This past May/June, I was kindly invited back onto The World – this time for a two week excursion that started in Corsica and ended in Corfu. I arrived with a lot of colorful Daria de Koning jewelry to place into my very own boutique as the ship cruised costal Italy and Greece. My jewels had a beautiful resting spot in suede-lined cases and perfect lighting that really set them off. It was a dream!

I met some lovely residents and guests while onboard, but I also had the good fortune to be able to hop off occasionally and see some of our ports of call. What was my favorite? It would be hard to say!

For years, I had been dying to go to Ravello, and my wish was finally granted. A visit in the early evening was complete with a walk around town, some shopping, a delicious Italian meal AND a fabulous Beethoven piano concert in an old church on a hillside. It was everything I had imagined it to be! 

After the Amalfi coast, we stopped at smaller islands like Ponza and Lipari in Italy, and Kefalonia and Paxos in Greece – all of which had their own charm.

Ponza had candy colored buildings, big cliffs and lots of my favorite mountain smells including the bright yellow, wild flower ginestra. If I can make this into a perfume/candle, you bet you'll be able to purchase it from me in the future! I took a wonderful hike up to the top of the highest mountain to visit an abandoned mansion (a long rocky path appropriately lined by stations of the cross). You can see a bit of ginestra in this photo taken from halfway up the mountain, with the World in the background!

In Lipari, I visited their local winery to sample the famous wines at sunset overlooking vineyards and ocean. The wines were delicious and I highly recommend trying it yourself if you get there. 

Next stop, Kefalonia. I had been here briefly 2 years ago, but this round I was able to explore the whole island and it might just have landed itself in my top 3 places to visit in Greece.  The town of Fiskardo is delightful and there were a few perfect coves to swim in the famous and restorative Greek waters. There is really nothing in the world quite like the teal, beryl and emerald seas that abound. Plus, the fresh, delicious foods make your body happy – a greek salad is a must for every day (you've never tasted feta and tomatoes like this!), as are the multitude of newly-picked vegetables that taste like heaven. Oh, and don't forget to try the lamb!

Before we landed in Corfu, we headed to tiny Paxos, a stunning island with a hopping nightlife of restaurants, bars and locals. I definitely didn't have enough time to explore here, so I'll have to head back another day.

And then it was off to Corfu... I'm still on my travel adventures and there's still so much to see and do, but what a stimulating and inspiring trip it's been so far. You know I'll be bringing back all the colors I've seen the last two weeks and putting them into new jewelry, so stay tuned for some drop-dead gorgeous combinations of hues and tones in my signature cabochon look....