Yachting in Turkey - Exploring the Lycian Shore

Overview

Turkish history and culture is among the richest in the world, and its cuisine is among the finest. ROW's 15-day small group yacht tours travel the Aegean Sea and Lycian Shore in a mixture of active exploration. Indulge in traditional Turkish meals and savor the excellent red and white wines of the region while wandering through small coastal villages and exploring hidden rock coves, wooded inlets and magnificent ruins from the Roman, Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

   

• Trip Duration: 15 Days
• Intensity: Easy
• Season: May - October
• Begins in: Istanbul, Turkey
• Closest Airport: Istanbul, Turkey

Details

Turkey borders eight countries and straddles the border between Europe and Asia. 2008 marks ROW's 25th year operating yacht tours in Turkey. With the Mediterranean to the south, Aegean Sea to the West and Black Sea to the north, exploring Turkey by yacht is an excellent option. ROW's 15-day yacht tour in Turkey includes 8 days aboard our traditional wooden motor yacht, or "gulet."

Turkey's strategic location between Europe and Asia has contributed to its unique culture, which is a colorful blend of Eastern and Western traditions. ROW's adventure cruise in Turkey is a mixture of active exploration developed by ROW Founder, Peter Grubb, who personally led these trips from 1984 to 1992 and still leads an occasional departure.

You'll walk through Greek and Roman ruins, swim in turquoise waters and wander through small coastal villages. You'll travel beneath towering mountains that fall into crystal blue seas and visit quaint Turkish villages, hidden rock coves, wooded inlets and magnificent ruins of the Roman, Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman empires.

Nowhere in the world is there such a rich mix of culture and history as in Turkey. Our expert guides bring the past to life as we travel, making it easy to imagine life as an early seafarer while you stand on the deck of our handmade wooden yacht. The words of Homer and the Greek myths take on new life in Turkey and the experience is certainly romantic.

Some nights we anchor in remote bays where you might hike among the rocks and pines, or swim and relax on a deserted beach. Other nights will find us in small local towns strolling along the waterfront and savoring the local color in neighborhood cafes. The Turks are wonderful people; friendly, open and honest. They are eager to learn about our country and equally eager to share their own.

We travel aboard a traditional gulet, a beautiful yacht handcrafted in Turkey. Ranging from 70-78-feet in length, the gulet's wide beam provides plenty of comfort and space. The yacht has a sitting salon, covered dining area, kitchen, and double cabins. Each cabin has a private bathroom and the yacht has plenty of space for lying in the sun and relaxing. Some people might enjoy sleeping under the stars out on the yacht's deck.

Throughout the trip, traditional Turkish meals are prepared from an array of fresh vegetables, fruit, dairy goods, lamb, and freshly caught fish. Turkish cuisine has a reputation for being among the finest in the world, and the wine and beer is excellent.

Wind conditions on our yacht trips in Turkey can be quite variable, but the seas are generally calm. In order to maximize available time for exploration, we travel under motor power, occasionally raising sails when wind conditions permit. We typically travel around 3-4 hours each day, and spend the remainder of the day ashore or enjoying the comfort of the yacht and swimming in the idyllic seas.

ROW has hosted travelers age 4 to 87 on these yacht tours of Turkey. While onboard, you can participate in as much or little as you like. Whether your interest is Greco-Roman history, modern Turkish culture, swimming, hiking, lazing in the sun, or all the above, you'll find yachting in Turkey a satisfying adventure.

Air temperatures in Turkey range from 80-95 degrees in June through September, and 80-85 degrees in May and October. Water temperatures are warmer in September-October, but still very comfortable for swimming on earlier departures. Each yacht trip to Turkey provides ample time for swimming, snorkeling and wind surfing in the warm, clear waters.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Fly USA to Istanbul.

Day 2 - Arrive Istanbul. Meet your guide at our hotel in the evening for a welcome dinner and orientation meeting. D.

Day 3 - Istanbul. Today we spend the day exploring a few of the highlights of Istanbul. We will include as many sites as we can depending on the day of the week. The Topkapi Palace built in 1486 housed Ottoman Sultans for nearly 400 years. The Aya Sofya (Sancta Sophia) is one of the greatest domes in Christendom and was considered the architectural wonder of its time when built 536 AD. Across the Hippodrome, the towering minarets and exquisite blue Iznik tiles that adorn it, make a visit to the Blue Mosque, Istanbuls most famous, a must. You may want to spend extra time in Istanbul to explore and appreciate its many wonders. B,L,D. Overnight hotel in the historic walking district of Sultanahmet.

