Travel review: Greek Island cruise

Fancy some Greek island hopping – with plenty of comfort and style?

Well, forget the backpacking and ferries of old and embark on a mini cruise.

Three days spent visiting the islands may sound like a whistlestop tour – but it's surprising how much ground you get to cover.

From the windmills of Mykonos to the colourful cliffs of Santorini, our mini-break with Celestyal Cruises was plain sailing from start to finish.

Our 'Iconic Aegean' trip started in Athens, with an overnight stay at the city's Metropolitan Hotel.

After a brief check-in we headed out for dinner at the Michelin-starred Varoulko Seaside Restaurant, by Piraeus Harbour.

In a delightful setting overlooking the water, we enjoyed a splendid fish-based menu, with each course presented as a work of art.

It certainly provided a taste of what was to come.

An early morning start the next day saw us board the Celestyal Olympia – an ample size ship with around 700 cabins– not too small that you feel claustrophobic and not so huge that you get lost at every available opportunity.

And while this trip is as much about the destinations as the journey – the Celestyal Olympia does a fine job of making your time at sea pretty perfect.

After setting sail from Athens we were Mykonos-bound and we had several hours to get our bearings on the ship – and check on what was on offer.

There was more than enough to keep us entertained over the next few days.

Passengers can try their hand at Greek dancing, cooking and language lessons.

The Greek hospitality continues in the dining areas on the ship. If you want casual there's the Leda buffet restaurant next to the pool – perfect if you don't want to stray to far from the sun loungers.

For more formal dining – but not at all stuffy – there's the Aegean Restaurant, with a menu offering an array of Greek cuisine and wine. Delicious.

As well as the swimming pools, there's a beauty centre, offering treatments ranging from facials and pedicures to massages of all varieties. I certainly made use of this while on board – well, it would be rude not to. A great way to start any break away is a massage to help rub away any stresses and strains.

Of course there was nothing stressful about our few days onboard – it was anything but.

Before we knew it, it was 6pm and we had arrived in Mykonos. Now this is an island with the wow factor. With it's pretty narrow cobbled white streets, this place has a very cosmopolitan feel. Designer shops sit opposite ancient Greek churches, its alleys are home to lovely restaurants and bars. It's easy to see why it attracts celebrities and socialities.

We dined at Roca Cookery, with its windows open to the sea, and enjoyed a splendid meal watching the sun go down over the Aegean. It was quite breathtaking.

As evening fell it was sadly time to get back on board – although I vowed to return to this beautiful island.

After a comfortable night's sleep in a twin outside cabin, it was an early start for our next adventure, which actually took us to another country.

We arrived in the Turkish port city of Kusadasi – and disembarked for an early sightseeing trip to Ancient Ephesus – one of the 'seven wonders' of the ancient world.

We were there at 8am – and just as well due to the heat and the crowds that were on our tail.

We retraced the steps of Cleopatra and Mark Antony through the city as we visited what were once villas and homes in ancient times.

By lunchtime we were back on board the Olympia, where we enjoyed a Greek dining feast at the Aegean restaurant.

Late afternoon the ship arrived at the Greek island of Patmos. Another great stop for history buffs.

This is the island which is home to a mountainside grotto where it is said St John the Evangelist wrote the Book of Revelations. And atop the island's highest peak stands the monastery, which was founded in his honour in 1088.

Crete was our next port of call the following morning – and more fascinating history was on the agenda.

We visited the Minoan Palace of Knossos, home to Europe's oldest civilisation.

Our final port of call was the picture-postcard island of Santorini.

This island is stunning.

We enjoyed a wine tasting at Venetsanos Winery, situated in a breathtaking position high above the port.

The views were, quite simply, amazing.

Following this we visited the island's capital Fira, enjoying a leisurely walk around the blue and white buildings before stopping for refreshments where we once again admired the spectacular view.

We arrived back in Athens the following morning and were able to enjoy a brief tour of the landmark sites on our way back to the airport.

A fantastic trip, which provided a perfect taste of several islands – and certainly whet the appetite for a return visit.

By Maria Cusine