After arriving at your yacht in mid-afternoon, and getting ready to set sail, just take one day to enjoy the city of Marmaris and all it has to offer. The city is always busy, day and night, and you have ample access to multiple choices of cuisine and activity. This is also time to stock up on any extra items you want before you set sail. While Marmaris has a lot to offer, you might consider dining on board your yacht, enjoying the wonderful private chef service, which is the first of many to come, and watching the bustling city and harbor in action.
Guests can board their yacht in mid-afternoon in Marmaris. The charter yacht moves off the next day and stays in port overnight. Dinner is served on board, the first of many lovely meals over the next few days, but there is still time to see what Marmaris has to offer before setting sail. It will be busy; it always is during the many weeks of the season. With the days ahead likely to be quiet and relaxing on board your luxury charter, you my like to enjoy the busy streets and bars before returning to your yacht for a good night’s sleep.
After breakfast, you will be informed about the cruise itinerary and boat. We set sail to Arap Island where the lunch will be served.
Bozukkale is a lovely ancient town nestled in a heart shaped bay with an old nine towered castle dating back to re-history. It is located southwest of Marmaris and is home to the ancient harbor or Lorima. The ancient Athenian navy used (Lorima) Bozukkale as a base for over a century between 305 to 395 BCE. This mazing town has grand views over all the Aegean and that is why it was chosen as a standing ground for fleets. Today it is a standing ground for Yachts seeking a wonderful place for their passengers to visit. The many ancient sites and modern amenities make the town of Bozukkale a perfect visiting point along your sea voyage.
Arap Islet is Turkish territory. It is uninhabited, located between the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. There is a rough pathway coming up from the beach and leading to the village of Taşlıca around 3.5 kms away. It has a completely rural feel which you will experience as you walk.
The ancient city of Bozukkale (Loryma) dates back to the years BC. The nine towers of the castle walls extend out in a rectangular pattern and together with the castle look very solid and well preserved. ''Kale'' means ''corrupted'' so the name may be a consequence of one side of the Castle being missing. Bozukale was used by the British navy many years ago, acting as a shipyard as well. There are great views across the Aegean and everyone can watch the yacht activity out to sea. Its location also resulted in it being a natural stopping off point for yachts sailing in the Aegean. In 395 BC, the Athenian Navy under the commander of Karori is known to have visited while Demetrios, son of Antigonos chose this port to prepare for the attack Rhodes during the Cnidus War in 305 BC.
Bozburun is a lovely small town 45kms west of Marmaris. It is home to a small but modern marina and the town is famous for its shipbuilding industry. This is where some of the worlds finest wooden boats and Gulets are fabricated. This is a quite port town, and the way to reach it is as picturesque as the town itself. Boxburun is great for a relaxing evening, this means you will not find night life here. What you will find are amazing hotels, cafes, bars and restaurants all serving local cuisine using the freshest sea food and locally farmed produce.
Bozburun, a small town with a marina, 45 kms to the west of Marmaris, has made a name for itself as a place for building quality wooden craft, yachts and gulets. It is well-known to yachtsmen if less visited by others. That said, the lovely winding road by the sea to reach Bozburun is a very pleasant drive. It is not a place for tourists seeking great nightlife but there are many compensations for visitors staying in its small hotels and pensions. There are restaurants by the sea serving the freshest possible seafood.
Just across from Selimiye on Hisaronu Gulf is the small bay of Bencik. This is just around the gulf of Gokova and is well worth the visit, even if you can’t really enjoy the site due to the lack of facilities. The natural beauty of this location provides a lot of memorable photo shoots.
One of the popular coastal stops is Datca, a small southern shore yachting stop over 75kms west of Marmaris. Datca is located in an area that provides you with many small covers along the peninsula, so you can anchor along the coastline and enjoy a swim in the privacy of your own cove. The coast is dotted with small fishing villages and farming towns, and the local tomatoes and olives are famous for their depth of taste. While visiting Datca, enjoy some local produce and maybe even ask your chef to use it as a staple ingredient.