Day 4 - Istanbul to Izmir to Ephesus – After a morning flight , we travel to the marvelous ruins of Ephesus, the fabulously preserved Biblical city where St. Paul and St. John lived. It takes little imagination to understand the glory of the Roman Empire and to recreate the daily lives of the people who lived here more than 2,000 years ago. Ephesus is easily one of the best-preserved cities, more astounding than even the Acropolis in Athens. After lunch, we visit the rich collection of the Ephesus Museum. Hotel overnight near Ephesus. B,L,D.

Day 5 – Ephesus -Marmaris - After an early breakfast we begin our drive to Marmaris, a bustling harbor and resort town where many of Turkey’s finest gulets are built. En route we will stop and visit Priene, a significant site because it remained entirely Greek, never changed by the Romans. Continuing south we will visit the remarkable Temple of Apollo at Didyma, one of the most well-preserved and impressive temples in all of Asia Minor. In Marmaris we board our yacht. B,L,D.

Day 6 - Marmaris-Caunos - Today we travel east to the Dalyan River where we climb aboard a small fishing boat for a trip up the Dalyan River to visit the ruins of Caunos. Spectacular Lycian wall-tombs are a photographer's delight. We return to our yacht anchored in Ekincik Bay with time for a swim before dinner. B,L,D.

Day 7 - Caunos-Fethiye - We get underway for a two-hour morning cruise to the cove of Aga Limani where we'll swim and take an optional hike to the hidden ruins of Lydae. Mid-afternoon we'll anchor at Fethiye, a busy town that serves as the business hub for the surrounding area. Here you will get a good feel for a working Turkish town. We'll see several famous and huge Lycian rock tombs carved into the face of the cliffs above town. They remain much as they were when first constructed during the 4th century BC. Fethiye is an excellent place to shop for kilims, carpets and gold earrings. Dinner on your own in town. B,L.

Day 8 - Fethiye-Pinara-Kayakoy-Yassica Island - After a relaxing morning we leave Fethiye and drive to a spectacular narrow river canyon for a fresh trout lunch. After lunch we continue to Pinara, perched atop the mountains in the most spectacular setting of any Lycian city in the Xanthus valley. A massive wall of simple tombs has been carved into the cliffs, giving the look of a honeycomb. Several impressive temple tombs as well as the remains of a temple of Aphrodite add to the excitement of this magical ruin. From Pinara we drive to the old Greek city of Kayakoy that was deserted in the population exchange of 1923. It remains today as an eerie ghost town and graphic example of the injustice of war. Leaving Kayakoy, we drive back to Fethiye to re-board our yacht for a short cruise to Yassica Island just outside Fethiye in Fethiye Bay. We will have time to enjoy a nice evening swim. B,L,D.

Day 9 – Yassica Island–Gemiler Island - This morning we will cruise or sail through several small islands passing Fethiye Bay and come to Gemiler Island and its Byzantine ruins. Legend has it that in Byzantine times, there lived here a fair skinned princess who couldn't tolerate the hot sun. The people were so enamored of her that they built a covered walkway that goes from the center of the island all the way to the sea. Much of it still remains and we'll enjoy plenty of time for exploration and relaxation. There may also be opportunity for a beautiful walk through a lush pine forest for those that want, or you may enjoy lazing in the sun, reading or marveling at the beauty of this exquisite place. B,L,D.

Day 10 - Gemiler-Kalkan-Xanthos-Yayla-Kas – An early start this morning to sail past the “Seven Capes”, a lonely stretch of coastline with no anchorage or protection from storms. Fortunately, there are typically no storms at this time of year but nevertheless our captain will be anxious to sail early to avoid any winds. We travel about four hours to a lovely harbor just outside the village of Kalkan where you may enjoy a swim and take an optional hike to an impressive aqueduct of Roman origin. We will be met by a minibus for another fabulous road trip to the interior. We visit the spectacular Lycian and Greek/Roman ruins of Xanthos. Here is the famous Tomb of the Harpies whose reliefs were taken by the British in 1838. We'll enjoy a couple of hours at this extensive site. Then, we'll continue high into the mountains to visit a small village, called a yayla and enjoy a lunch in a village house. After lunch, we'll return to the boat and continue roughly two hours east to Kas. (pronounced Kaash.) Kas is the quintessential Mediterranean fishing village. Dinner on your own in town. B,L.

