchor at Kotor, Montenegro. Having hiked up the Ladder of Kotor last time, I decided to just browse around the outdoor market and stroll around town. This quaint square was festively decked out in technicolor umbrellas as restaurants set up tables for lunch underneath.

The archway leads to the north toll gate for San Giovanni Fortress. Also known as St. John’s Castle, the fortification is a slog at 1,350 steps and 918 ft above sea level.

Our next port was Ravenna, renowned for its late Roman and Byzantine architecture. The original Ursian Cathedral was built around the 5th century when Ravenna just became the capital of the Western Roman Empire. The aging edifice was eventually replaced by this Baroque duomo (cathedral) in the 1700’s. Except for the campanile (bell tower) and the crypt, most of the original structure, including its mosaics were demolished. The Cattedrale metropolitana della Risurrezione di Nostro Signore Gesù Cristo (Metropolitan Cathedral of the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ) was elevated to status of minor basilica in 1960.

It was an amazing dining experience at Ravenna’s highly rated Ristorante Corte Cabiria e Cabiria Wine Bar. I went there for one of my favorite dishes – sea urchin with pasta, but the complimentary appetizers and desserts definitely made me a fan! This beautifully presented amuse-bouche of crunchy cheese ball filled with ham was delectable, and the house dessert of peanut cookie with passion fruit gelee proved equally sublime.

Our final stop would have been Venice (Venezia). But due to local concerns about tourism’s environmental impact, cruise ships over 25,000 GT (gross tonnage) are barred from the Venetian lagoon. So Riviera passengers were disembarked in Trieste and transferred by bus to Marco Polo International Airport for their return flights.

I’ve been visiting Venice since the 80’s and reveled in La Serenissima’s buzzy bàcari (cicchetti bars), exquisite artisanal masks, enchanting architecture, and beguiling waterways. So as Arnie said, ‘I’ll be back’, but probably not by ship…