Cruising Western Lycia

Lycian tombs at Xanthus

This cultural tour and gulet cruise in Turkey explores a quite beautiful stretch of coastline behind which an extraordinary culture and a fiercely independent people developed.

Once a day we visit one of the antique cities that adorn this timeless coast. We step back in time, to see how these cities evolved from Greek, Roman and Byzantine times to the present day. Their location, history, and state of preservation make for some of the most fascinating archaeological sites in the world. From mighty theatres to churches floored with mosaics, each site is an archaeological adventure, part of a historical puzzle that reveals a remarkable story of human civilisation.

Travelling aboard a beautiful Turkish gulet every day there are plenty of opportunities to swim in the crystal waters of the Turquoise coast, to windsurf, or to kayak. Mooring in secluded bays we set out on foot for a hike along ancient roads lined with wild herbs, or stroll through olive groves strewn with rock cut tombs.

Highlights include Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, whose magnificent treasures caused an extraordinary stir when they were brought to the British Museum and Gemiler Island, a small town that shone only in Byzantine times, resplendent with an avenue of churches. We also have the opportunity to see Patara: a massive and monumental site, birthplace of St Nicholas (Santa Claus), besieged by Brutus (the murderer of Julius Caesar) and visited by St. Paul. Archaeologists at Patara are uncovering an amazingly well preserved site, complete with paved colonnaded streets, a vast granary built by Hadrian, a beautiful lighthouse and the celebrated council house of the Lycian League, a political federation which influenced the drafting of the US constitution.

Request a brochure or to book your place, please contact our office.

 

Day 1: Our gulet is about 30 minutes from Dalaman airport at Göcek, a pretty harbour beneath mountains at the head of the Bay of Fethiye, on Turkey’s Mediterranean coast. Welcome dinner on board.

Day 2: We head east to the island of Gemiler, with its superb Byzantine churches, a pilgrimage centre for St Nicholas. The area is perfect for swimming and snorkelling.

Day 3: We cruise on to Kaş, a beautiful village of white-washed houses covered with purple bougainvillea. Ancient Antiphellos lies littered in amongst the modern town: stunning sarcophagi and a theatre with a magnificent sea view.

Day 4: East to the spectacular village of Üçagiz, old Teimiussa, one of the most evocative of all Lycian burial sites. On to fascinating Kale, site of ancient Simena, perched among a jumble of Lycian sarcophagi and an Ottoman castle. One of the most romantic settings of the holiday.

Day 5: We set off west for pretty Kalkan. Inland to Xanthus, the great capital of ancient Lycia, where excavations are uncovering a vast monumental city.

tour group on top of the Ottoman castle at Kale, Lycian Turkey

Day 6: We head to Patara, birth place of St. Nicholas (Father Christmas) and a major naval and trading port of ancient Lycia. Much of Patara still remains undiscovered, but excavations have revealed many structures previously hidden by sand dunes. Among them, the parliament building of the Lycian League (a formative influence in the creation of the US Constitution).

Day 7: A last dip before cruising into Fethiye. A visit to Telmessus’ massive cliff face tombs and a final chance to shop. A fitting end to this inspirational holiday in Turkey.

Day 8: Transfer from our gulet back to Dalaman airport.

Arrival and Departure Information

Arrival Airport - Dalaman
Departure Airport - Dalaman

We recommend you arrive at the gulet in Göcek (approx 30 minutes from Dalaman airport) in the late afternoon/evening on September 1st, and leave the boat in Fethiye (approx 60 minutes from Dalaman airport) first thing in the morning of September 8th. We will arrange local transfers from Dalaman airport at the start of the tour, and to Dalaman airport at the end of the trip.

Guests can board the gulet after 5pm on the first day. You are more than welcome to arrive earlier to drop off your bags, but please be aware that the crew will be busy cleaning and tidying until late afternoon making everything ready for your group.

Suggested Flights
If you are staying in or connecting via Istanbul then the easiest way to get to and from the gulet is to fly. There are a number of airlines that offer domestic flights in Turkey. Here is the recommended flight time with Turkish Airlines the national flag carrier in Turkey.

Arriving Saturday September 1
Turkish Airlines TK2558 departing Istanbul Ataturk at 17.20 arriving in Dalaman at 18.40.

Departing Saturday September 8
Turkish Airlines TK2553 departing Dalaman at 09:50 arriving Istanbul Ataturk at 11:10.

Turkish Airlines has a much larger selection of flights on these days and there are alternative flights to and from Istanbul with some of Turkey’s low cost airlines such as Atlas Jet, and Onur Air

Please note: Flights are subject to change. Please contact Turkish Airlines for exact details.

Booking Flights
The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.

If you prefer to book with a travel agent, we are happy to recommend specialists in a number of countries around the world, please contact our office for more details.

Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a requirement of our booking conditions and we recommend you investigate the options thoroughly to make sure that your trip is properly covered.

In the UK we work with specialist travel insurers Milsom Howard Ltd. 22 Highfield Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB10 8AN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1895 234 919 • Fax: +44 (0) 1895 231 864 • Email: globetrotter@milsomhoward.com.

Our travel insurance specialist in the US is Julie Gorny, Email: juliannegorny@yahoo.com • Tel: +1 773 445 7537 • Mob: +1 773 972 8849.

Alternatively you might like to look at an online travel insurance company like World Nomads to give you a comparison in terms of price and coverage.

If you would prefer not to take out travel insurance you will need to complete a travel insurance waiver form.

Visas
Visas are easily obtained on arrival at Istanbul airport (or other local airports). A visa costs £10 for UK Nationals, $20 for USA Nationals and AUS $20 for Australian Nationals. Only US dollars and Euros are accepted at the airports and visas must be paid for in cash. Once you have arrived in the terminal, do remember to obtain your visas before queuing up for immigration control. You can get your visa in advance, before you arrive in Turkey, from any Turkish Consulate, but it entails time and an extra visa processing fee.

Istanbul
If you are planning to stay in Istanbul before or after your gulet tour we have included below links to more information and things to see and do.

Istanbul Destination Guide
Istanbul Travel Article

Custom Tours
If you are thinking of extending your trip to Turkey to include visits to Cappadocia, Ephesus, Istanbul or further afield, please contact our office for further information.