Day 1: Our boat is about 40 minutes from Bodrum airport, in the city’s amphitheatre style harbour, on Turkey’s south west coast. Welcome drink and dinner aboard.

Day 2: A gentle cruise to the pretty coastal village of Gümüşlük, ancient Myndos; where excavations have recently started. The scant ruins offer a glimpse of this once bustling fortified harbour.

Day 3: We sail north east to moor in the pretty harbour of ancient Iasos, where archaeological excavations are revealing a vital and beautiful classical city.

Day 4: We head inland to the temple of Zeus at Euromus, one of the best preserved in Asia Minor, and located amidst a beautiful olive grove. Then on into the mountains to Labraunda, Caria’s most sacred sanctuary, site of the great oracular shrine to Zeus Labraundus.

Day 5: A morning to relax. In the late afternoon we head inland from Altinkum’s golden beach to visit Miletus, one of the most significant Ionian sites, with its vast theatre, baths, and brooding atmosphere, and its most important sanctuary, the colossal and awe-inspiring oracular temple of Apollo at Didyma.

Day 6: Heading inland we walk the ancient roads of Priene, an almost perfectly preserved Hellenistic (4th century BC) city.

Day 7: East of Kuşadasi lies one of the most celebrated ancient sites in the world: Ephesus. After seeing its glorious museum we have ample time to explore the spectacular remains.

Day 8: Transfer from our gulet to Izmir airport, on Turkey’s Aegean coast, about 1 hour away.