The conjunction of Europe and Asia, Suleiman the Magnificent, Byzantium, the battle of Troy, the Ottoman Empire, the Roman Empire, and a unique land where continents meet. Birthplace of Galen, Herodotus, Aesop, and Homer. This is Türkiye, a country recently rebranded to its traditional pronunciation from an anglicized spelling referencing game birds served on holidays. Today’s Türkiye is a member of NATO, a thriving sectarian society with a surprisingly young and diverse populace, where traditions and history still abound.
This particular trip to a land rich in history and natural wonders was hosted by Go Türkiye, the country’s tourism authority, for the purposes of promoting the country’s famed Turquoise Coast, its traditional wooden boats or gulets, and the pleasures and advantages of sailing this enchanting strip of the TürkAegean.
On our arrival in İstanbul, a car was waiting for us and dispatched us to the Conrad İstanbul Bosphorus Hotel. With a modern, undulating façade of glass rising above the Old City and stylish rooms contrasting a traditional lobby, it is quite an embodiment of this country’s competing yet somehow harmonious tradition and modernity.
We met the rest of the team at the hotel and joined Aynur and Engin, our hosts from Go Türkiye, for a traditional Turkish dinner at Oligark, a moody restaurant club with a welcoming vibe in the old Beşiktaş neighborhood edging the Bosphorus Strait with views over the iconic Intercontinental Bosphorus Bridge. A complete, delicious dinner of local plates awaited us, including tender grilled young lamb, marinated in virgin olive oil, and seasoned with red chili powder, spicey grilled eggplant, and the freshest salads with just-picked tomatoes and cucumbers, accented by mint, onion, and parsley.
Up early the next morning, we flew to Dalaman Airport. On the ground, we checked into the Hilton Dalaman Sarıgerme Resort & Spa Hotel, a stunning, all-inclusive low-rise resort with a fantastic beach overlooking the TürkAegean coast. We spent just a night here, and the following day we packed once again and traveled to the city of Göcek, which is emerging as the new hot-spot for Turkish yachting, with a wealth of marinas and 15 km of bays mooring up to 4,000 boats, sheltered by lush pine-forested tracts above. Göcek is also where the annual TYBA Yacht Charter Show was ready to begin. Immediately following the MEDYS Mediterranean Yacht Show in picturesque Nafplion, the TYBA Yacht Charter Show’s founding Association unites the region’s yacht owners and charter companies to showcase and expand this growing sector of the healthy tourism industry. Over fifty-seven yachts -- including gulets and superyachts -- were on display, with yacht brokers from over twenty-three countries carefully inspecting each entry.
Gulets are two- or three-masted Turkish wooden boats used over the centuries for fishing, trade, transportation, and sponge diving. The word comes via Venice from the French word for schooner, gouélette. Following a spike in tourism to the region in the mid-1980’s, those traditional boats became transformed into pleasure vessels. Turkish shipyards – especially those in Marmara and Bodrum where gulets have traditionally been crafted -- are so well-organized that it’s possible to deliver a gulet in six months. Expertly crafted and maintained, their hulls are constructed of laminated wood with a resin exterior finish that is said to be stronger than steel.
This year, the TYBA show presented a collection of modern and classic gulets in superb condition, along with other motor yachts and sailing boats, ranging in length from 24 m to 50 m. These included the petite, custom 20.5 m Scirocco, the 31 m Archsea from HG Yachting, and what would ultimately be our accommodations, the 42.2 m S/Y Perla del Mare.
Today, these beauties we enjoyed inspecting, like S/Y Amazon Solo and S/Y Papa Joe, reflect traditional, proudly Turkish artisanship and classic good looks, combined with contemporary construction techniques and mechanics. Gulets have become a living legacy, and use of them for pleasure tourism is increasing along Türkiye’s coasts. The bays and coves along its famed Turquoise Coast, stretching from Antalya in the south to the Cesme peninsula in the north, are exquisitely calm with warm waters, full of abundant and colorful marine life, and ringed by pristine beaches. In fact, Antalya holds the world’s record for having the greatest concentration of certified Blue Flag beaches. This in the midst of modern, yet charming towns, inspiring nature, and incredible history. All were just begging to be explored. And, with all of these attributes and amenities also comes limited space for mooring superyachts.
