I still have fond memories of my voyage on the ocean ship Viking Star from Istanbul to Athens (and well beyond), and I've uploaded a few dozen photos from that trip for Cruiseable users to use as you'd like. But I haven't had a chance to create a Visual List about Athens until now.

It was my second time there. It's a quick 20-minute taxi ride from the see-nothing port in Pireaus to Athens (with the taxi driver ragging on Donald Trump the whole ride). We spent the time doing our own things: people-watching at a cafe in the Plaka; visiting the extraordinary exhibits in the Acropolis Museum; and, of course, taking part in a tour of the ancient Acropolis ground.

Wherever we turned, history, art and culture surrounded us. 

Though it was touristy, one of my favorite moments was just before the Changing of the Guard in Syntagma Square in front of Parliament in downtown Athens. One tourist after another would go up and pose next to the stone-faced guard, who never broke his stoic expression, just as you see with the guards at Buckingham Palace. 

Haven't been to Athens yet? A cruise is the perfect way to see it. We list a couple of dozen cruise ships that call on Athens in our Athens travel guide. 

And here are my earlier Visual Lists — from the same trip — on:

• Santorini
• Kotor
• Dubrovnik
• Venice