Day 1 – Welcome onboard!
Upon boarding your yacht in Turkbuku in the afternoon, you will be informed of the cruise itinerary and the boat. You will spend the day in Cennet Bay and Mandarin Oriental Bay – two adjacent beautiful coves in the Turkbuku area. You may dine on the boat or on shore on your first evening.
Day 2 – Kalymnos
After breakfast or lunch, you will complete port formalities to exit Turkey and set sail to Greece, entering from Kalymnos. Kalymnos is called The Sponge Fishers’ Island. The scenery is wild and dramatic with high rocky mountains sweeping down to the sea. It is a terrific island for those who want to do more than just lie on a beach all day. Though only 13 miles long and about 8 miles wide, the island has a dramatic wild beauty as well as several lovely uncrowded beaches and bays. Vathi town lies at the end of the deep fjord of Vathi. It is a charming little anchorage for a day or two. On the western side of the island lie the villages of Myrties and Massouri and the very much quieter hamlets of Arginondas, Skalia and Emporios. On the northeast coast is the wild and beautiful bay of Palionisou where it feels as if life has stood still for a very long time. If you walk the track to the 5-6 houses which constitute the village, you will find Nicholas’s house, where you will have the enchanting experience of being in the middle of nowhere, but will be able to eat an authentic yet cheap meal in his little garden.
Day 3 – Leros
We will start to cruise early in the morning to the beautiful island of Leros. The main port is Aghia Marina, or Pandeli, an attractive port dominated by a huge crusader castle and six windmills on the hill. Spreading up from the port is the area known as Platanos, the social hub of the island, which sits astride the saddle of the hill and merges with the picturesque fishing harbor of Pandeli on the other side. The setting is very pretty with white houses dotted around the bay. Leros has plenty of beaches and secluded coves. The lovely shingle beach at Vromolithos is just a twenty minute walk from Planos and is a long, gentle sweep of a bay with a small island in the middle. You should try the famous Mylos Restaurant, better known as Taki’s, for lunch or dinner, they have a sophisticated twist on the Aegean’s seafood dishes.
Day 4 – Lipsi
We will set sail to Lipsi Island after breakfast. Lipsi (or Lipsos locally) is a small group of islets near Patmos, offering a number of anchorages or a harbor at the capital (also called Lipsi). There are plenty of tavernas, cafes and shops in the village. Small churches and monasteries scatter the island, so many in fact that locals claim there is one for every family living on the islands. We will have a swimming break in one of the many small islands in front of Lipsi. Visit the beaches of Platis or Giolos with crystal green waters. On the island, the Church of the Catopanaghia constructed in the 7th century deserves a visit, along with the Church of Panopanaghia from the 15th century.
Day 5 – Patmos
We will cruise to Patmos early in the morning, with a breakfast and swimming break in a bay around the island. Patmos is not a big island, but it is one of the best known. It was here that St. John completed the last part of The Apocalypse of John, and this is why Patmos is sometimes called “The Jerusalem of the Aegean.” The Monastery of St. John’s towers above the capital, the Chora, and actually the island breathes faith and devotion. According to mythology, Patmos was a gift from Zeus to his daughter Artemis, the goddess of hunting and young women. She was worshipped here in antiquity, and the monastery of St. John was built on her temple. At your leisure, you may visit these monasteries and walk around the island of Patmos. Our yacht will stay in the Patmos Port for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 6 – Arki & Marathi & Farmakonisi
Arki is probably one of the least visited islands in Greece, with a permanent population of only 40 people. With its beautiful and very picturesque harbor Arki constitutes a paradise for yachts in the summer. Nearby Marathi is another isolated paradise island with just two families living here in true Greek style. There are two tavernas here as well as a tiny church sitting atop the hill where you can observe breathtaking sunsets. Nearby Farmakonisi is another tiny island which is best known for being the home for when the young Julius Caesar was kidnapped by the pirates and held hostage here for a year. Caesar was particularly incensed by the small ransom demanded , insisting his family paid double the askinf price for this release. When he became a general, he crucified the entire population of the island along with burning down the settlements in Arki and Marathi as well. None really recovered, leaving all three islands to be quaint, serene corners of paradise. You will anchor in one of these islands overnight.
Day 7 – Kos
Early in the morning, we will set sail south towards Kos to ensure our arrival in Bodrum for your disembarkation the next day. We may stop in Pserimos for a lunch and swim break along the way. Asclepion in Kos, known to be the birth place of Hippocrates, who is “the Father of Medical Sciences” is located here. All the people from the east Mediterranean with health problems were treated in Kos, which is the 2nd largest island of the 12 Dodecanese islands. An island of very mild climate and fertile lands, Kos houses a 560-year old tree, a 211-year old fountain, a 14th century fortress and a 290 km beach. You may take a quick swim in Lambi Beach close to the Harbor and indulge yourselves in the nightlife this island has to offer. Nafklirou, a street full of bars, is always crowded, colorful and full of life.
Day 8 – Goodbye Bodrum!
After a leisurely breakfast in the morning, we head back to Bodrum in a 45-minute cruise. It is time to say goodbye to your yacht and the crew as they will prepare the yacht for her next charter. We encourage you to stay in Bodrum and extend your vacation in paradise one more day. We hope to show you more of the Aegean Coast next summer!
