Chef-Led Culinary Journey Across the Adriatic & Greek Islands
September 27 – October 4, 2027 • Fusina (Venice), Italy → Piraeus (Athens), Greece • EXPLORA II • 7 nights
Cruise line
Explora Journeys
Ship
EXPLORA II
Duration
7 nights
Journey stats
7 ports • 5 countries
Featured departure
Chef Amar Santana’s featured culinary sailing
This is the chef-led Adriatic & Greek Islands journey. Select port experiences are hosted by Chef Amar, giving guests a deeper, more personal connection to each destination through food.
Journey overview
Join Chef Amar Santana for an immersive culinary voyage through some of the Mediterranean’s most captivating destinations, including Koper, Split, Kotor, Mykonos, and Milos. This is not a traditional cruise. It is a curated, chef-driven journey where select experiences are hosted by Chef Amar, offering a deeper, more personal connection to each destination through local ingredients, regional traditions, and authentic kitchen experiences.
Why this journey
- Featured chef-led sailing hosted by Chef Amar Santana
- Optional culinary experiences in select ports
- An ideal mix of culture, cuisine, and unhurried luxury
Key details
- Departure: Fusina (Venice), Italy
- Return: Piraeus (Athens), Greece
- Dates shown: 27 Sep 2027 – 04 Oct 2027
- Detailed culinary experience pricing and availability will be released closer to sailing
Route & key destinations
Fusina (Venice) → Koper → Split → Kotor → At Sea → Mykonos → Milos → Piraeus (Athens)
Route map
A compact route designed for unrushed days ashore and restorative time onboard.
Culinary host
Chef Amar Santana
Top Chef • Broadway by Amar Santana, Laguna Beach
Chef Amar Santana is one of Orange County’s rising culinary stars—widely credited with helping transform the local scene into a true food destination.
Coastal moments
Cinematic Adriatic scenery, old‑town charm, and Aegean glamour—paired with an unhurried onboard pace.
Old‑town evenings
Aegean island time
Culinary moments
Exclusive Chef-Led Culinary Experiences (Optional)
To preserve the flexibility of your journey, we’ve designed a collection of exclusive, optional culinary experiences in select ports—each thoughtfully curated around the region’s most authentic ingredients, traditions, and culinary environments.
Chef Amar Santana will personally host and guide each experience, collaborating with acclaimed local chefs and engaging with guests throughout. Rather than observing, you’ll be invited into the process—tasting, cooking, and interacting in real working kitchens—as dishes come together in a natural, unscripted way.
Koper
Istrian olive oils, seasonal ingredients, and countryside dining.
Split
Fire-driven cooking, traditional peka, and shared preparation.
Kotor
Adriatic seafood and refined coastal simplicity.
Mykonos
Farm, vineyard, and vibrant long-table dining experiences.
Milos
Pure, elemental seafood and coastal flavors.
Participation is entirely optional, allowing you to customize your experience at your own pace. Detailed pricing and availability will be released closer to sailing.
Day-by-day itinerary
Dates are shown for planning and may adjust. We’ll reconfirm details upon booking.
Delve into ancient palaces, century-old galleries, and modern-day exhibits as you whirl through Venice. Walk through masterpieces, catch an opera, gaze at medieval buildings, blow Murano glass and drift down the Grand Canal by gondola to visit churches, convents and campi “squares” that vary in spirit and scale. Cross hump-backed bridges, reach teeming Piazza San Marco’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, or duck down passages to escape reality. From palazzos to perfumeries and the must-see Bridge of Sighs, you’re only moments from a place of beauty in this liquid-gold city of treasures.
Delve into an explosion of Slovene natural wonders packed with architecture, adventure and picture-perfect towns humming with Adriatic allure. Meander Koper’s medieval cobbled old-town lanes for fine Venetian architecture then tuck into lively Tito Square with its Bell Tower and beautiful Praetorian Palace. Head to underground wonderlands at the mystical Škocjan Caves to gasp at stalagmites and stalactites. Zag along the crazy cobalt-blue waters to nearby Piran for just-off-the-boat seafood. Stroll the stony streets and Tartini Square, climb the hill to walk amongst medieval walls then wander to the Church of St George for the most magnificent views.
Sheltered by mountains and hills of pine, Split casts a sirenic spell, its terracotta-tiled rooftops spilling straight down to the sparkling Adriatic. Wander within the ancient walls of Diocletian’s seafront palace to its collonaded courtyard and cathedral, the sinuous streets and sunny squares abuzz with cafes and shops, and everyday life ongoing amid the palace’s atmospheric alleyways. From here, people‑watch over coffee on the Saint Tropez-esque Riva promenade; climb to the hilltop park, small churches hidden along the way, for a sundowner; or seek the sandy Bacvice beach, swimming the shallows as Splicani play picigin (ballgame), and perfecting the Dalmatian art of fjaka, the sweetness of doing nothing.
