Lycian Cruise | September 2026

Kekova
Gemiler
Theatre of Antiphellos
Tombs and landscape at Pinara

Photo by Dosseman licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 DEED via Wikimedia Commons
Pinara
Myra

Overview

Itinerary

Fitness / Practicalities

Tour Director

Explore a myriad of ancient cities on a voyage around the coast of southwest Turkey
Visit the impressive ruins of Xanthos, capital of ancient Lycia, with its blend of architectural influences and important epigraphy
Journey inland to discover further sites, including the beautifully located town of Pinara with tombs cut into the rock face

“This was a fascinating tour, taking in a nicely varied selection of sites, many of them less well known, but extremely interesting”

ACE customer on a previous Lycian Cruise tour

Along the southwest coast of Turkey lie some of the most breathtaking cities of the ancient Greek and Roman world. The landscape, marked by soaring limestone cliffs and rugged mountains, echoes the grandeur of classical times and bears witness to untold wealth brought by the armies of Alexander, Roman emperors, and Byzantine merchants. To truly experience the historic cities of Lycia and southeastern Caria, we will take to the sea. This breathtaking coastline, with its many small, hidden bays, is perfect for exploring aboard a traditional Turkish gulet. Our chosen vessel, the MS Larin Su, will be our comfortable base for seven nights as we discover this captivating region.

Our journey starts with a cruise to Gemiler, where the remains of a once-thriving monastic community evoke the majesty of high Byzantium under Justinian. At Kas and Pinara, stunning Hellenistic ruins await us, and at Myra, the 3rd century seat of St Nicholas, we will encounter a multitude of exquisite tombs carved into the imposing rock face.

Kekova Bay offers the chance to view ancient remnants submerged in the eastern Mediterranean's clear waters, such as classical Aperlae and Byzantine Tesane. Xanthos, the historical capital of ancient Lycia, is a key highlight of the region, showcasing the blend of Hellenistic and Lycian cultures.

Ellen Jones

Ellen is an expert in ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean.

An expert in ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean, Ellen studied Egyptology at the University of Oxford as an undergraduate through to the award of her DPhil. She then worked as a Classics teacher, focusing on classical languages, Roman daily life and ancient Greek religion, a position she has held for the last four years. As a trained archaeologist specialising in digital epigraphy and photography, she is a member of two archaeological missions to Egypt, and her fieldwork has been published in Egyptian Archaeology and Nekhen News. Ellen is also passionate about academic outreach, including designing a public workshop for the Ashmolean Museum. She is looking forward to exploring the rich history of this diverse region with you on tour, uncovering the way these ancient cultures have influenced the world we live in today.

Days
8

Cost
£3595

Tour Code
LYC2-26

This tour has now departed

Fitness & Practicalities

The majority of ACE Cultural Tours are active in nature. To make the most of our time in a destination and provide excellent value for money, they are busy – there are often several visits included each day. As such, our tours require a certain minimum level of physical and mental fitness, mobility and stamina.

Many visits will involve navigating several steps, uneven ground, steep ascents and descents, and could involve embarking and disembarking aircraft, coaches, trains and cruise vessels. Plenty of walking, punctuated by lengthy periods of standing, is the norm. Some tours may involve long coach journeys.

It is essential that all customers are sufficiently fit and able enough to fully participate. Furthermore, every tour comprises a group of guests. We cannot allow the entire group to be negatively impacted by one participant, either holding up the pace we reasonably need to maintain or disproportionately requiring the attention and support of the tour staff.

We carefully consider the intensity, fitness and other requirements of each itinerary and describe them on the tour pages of our brochures and website. Please study these descriptions closely. When you call to book, we will reiterate those requirements and ask you to confirm that all group members are indeed fit enough and otherwise able to meet the criteria. It is your responsibility to answer fully and honestly. If it transpires that you are not able to keep pace with the tour and/or it reasonably appears you are negatively impacting (or are reasonably likely to negatively impact) the enjoyment of the rest of the group (including their ability to complete all scheduled visits), we may ask you to sit out certain days/visits, take a taxi at your own expense (if available in the location), or even, if we consider there is no other reasonable alternative, ask you to leave the tour and make your own way home.

