Sailing
to Ephesus
A glorious 1-week version of our From Halicarnassus to Ephesus tour. Beginning in Bodrum, ancient Halicarnassus, this gulet cruise heads north to Ephesus one of the best preserved Roman cities in the Mediterranean. En route we visit some of the most interesting and prettiest sites in Turkey.
There can’t be a better guide to lead this tour than Alan Greaves. Not only has he just written the book on the area ‘The Land of Ionia’, he has also been excavating at Miletos, one of the key cities in the region, for
Family lunch |
the best part of a decade. He was also called upon to personally escort Bill Clinton around Ephesus when the US President was visiting the region.
The highlights are plentiful: from the small harbour of Myndos, where Cassius harboured after murdering Julius Caesar, to Iasos, a wealthy ancient port, celebrated for its fish market and red marble. Today one can easily glimpse Iasos’ past vitality in the splendid ruins that litter the site - from the colonnaded agora to the Roman villa decked with mosaics.
Inland we’ll see two soaring temples, the elegant shrine to Zeus at Euromus, and the gargantuan oracular temple at Didyma. While at sea there are pretty rocky coves perfect for swimming, relaxing, and fine dining.
Our final destination is Ephesus, capital of Roman Asia. One of the very first cities in the world to have street lighting, the site is magnificent - marble streets, agoras, villas, a theatre for 28,000 and an extraordinary library.
This cultural tour in Turkey is a perfect combination of magnificent sites, quiet coves, wondrous walks, breathtaking vistas and glorious swims.
