Travel brochure 2013

It’s that time of the year again – our new travel brochure (2013) has just been printed and is being posted all over the world as I am writing this.

As every year, it is attractive, informative and full of enticing images. Likewise as every year, there has been a lot of work in it for all of us, from writing and editing via lay-outing, choice of illustrations, design, proofreading, to supervising the actual printing process. Now, while old friends and, hopefully, new guests are perusing next year’s offers, we have a little time to sit back, look at the finished product and contemplate is as a reflection of how far Peter Sommer Travels had developed from its modest roots…

It all started two years after Peter‘s 2000-mile walk following the route of Alexander the Great through Turkey, in 1996, when Peter first had the opportunity to organise a historical tour through the country that has proved so enduringly fascinating to him. What Peter realised that year is how much he loves to share that fascination with others – but he could only have dreamt then how that passion would subsequently lead to the creation and growth of Peter Sommer Travels.

The first brochure proper appeared in 2005. It counted 20 pages and six individual tours and cruises, all in Turkey and all guided by Peter. About a thousand copies were printed and distributed then.

The Outer Throne Room at Knossos, seat of a major and mysterious dignitary some 2,500 years ago

The 2013 brochure has 92 pages (16 more than 2012!), and nearly 9,000 copies are being printed. It lists 27 separate tours in three countries (Turkey, Greece and Italy) on 21 different itineraries, using 14 guides, including 11 specialist guides from various fields, and our three core guides, Peter, Michael (with us since 2006), and myself (since 2009), all sharing Peter’s passion in bringing the fascination of the ancient and modern Mediterranean to our guests. Strictly speaking, that does not even represent our whole range, as some of our specialist guides are unavailable for 2013 and some of our itineraries cannot be scheduled every year for technical reasons. Also, this does not count the private guided charters we run each summer on request

In 2011 and 2012, we have already introduced numerous new itineraries, all of which have proved popular. They include Exploring Istanbul, Exploring Cappadocia, Cruising to the Cyclades, Cruising the Amalfi Coast, and our Gastronomic Tour of Eastern Sicily.

In 2013, we are adding even more options:

- An 11-day tour In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great in Asia  Minor as Part 1  (of 2) of our classic 20-day tour In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great in Turkey. The full 20-day version is our original long-time classic tour, which we have led since the late 1990s. For years now, we have been asked to offer  shorter versions of that tour, as many guests cannot easily free up three weeks. Thus we offer Part 1 (Part 2 will follow), alongside the full tour, which will return in future years.

The great ancient city of Knidos, a main feature of our tours in Caria and the South-East Aegean

- Similarly, we have created an 11-day version Alexander in Greece: Birth of a Legend of our 20-day-tour in the footsteps of Alexander in Greece. Taking in the great leader’s upbringing and early success, this is a shorter complement to the full tour following the Macedonian prince’s upbringing in what is now Northern and Central Greece.

- Exploring Crete: Archaeology, Nature and Food. This is a brand-new tour, devoted to that grand and beautiful isle at the heart of the early development of European civilisation, and – as the title implies – taking in all aspects of that fascinating  island.

- Cruising the South-East Aegean, Greek islands and Turkish Shores is a brand new itinerary, combining some of the most fascinating islands of the Southern Dodecanese with the adjacent shore of modern Turkey, especially the great site of Knidos,  set on the Turkish Mainland but literally ringed by Greek isles we also visit on the same cruise.

- Walking and Cruising Western Lycia is a week-long version of our highly successful 2-week walking cruise along the amazing shores of Lycia, jam-packed with incredible archaeological sites.

The Chora (island capital) and fortified monastery of Patmos, highlight of our Northern Dodecanese cruise

We have also reinstated several trips we have run now and then before:

- Cruising the Ceramic Gulf (Turkey): following the main sites in the seas south of Bodrum, an area of immense natural beauty and historical interest.

- Cruising the Northern Dodecanese (Greece), an island cruise taking in legendary Samos with its grand remains from the Archaic period, Patmos, eternally sacred to Christianity, and Kos, with its great ancient city and sanctuary of Asklepios, god of healing.

So, there’s much to consider, much to enjoy, and much to explore. Please browse our brochure online, order a copy, or download the pdf. For more images, browse our albums on facebook, and if you are tempted to travel with with Peter Sommer Travels, feel free to contact us.