The World's Narrowest Canal Is A Dramatic Hidden Gem Cruise In The Greek Aegean That Few Tourists See

In terms of scale, the Corinth Canal may not come close to the world's longest canals in China, Russia, Egypt, and Panama — a tropical paradise with one of the lowest costs of living in the world — but it can match them in grandeur and exceed them in history. Connecting the Saronic and Corinth gulfs on the east and west sides of the Greek Peloponnese, the 4-mile canal essentially forms a passageway between the Aegean Sea and Ionian, saving ships the 430 miles they'd have to sail otherwise. 

That said, the ships that use it today need to be less than 70-feet wide, owing to the exceptionally narrow channel. This discounts the majority of large commercial shipping and keeps the canal clear for pleasure cruises and tourism. When the largest ship to attempt passage, a 642-foot Fred. Olsen cruiser with 929 passengers in 2019, large collective breaths were held both onshore and off.

It wasn't just the lack of wiggle room at the waterline, either. The Corinth Canal also comes with sheer rock cliffs of limestone that rise dramatically on both sides up to 206 feet — almost within arm's distance for those onboard the cruise ship. Furthermore, on occasion, the rocks give way and create landslides that close the canal, a danger made all the more palpable by its location on one of Europe's most seismically active fault lines. Nevertheless, that doesn't stop the 15,000 ships from 50 countries that thread this geologic needle each year.

The value of a watery shortcut through the Peloponnese was not lost on the ancients. As early as 602 BCE, the ruler of Corinth conceived the idea of linking the two gulfs with a canal but never realized the plan. It took 600 more years for a spade to actually penetrate the earth and start opening the way, this time legendarily a golden one in the hands of Roman Emperor Nero — accounting for a faded relief of him still visible in the cliff walls. This was followed by shovel fulls of thousands of slaves that made significant headway over the next year until Nero himself was cut short by a dagger, ending the project. It wasn't until the late 19^th century that the Corinth Canal finally became reality, opening to traffic in 1893.

The best way to see the Corinth Canal is by ship, of course, and a number of ferries and mini-cruises provide transport, taking about an hour round trip. On other occasions, the channel is reserved for stand-up paddle board races and swimming competitions. Should that still not pump enough adrenalin, you can strap on bungee cords and leap directly into the canal from the under girders of one of the bridges crossing the top. 

Otherwise, head to the ends of the canal to watch the submersible bridges rise and fall. Just 50 miles east of the Corinth Canal is Athens, the Iconic Greek city with the best museums, according To Rick Steves. That includes the Acropolis at the best time of day to visit.