Itinerary

Depending on your time of arrival, your guide may arrange a tour of the city or an outing to one of its memorable sights.

Topkapi Palace
Bab-ı Hümayün Caddesi, Gülhane Parkı, Istanbul 34400
+90 (0)212 512 0480
topkapisarayi@kulturturizm.gov.tr
May-Sept Wed-Mon 9am-7pm; Oct-Apr Wed-Mon 9am-4pm
Closed on Tuesdays. The museum opens at 1pm-7pm on first days of religious festivals, whose dates vary yearly. 

Topkapi Palace was the headquarters of the Ottoman Empire for 400 years. The Harem – the residence of the sultan’s wives, concubines and children within the palace – can only be accessed through a half-hour guided tour. Best to book in advance. Also recommended: the Imperial Gate (Bâb-ı Hümayün) and the First Courtyard (Alay Meydanı).

Archaeological Museum
Osman Hamdi Bey Yokuşu, Topkapı Saryı, Gülhane Parkı, Istanbul 34400
+90 (0)212 520 7740, +90 (0)212 520 7741
Tue-Sun 9am-5pm
Some sections may close in winter.
Within the grounds of Topkapı Palace.

Blue Mosque
At Meydani Sokak 17, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
+90 (0)212 518 1319
9am-one hour before dusk daily, except during prayer times
Sound and Light performances May-Oct, daily just after dusk,
with Turkish, English, French and German on different evenings.

Vakiflar Carpet Museum
Info: +90 (0)212 518 1330
Tues-Sat 9am-12pm, 1-4pm
Located within the mosque

Haghia Sophia
Sultanahmet Meydani, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
+90 (0)212 522 1750
Nov-Apr Tue-Sun 9am-5pm; May-Oct Tue-Sun 9am-7:30pm
Also open first Mon of every month.
Once the greatest church in Eastern Christendom, then chief mosque of the Ottoman Empire, now a museum.

Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art
Atmeydani Sokak 46, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
+90 (0)212 518 1805
Tues-Sun 9am-4:30pm
Closed Mon
Displays that range from modern Turkish and foreign artists to the evolution of the Turkish home from nomadic tent to the present.

Hippodrome
At Meydani, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
Formerly an ancient arena used for races, court ceremonies, etc., that was the focal point of Byzantine Constantinople. Now, an elongated park surrounded by a modern road that exactly follows the tracks of the old racing lanes. In the center is an assortment of monuments.

Mosaic Museum
Arasta Çarşısı, Torun Sokak 103, Sultanahmet, Istanbul
+90 (0)212 518 1205
Nov-May Tue-Sun 9am-4:30pm; June-Oct Tue-Sun 9am-6pm

Basilica Cistern
Yerebatan Caddesi 13, Sultanahmet, Istanbul 34410
+90 (0)212 522 1259
Apr-Sept 9am-6:30pm daily; Oct-Mar 9am-5:30pm daily

Bodrum was the birthplace of Herodotus as well as the site of ancient Kedreai and the Tomb of King Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The tomb was so splendid that our word "mausoleum" comes from the king's name. Drive to Miletus, a principle Ionian city and the home of Thales, who was twice visited by St. Paul. The Roman ruins include the Baths of Faustina, several temples, the agora, theater, council chambers and the Delphinium. At Didyma visit the Temple of Apollo, the largest Ionic temple in the world. Return to the boat for lunch and an afternoon sail.

The harbor was named after British torpedo boats that hid in this cove during World War II. From here, visit the secluded turquoise coves and coral reefs of Seven Islands for swimming and water sports. On the western coast of Cedraea Island is Cleopatra's Beach, reputedly created with sand brought from North Africa by the Egyptian queen to provide a place to sunbathe for her lover, Anthony.

The penisula has a great number of secluded and beautiful bays and beaches, including Palamut Bükü and Körmen Bay. The ancient city of Knidos was renowned for the statue of Aphrodite and the scientist Eudoxos, who is considered one of the founding fathers of geometry. Sedir Island (ancient Cedrai) has a great view of the Kiran Mountains and a fine sand beach composed of fossils. Anchor in Gulluk, a small fishing village.

Simi is a beautiful, minimally populated, arid island that is a great place to enjoy water sports.

