Bodrum-Dodecanese Islands 15 Day 14 Night Blue Cruise

Bodrum is the ideal starting point for sailing the Aegean coast of Turkey. The Gökova Gulf is acknowledged to be one of the best cruising areas in Europe. With abundant sunshine, crystal clear waters, continuous blue skies, good anchorages and friendly people, this coast offers many diversities. There are many unspoiled areas rich in natural beauty and in costal settlements and villages.Bodrum is a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova. The city was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Bodrum Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 15th century, overlooks the harbour and the marina. The castle grounds include a Museum of Underwater Archeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year.

Kos Island is really well worth visiting. Kos is the island that gave the world Hippocrates, the father of medicine. The third largest island of the Dodecanese, it is a very green island with an excellent infrastructure and large roads lined up with palm trees. During your visit to Kos Island, you must certainly visit the ancient ruins of the city that are numerous and remarkable, the ruins of ‘Asklipios”, the ‘Castle of the Knights’and the huge tree of Hippocrates (trunk diameter is 11,5 meters!). On Kos you will find some of the finest beaches in the Dodecanese islands of Greece. With many archaeological sites in and around the town, Kos is the ideal place for walking or cycling.

We will cruise to Pserimos Island early in the morning. Pserimos is an islet located between Kos and Kalymnos, about six nautical miles north of Kos and close to the Turkish coast. The total area is only about 15sq km and there is only a handful of permanent residents, around 100 who rely on fishing and tourism.The island is a popular destination for tourists who arrive from Kos or Kalymnos on small excursion boats or pirate-type tourist ships that arrive daily throughout the summer. Pserimos is a good day out for those wishing to avoid organised beaches of Kos or Kalymnos but the beach, though large, can get crowded once all the day trip boats arrive.The beach is wide, deep, very sandy with shallow waters well sheltered in the deep bay and lined with beachside tavernas and cafes that catch the daily trade. There is a small harbour for boat mooring. There’s not much to see beside the single sandy beach though tracks lead over the rocky treeless hills to small coves. Leros is an island with a very healthy climate ideal for a quiet holiday. Evergreen, with many inviting coves and beautiful sandy beaches, Leros relaxes the visitor with its tranquil landscape. Not very touristy, the main port of Lakki is one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture in Greece. It was designed by Mussolini’s architects in 1923 and although in defiance of the dictator’s wishes, the capital was subsequently moved above the village of Platanos. The rest of the island is green with stunning beaches and large bays. Leros is the ideal home base for sailing trips to the coast of Turkey and the other Dodecanese islands.

Lipsi is a tiny island covered with white washed houses and little churches with blue domes. It is an island where cars are almost non-existent and where most of the local life takes place at the island’s port. Lipsi is a very beautiful and authentic island of the Dodecanese where during the day you can watch the fishermen beat octopuses on the quays that will be served later that night in one of the many cafes set on the tiny port.

Known as the Jerusalem of the Aegean, Patmos island is the holy island of Christians, where the Apocalypse of St. John was written. Visitors of this Dodecanese island today are split into two groups, the first half that still come to the island because of its religious significance and the second half comes here to enjoy the lovely beaches, the serenity and the unique character of the island and its people. Patmos is a quiet island at night, but a busy stop by day for the many cruise ships that have made it a port of call. Patmos is a spectacular island with great beaches and a unique landscape, an island where tourism until recently was low-key but has been growing steadily. Don’t miss the unique Easter celebrations (Greek Orthodox Easter) where you will have the chance to see a staging of Christ’s Last Supper. Also, take an evening stroll through the narrow streets of Hora or Chora and watch the sunset from Kastelli hill.

Kalymnos Island is best known as the island of some of the world’s finest sponge divers. Although Kalymnos is a developing tourist centre, you can still see the sponge fishermen at work even today and you can still experience the islanders’ traditional way of life.On this beautiful island of Kalymnos in the Dodecanese, you can take nice walks, swim in beautiful caves, and discover lovely beaches and unspoiled scenery, an example of which is the authentic village of Vathi hidden in a beautiful green valley. Due to its mountainous landscape, Kalymnos is also one of the best places to practice mountain climbing!Also, most of the beaches of Kalymnos are equipped with water sport facilities. The wonderful sunsets over the tiny island Telendos are not to be missed – they are on par with those of Santorini!

Gyali also written Yiali is a small volcanic island located halfway between the south coast of Kos and 2 n.m NW from Nisyros Island. Its SW part consists of thick layers of pumice-stone, while its NE part consists of obsidian currents and perlite. These two parts are connected by a narrow isthmus and beach made of modern reef sediments. In the island there is a pumice-stone mining plant. Aghios Antonios islet is in a very close distance and has a beautiful beach. Nissiros or Nisyros, a small island in the middle of the Dodecanese complex, has lots of natural beauties and a rich cultural heritage whose inhabitants maintain alive up to day.The geomorphologic feature most characteristic of the island is its volcano. It is said that Nisyros was born after a series of successive eruptions of the volcano, which is unique of its kind in Greece. The volcano of Nissiros island is considered to be still active and because of the easy access to its craters, thousands of tourists and scientists from all over the world visit it every year. The volcano and the serenity that one experiences in the picturesque villages of Nissiros island are two of its main attractions that will truly captivate you. Lastly, the island has a very rich fauna and flora that specialists have pronounced to be unique.

