A day in Argostoli, Greece

During our May 2023 Royal Caribbean Mediterranean cruise, we had a port day in Argostoli; here's how we maximized our time to see as much as possible!

Myrtos Beach

Originally, we were just going to explore the areas surrounding Argostoli's port by foot, but we really enjoyed our private tour in Athens and wanted to see more of Greece. Since I was traveling with my grandparents, I booked a private car to minimize walking over long distances and be able to see the most of this Ionian island.  

Luckily, Viator still had a reasonably-priced private tour available the night before our day in Argostoli, which I booked without issues. We were in port from 10AM to 6PM, so I booked a half day tour (4 hours) just to be safe. The total cost came to around $100 per person, which was a little higher than the $90 per person excursion offered from Royal Caribbean. However, this tour was so worth it for these reasons: 

• It was just our 4-person group (me, husband, grandma, and grandpa)
• Our private car drove us point to point, so less walking for my grandparents and we weren't crammed into a 100-person coach bus.
• We were able to adjust our itinerary and stay longer where we wanted
• We didn't have to wait for large groups to finish activities
• We saw more than the excursion offered by Royal since we didn't have to wait for large groups 
• The only excursion they offered that went to both Drogarati Cave and Lake Melissani was a 7 hour tour! Some half-day tours only stopped at one or the other, with nearby sights.)

Drogarati Cave

The Sights

In total, we saw:

• Drogarati Cave - Walked up and down the crazy stairs to see the stalactites and stalagmites. Wear closed-toed/washable shoes (and don't wear white)!
• Lake Melissani - By far our favorite part, we took a row boat to the center of this lake, which is in a cave. Gorgeous waters!
• Had a fantastic seaside lunch in Aghia Efimia and time to walk around the village
• Myrtos Beach - Photo stop

Lake Melissani

We are so happy we opted for a private tour, since it was comfortable and we beat the crowds at both Drogarati Cave and Lake Melissani. As we were leaving both places, we walked past the lines and were so grateful we didn't have to wait. The tour was a great value since it included our driver AND guide, who were so kind and knowledgable! They planned and paced well, since by the time we got to Lake Melissani, the sun was shining through the top cave opening, leading to a surreal sight.

Check your options!

I always price out private tours and compare against what the cruise line is offering. Usually with at least 4 people, I can get a similar per-person cost with a much better experience. Having a private car/driver is the biggest difference, but sometimes you'll be able to stop at a few other attractions or have lunch included in the price! 

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