Day 11 - Kas-Aperlae-Kekova - At Aperlae, we snorkel in crystal waters over sunken ruins and walk among the fallen stones of this one time member of the Lycian League. Nearby, the remote area, called Kekova, is one of the most beautiful and interesting places along the entire southwest coast of Turkey. Here we find two small fishing villages, which were without electricity until 1985. The village of Kale is crowned with a crusader castle, which commands a spectacular view across the bay, and up to the mountains. Across the bay we visit Tersane, where you may snorkel over sunken city walls that were above water before the land tilted sometime in the past 2,000 years. B,L,D.

Day 12 - Exploring Kekova - More wonderful walking, swimming, sunning and exploring. Time to absorb the many wonders you've experienced. B,L,D.

Day 13 - Kekova-Myra-Arycanda-Finike - After a relaxing day in Kekova we travel to the town of Demre where St. Nicholas (that’s jolly old St Nick, also known as Santa Claus) was bishop in the 4th century. Nearby we visit the ancient Roman city of Myra, which showcases a fabulous collection of Lycian tombs, cut out of the cliffs above the city. The huge Roman theater used for games and animal shows is most impressive. From Myra we travel by van, climbing up a green, river valley to the stunning ruins of Arycanda, stopping for lunch at a local trout restaurant, next to the cold-running river. We return to the yacht at Finike and will cruise just outside the harbor for a festive celebration on our last night aboard. B,L,D.

Day 14 - Finike-Olympos-Antalya - We depart the yachtafter breakfast and drive a few hours to the seaside ruin at Olympus, one of the most dramatic places in Turkey. Nearby, we hike to a place of ancient myth.... a place where Homer's fire-breathing monster, Chimaera, once lived. After a picnic lunch we continue to Antalya and settle into our hotel. Then we enjoy a walking tour of the old quarter of this enchanting port city before dinner under the moonlight on our last night together. B,L,D. Overnight at local hotel.

Day 15 – Transfer to Antalya - Flight to Istanbul, overnight on your own or return USA. Or visit Cappadocia.

Cappadocia - If you only have time to visit one other region of Turkey, this is the one you should see. With a magical moonscape set beneath two ancient volcanoes, accented by cylindrical volcanic ash columns called "fairy chimneys" by the Turks, this area has a fascinating history. You'll visit underground towns carved over 1000 years ago, as well as monasteries and churches carved inside the ash columns and painted with frescoes dating to the 8th century. 4-day extensions are designed to run after our trips. Without exception, every one of our guests who have been to Cappadocia has said "it should not be missed!"

Use the link below for PDF itinerary.

ROW Difference

The ROW Difference in Turkey

• ROW has been running yacht trips in Turkey for over 26 years
• Trips are limited to just 16 guests
• Smaller yachts mean a more intimate and personal trip experience
• We provide a dedicated trip leader who will be with you for the entire journey
• All of our guides are local. They all love to share their country's beauty, culture and history with guests.
• All of our guides are bilingual
• Our itinerary is designed to provide as much or as little activity as preferred, visit as many points of interest as possible while still maintaining the balance between relaxation and discovery
• We visit the more off the beaten path locations thus avoiding the crowds
• While on the yacht the majority of your meals are included and all are accompanied by local wines and beers in reasonable quantities

Responsible Travel

We are proud that our Turkish yacht trips strive to conserve the environment and benefit the local economy of the towns and islands we visit along the coast.

• We stay, where possible, in smaller locally owned hotels at the beginning and end of our trips. When onshore we eat in local restaurants. On the yacht we eat meals prepared from locally sourced ingredients
• We charter Turkish owned and crewed gulets
• We employ local Turkish guides
• Our trips offer an excellent opportunity for our guests to interact with locals, providing a strong cultural emphasis
• We encourage environmentally friendly practices on the yacht, changing bedlinen only once on the trip, recycling where possible. We are working to educate the crew and encourage guests to consider the impact of everything they do - e.g. providing a central drinking water source for guests to fill personal water bottles rather that hand out individual plastic bottles every day