Bencik Bay is a quiet and sheltered place to anchor. It is just across from Selimiye on the Hisaronu side of the peninsula dividing the Gulfs of Hisaronu and Gokova. There is a lovely grassed area but no facilities for visitors. That does not detract from the beauty of the place.
Datca is a town on the southern shore of the Peninsula of the same name in South West Turkey. It is around 75 kms west of Marmaris and has become a popular spot for yachts heading south down the Aegean and then turning east, or vice versa. There are many small coves on the Peninsula, small farming and fishing communities as well as beaches. It is famous for its tomatoes and olives and despite not having the greenery of some other parts of the Turquoise Coast, it is extremely fertile.
Our next destination is the charming bay of Nanou in Symi Island where the boat will anchor for lunch and a swimming break. We will anchor at Symi Port late in the afternoon. You can see the shoreline with its neo-classical houses and the peripheral districts. You are going to adore Symi Island for its pine and oak forests and unique bays.
Symi, off the Datca Peninsula of Turkey is another relaxing island. It is fairly small but offers plenty of chance to explore. The landscape is lovely and once back in Ano Symi there are bars and tavernas offering delicious Greek cuisine which you should try with the local wine.
Rhodes is a world-famous island, with its UNESCO world heritage town and is the largest of the Dodecanese islands. Rhodes has over 200 kilometers of coastline and is filled with everything an advanced society based on ancient heritage can provide. You have access to culture, architecture, history, religion, entertainment and of course, cuisine. Unfortunately, what you cannot get is a view of the colossus of Rhodes, this amazing feat of ancient sculpture was destroyed in an earthquake centuries ago, but there is plenty more to see around the old walled town.
Rhodes, with its Old Town a UNESCO World Heritage site, is the largest of the Dodecanese and offers everything a tourist would want. There is a 200 kilometre coastline, a fascinating interior, good nightlife and plenty of history. It has been home to several ‘’civilisations’’ in its history and also to a former Ancient Wonder of the World though the Colossus was destroyed by an earthquake many centuries ago. The narrow streets of this walled Old Town can be crowded at times but worth visiting with the Palace of the Grand Master and the architecture of the Knights of St. John notable features.
Just west of Marmaris you come to the blue flag awarded and shelter Kadirga Harbour. Aptly awarded since it has amazing clear waters and provides a nice respite for a quick dip.
One of the nicest peninsulas near Marmaris is Yildiz island. This island offers visitors a number of cafes and restaurants dotted around the island for its many visitors. This is one of the few islands that you can literally spend a whole day at, and never get bored. There is plenty of swimming and snorkeling opportunities to choose from. There is also a bay area called “the wrong channel” that’s because it resembles a channel at night, and many a sailor has made the mistake of going down I, ending up crashing on its rocky ending.
Kadirga Harbour is a pretty bay not far to the west from Marmaris. It is sheltered and has been awarded the blue flag because of its marvelous waters.
Yildiz island is a wonderful peninsula in Marmaris. There are several nice cafes and restaurants across the island. It is ideal for those interested in swimming and snorkelling. Even if you spend a whole day on the island you are unlikely to get bored especially if you enjoy walking in a lovely natural environment. The area will remind you of a small sea channel. History says that a captain sailing in this area on a stormy night, hit the rocky landscape because he thought that this was a sea channel. Since then, it has also been known as ‘’wrong channel.’’
After finishing your long and exhilarating voyage across the Mediterranean, maybe the Aegean and Adriatic too, you arrive back in Marmaris and prepare for your return home. This is a great moment to enjoy a day’s stay over in this amazing city. Marmaris is a jewel, its name is appropriate “Turquoise coast” and it provides you with every taste of the Mediterranean and Turkey before you leave for home. This is the time to take that last shopping walk and collect the memorable items and local wares before leaving.
The charter finishes back in port with guests enjoying an excellent breakfast before finally returning to dry land. If you have some days ashore before finally returning home, we would recommend that you take some time to see what Marmaris and the immediate region has to offer. The natural environment is stunning; forests hug the slopes with the contrast between green and the blue of the sea and sky creating a lovely setting. Then there is some last minute shopping?
12 Guests
4 Crew
