Beat
the tour busses, and sail to ancient destinations, to live
a life-style that has been going on much the same for thousands
of years. You will be part of a sailing experience on the
ancient trade route, to discover the shores of North Aegean
like no other contemporary visitor had done before. |
Diverse
activities include sailing, fishing, snorkeling, hiking
and sight seeing. Your experience will not be limited to
swimming and sunbathing in coves where you see countless
tour boats. You will be part of the crew, as much, or as
little as you want. You will become a sailor, an Aegean
Seafarer at the end of the tour. |
You
will have private cabins and facilities, but do not expect
waiters in white gloves. Our boat is a traditional gulet,
also powered by an engine, but with the prevailing winds,
sails will be the medium to cruise. |
Wake
up before sunrise, if you wish, and get ready for snorkeling.
With the right bait and setline, dinners may be a feast
with Dusky Sea Perch, Sea Bass or Eel. As we sail, our spinner
will be in the water for the catch of the day. |
We
can not say the idea is new; the route was a beaten path
two thousand years ago! Odysseus had to tie himself to his
boat’s mast to overcome the temptation of sirens (mermaids
of the Aegean); so bring a rope along... |
|
| highlights
in a nutshell... |
|
•
Off the beaten path locations, non-touristy, attractive
fishing villages of the Aegean
• Gallipoli Peninsula, stage of a fierce battle during
WW1
• Legendary Troy in Homer's epic, the Illiad
• Tenedos Island, shelter for the Greek fleet hiding
from the Trojans
• Assos and the Temple of Athena, Aristotle’s
favorite spot at sunset!
• Hellenistic Pergamon that rivaled Athens' Acropolis
• Aesclepion, ancient medical center dedicated to
god Apollo
• Cunda Island, gourmet seafood capital of Aegean
Turkey
• Ayvalik, land of olive groves and old, stately houses,
for locals and swallows
• Ancient Ephesus, capital city of the Asian Province
of Rome
• Bodrum, or ancient Halicarnassus, hometown of historian
Herodotus
• Crusader Castle, home to a spectacular Museum of
Underwater Archeology |
|
| 10
nights & 11 days - tour starts in Istanbul, ends in Bodrum
- |
| contact
for pre- & post-tour alternatives |
-
Accommodations in centrally located hotels for 2 nights, in
Istanbul and Canakkale
- Accommodation on board the boat for 8 nights
- All breakfasts, 8 lunches and 3 dinners, bottled water in
all provided meals
- All tips, including your guide and driver (excludes gratitude
for boat crew)
- All excursions, entrance fees to sites and museums listed
in the itinerary |
|
day
1 - Istanbul --- Dinner
will follow our welcome get-together and tour briefing.
|
day
2 - Canakkale --- on
the way to Asia Minor
|
Drive
to Dardanelles. We will visit Gallipoli WW1 memorials, and
learn about the fierce trench battle that changed the flow
of history, and led to birth of three nations. We will then
cross the Dardanelles, from Europe to Asia. Welcome to Asia
Minor! |
| Overnight
in Canakkale - Driving: 5,5 hours - Walking: 2 hours |
day
3 - Bozcaada (Tenedos) --- in
search of the Greek fleet
|
Today
we will visit Homer's Troy. Troy was a strategic stronghold
on the naval route through the straits. This was where boats
anchored, to wait for the right wind to sail up north, against
the merciless current of the Dardanelles. We will then take
a ferry to Tenedos Island, to get to our boat. Tenedos Island
is mentioned in the Iliad and Odyssey, as the hiding place
of the Greek fleet during the legendary Trojan War. We will
overnight in the shade of a castle from Phoenician times. |
| Overnight
aboard our boat - Driving: 1 hour - Cruising: 1 hour |
day
4 - Assos --- a
Doric Temple for the sunset
|
Sail
south in the dawn to Assos. This is where St. Paul and St.
Luke met, and 300 years before them, Aristotle taught for
three years. 1,000 feet above sea level, the - 6th century
BC - Temple of Athena, is like a watchtower overlooking
the Aegean. We will enjoy the view and watch the sunset
from this temple. |
| Overnight
on board - Saling: 4 hours - Hiking: 2 hours |
day
5 - Ayvalik ---
pass an olive branch...
|
Enjoy
waters of the Aegean, Lesbos on one side, and Gulf of Edremit
on the other. We will sail with the morning breeze, till
we arrive to Cunda, an old Greek village. We will then take
a van to ancient Pergamon Acropolis, home of Altar of Zues,
and renowned as the city where parchment was invented. In
the afternoon, we will stroll the narrow streets of Ayvalik,
and have local fish dinner in Cunda Island. |
| Overnight
on board - Sailing: 2 hours - Driving: 3 hours - Hiking:
2 hours |
day
6 - Cesme --- Windsurf
paradise
|
Leave
Ayvalik for Cesme early in the morning. As we sail south,
we will try to catch the north-south current. We will try
to fish as well. In the afternoon, we will start to feel
the prevailing west wind of the Aegean, as a result of the
difference between land and water temperatures. We will
sail past the island of Chios to Cesme, lovely resort town
and world's number one location for windsurfing.
|
|
Overnight
in Cesme, next to 16th C. Ottoman Castle.
|
Overnight
on board - Sailing: all day, 8 to 10 hours |
day
7 - Kusadasi --- the
port of ancient Ephesus... |
Running
free along the Aegean. We will focus on backwind sailing
today, and learn how to cope with the howling wind, like
the ancient mariners 3,000 years ago. |
|
Overnight
on board - Sailing: 6 to 7 hours |
| day
8 - Kusadasi --- Romans,
citizens, lend me your ears! |
In
the Roman times, Ephesus was one of the largest metropolitans
of the world, and the capital city of Asian Province of
the Empire. We will be walking the streets that several
renowned personalities walked; such as Socrates, Anthony
and Cleopatra... We will see the theater building where
St. Paul preached, and the Celcius library, masterpiece
of Roman architecture. We will also enjoy the "Terrace
Houses", homes of the Roman jetset at the time. Later
in the day, we will see the Temple of Artemis, one of the
wonders of the ancient world. |
|
Overnight
on board - Hiking: 4 hours |
| day
9 - Bodrum --- Halicarnassus,
blue liberty... |
|
Through
the narrow channel between Samos and Turkey, we will sail
to Bodrum which is ancient Halicarnassus. In the afternoon
we will stroll the streets of this attractive resort town
and stop by Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, another wonder of
the ancient world.
|
|
Overnight
on board - Sailing: 7 hours
|
| day
10 - Bodrum --- Ancient
sailors and Crusaders |
| Visit
the Castle of St. Peter. The castle was built as a crusader
stronghold in early 1400s, and houses the best Museum of Underwater
Archeology in the world. A very exciting setting, and an outstanding
exhibition of artifacts, as a result of thousands of dives.
Free time in the afternoon. |
|
Overnight
on board - Walking: 4 hours
|
| day
11 --- We
will say “till we meet again” to one another after
breakfast, and move on to our own destinations... |
|
| re-building
a Bronze Age vessel
- written by Sidar Duman, SRM guide and travel consultant
- read this article about the re-animation of the oldest shipwreck
ever excavated. Sidar was active in this project, and he inspired
all of us to get involved and to realize this tour. |
|
| No
previous sailing experience is required, or necessary. |
| This
tour is physically demanding. |
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