THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF ......Underwater Archaeology, and the Mausoleum of...

THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES

Turquoise Coast


ABOUT THE GULET: Savor the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean shores

aboard this elegant sailing yacht, handcrafted of exotic hardwoods of mahogany

and teak. Spacious fore, aft and side decks, air-conditioning and advanced nautical

equipment have been added to her ancient design, satisfying contemporary

comforts. The ingenious interior creates luxurious living quarters with high

ceilings and wide corridors. The spacious salon includes a stocked bar (nominal

charges for drinks) and romantic cushioned seating area surrounding an elegant

table. Mahogany walls highlight spacious cabins with queen beds, reading lights,

generous storage space, air-conditioning and private bathroom with enclosed

shower and marble sink with vanity.

A three-five person crew consisting of captain, cook, first mate and deckhands,

will take care of all needs of the passengers and the yacht. Their responsibilities

include (among others), steering the vessel, sailing, cooking, cleaning and service

for drinks and snacks throughout the day, as well as at meal times. From the

fully equipped galley a skilled chef, whose expertise ranges from haute cuisine

to regional specialties, guarantees satisfaction for even the most discriminating

palate. Cuisine on board a gulet is tasty and imaginative. Seafood is served

Mediterranean style, organically grown fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits of the

season ensure true flavor.

Sailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, canoeing, fishing and board games or cards are

just some of the extra activities available from the yacht. Each day your captain

will arrange visits ashore for hiking, site-seeing, shopping, dining, nightlife and

of course the exploration of ancient sites. Spend the next seven days leisurely

sailing, sunbathing, swimming and shopping, all while “diving” into three

thousand years of ancient history.

DEPARTING IN BODRUM AND ENDING IN GÖCEK (BODRUM - KNIDOS - DATCA - SIMI - RHODES - MARMARIS - EKINCIK & DALYAN - GÖCEK)

Ms Myra in St. Georges Bay, Simi


DAY 1 - SATURDAYTransfer to the lively and cosmopolitan Bodrum harbor and board your luxurious

sailing gulet in the afternoon. Your captain and crew will be waiting to welcome

you on board.

DAY 2 - SUNDAY Year round balmy temperatures, international marinas, elegant boutiques, chic

cafés and night clubs and a variety of delightful dining experiences attract many

to the lively Bodrum harbor. The 15th century Crusader castle, the Museum of

Underwater Archaeology, and the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, one of Seven

Wonders of the Ancient World, add an historical dimension to this resort.

(optional): This morning visit the 15th century Crusader castle, which houses

the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, exhibiting ancient shipwrecks

raised off the coast of Turkey, and the intact remains of a Carian princess’ tomb

dating to the time of Alexander the Great.

Around midmorning, depart Bodrum, sailing across the Gulf of Gokova to the

Datca peninsula and the site of Knidos.

The little known Datca-peninsula is a long, narrow, mountainous finger of land

that extends into the sea like a long green dagger, a slice of green creating a

natural division where the Mediterranean and Aegean seas meet. Winds keep

pine forests to sheltered hollows, and habitations are few and far between. This

ancient Carian city located at the tip of the Datca peninsula, was described by

Strabo as “a city that was built for the most beautiful of goddesses, Aphrodite,

on the most beautiful of peninsulas.”

(optional): Tour the excavations of Knidos, famous in antiquity for the cult of

Aphrodite started there. Situated at the end of the Datca peninsula, this Dorian

city was built on terraces rising to the acropolis. The city flourished during the

Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Straddling the peninsula, it had

a deep harbour on either side, one Aegean and the other in the Mediterranean.

The site was excavated in 1857 by C. T. Newton and from 1967 by Iris Love.

Famous as a center of art and culture in the 4th century BCE, and considered

the most beautiful city in antiquity, Knidos was established at the same time

as Halicarnassus (now Bodrum), as one of the six Dorian colonies in Asia Minor.