Another standout on this trip was the gastronomy. The phrase “farm- (or net-) to-table” has more importance here as Türkiye is one of few countries in the world that is agriculturally self-sufficient. In short, we ate well. The exceptional Onno Restaurant hosted the charter show attendees for the award ceremony dinner with music and fantastic food, overlooking the sea. And, after the show’s finale, our little group dined at the sea-front Lotis Kitchen on the marina. We dined with Mr. H. Serhan Cengiz, the vice president of TYBA and owner of Amazon Solo. Serhan gave us an expert overview of both the beauty and future possibilities of the waters we were yet to explore as we enjoyed a luncheon of impressively fresh fish and delicious salads. Afterwards, we spent the late afternoon exploring the rest of Göcek and its harbor front restaurants, bars, and gorgeous shops, surrounded by cascading flowers from window boxes, lush foliage, and quite a few people remaining after the charter show. Around the docks, we caught sight of Feadship Savannah, Kusch Dynasty, Benetti Lana, as well as the massive Blohm+Voss Eclipse. This was a press trip, and we had to work. Later that evening, the team met again at another beautiful restaurant in Göcek called Güverte. Here we dined on an exquisite main course of giant sea bass encrusted in salt and delicately roasted to perfection. After the obligatory tea, coffee, and sweets, we boarded the S/Y Perla del Mare for a well-deserved rest before setting sail the next morning.
Our route is an endless stretch of tiny, sheltered bays and beaches, surrounded by hills lush with pine forests and dotted with olive orchards. With the scattering of tiny islands and coves, the waters remain as still as a pool, making for an ideal location to keep one’s yacht safe from storms and swells. Our captain explained they visit at least two different bays each day; typical charter itineraries start at seven days. In spring, this coast was virtually empty. In high summer season, there are so many boats here that occasionally it’s difficult to find a spot to dock; but this popular area is also quite well-prepared, and yachts are safely able to anchor without causing damage to any surroundings. And, although the wind in the area we sailed was limited, the surrounding hillsides were uneven, so it wasn’t necessary to use the sails much. The ideal time to visit, of course, as every beach-front villa owner knows, is between September and October. The crowds have gone, and the water is still warm.
Despite the slight chill of the water in May, we decided to take a swim to explore the underwater sea life. This is not a coral sea, but there was a rocky base playing home to enormous sea urchins and numerous schools of fish. A dolphin later joined the group, frolicking at the bow. After a swim, we were ready for lunch, and it was clearly apparent that onboard, the provisioning, as well as the chef, were second-to-none.
Along the way on any itinerary around Göcek are the incredible ruins of the early Lycian people left carved up in the cliffs surrounding Kapı Creek. These ancient building façades, reminiscent of The Treasury in Petra, mask only simple tombs hollowed out of the rock. These were made for Lycian kings and queens so that mystical winged creatures could easily take their spirits up high into the heavens. There is such incredible history in this region, and it’s equally incredible to imagine all the people who have sailed here, for trade, or war, or pleasure…for millennia.
Heading 26 NM southward, out into the open Mediterranean towards Ekincik Limanı. Although unsheltered to winds, this area boasts a golden sand beach favored by nesting sea turtles and some hospitable locals. Also, here along the Dalyan delta is where to find a system of underground caves ideal for diving or snorkeling. Above, there are more rock tombs as well as the ancient site of Caunos. Although the site is not massive, the mysteries remaining unsolved are weighty. Here are walls and battlements, protecting an acropolis also used for cult practices in a much earlier era. There’s a harbor-front agora, several temples, fountains, and a few remaining marble columns in a circular formation which upheld a long-gone marble roof with stylized panther heads as downspouts.
Heading east 33 NM towards Fethiye, one of the country’s most beautiful natural harbors, for more Roman ruins like an amphitheater and, for this century, a large Turkish bazaar and some great bars and restaurants.
The itinerary then heads back south some 14 NM to Beştaş Limanı, although stopping to check out the Byzantine ruins, freshwater springs, and even the abandoned village of Kayaköy. Whatever the choice, Bestas Limani is an ideal place to drop anchor, go swimming, rock diving, or hiking.
