November 6, 2024 - What am I Working On?
This is an exciting itinerary featuring a gulet cruise (a gulet is a traditional small wooden sailing vessels with 2-3 masts that originated in Türkiye) and history and culture galore!
Türkiye - 12 Days/11 Nights
My client wanted to surprise his wife for her birthday with an awesome trip reminiscent of one they took before they had kids. They'd done small ship sailing off the coast of Mexico & Belize, but wanted to explore a bit of the Aegean Sea as well as see some of the ancient historical sites in Türkiye. The ship they will sail on will have a maximum of 17 passengers, making it a super intimate experience where everyone will be friends by the end. This is a unique way to experience sailing, and is not terribly expensive either!
Itinerary
Day 1 - Selcuk, Türkiye
They will arrive and check into their historic mansion accommodations that were originally built just after WWI.
Day 2 - Tour of Ephesus
Today they will get a private tour of Ephesus: the amphitheater, of course, but also the Odeon, Domitian Temple, Celsus Library, and the Roman baths. They'll have a lunch and some time for shopping!
Day 3 - Embarkation & Didyma Apollo Temple
They'll check out of their historic accommodations and embark onto their gulet for their sailing tour. Enroute they will stop at the Didyma Apollo Temple, the 4th largest temple of the historic world, with an oracle 2nd only in importance to the one at Delphi.
Day 4 - Knidos
One of their ports of call, Knidos, was once considered the most beautiful city in all of ancient Greece. They'll stop here to see an excavated temple to Aphrodite and the beautiful scenery along the way.
Day 5 - Eski Datca
They'll stop today to see the Datca Old Town, which is known for its natural beauties, nostalgic stone streets with stunning purple flowers, and old stone houses. The roots of this town date back to the 11th century B.C.
Day 6 - Selimiye - Bozburun
Today's sailing will take them to Selimiye Bay, where they'll be able to explore the village that appears to be frozen in time. Next they'll sail to Bozburun which was once the center for sponge diving on the Turkish coast. They'll also see where many gulets are expertly produced by locals.
Day 7 - Bozukkale
They'll sail on towards the bay known as the "broken castle," Bozukkale, as one side of the ancient castle/fortress that guards the bay's entrance is missing. This castle was used by the Greek army in the 4th century B.C. to attack Rhodes.
Day 8 - Palamutbuku - Mersincik
Today they're headed to the Gulf of Hisaronu's westernmost anchorage, Palamutbuku, which is widely regarded to have the most beautiful beaches in South Turkey. From there they'll overnight in Mersincik, boasting a secluded setting with turquoise waters surrounded by towering mountains.
Day 9 - Kisebuku - Bodrum
On their final day of sailing, they'll return to Bodrum, with a stop in Orak Island. Orak Island is a place diving enthusiasts won't want to miss as it has remarkable visibility - like being in an aquarium. It even has an underwater cave to explore!
Day 10 - Disembarkation in Bodrum
After disembarking, they'll head to the airport to take a short flight to Istanbul, where they'll continue their exploration of the amazing sites of Türkiye.
Day 11 - Istanbul
They have a 2-day private tour of Istanbul, ensuring they see all the major sites while they are there. Today includes the Hagia Sofia, Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, and the Grand Bazaar.
Day 12 - Istanbul
They'll continue their private tour of Istanbul today by seeing such places as Istanbul's spice market, Taksim Square, Istiklal Street, and Kadikoy. Tomorrow they'll return home, having explored much of Türkiye's culture and historical sites!
Does this type of trip appeal to you?
I love planning off the beaten track type of trips like this one with the gulet sailing. If you've had a dream but thought it was unattainable, or too hard to plan, let's chat! I would love to talk to you about it and see if we can't make it happen for you.
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