Turkey Family Holiday

• 1

  Join tour at Dalaman Airport

  Arriving in Dalaman Airport, we transfer to Kas and check into our hotel. Kas is one of the most beautiful ports on the Turkish riviera. We will be conveniently based at Club Phellos right in the centre of town and you’ll have time over the coming days to enjoy the atmosphere of this vibrant town, both on land and at sea.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 2

  Full day boat trip from Kas

  Our first day here is spent on the sea, as we take a boat trip from Kas across the surrounding calm and clear waters. From the sea we can appreciate fully this dramatic and beautiful coastline. There will be ample opportunity for swimming and snorkeling from our boat, and we plan to enjoy a barbecue lunch before returning to Kas later in the afternoon. Kas is a great place to relax, with cafes and restaurants spilling out onto cobbled streets and a network of tiny backalleys to explore.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 3

  Walks in the Taurus Mountains

  Today we head for the hills, to explore the hinterland. Here we find cedar forests, streams, shady glades and tiny charming villages where the pattern of life has remained almost untouched for centuries. We plan to walk between tiny mountain villages and take lunch with a local family in a typical village house, before returning to Kas via the silver sand beach of Kapitas. Located just west of Kas, Kapitas is an idyllic spot for a swim at the end of our day in the mountains. Finally we make our way back to Kas.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 4

  Free day; optional trip to Meis

  Today is left free for you to do some exploring of your own. For those with a hankering for culture Kas itself is built around the remains of ancient Antiphellos, and there are ruins of a Hellenistic theatre, the monumental Lion Tomb, and some hillside rock tombs in and around the town. Alternatively you may like to visit the isolated and ruggedly beautiful Greek island of Meis (optional). The island is just one mile from the Turkish coast and yet more than sixty miles from Rhodes, its nearest Greek neighbour.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 5

  Visit Xanthos; canoe trip down Xanthos River to Patara

  Xanthos was the capital of ancient Lycia and at one time was the largest centre of commerce and religion in the region. It has had a turbulent past, falling to both the Persians and the Romans, both occasions resulting in the mass suicides of the entire population. During the Roman civil wars of the 1st century BC, the Lycians sided with Caesar against Pompeius. But after Caesar’s assassination in Rome, Brutus attacked Xanthos. He demolished the acropolis and slaughtered the inhabitants. For the second time in their history, in the year 42 BC, the Xanthians underwent mass suicide for their freedom. Marc Antony, hoping to heal the scars left by Brutus, rebuilt their city. Today it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and we plan to visit this morning, before our canoeing trip. After a full safety briefing we will take to the water again as we canoe down the Xanthos River to Patara. The pace is easy, and we pass tranquil and unspoilt rural backwaters along the way, stopping for a picnic lunch before eventually emerging at Patara Beach, a protected nesting area for giant loggerhead turtles. We will have the opportunity to swim on the return to Kas.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 6

  In Kas; optional trip to Myra

  There is an opportunity this morning to visit the Church of St Nicholas at Demre (Myra). This is where the 4th century Bishop Nicholas is said to have anonymously given money to the poor – thus spawning the legend of Father Christmas! Saint Nicholas lived his adult life in Myra, he is the patron saint of two countries; Greece and Russia, and is also the protector of children, virgins, merchants, scholars and sailors. A busy man! The origin of Saint Nicholas’s involvement with children and gift giving is believed to have arisen from a legend in which a shopkeeper was too poor to supply his daughters with dowries. When Saint Nicholas heard of their plight, he threw three bags of coins into the shopkeeper’s yard, saving the daughters from a life of hardship. The Church of Saint Nicholas is in Myra was built after his death and Noel Baba’s remains were placed in a rock sarcophagus. Outside the church, set in a quiet, enclosure, is a modern statue of Saint Nicholas, complete with beard, bag of toys, and children. But Myra isn’t just the home of Santa. A mile north of the church are the impressive ruins of the ancient town, where dozens of Lycian tombs are carved out of the cliff above a Roman amphitheatre. We plan to make an early start today (to beat the crowds and heat) but on returning to Kas there is a free afternoon either to relax or perhaps try scuba diving.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 7

  Sea-kayaking to Kekova Island

  This morning we depart in the early morning to try our hand at sea kayaking in the calm, protected waters of the bay of Kekova.
  We'll enjoy a packed sandwich breakfast with coffee en route. We make this early start, so that we can enjoy paddling in the tranquil waters before any other boats or kayakers take to the water. It's one of the most scenic area in Lycia; a set of picturesque islands, bays and small ancient cities. Here we find the so-called Sunken City of Kekova. The results of various earthquakes, the partly submerged streets and buildings are visible in the crystal clear waters, there are even steps leading down into the depths of the bay. Later we paddle to the picturesque whitewashed village of Simena, whose harbour is dotted with ancient sarcophagi (tombs), Roman baths and houses that cling to a hillside beneath a medieval castle. Hiking up to the castle we find within its walls a tiny ancient theatre (the smallest in Lycia, with a seating capacity for about 300 people). Carved from the solid rock it is a wonderful place to sit and soak up the beautiful surroundings. Taking to the waters again we head back to Ucagiz, from where we transfer back to Kas.

  Overnight: Standard Hotel

• 8

  Tour ends Dalaman Airport

  This morning we transfer back to Dalaman Airport where the tour ends.