Discover what to do during a pre-cruise stay in Venice (and why getting around isn't as easy as you'd think) and how to get to Chioggia to embark on your cruise. We'll share hidden gems you might not know about, like Piran, and experience the breathtaking views and cultural treasures of iconic ports like Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Santorini (you’ll never guess what happened that day), Olympia, and Athens.

We'll walk you through our favorite excursions at each stop, including third-party tour options we experienced firsthand. We share the unique aspects that made each destination special, and give you honest insights about the challenges and surprises we encountered. 

Whether you're planning your own Empires of the Mediterranean cruise with Viking, deciding which excursions to prioritize, or dreaming about this historic itinerary, you'll get our perspective on what makes this vacation spectacular and how to make the most of every magical moment.

The links below will help supplement this episode and take you to the tour companies we used to book excursions when we didn’t go through Viking: 

• We love Walks and Devour tours - search the Venice options to see what piques your interest. We highly recommend the “Venice in a Day” tour and “Venice at Sunset: Cicchetti, Food & Wine Tour”
• The Tour Guy made it possible for us to visit Murano & Burano from Venice in a half-day.
• Shore Excursions Group has a "back to ship guarantee". We did excursions with them in Zadar, Dubrovnik, and Corfu.
• Pack an AirFly for your cruise so you can go wireless on excursions. 
• Book your excursions via Viking before your cruise in My Viking Journey. 
• Here's exactly how to get from Venice to Chioggia with the public bus (with private transfer suggestions too).
• Docking in "Athens"? You'll really be in Piraeus.

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