Turkey and Greece have been poles apart for centuries under different aspects such as culture, religion, and history but they share almost total proximity and share the same sea, the Aegean Sea. The Your Boat Holiday tourist proposal is to combine both destinations in a single itinerary, discovering together the Dodecanese Greek islands and the best locations that the Turkish Riviera has to offer. Let’s start!
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Where are we?
The Greek destinations of our itinerary are the islands located in the lower Aegean Sea while the Turkish ones are scattered along the southwestern coast of Turkey.
Where will the tour start from?
For our trip, we decided to land directly in Turkey, at the Bodrum-Milas airport, and then to reach our first destination, Bodrum, in about half an hour by car.
Why choose Bodrum as our port of departure?
Today’s Bodrum is a cosmopolitan city visited every year by more than a million tourists who flock to its beaches, boutiques, hotels, and clubs every summer.
From the imposing castle overlooking the city to the beautiful harbor, to the flower-filled cafes and alleys between whitewashed houses, this city offers ideas and attractions for all types of tourism.
This was not always the story of Bodrum. In the past it was a simple fishing village and was far from being a popular destination: in fact, dissidents aligned against the Turkish state were exiled here.
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Ironically, one of these same dissidents fell in love with the place and refused to leave once his sentence was over. The writer Cevat Şakir Kabaağaçlı had been exiled to tranquil Bodrum in 1925. After serving his sentence, he pledged to make Bodrum the headquarters of a new generation of Turkish intellectuals, writers, and artists.
From that moment on, nothing was the same: in the 1980s the first wealthy foreigners began to arrive, transforming Bodrum into the glittering city it is today.
That said, Bodrum offers boaters a great selection of marinas. Our choice falls on Milta Bodrum Marina which with its 450 berths is one of the most prestigious marinas in the Aegean Sea.
So here we are leaving for our itinerary conceived as a bridge between the Greek islands of the Dodecanese and some of the best places that the Turkish Riviera has to offer.
Let’s start
- Day 1: from Bodrum to Orak Island
Set sail from Bodrum we head east to reach a small island just 8 miles away. Orak is the ideal destination to start our journey in the most relaxing way. Here you can relax while enjoying the remarkable natural landscape by hiking or snorkeling in the rich local marine life.
- Day 2: from Orak island to Knidos, Datça peninsula
Knidos is a true archaeological and natural treasure located on the eastern tip of the Datça peninsula. It is an ancient city whose ancient remains are still visible. Its peculiarity is that it is set between two beautiful bays, facing each other, separated by a narrow strip of land and sand.
Here you can spend the day visiting the archaeological excavations such as the acropolis and the circular temple dedicated to the Aphrodite goddess.
- Day 3: from Knidos to Kos, Greece
Second, after Rhodes for extension, Kos is rich in history and natural beauty. Here 2500 years ago, in the shade of a large plane tree, the father of modern Western medicine, Hippocrates, taught his disciples of him. And a large plane tree is located in the main square of the city, Plateia Platanou, and it is said that he planted it himself.
Archaeological excavations have brought to light the remains of its ancient past, when it was one of the richest and most powerful islands in the Aegean Sea and when its trade also flourished.
If you stop in Kos, you cannot fail to enjoy its splendid beaches. Among the many, we mention the Kardamena beach, in the southern part, the Kefalos one, also in the south of the island, famous for its transparent waters, its various clubs, and the possibility of practicing water sports.
Finally, the wonderful beach of Mastichari, an exotic white sand beach with turquoise waters also equipped with a small port.
- Day 4: from Kos to Symi, Greece
Symi is one of the most beautiful and welcoming islands in the Dodecanese and is located north of Rhodes, near the southwestern coast of Turkey. The city of Symi, which names the island, is a village with Italian neoclassical architecture that descends from the hills and reaches the Gialos port’s crystalline waters. It is characterized by large stairways that connect the lower part of the city to that highest called Horio, the oldest part of the island. Horio is full of small alleys where pastel-colored houses alternate with ancient ruins. Here are also the ruins of the castle built by the Knights of San Giovanni in the early 1400s.
Recommended: Top Recommended Boat Itinerary in the Dodecanese – Sail in the sunniest corner of Greece
- Day 5: from Symi to Rodi, Greece
The Dodecanese largest one, Rhodes is a wonderful island, full of history, picturesque villages, and beautiful beaches. The good weather affects Rhodes for most of the year: the turquoise sea, its landscape variety, its forests and mountains, its vineyards and hills, its historical places, the beautiful Rhodes city with its ancient ruins will make your visit unique and unforgettable.
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As a docking port, we recommend the moorings at the Rhodes town marina. Around 380 berths for boats up to 120 meters are available here.
Rhodes was protected by one of the seven wonders of the world: the famous Colossus of Rhodes! A city poised between ancient and modern, it offers the visitor unique views.
- Day 6: from Rhodes to Marmaris, Turkey
Marmaris is a city on the Turkish Riviera also known as the Turquoise Coast. It boasts a well-known pebble beach and a pedestrian promenade. It is known for its nightlife on Bar Street, home to open-air clubs and live music venues. Marmaris is located in a valley between mountains covered with conifers and filled with crystal clear waters popular for sailing and diving.
- Day 7: from Marmaris to Dalyan River, Turkey
The Dalyan River flows through the city of Dalyan which is located in the southwestern region of Turkey and flows into the Aegean Sea. Here it is possible to organize boat tours that go up the river and take visitors to see this area’s ancient archaeological sites. One of the main attractions for tourists is the Lycian tomb’s facades located above the sheer cliffs of the river carved around 400 BC. The ruins of the ancient trading city of Kaunos can also be visited within a short distance. Nearby are the renowned Sultaniye hot springs with hot water gushing from the ground and therapeutic mud baths.
If you prefer a quieter day, you can always enjoy the beach and look for the rare home turtles.
- Day 8: from Marmaris to Fethiye
Walking through Fethiye alleys, the first attraction to catch your attention will be the Tomb of Amyntas, a symbol of the city, an open-air museum with its monumental burials carved into blocks of rock at considerable heights.
No less important are the remains of the Fortress on the Acropolis of Telmessos, restored in the 15th century by the Knights of Rhodes, the Eski Cami mosque, completed in 1791, and the Fethiye Hamamı Turkish bath, consisting of 14 domes and 6 arches and still used today.
Finally, a stop at the Ölüdeniz park is a must, a stretch of sea known throughout the world as a “blue paradise” and one of the most important Turkish tourist sites.
- Day 9: from Fethiye to Göcek
We end our itinerary by arriving in Göcek, a city from which it will be possible to return home via the Dalaman International Airport.
Contact now YBH Charter Brokers:
You can contact us by sending an email at ask@yourboatholiday.com or by phone, calling +39 33436 00997, available also on WhatsApp for both calls and texting.
Greece and Turkey: the same sea, two different cultures. Enjoy a boat tour itinerary between Dodecanese and Turkish Riviera!
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