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THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES Tu r q u o i s e Co a st THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES DEPARTING IN BODRUM AND ENDING IN GÖCEK (BODRUM - KNIDOS - DATCA - SIMI - RHODES - MARMARIS - EKINCIK & DALYAN - GÖCEK) ABOUT THE GULET: Savor the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean shores fully equipped galley a skilled chef, whose expertise ranges from haute cuisine aboard this elegant sailing yacht, handcrafted of exotic hardwoods of mahogany to regional specialties, guarantees satisfaction for even the most discriminating and teak. Spacious fore, aft and side decks, air-conditioning and advanced nautical palate. Cuisine on board a gulet is tasty and imaginative. Seafood is served equipment have been added to her ancient design, satisfying contemporary Mediterranean style, organically grown fresh herbs, vegetables, and fruits of the comforts. The ingenious interior creates luxurious living quarters with high season ensure true flavor. ceilings and wide corridors. The spacious salon includes a stocked bar (nominal Sailing, waterskiing, snorkeling, canoeing, fishing and board games or cards are charges for drinks) and romantic cushioned seating area surrounding an elegant just some of the extra activities available from the yacht. Each day your captain table. Mahogany walls highlight spacious cabins with queen beds, reading lights, will arrange visits ashore for hiking, site-seeing, shopping, dining, nightlife and generous storage space, air-conditioning and private bathroom with enclosed of course the exploration of ancient sites. Spend the next seven days leisurely shower and marble sink with vanity. sailing, sunbathing, swimming and shopping, all while “diving” into three A three-five person crew consisting of captain, cook, first mate and deckhands, thousand years of ancient history. 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 Ms Myra in St. Georges Bay, Simi THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES DAY 1 - SATURDAY Transfer to the lively and cosmopolitan Bodrum harbor and board your luxurious The little known Datca-peninsula is a long, narrow, mountainous finger of land sailing gulet in the afternoon. Your captain and crew will be waiting to welcome that extends into the sea like a long green dagger, a slice of green creating a you on board. natural division where the Mediterranean and Aegean seas meet. Winds keep pine forests to sheltered hollows, and habitations are few and far between. This DAY 2 - SUNDAY ancient Carian city located at the tip of the Datca peninsula, was described by Year round balmy temperatures, international marinas, elegant boutiques, chic Strabo as “a city that was built for the most beautiful of goddesses, Aphrodite, cafés and night clubs and a variety of delightful dining experiences attract many on the most beautiful of peninsulas.” to the lively Bodrum harbor. The 15th century Crusader castle, the Museum of (optional): Tour the excavations of Knidos, famous in antiquity for the cult of Underwater Archaeology, and the Mausoleum of Halikarnassos, one of Seven Aphrodite started there. Situated at the end of the Datca peninsula, this Dorian Wonders of the Ancient World, add an historical dimension to this resort. city was built on terraces rising to the acropolis. The city flourished during the (optional): This morning visit the 15th century Crusader castle, which houses Archaic, Classical, Hellenistic and Roman periods. Straddling the peninsula, it had the Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, exhibiting ancient shipwrecks a deep harbour on either side, one Aegean and the other in the Mediterranean. raised off the coast of Turkey, and the intact remains of a Carian princess’ tomb The site was excavated in 1857 by C. T. Newton and from 1967 by Iris Love. dating to the time of Alexander the Great. Famous as a center of art and culture in the 4th century BCE, and considered Around midmorning, depart Bodrum, sailing across the Gulf of Gokova to the the most beautiful city in antiquity, Knidos was established at the same time Datca peninsula and the site of Knidos. as Halicarnassus (now Bodrum), as one of the six Dorian colonies in Asia Minor. THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES 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, DAY 3 - MONDAY offering a unique insight into the lifestyle of the 19th-century Ottoman nobleman. 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, THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES (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 pretty boutiques, seafood restaurants and cafés line the fairy tale-like harbor, church. Climb up to the site to explore the ruins and catch the breathtaking and Neo-Classical facades painted in numerous shades of pastel colors overlook view of the Mediterranean. 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 - TUESDAY Set 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. THE TURQUOISE COAST AND THE GREEK ISLANDS OF SIMI AND RHODES 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.

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