The Turkish Aegean coast of ancient Caria and Ionia provides the setting for some of the best preserved and most evocative sites of classical times, and by far the easiest way to travel between them is by sea. Our tour charts these shores by gulet, a spacious schooner-style sailing vessel which has plied these waterways for centuries. Built locally to a classical design, these elegant yachts carry twin motors as well as a full complement of sails, and are fitted out with private cabins with double or twin beds (no bunks!) and ensuite bathrooms.  

Embark the gulet in the harbour of Halicarnassos, modern-day Bodrum, dominated by the castle of the Knights Hospitaller. Cruising among the islands and inlets of the Turkish coast, visit sites such as Mindos, erstwhile western capital of the Satrap Mausolos, and Didyma, which has one of the largest and best-preserved Ionic temples from the classical period. Explore Iasos, with its fine late Roman Agora and council chamber, and beautiful Priene, famous for the Temple of Athena designed by Pytheos, the architect who built the Mausoleum at Halicarnassos. 

Other sites visited include Miletos, with its contrasting Roman theatre, Euromos, beautifully set amidst an olive grove, and Heraklea under Latmos, a fine classical city on the shores of Lake Bafa. The tour concludes with the iconic city of Ephesus, whose commerce at the time of Hadrian rivalled Rome itself.  The site is still magnificent, with its marble streets and wealthy villas, the restored Celsus Library and State Agora, and a theatre to seat 28,000.  

With plenty of time set aside for swimming and relaxing, days on board are an ideal combination of cruising, shore excursions, delicious meals, insights from your expert trip scholar, and convivial conversations with like-minded alumni. 

Highlights

• Delight in the classical city of Priene, one of the most beautiful in Asia Minor, its Hellenistic buildings set in pine-clad glades
• Compare the spectacular and well-known classical site of Ephesus with stunningly situated and lesser-visited ancient ruins such as Labranda, set amidst dramatic mountain scenery
• Enjoy a relaxed cruise lifestyle aboard our spacious, privately chartered gulet, with plenty of time for reading, cruising, and swimming in the warm waters of the Mediterranean

ITINERARY

The full itinerary can be found on the Temple World website.

Cruising to Ephesus tour