Exploring Jewish history on an Adriatic cruise – review

The author recounts an August seven-night Adriatic cruise on the Celestyal Journey, a mid-sized ship that pivoted to Europe after being stranded in the Persian Gulf earlier in the year. The cruise, embarking from Piraeus, Greece, explored destinations with significant Jewish historical relevance and other cultural sites.

• Kefalonia, Greece: Visited the island's Holocaust Memorial, commemorating the 1,800 Jewish residents deported and murdered by Nazis in 1943.
• Dubrovnik, Croatia: Explored the Dubrovnik Synagogue, established in 1352, which is the oldest Sephardi synagogue in continuous use globally.
• Trani, Italy: Toured the medieval Jewish quarter, Giudecca, and the 13th-century Scolanova Synagogue, returned to the Jewish community in 2005 as Europe's oldest active synagogue.
• Corfu, Greece: Learned about the deportation of 1,700 Jewish community members to Birkenau in 1944, with only 200 survivors.

The journey also included stops in Kotor, Montenegro, and Katakolon, Greece (gateway to ancient Olympia), concluding in Athens, offering a blend of historical exploration and leisure activities.