Knidos seems to have kept a purer Greek character, no doubt because it set its

sights seaward and had little contact with the inland regions. The excavations have

uncovered residential quarters, a series of colonnaded walkways, 2 large theaters,

an odeon and 3 temples. The remains of a circular temple dedicated to Aphrodite,

the Goddess of Love, overlook the 2 harbors, the arcade here was built of white

marble heart - shaped columns. The legendary Aphrodite of Praxiteles statue here

was reputedly one of the most beautiful sculptures of the antiquity.

(optional): Afterwards sail to Kargi Bay and from here you have the opportunity

to visit Eski Datca (Old Datca), a picturesque stone village with cobbled streets,

lovely small houses, cafés, taverns, boutiques, art galleries. This quaint village

and has recently experienced a major restoration effort, creating a handcraft

paradise, with artists and jewelry ateliers in their studios producingoriginal

and unusual peices. Formerly a Greek-populated village, it is one of the few in

Turkey that has survived intact. It is a place, artists, expats and intellectuals feel

totally at home. This town also attracts attention with its Seljuk period mosque

and a beautifully restored 200 year old mansion turned historical boutique hotel,

offering a unique insight into the lifestyle of the 19th-century Ottoman nobleman.DAY 3 - MONDAY

Early morning cruise to the picturesque resort of Datça where pine, oak, and

myrtle covered mountains plunge down to a serene beach and two natural

harbors. Enjoy a stroll through the town, the relaxed cafes and the opportunity

for some shopping. Known for its timeless pace of life, natural beauty and

lovely climate, this town offers an insight into rural Turkish life where little has

changed for over 100 years. Village life is still based on agriculture, fishing, and

the shipyards where the traditional Turkish gulet yachts are built.

From here set sail for the tiny Greek Island of Simi in the Straights of Marmaris.

Directly hugging the Turkish Coast, the scenic natural landscape here consists

of a jagged coastline with sheer cliffs, narrow fjords, isolated coves and high

mountains. Since the classical times, Simi has flourished as one of the wealthiest

of the Dodecanese Islands due to the success of it sponge-diving and boat-

building industries, the later launching up to 500 ships a year. The island’s

well-protected natural harbors led to the Italian occupation in 1923, and

later the German occupation in 1943. After this Simi declined, the Ottoman

mansions built in better times slowly crumbling. Today, elaborate churches,


pretty boutiques, seafood restaurants and cafés line the fairy tale-like harbor,

and Neo-Classical facades painted in numerous shades of pastel colors overlook

the waterfront. Despite its turbulent history, Simi retains an aristocratic charm,

seen both in the carefully restored architecture, and in the gracious hospitality

of the island’s inhabitants.

DAY 4 - TUESDAYSet sail for the nearby Greek island of Rhodes. Spend the day independently

exploring the shops, galleries and cafes of the medieval old town.

(optional): In the morning, take a privately-guided visit of the Island of Rhodes,

which is the capital and largest island of the Dodecanese. Its famous Colossus

was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The perfectly preserved

medieval old town was restored by the Italians during their occupation in the

1930’s. Four kilometers of medieval city walls encircle narrow cobble-stoned lanes

leading to the street of the Knights and the magnificent Grand Masters Palace.

Today the palace houses an extensive archaeological museum and Roman mosaics

transported from the Greek Island of Kos. The Mandraki harbor is the hub of life

and the link between the old and new towns. Rhodes new town in contrast has

wide streets, modern cafés and high-end boutiques.

(optional): Here you have two choices if you want to visit parts of the island

with a van in the afternoon:

A tour of the lesser-known sites of Rhodes takes you on a drive of 30 minutes to

the small harbor at Skala Kamiros, full of traditional fish restaurants. The ancient

site of Kamiros was 1 of the 3 powerful cities of Rhodes in ancient times. It was

rediscovered in 1929 and has been called the Greek Pompei because nobody

knows why or how the city was deserted and buried. Drive through the interior

of the island, which is largely agricultural, much of it forested with spectacular

views, small rural villages, and old monasteries.