Heading 19 NM west to the rocky shores of the Pine archipelago, with caves and inlets -- including Tomb Bay, overlooked by another impressive Lycian funerary cliff wall -- to snorkel or swim into and explore. Go ashore for a 30-minute walk to the ancient ruins of Lydae from the fourth century BCE. Those not wishing to channel their inner Indiana Jones or Lara Croft can bypass this and head straight for the bars and restaurants.
On the final leg of the itinerary, we make a 6 NM return to Göcek. Truth be told, our itinerary was little more than two days between Göcek and Fethiye, but the preceding outline is an amazing route full of natural and archaeological wonders to explore or to simply relax and do nothing at all.
On our return to Göcek, we started on the second part of our trip, discovering the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings inspired by İstanbul. Flying back to this metropolis straddling two continents, the team at the iconic Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel was awaiting us. This legendary hotel enjoys an enviable location, the best perhaps, right over the Bosphorus Strait, looking across to the Asian side of İstanbul.
Bosphorus Bliss
Returning back to İstanbul after our trade show visit and gulet adventure was definitely a change in atmosphere, although certainly a welcome one. Not seeing the wealth of historical and cultural attractions of İstanbul, or interacting with its vibrantly warm people would have been our loss. We had a lot to see and do on our agenda.
Our brief, but cherished “home” in İstanbul was the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel. The Palace hotel is classically luxe and dignified, yet remarkably warm and friendly. Ideally located on the European shore, looking across to the Old City of İstanbul (which was once Constantinople, as the song goes), the hotel’s facilities are luxurious, its cuisine award-winning, and the outdoor heated infinity pool by the Bosphorus will have swimmers feeling very Olympian.
The Çırağan Palace is a one-of-a-kind landmark, offering one-of-a-kind experiences. It is a classic, elegant, retreat in a bustling city whose frenetic energy can sometimes overwhelm. It offers a historic, luxurious ambience, and impeccable service – including a personal butler and separate entrance for all guests staying in the eleven opulent suites of the original Palace section.
“Palace” is a designation often over-used in the hospitality industry, but not so here. The Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel has every right to that name as it was designed by the same Balyan Family of palace architects to royalty who had earlier designed the must-see Dolmabahçe Palace. In the 1800s of the Ottoman Empire, every self-respecting Sultan began building their own dream palace to house family, concubines, and staff as well as conduct affairs of state. Sultan Abdülaziz, the 32nd Sultan of the Ottoman empire, commissioned the Çırağan Palace, and construction officially began in 1863. It was constructed in classic baroque style, perhaps owing to Abdülaziz’s mother, with marble walls and, as tradition held, a roof and interior of wood. Çırağan in Persian translates to lightning. Sadly, in 1910 the Palace sustained significant damage in a fire. Whether by chance or purposeful malice, the cause of the fire remains unclear.
There are so many reasons to stay at the Çırağan Palace Kempinski Hotel. Its central location means it is close to the city’s main business and entertainment districts, as well as to key cultural and historic sites. It is a convenient 45-minute drive from Ataturk International Airport, and an airport transfer service by private limousine, helicopter, or boat can easily be arranged. Hint: stick with air or sea. The Çırağan Palace has a lovely tradition of supplying handmade scents and soaps for an indulgent bath. Once the guest selects his/her preferred fragrance, the soap is ceremoniously cut with a scimitar, placed in a beautiful bag, and delivered to the suite. On our arrival, our room was waiting for us with a delicious array of chocolates, fruits, nuts, baklava, and candies, together with a delightful bottle of wine. Sweets – and sweetness -- are incredibly important in Turkish culture. Along any street and in any bazaar, you find stores selling homemade candies. The tradition was that these were solely for women and children, and men were not allowed to eat them, but this has since changed.
Very little remained of the Çırağan’s original structure after the fire, except for the Sultan’s hammam, which was fashioned from marble. Today this forms an impressive onsite museum that the hotel maintains with limited public access. The hammam is still a traditional practice in Türkiye, and elsewhere, and we decided to enjoy it here in its purest traditional sense. The hotel has a newly installed hammam in the spa area and it is really a must-do experience if you have not experienced one before. The locals say they take a hammam at minimum twice per year, the first time being right before summer to get their skin ready and the second, just before winter. It is however, not recommended more than once per month in order to protect one’s newly exfoliated and polished skin.