Tour specific fitness information

This tour requires a good level of fitness, mobility and stamina, and participants should meet our fitness criteria as outlined in our Booking Terms & Conditions. Many of the archaeological sites visited have uneven ground with loose stones, and many visits involve short but steep ascents, often on broken paths, with the longest taking about 30 minutes to complete. All ascents are, however, optional and the degree of difficulty will be advised at each site. For example, the visit to Pinara requires ascending and descending loose rocky terrain in wooded hillsides. A high level of stability and mobility is required to complete the ascents, and also for being on board the boat in the event of rougher waters. Participants should be prepared for traversing slippery surfaces, and be comfortable climbing in and out of a small dinghy via a stepladder, as well as walking with both hands free while disembarking and embarking the boat. Please be aware that the weather can be warm at this time of year and sites are exposed to the sun.

Minimum fitness requirements

As a minimum, participants should be able to successfully complete the following self- assessment tests:

Walk for one hour at a reasonable pace and without needing to take a break to rest
Climb at least two flights of stairs at a reasonable pace
Stand unaided for at least 30 minutes
Stand up and sit down ten times in one minute
Carry or otherwise move your own luggage

Please ensure you have read and understand our full fitness requirements as described in our terms and conditions.

Click to read our terms and conditions

Flights

For customers who wish to make their own travel arrangements, ACE is pleased to be able to offer a flight reduction of £250.

Our Vessel

Launched in 2007 and fully refitted and refurbished in 2020, the deluxe air-conditioned MS Larin Su is a traditional two-masted, motorised wooden Turkish gulet. With just 8 ensuite cabins, it is the ideal size for accessing the ports and bays of the historically-rich Lycian coast. Amenities include a saloon, sun deck and Wi-Fi.

Days
8

Cost
£3595

Tour Code
LYC2-26

This tour has now departed

Day 1

Depart London Heathrow 0615 on British Airways, arriving Dalaman 1225. Transfer to MS Larin Su for seven nights. Overnight at Fethiye.

Day 2

Morning cruise to the island of Gemiler (former Byzantine monastic community): ruined churches, vaulted processional way, large ecclesiastical complex. Overnight at Gemiler.

Day 3

Cruise westwards to the picturesque village of Kas (ancient Antiphellos): well-preserved Hellenistic theatre, tombs. Overnight at Kas (quiet inlet for swimming).

Day 4

Cruise via Uluburun along the coast and into the bay of Kekova (underwater remains) to the small Turkish village of Kaleköy (ancient Simena): dramatic citadel with Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman remains, haunting Lycian necropolis. Overnight at Gokkaya Liman.

Day 5

Cruise to Myra (superb ancient theatre, rock tombs, fascinating Church of St Nicholas). Overnight in Kekova area.

Day 6

Cruise along the mountainous shores of Lycian coast to the tiny harbour of Kalkan then by minibus to Letoon (temples to Leto, Apollo and Artemis) and Xanthos (Roman theatre and Byzantine citadel, remains of Nereid Monument, large Byzantine church). Overnight at Kalkan.

Day 7

Travel inland to ancient Pinara in the Esençay Valley (acropolis, Hellenistic theatre, rock-cut tombs) and Tlos (imposing bath complex and citadel). Overnight at Fethiye.

Day 8

Depart Dalaman 1325, arrive Heathrow 1545.

Please note that the itinerary represents a guide to what we hope to offer, and some elements may be subject to change. Opening times in Turkey can change at short notice and so some visits may be adjusted nearer the time. The itinerary is fluid and weather conditions can affect the order and nature of visits, so participants should be prepared to be flexible.

In particularly inclement weather, the Captain reserves the right, in the interests of the safety and wellbeing of passengers, not to set out to sea. In such circumstances we will endeavour to complete the scheduled visits by other means of transportation, but will not be able to issue a refund, either in whole or in part.

Days
8

Cost
£3595

Tour Code
LYC2-26

This tour has now departed

Lycian Cruise | September 2026

Ellen Jones

Ellen Jones

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