EPHESUS & THE CITIES OF THE AEGEAN CRUISE
Knidos and Halicarnassus, two of the most celebrated sites of the ancient world, are to be found in the Aegean, and the Ionian littoral has played an equally prominent role in the history of Christianity: John wrote his gospel at Ephesus and Bodrum was once a stronghold of the seafaring Knights of St John.
After a leisurely cruise along the Bodrum Peninsula, the Sultan will sail across the Gulf of Mandalya to Didyma, once the oracular rival of Delphi, and Miletus, the archaic home of Greek philosophy. The ancient city of Ephesus, visited by Mary, St John and St Paul, hosts the magnificent two-storeyed library of Celsus and a theatre that once accommodated nearly 30,000.
Notion, wild and lofty, and Claros, set in a lush valley, make rewarding visits before an excursion to mountainous Priene, perched high above the Meander Valley. Hellenistic Labranda, surrounded by pine-clad cliffs, boasts a sprawling temple of Zeus and the most monumental of ancient stairways.
At the extreme end of the Marmaris Peninsula lies Knidos, where the Sultan will drop anchor in the lee of the Hellenistic theatre. Perhaps the most spectacularly sited city in Asia Minor, Knidos once sheltered Praxiteles’ Aphrodite, the most perfect statue ever hewn, according to Pliny the Elder.
We will then navigate the Ceramic Gulf in the direction of Bodrum, known to the Greeks as Halicarnassus, where the castle of the crusading Knights of St John dominates the old town of mosques and bazaars. We will visit the famous mausoleum built in honour of King Mausolus, one of the ancient wonders, and the superb Museum of Underwater Archaeology.
With 570 square yards of sail, the teak and mulberry Sultan is an old-fashioned Turkish gulet designed for exploring the quiet coves, quaysides and harbours of the Aegean. Built to traditional specifications in the Icmeler boatyard in Bodrum, the Sultan carries a maximum of 17 passengers in nine spacious cabins, all with private facilities.
This tour will be led by Andrew Wilson BA, BD, FSAScot a specialist in archaeology and ancient history. He studied archaeology and theology before working overseas as an archaeologist with a particular interest in Roman frontier systems and Byzantine mosaics.
Itinerary
Day 1Depart Heathrow 1125 on Turkish Airlines via Istanbul to Bodrum, arriving 2045. Embark Sultan at Bodrum for fourteen nights.
Day 2Cruise west along Bodrum Peninsula past islands of Kos, Pserimos and Kalimnos for overnight in bay of Yalikavak.
Day 3Across Gulf of Mandalya for Didyma (vast oracular temple of Apollo) and Miletus (Roman theatre, baths of Faustina). Overnight at nearby Cenetkoy.
Day 4Cruise along Ionian coast past Samos (birthplace of Pythagoras) for two nights at Kusadasi.
Day 5Whole-day excursion to Ephesus (theatre, commercial and state agora, Celsus library, bath houses, temples, colonnaded streets, exhibition) with afternoon visits to Selcuk Museum, St John’s Basilica (tomb of the evangelist), Temple of Artemis (one of ancient wonders of the world).
Day 6Morning: Hellenistic site of Notion (theatre and temples in wild setting) and Claros (vast oracular temple with underground passages). Afternoon: cruise through Kos Channel and mouths of Meander River for two nights at Akbuk.
Day 7Excursion to Priene (spectacular mountain city): temple of Athena, theatre, bouleuterion.
Day 8Excursion to Lake Bafa and Heraklea under Latmos (once-thriving Hellenistic port now stranded on lake shore): temple of Athena, Roman theatre, walls then cruise to quiet inlet of Kazikli for overnight.
Day 9Cruise south to ancient city of Iasos: acropolis, theatre, mosaic houses, late Roman agora, bouleuterion. Overnight in ancient harbour of Iasos.
Day 10Morning excursion to Euromos (almost complete temple of Zeus) then through mountains to Labranda (Hellenistic houses and streets) and Milas (Mausolus’s original capital, Gumuskesen tomb). Overnight in quiet cove of Bargilya.
Day 11Quiet day cruising along northern edge of Bodrum Peninsula for overnight in secluded harbour of Gumusluk (ancient Myndos).
Day 12Cruise south to Knidos: temple of Apollo, tholos temple of Aphrodite Euploia (former home of famous statue by Praxiteles), Doric portico, early Byzantine churches. Overnight in ancient harbour of Knidos.
Day 13Return cruise across Ceramic Gulf to Orak Adasi for afternoon at leisure. Overnight at Orak Adasi.
Day 14Cruise to Bodrum: theatre, 14th century castle of St Peter (Princess Ada exhibititon), Underwater Archaeology Museum, then Mausoleum of Halicarnassus (one of ancient wonders) and theatre. Overnight at Bodrum.
Day 155Disembark Sultan. Depart Bodrum 1020, arriving Heathrow 1515.
Cost includes: return airfare, accommodation based on sharing a twin or double bedded cabin, full-board, crew gratuities, excursions & admissions.
Not included: visa, travel insurance, single cabin supplement £300.