The palace grounds are fantastic, palm trees, gardens, peacocks, a warm water infinity pool over the Bosphorus. There’s an indoor pool, bars beneath palm trees, and overlooking the Bosphorus, with expansive and unbelievable views. The property has four majestic ornamental doors maintained from hundreds of years ago, still intact. Its Bosphorus location, more than anything else, is royal and refined. It is easy to imagine the happenings that have gone in those straits over millennia. And today, the Golden Horn is still bustling, with ships of all kinds entering and leaving, with freight, commuters, or pleasure seekers; the Bosphorus is as much a living being as İstanbul.
But millennia of history can be a bit overwhelming. Ideally, to render this city touristic justice, one would need four to five days to explore the city’s incredible history, fascinating culture, warm, welcoming people, and delightful cuisine.
Our list of must-see historical sites included Dolmabahçe Palace, which was built in the 19th century as the administrative center for the last of the Ottoman Sultans residing there. This is the largest palace in the country, with the largest Bohemian crystal chandelier in the world. Baccarat crystal adorns the bannisters on the staircases, and an unbelievable amount of gold (14 tons) was used to gild the ceilings. But this Palace isn’t just a former residence. Today it houses a Naval Museum as well as an art collection with some 200 international painters represented, in addition to those from Turkish artists. Ironically, the Sultan who had Dolmabahçe Palace constructed, did so because his former residence, Topkapı Palace, was not sufficiently modernized to compete with those of his royal European counterparts. Gaslights and water closets were imported from Britain. Later, Dolmabahçe became the first palace to install an elevator.
We took in the afore-mentioned Topkapı Palace, a former headquarters of Ottoman sultans. It houses a vast array of historical and cultural items, including imperial jewelry, thrones, garments, and precious artifacts. The Sultan Ahmet Mosque, better known as the Blue Mosque, so named for its interior blue tiles. Directly across is the exquisite architectural wonder of the Hagia Sophia who, like the city that is her home, has had many personas and names over the centuries. Originally built as the main cathedral of East Roman Empire, and converted to İstanbul’s first mosque, once the Ottomans conquered the city. Today it functions as a mosque and is free to visit.
Deep below İstanbul’s streets is the fantastic Basilica Cistern, used in critical cinematic scenes in both Skyfall and Inferno, which is a must-see. The Column of Constantine, built 328 AD, is hard to miss right out in the open as it is, like so many other pieces of history that make İstanbul such a fascinating destination. Because these historical treasures are so respected by – and iconic of – the country, it’s always best to check in advance of touring any to ensure that none are closed for maintenance during your intended visit.
We paid a special visit to the Grand Bazaar and the Spice Bazaar. Here in İstanbul, it’s certainly at the top of every visitor’s agenda to take in this experience. This was something quite unique, and the whole process of making a purchase here is both an education and a lesson in cultural respect and patience. It involves an initial talk, hearing the price, and starting the negotiation which, if it is serious, follows with sitting in a small chair in the shop and sharing a tea with the proprietor. The tea must be sweet, so the talk is sweet. In fact, everything in Türkiye begins -- and ends -- with tea. When you finally make the purchase and it is a good deal, meaning mutually beneficial, the proprietor will bring a bottle of eau de cologne and ceremoniously drip some on your hands. It is a symbol of welcome, very traditional to the Turkish culture. In the end, and after some 20 minutes, you come out of the store with some spices, candies, a lovely silk scarf, or an incredible carpet.
The Grand Bazar is a maze of over sixty narrow, covered streets housing some 4,000 shops. It has some hidden areas that are not so easy to reach, particularly on the first floor, which is fantastic. The bazaar is so big that it is difficult to try and find a store later if you change your mind. It is a good lesson, though. Indulge your spontaneity and, if you like something, buy it.
Our final intention for visiting İstanbul at the end of the charter show in Göcek was to have the opportunity to visit two shipyards that are achieving a well-deserved reputation in the superyacht world: Bilgin Yachts and Turquoise Yachts.