Alternatively, opt for the more typical tour during which you lunch at a

local restaurant followed by a 1-hour drive to the ancient site of Lindos. The

hospitable whitewashed village of Lindos is built at the foot of the acropolis,

with winding alleyways, old houses with red-tiled roofs, and a lovely Byzantine

church. Climb up to the site to explore the ruins and catch the breathtaking

view of the Mediterranean.


DAY 5 - WEDNESDAY

Return to the Turkish coast, docking in the picturesque harbor of Marmaris. Once a

little fishing port, today’s Marmaris is often called ‘The Jewel of the Turkish Riviera’.

Surrounded by pine-clad hills, the friendly and cosmopolitan city lies on one of the

world’s largest and beautiful natural harbors. Wander around the old town, with its

castle, historically preserved homes, and bustling bazaars. Early evening set sail for

a secluded cove outside the Marmaris Bay and moor for the night.

DAY 6 - THURSDAY

Cruise to the remote Bay of Ekincik to visit Dalyan, a fishing village located on

the Calbis River. The sandy Istuzu Beach is now the last breeding ground for the

pre-historic Loggerhead turtle.

(optional): A trip by fishing boat takes you through remarkable river scenery,

once the backdrop for the 1951 film, The African Queen, to the awe-inspiring

cliff tombs and the ancient city of Caunos. The rock tombs sculpted in the form

of porticoes of small Ionic temples are among the best examples of Lycian type

funerary architecture in Turkey, although the builders were Carians. The original

occupants of the tombs is not clear, but are assumed to have been Caunian

noblemen and rulers. In most cases the tombs were vacated and reused in

Roman times. The largest one is unfinished, providing an interesting insight

into the method of construction. The prosperity of Caunos was threatened

by the silting of the harbor after which the city was eventually abandoned.

The Mediterranean, which once surrounded the hill on which archaeological

site stands, has now retreated 5 km to the south, pushed back by silt from

the Dalyan River.

The border between the sea and the internal marsh is a long narrow beach

called The Turtle’s Beach, which is one of the few remaining locations in the

Mediterranean offering the right habitat for the Giant Loggerhead Turtle

(Caretta Caretta) to breed, in particular in June. The females lay their eggs by

night in the soft sand, in clutches of about 100. Since the early 90’s the beach

has been closed to the public from 8pm to 8am. The beach is open during the

day but swimmers and sunbathers are asked to exercise special care.


DAY 7 - FRIDAY

Today is spent sailing and swimming and snorkeling in some of the lovely bays

around Gocek and the 12 Islands.

Set at the deepest point of the Gulf of Fethiye, Gocek nestles at the foot of the

pine-clad mountains looking out over the ‘12 Islands’ of the bay. These twelve

islands offer an abundance of sheltered coves. Tersane Island features the partially

submerged ruins of a Byzantine monastery and an ancient boat-yard. Though

this area is called the 12 Islands, there are, in fact, far more to explore.

Dock in the picturesque port of Gocek, a small seaside-farming village, which

has become the yachting center of Turkey with a 5 star marina and facilities. The

lush village lies in a valley surrounded by hills on three sides. Due to abundant

freshwater, the warm climate and very fertile soil, farming still thrives here. The

gardens of local residents overflow with flowers, shrubs and home-grown produce,

while the sidewalks are lined with orange, tangerine, grapefruit and lemon trees.

DAY 8 - SATURDAY

Depart after breakfast for Dalaman airport and flights back to Istanbul, or transfer

to your next destination.

• Greek Island harbor fees are extra

• Optional touring where entrance fees are required or the service of a guide and /or van are needed are extra.

• Optional restaurants off the yacht are not included in the price, but meals off board will be deducted from the daily catering fees. Restaurants on-shore requires reservations.

• Transport to the airport or other incurs additional charges.

• There are nominal charges for drinks from the bar on board your gulet

• On a 7 day cruise embarkation is on Saturdays, and disembarkation the

following Saturday.

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