WELCOME TO TURKEY

This is the Turquoise Coast at its finest. In a part of Turkey that has seen tremendous tourist development, our sailing journey provides a way to escape the package holiday crowd and take a look at the fascinating and beautiful country that lies beyond the reach of the majority of tourists. We cruise for four nights on a fully-crewed traditional wooden Gulet, equipped with all modern amenities, private cabins, motors, and fully functional rigging. The closeness of a small group of travellers promotes camaraderie as we ply a leisurely course through rocky islets and azure waters. Shore trips include walks along the historic and rugged Lycian Way. Springtime means perfect temperatures and blankets of wildflowers, while fall offers warm seas and thyme-scented evenings under the stars.

ITINERARY IN BRIEF
For detailed itinerary (PDF), click here
For hotel samples, click here.

Day 1 • Arrive in Istanbul, Turkey.

Day 2 • Istanbul: city tour, including the Hippodrome and Agia Sophia.

Day 3 • Morning flight to Antalya. Sightseeing in Antalya.

Day 4 • Drive southwest toward Finike via the ruins of Myra and the Church of St. Nicholas. Board our gulet and head west skirting the indented coast.

Day 5 • Explore submerged ruins at Kekova and visit Aperlai, a 4th C Lycian city. Visit Kas before readhing anchorage.

Day 6 • Optional 3 hr hike to Lydea, ancient Lycian Oracle.

Day 7 • Hamam Cove - swim and snorkel, searching for sponges, octopus and fish. An easy walk takes us along the cove. Optional hike to Kalekoy (Simena), a pastoral village crowned by a Crusader castle.

Day 8 • Visit Oludeniz, one of the most photographed beaches on the Mediterranean. Stop at Gemiler Island where we can hike to the 6th C. ruins of a Byzantine monastic society. Disembark at Fethiye.

Day 9 • Drive to Bodrum, site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Mausoleum.

Day 10 • Travel northward along the Aegean coast to Kusadasi, a beautiful port city with a small island fortress.

Day 11 • Drive to Ephesus, one of the highlights of any visit to Turkey. Proceed to Izmir for a late afternoon flight to Istanbul.

Day 12 • Istanbul: Topkapi Palace. Free afternoon.

Day 13 • Departure from Istanbul.

OUT FACTOR

Historically, homosexuality was a rooted tradition in the era of Ottoman Empire, which lasted more than five centuries. It is known that some of the sultans had homosexual affairs and public Turkish baths (hammams) were the common meeting place among men. There were also poets and musicians who were known to be homosexual. These traditions lost their influence with the westernization of Turkey, which came with the establishment of the Republic in 1923. That said, the overt gay lifestyle is not terribly jarring to most Turks as, traditionally, this is already a society with a high level of male/male and female/female camaraderie: ie Turkish men hang out with other men; they touch and caress and walk arm in arm. Women have even easier access to one another, as is common in Muslim cultures, where the genders are usually segregated in public. Generally, for the sake of your experience on tour in Western Turkey, you will find attitudes fairly consistent with what you may have encountered elsewhere in Europe.

PLEASE NOTE

This itinerary is correct at time of publishing. For a more detailed itinerary, download a PDF here. We reserve the right to make changes as necessary due to reasons beyond our control. For booking terms and conditions, please refer to our Booking Terms.