One early Monday morning, Bilgin Yachts sent a car to the Çırağan Palace Kempinski to bring us to the shipyard. We road through the streets to the Old City, crossing the famous Galata Bridge at the entrance to the Golden Horn, the natural port of İstanbul. The driver took the road that follows the route of the Citi Walls of Constantinople. These walls encompassed the Old City and protected its border with the sea from potential invaders. And the walls are still here, kilometer upon kilometer of layers of stone on more stone, protecting against the invading Ottomans. After about an hour’s ride, we arrived at the shipyard in West İstanbul Marina, right over the Marmara sea.
Mr. Berkay Yilmaz, the commercial director of Bilgin Yachts, welcomed us and took us on tour through the shipyard. We were amazed at how so well-organized and beautifully clean the shipyard was, yet so busy at the same time. The office building was where a few hundred engineers were working on numerous, exacting details involved in building any superyacht. And, in the sheds, we saw two 80-meter yachts, a 75-meter, and a 50-meter explorer. The proportions were…magnificent. Bilgin does everything in-house, right here.
It was essential to understand not just the shipyard’s capabilities but what was actively in their order book and what kind of waits prospective owners could expect.
Berkay advised that Bilgin currently had eight projects under construction in different stages, ranging from 50 mt to 92 mt. Four of these were on spec. Bilgin’s hull and superstructure facility in Yalova, approximately two hours away from West İstanbul Marina, is simultaneously working on three of these projects, but with the opening of a new facility, also in Yalova, in approximately six months will be capable of building another six medium-to-large yachts. Although Berkay was understandably reticent about which, if any, of Bilgin’s products would be presented at the Monaco Yacht Show this year, we felt confident she would be a stunner and definitely worth the tortuous wait.
We left the shipyard feeling positive. By the time we returned to the Çırağan Palace Hotel at midday, another car was waiting for us to drive to Turquoise Yachts’ shipyards. On this journey, the driver took us in the opposite direction, over the Intercontinental Bosphorous Bridge, deep into the Asian side of Türkiye. After about an hour, we reached Turquoise, in a port on the Marmara Sea where numerous other shipyards were located. Turquoise is on the shore opposite to Bilgin Yachts.
Turquoise has two shipyards in this area, one focused on the hard metal work of hull construction and superstructures. The second shipyard, which we toured, is focused on interiors and finishing. They had two yachts under construction during our visit and two on the water. One was for final touches and ready to deliver to her owner, and the second was under service work after her first year at sea. In the sheds, they had two big yachts in their final stages. One was getting ready to be presented at the MYS this year. The shipyard can manage projects up to 80 meters, and they are extending one shed to receive yachts over 80 meters soon.
We asked Aysecan Zorlu, the marketing manager at Turquoise Yachts, about all the developments of any current projects at the shipyard. With seven projects in development, including a 74-meter which is scheduled to be delivered in just a few days’ time, we were anticipatory as well as confident about this shipyard as well. Turquoise Yachts’ facilities are capable of building any size from 50 to 140 m. Although at this stage, the earliest delivery of a new order would be in 2026.
The car drove us back after the tour, and we ended the day with a celebratory dinner at Tuğra, a traditional restaurant at the Çırağan Palace featuring exceptional Ottoman cuisine and a beautiful terrace overlooking the Bosphorous. Dining at night, seated at tables between majestic marble columns, and an incredible view, we enjoyed an evening of delicious traditional cuisine, satisfied with our exploration of gulets and charters, and feeling excited that the superyacht industry in Türkiye is vibrantly healthy, and growing like never before. This was an excellent way to conclude a beautiful journey that melded discovery, rest, and wonder to perfection.
It is a pleasure to thank those who made this article possible:
GoTürkiye
Website: www.goturkiye.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/GoTürkiye
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goturkiye/
TYBA Yachting & Brokers Association
Website: www.tybaturkey.org
www.tybachartershow.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +90 542 316 89 22
Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
Çırağan Cad. 32 • Beşiktaş 34349 • Istanbul • Turkey
Website: https://www.kempinski.com/en/istanbul/Çırağan-palace/
Email: reservationoffice.ÇırağThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +90 212 326 4646
TUĞRA Restaurant
At Çırağan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
Email: diningreservations.ÇırağThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +90 212 236 7333
Bilgin Yachts
Website: www.bilginyacht.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +90 212 876 45 47
Turquoise Yachts
Website: www.turquoiseyachts.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: +90 216 493 82 48
Pablo Fererro | Words: Janine Devine
