Ultimate Port Guide for Virgin Voyage's Dubrovnik Days & Mykonos Nights Sailing

Athens

This is one of my favorite cities to travel to, which surprises so many people. You really need to know where to explore to have a safe and fun experience in Athens. I love embarking from this port because I always arrive a few days before departure to take advantage of what the city has to offer. My favorite neighborhoods to explore by foot are Plaka, Psyri, and Monastiraki Square. There’s tons of restaurants and shops against some incredible views. You must grab a cocktail at Brettos Plaka and check out Juan Rodriguez Bar at night! Stay at MELO Athens for an affordable, super-central location. Other spots to add to your itinerary are: The Clumsies, The Bar In Front Of The Bar, Attic Urban Rooftop, Noel, and Balthazar.

Split

After spending a day at sea, your first port stop is at Split, Croatia. The main thing we wanted to do was eat at the famous Bokeria Kitchen & Wine restaurant. This place was a 10/10. Make a reservation ahead of time because it does get crowded during lunch time. If you want to spend the day at the beach, you can get some sun at Joe’s Beach Lounge & Bar. If you’re physically able to handle stairs, you definitely need to walk up Marjan Hill. Once you make it to the top, grab some snacks and wine at Teraca Vidilica rooftop restaurant that offers panoramic views of Split.

Dubrovnik

If you’re a Game of Thrones fan, this will be your favorite stop. I was blown away by the architecture and the city walls. Literally every corner you turn will take you to a new street offering bars, restaurants, and shops. Prepare to do A LOT of walking, especially if you plan on walking the walls (highly recommend if you’re able to). For lunch, make a reservation at Restaurant Panorama, where you’ll ride a cable car to the top of the mountain. Head back down the cable car, and walk past the famous Jesuit Stairs from Game of Thrones to head to Buža Bar, where you can jump off the cliffs into the water. Make sure to have euros on you as they are cash only. This place gets super packed at sunset, and does not take reservations, so plan accordingly.

Kotor

The highlight of our stop here was experiencing Kraken Underwater Wine Bar. You definitely need to book in advance since they can only accommodate so many people at a time. Their taxi contact will drop you off on the side of the road (for real), you’ll walk down a flight of stairs, board a rocking dinghy, and head to the floating dock. You’ll choose from a variety of wines that have been aged 365 days, 25 meters under sea surface on the sea bed. There’s a bunch of food options, but the mussels are the highlight and you watch them as they’re legit pulled out from the sea in front of you. When you’re done, you throw the shells back into the water. Bring a swimsuit so you can jump off the dock into the water. You’ll also want to take the cable car up to the top for awesome views and a few bars and restaurants. Don’t head back to the ship before walking around the Old Town.

Underwater wine cellar Kraken Kotor

Mykonos

This place is the best as you can really just show up without a plan and walk around the town in Little Venice. There are awesome shops, bars, and restaurants all waiting for you to explore. Renting a Vespa scooter is a fun and efficient way to see the island and hop around to the different beach clubs. My favorite was Alemagou beach restaurant. You can’t miss out on grabbing a seaside cocktail at Negrita or Bao’s Cocktail Bar. You’ll watch the sunset as the water is just steps away from your table. It’s a truly unique experience you can’t get anywhere else in the world.

• Have cash on you and don’t rely on finding ATMs at the stops. There are ATMs scattered around, but they aren’t as prevalent as in the US and they also come with hefty fees. Your best bet is to order euros from your bank before going on the trip.

• While reservations sometimes aren’t necessary for dining, I always choose to err on the side of caution and make one since these port stops get so busy and a lot of people want to go to the same places.

• Bring comfortable shoes you can walk all day in and pack sunscreen!

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