Simple, polite people welcome you as soon as you arrive on the island of Tilos. Tilos island has only 300 inhabitants and very little tourism. Here you will enjoy a quiet life, nature and you will swim in crystal clear waters. The lack of tourism gives you the opportunity to really get to know the locals and become part of their every day life. Don’t forget to visit Megalo Chorio where surrounding the central plaza you will see the remains of ancient walls, a necropolis (cemetery), a museum, monasteries and the ruins of a castle.

Rhodes (Rhodos or Rodos in Greek), lies between Crete and the near East in the Aegean ocean. Rhodes is the biggest of the Dodecanese islands. Named the sun island or island of light there are hardly any days when the sun doesn’t shine. With its subtropical climate and over 3.000 hours of sun per year you can be guaranteed a good tan on your holiday. Rhodes is one of the most popular holiday islands in Greece – even Greeks themselves come to Rhodes for a holiday from the mainland.

Symi has the most beautiful harbour in Greece. On either side of a steep-sided fjord rise tier upon tier of houses, some white, some pastel yellow, but virtually all with Neo-Classical pediments – a reminder that 100 years ago this was one of Greece’s most prosperous islands. There has been virtually no modern concrete construction here and now these fine old houses are being resurrected for visitors. The spirit of the island remains intact.

Datca was founded by the Dorians settled in the Aegean islands and the southern coast ofIonia. This peninsula is located between the Aegean Sea and theMediterranean Sea. At the end of the peninsula, at a distance of about 38 kms is the ancient Carian city of Knidos, which was described by Strabo as the ‘city built for the most beautiful goddess, Aphrodite, on the most beautiful peninsula”. It is also believed that around 500 years ago, the Spanish pirates sailing left leprosy patients to die here but the fair weather of the peninsula recovered the lepers! You may take a walk in Datca Harbor.

Palamutbuku is reputed for having the best beaches in the Datca peninsula. The beaches are small but very beautiful. Surrounded by mountains and spotted with gardens, these beaches are known for their tranquility and fresh sea air that together present the perfect backdrop for a rejuvenating getaway. Palamutbuku is located at the end of the peninsula and is also famed for the remains of the historic city of Knidos. Knidos, known for its bounty of fish, is located about 12 kilometers away.The waters here are crystal clear, so much so that it is believed that if you take a needle at the very bottom of the sea, you can still see it! Go on a sea tour or simply bask on the beaches, watching vibrant birds take a flight – there is so much to do in Palamutbuku! The people are warm and friendly. Palamutbuku epitomizes peace, tranquility and happiness. With its warm people with their smiling faces and immense natural beauty, Palamutbuku is indeed a little paradise in its own right. Knidos is one of the most magnificent ancient cities in Anatolia that you should visit. As the first settlement in the east of the Datca peninsula, Knidos has splendid ruins and a unique beauty. There is a theater is located right next to the harbor of the ancient city of Knidos. A short walk towards the harbor will take you to the remains of two churches built during the Byzantine period. Knidos century has been a site of archaeological excavations since 1960. The Statue of Demeter discovered here and the lion statues that protected the harbor in ancient times now adorn the halls of the British Museum. The sacred temple of the goddess Aphrodite is a major center of attraction. The city with a huge necropolis, a double harbor and the magnificent acropolis with the temple of Aphrodite truly impresses all visitors.

Adaboğazı (Aquarium Bay) derives its name from the word ‘Aquarium’ simply because the water here is so clear. You can see as deep as 30m with the naked eye! There are small bays at the west end of the west end and together with the crystal clear waters, present a perfect feast to the senses. This bay is on the Northern part of Datca and surrounded by wonderful forests, crystal water and sandy bottom sea. As it is quite attractive and quiet, this bay is preferred by yachtsmen.

Located only 3 miles away from Orak Island is Kise Buku (Alakisla Buku), a name originating from the word ‘kilise’ (church) due to the remains of the Byzantine Monasteries found in this area. It is indispensable for all boats to anchor here at a very large cove. This bay is surrounded by mountains in the north, and western winds blow in the eastern side of the island against. At Alakisla, you will encounter the ruins of an old monastery by the name of Kise Bay. Kise’s name is also believed to originate from the word ‘church’. The must-visit places in the Kisebükü ruins include Yalıkoyu, Akarca, Fork, summerhouse, bath, cistern and the cove where the ruins of the church are found. These call for an indispensable stop during your Blue Cruise. In a few coves in the vicinity, you can find wonders like cold drinking water boiling! The silhouette of a grove of Oleander trees rolling down into the sea against the glittering sandy beaches is indeed a spectacle to behold! Black Island (Karaada) is located around 5 km away from Bodrum and is renowned for the immense healing power of its sulphurous waters and mud baths. The hot water and mud from the cave is believed to restore beauty and health. The hot water has a temperature of about 29-32 degrees and flows into the sea. Here you will have the opportunity of swimming in hot waters and take a mud bath.

Bodrum is the ideal starting point for sailing the Aegean coast of Turkey. The Gökova Gulf is acknowledged to be one of the best cruising areas in Europe. With abundant sunshine, crystal clear waters, continuous blue skies, good anchorages and friendly people, this coast offers many diversities. There are many unspoiled areas rich in natural beauty and in costal settlements and villages.Bodrum is a port city in Muğla Province, in the southwestern Aegean Region of Turkey. It is located on the southern coast of Bodrum Peninsula, at a point that checks the entry into the Gulf of Gökova. The city was called Halicarnassus of Caria in ancient times and was famous for housing the Mausoleum of Mausolus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Bodrum Castle, built by the Crusaders in the 15th century, overlooks the harbour and the marina. The castle grounds include a Museum of Underwater Archeology and hosts several cultural festivals throughout the year.