Comely Kotor Bay, a lesser-travelled amphitheatre etched into the Adriatic coast of Montenegro, welcomes with hypnotic jade waters encircled by emerald-crowned slopes. Sheltered in the fjord’s angelic embrace, Kotor Old Town beckons as a fairy-tale city whose formidable walls, Romanesque churches and medieval bastions have witnessed the highs and lows of masked carnivals and devastating earthquakes. Italian and Mediterranean influences flavour the cuisine, where gelato and brodetto accompany fresh Adriatic seafood. Uphill, the Church of our Lady of Remedy affords spectacular views of Kotor’s red-tiled UNESCO World Heritage rooftops, a manmade jewel amongst landscapes where the inspired will wander.
With more time to reflect, rejuvenate, and embrace the Ocean State of Mind, days at sea with Explora Journeys invite moments of unhurried exploration. Against a backdrop of endless blue, indulge in a varied programme of wellness, dining and entertainment, enriching the mind and indulging the senses, designed to satisfy even the most curious of minds. These moments at sea offer a rare chance to disconnect from the outside world and reconnect with yourself and your loved ones. With so many onboard experiences, each day at sea is unique and memorable.
If you start early, you’ll have Mykonos to yourself. Stroll narrow streets famous for Cycladic architecture and getting lost; whitewashed cubed buildings, alluring boutiques, orthodox churches and traditional windmills. Join glitterati guests at elegant events on iconic beaches, sink into saltwater pools, tour vineyards and dance at bars where beats evolve in tempo (and volume). When the heat of the day dies down, drop into the sacred isle of Delos to explore remarkable ruins; amphitheatres, temples, public squares, marketplaces and shrines to Greek Gods. Take a table in central Chora for perfectlycooked, local dishes with generous views; mounds of flaky filo, Greek salads, halloumi and sea urchin, washed down with freddo. When the sun sets, head for a signature sundowner with views across the ocean. After dark, follow the fun to legendary bars and clubs. Progressive and profoundly beautiful.
This horseshoe-shaped island at the outer edge of the Cyclades is where Venus de Milo was unearthed in 1820 – the unexpected bounty of a local farmer that now sits in the Louvre and remains one of the world’s greatest antiquities. Visitors here might find the ruins of the Hellenistic marble amphitheatre and 1st-century catacombs just as compelling, whilst others will be drawn to the island’s wild and colourful landscape, from hot springs, mines and volcanoes to rocky hillsides coloured russet, pink and orange. Of the 78 beaches, Sarakiniko’s white rocks sculpted by wind and waves lend it a lunar quality, whilst others proffer volcanic sands, sea caves and rock arches, each home to crystalline waters. Climb to the castle ruins in the hilltop capital Plaka for sunset views.
Athenians don’t live in the past. Ahead of its time, Athens exudes glamour and a sense of possibility - housing galleries, gelaterias, bijoux boutiques alongside a plethora of museums. And you can’t help but marvel at the archaeological wonders of the Acropolis and the Parthenon. Stroll through vibrant streets and markets, dance at buzzing bouzoukia, sing along in tavernas. At night, head to the harbour, where dimly lit bars serve the local ice cold beer. And, as you inhale the salty air and watch Greek fishing boats peacefully depart for their catch, reflect on this ancient city's progressive attitude.
Chef spotlight
Onboard culinary moments inspired by one of Laguna Beach’s most celebrated chefs.
Chef Amar Santana
Top Chef • Broadway by Amar Santana (Laguna Beach)
Chef Amar Santana is one of Orange County’s hottest rising stars, helping transform the local culinary scene into a true food destination. His career reached a major milestone in 2012—at just 30—when he opened his widely acclaimed flagship restaurant, Broadway by Amar Santana in Laguna Beach.
Known for globally influenced menus, unexpected flavor profiles, and artful presentations, Santana brings a distinctive point of view to every plate. He attributes his success to ambition, drive, and passion—paired with a steady commitment to craft.
Optional planning
Pre‑Journey
Allow us to ease you into your travel experience by taking care of all the essentials before your Journey.
- Private transfers — seamless private transfers to the ship from your hotel or the airport
- Air travel & private air charters — through airline partners we can help secure competitive fares, with flight protection
- Luxury hotels — bespoke accommodation near your port of embarkation via hotel partners
How to reserve: Contact the Explora Experience Centre for assistance: +41 43 508 64 78
Post‑Journey
Allow us to extend the experience by making your Journey home as seamless as possible.
- Hotel extensions and curated experiences
- Private transfers and logistics coordination
- International airfare planning
All journeys include
- Nine culinary experiences
- Unlimited fine beverages
- Thermal spa access
- Complimentary high-speed Wi‑Fi
- Wellbeing and fitness programmes
- All on-board gratuities
- Shuttle services from port to city centres
- Bottle of wine and spirit of the guests’ choice upon arrival
- In-suite welcome bottle of champagne and refreshments
- Authentic, cultured and intuitive service
- Additional benefits for guests of Ocean Grand Terrace Suites, Ocean Penthouses & Ocean Residences
Request availability
Tell us you’re interested in the Chef Amar Santana sailing and we’ll confirm suite categories, availability, and next steps.
Chef Amar Santana Culinary Journey
September 27 – October 4, 2027
Request Availability