Marmaris or Physkos, was an important stop on an ancient trade route and is situated at the meeting place between the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas. The beach areas are great places to dive, snorkel and swim. Or you can take a tour up the Dalyan River to Kaunos, an impressive archaeological site. Kaunos was an important harbor city in ancient times, but silting of the river pushed the town away from the coast.

The Gulf of Fethiye has dozens of bays, coves, creeks and picturesque anchorages to explore, with a different setting for both lunch and dinner, interspersed with swimming and other water sports. Highlights include:

On Gemiler Island, Byzantine ruins dating back to about 1100 AD lie among the pines. The crystal clear waters of the landlocked Blue Lagoon at Ölüdeniz are ideal for swimming.

Kalkan is an old fishing village of restored whitewashed Greek houses with wooden balconies overflowing with brightly colored bougainvillea and jasmine. Drive to the ancient sites of Xanthos, Letoon and Patara or spend a relaxing day at anchor in Kalkan Bay sunbathing, swimming and enjoying water sports. Xanthos is the ancient capital of Lycia that Homer mentions in the Iliad. While much of the city was dismantled and transported to the British Museum in the early 1800s, reproductions successfully evoke the originals. Patara was Lycia's chief port city until the harbor silted up to form what is today an inland reed-filled marsh. If you climb to the hilltop above the Roman Theater, the fierce winds and unrelenting lashes of sand will give you a clue as to why much of this ancient city still remains buried and, consequently, well preserved. Letoon, located less than 3 miles south of Xanthos, was the primary religious center of ancient Lycia. The ruins of three temples rise above an uneven plateau and were dedicated to the gods Apollo, Artemis and their mother Lato.

With 3 1/2 square miles and a little more than 200 inhabitants, this idyllic island just a few hundred yards off the Turkish coast is the most easterly of all the Greek Islands. Here you can still savor the real atmosphere of Greece. Enjoy the day in an anchorage with crystal clear water. In the late afternoon moor in the small harbor, which is surrounded by tavernas. After a walk up the path to the top of the precipitous mountain behind the village, you will see spectacular vistas of the surrounding islands and the Turkish mainland.

Note: You need a visa for Greece in order to disembark.

Kastellorizo to Kekova. Before departing Kastellorizo, visit the Blue Grotto, an underground cave covered with stalactites and stalagmites that can only be visited by boat. Afterwards continue to Kekova, the name given to a group of picturesque islands, bays and ancient cities along one of the most scenically beautiful parts of the entire Turkish Coast. Along the northern shore of Kekova Island, earthquakes have caused some of the ancient houses to sink under the water, creating a sunken city. Visit Xera Cova on Kekova Island with the prominent remains of an ancient Christian church on its shores and snorkel through the underwater ruins off the shallow beach. Or climb to the summit of the medieval castle at Kale Koy (ancient Simena) to see a view of the surrounding bays, inlets and islands peppered with numerous ancient sarcophagi. Üçağız Lagoon is a large, almost completely landlocked bay, with an interesting small village and a number of pretty, isolated anchorages.

Kekova to Andraki. Cruise to anchor in the Bay of Andraki. Continue by tender up the river for 1 1/2 miles before taking a taxi to visit Demre, which contains a church dedicated to St. Nicholas. A few miles to the north are the ruins of ancient Myra with its impressive Roman amphitheater, Hadrian’s Gate and numerous Lycian tombs cut into the cliffs above the city. On returning to the yacht, cross the bay to Gökkaya Limani or Yali Bay for a tranquil night at anchor.

Like most towns on the Lycian coast, Kaş lies wedged between mountains and sea. Once ancient Antiphellos, the town still exhibits a few remains of the old settlement. An ancient Hellenistic amphitheater is within walking distance of the town. Lycian rock tombs are carved into the surrounding mountainside, which is illuminated at night. Kaş has an abundant nightlife and a number of quaint restaurants serving typical Turkish fare.

Disembark in Kaş and drive 4-5 hours to Antalya Airport. We had actually sailed closer to Antalya and doubled back to Kas. In hindsight, it might have been better to sail farther up the coast and have a much shorter drive to Antalya. The road was very windy; it was hot, and the car did not have air conditioning. The kids were pretty miserable and Terry and I were afraid we would miss our flight.