Lycian Queen

Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore was a tremendous excursion through ancient Lycia. This was my fifth Peter Sommer trip and my fourth on a gulet. It encompassed all I want for my perfect holiday, boats, walking/hiking and seeing ancient remains. It was a very professional and wonderfully organised experience and every detail was catered for. I had to do nothing, but get up in the morning.

The gulet was very comfortable and I loved the cruising between the various beautiful locations. I could relax and watch others go for swims, snorkelling or paddle boarding. I was amazed how a small boat could produce such fresh and appetising food. One of our guides Cem, introduced us to wonderful Turkish wines. We also had many meals in local restaurants or on picnics, meeting local Turkish people. We even called into a bakery and saw our bread being made.

I am not sports minded, but walking is my delight. We walked/trekked through forests, open landscapes, sometimes easy walking, sometimes across rugged territory. Many of the tracks were ancient roads and we walked where people had walked for thousands of years. The most bizarre thing was seeing a wizened old shepherd with his flock of sheep, while scrolling through his smart phone! We walked up hill and down dale, with so many wonderful views, that my phone camera could not capture the magnificence of the scenery.

We walked along old roads, past numerous tombs, through ruined ancient Greek settlements and it is here that our guides, Cem and Peter Sommer himself came into their own. They have been doing these tours for decades and have selected the best sites and walk combinations. The depth of their knowledge was astounding. Knowledge is one thing, however, but they also had the ability to put it over and bring dead sites to life. This coupled with a deep understanding of the often complex history put them into context and made the tour unforgettable.

Another important aspect of the tour was meeting people of similar interest and from various countries across the world. The small size of the group was important, as it allowed you to get to know each other, make friendships and explore other aspects of life in a way that larger tours can not. I can not recommend these tours highly enough. I am also booked on another one next year and thinking of adding another one as well.

Peter Sommer organises and runs superb tours through the ancient world, either on land or cruising with gulets. He employs wonderful guides who are both knowledgeable, enthusiastic and able to make dead sites ‘come to life’. They only take small numbers allowing you to get to know each other, make friendships and explore other aspects of life in a way that larger tours can not.

Jeffrey Perry Walking and Cruising the Lycian Shore

We so enjoyed the gulet cruise in Turkey. As a tour guide myself, I am, I suppose, the most critical sort of audience, but I was simply knocked over by the whole experience: we loved the wonderful gulet with its delightful and efficient crew, and those beautiful sites explained with such passion and sensitivity. Well done indeed.

Professor Richard Holmes - From Halicarnassus to Ephesus Cruising to Ephesus