66Isea&iISPRING-SUMMER 2012Bodrum to GöcekThe Turkish wised up to Bodrum's charms long before the restof Europe as it has traditionally been their favoured summerdestination, but now the rest of the world is playing catch up.This is also the city that has garnered Turkey comparisons withSaint Tropez. It's no wonder, then, that this region has been soardently fought-over during its long history. With its lightning-white houses draped with bright purple bougainvillea andstacked against green hills overlooking bays of impossibly bluesea, this is a visually spectacular place. There is an international airport just outside the town centre,so you can fly in and spend time in town before joining youryacht. Stay, perhaps, in the Amanruya - a new five-star villaresort with pool-terrace cottages complete with open bath-rooms with rain showers, private gardens with pergolas, daybeds and a pool. Or try the Kempinski Hotel Barbaros Bay, whichhas its own private beach, infinity pool and indoor pool. Life in Bodrum centres on the two ports, where cafés, bars,restaurants and meyhanes(taverns) make it easy to slip into alazy pace of life. A great way to familiarise yourself with thecoastline is to take a gulet trip around the Bodrum Peninsula- it will certainly get you in the mood for cruising, and as thegulet is the traditional waterborne craft of Turkey it is a lovelyway to assimilate with the local culture. Discover pretty beaches,forested coves and quaint fishing villages, and dive overboardto swim in the incredible waters before heading back to shore. While in Bodrum, visit the Castle of St Peter, built by theKnights Hospitaller in the 15th century, which looks out over theharbour. It is still in excellent condition and home to the world-famous Bodrum Museum of Underwater Archaeology, thenhead to Cumhuriyet Caddesi (aka Bar Street) for shopping andnightlife. Or unpack your dancing shoes for Halikarnas - afamous open-air disco on the sea, with amazing laser showsand some of Europe's best music. Setting sail on your superyacht a day or two later is theperfect opportunity to snap photographs of the city and thecastleas you head out on charter. A typical itinerary during aten-day or fortnight cruise might take you to Göcek via Kos,Knidos, Datça, Symi, Bozburun and Marmaris.VOYAGE OF DISCOVERYThe Greek island of Kos is one of the largest in the Dodecaneseand was the birthplace of Hippocrates (the father of modernmedicine) around 460BC. While you're there, head for the hotsprings at Bros Therma near Agios Fokas. The pebble beach mayITINERARYBODRUM TO GOCEKBODRUM-KOS................................................................11nmKOS-KNIDOS/DATÇA.....................................................35nmDATÇA-SYMI....................................................................8nmSYMI-BOZBURUN..........................................................12nmBOZBURUN-MARMARIS................................................40nmMARMARIS-GOCEK.......................................................46nmAbove: Turkey is a sailors' paradise, withthousands of yachts, new and traditional,plying its waters

TURKEYRHODESSIMIIzmirOludenizFethiyeMarmarisAntalyaDalamanDatca YarimadasGokovaBodrumIstanbulAnkaraSPRING-SUMMER 2012I sea&iI67furtherafieldnot be particularly conducive to relaxation but the warm waterscertainly are. Sailing back to the Turkish coastline, the Datça Peninsula ishome to the district of Datça as well as a town of the same name,and the ancient town of Knidos. Datça itself is extremely prettywith white-washed houses decorated with flowers. The marinais a hub of activity, with shops staying open way into the nightinviting post-dinner browsing and purchasing - a great tradi-tion in Turkey, and a fun one. You can spend hours siftingthrough carpets, ceramics, textiles and jewellery and bargain-ing with the store-keepers, many of whom will offer you appletea or coffee in an attempt to seal a deal.Around 25 miles away is the Carian city of Knidos, which wasa famed centre of art, culture and science in the fourth centuryBC. The famous astrologist and mathematician Eudoksus livedhere from around 390BC and was the mastermind behind thesundial, and here you can see the first one he invented.Steer then to the Greek island of Symi. Its first recorded historydates to the Trojan Wars around 1120BC and, once one of Greece'smost prosperous islands, it was famed for boat-building, wineproduction, wood carving and its impressive education system.Fortunately time has not jaded its Neo-Classical charm, and whiteand pastel-yellow houses climb its hills while the interior of theisland is a forested plateau. It's well worth organising a walk orhiring bikes to cycle across the island as you'll encounter someincredible views as well as some of the island's many churchesand monasteries - the most famous being the Monastery ofthe Archangel Michael at Panormitis. There are also some greatbeaches to be found, such as Agios Nikolaos - often shortenedto St Nick's. Your crew can deliver you there by tender, or youcan take one of the local taxis. ALONG THE WATERFRONTHeading back to the Turkish coastline, Bozburun is a pleasantpit stop. Famous for building traditional wooden gulets, itis a relaxed town with beautiful bays. Step ashore to searchthe shops, and keep an eye out for jars of thyme honey, whichis famous across Turkey. It is thenjusta hop up the coast tobustling Marmaris where you can spend several days enjoyingthe pine-clad hills and strolling along the waterfront, where,as with many Aegean towns, most of the social action is to behad. In the evening, wander the winding streets in the olderKaleici district, catch an open-air concert in the amphitheatre,or cherry-pick from the huge array of restaurants, jazz clubs andcocktail bars. As there are so many intricate bays and coves along thecoastline, it's a nice idea to take a tender ride to access someof the smaller fishing towns rarely found by tourists. Enjoy aplate of meze and a glass of chilled white wine in a rustic water-front restaurant, then swim in the turquoise waters of asecluded cove or laze around on the beach. It's also worth set-ting aside a day to visit Dalyan, with its fourth-century BC Lycianrock tombs carved into the cliff face. There are also local mudbaths and sulphur pools where you can wallow in mineral-richbliss, which is both fun and beneficial for health. Finally, headto Iztuzu Beach where you can enjoy the golden arc of sand?MAGNIFICA43m (141'), 10 guests from ?140,000 per week ECLIPSE43m (141'), 12 guests from ?125,000 per week