Turkey

Turkey is a huge country with around 8.400 km of coastline! There are many more little bays and coves than in the Aegean Greek islands and they are very hospitable, just perfect for anchoring. There is also an increasing number of marinas offering all modern facilities. The finest marinas are Park Kemer, Gocek, Bodrum and Atakoy in Istanbul.

Turkey is well known for its locally built wooden motorsailers, called gulets or gullets . These easy going vessels are operated by hundreds.
Turkey is still a trendy and successful destination for crewed yachts . But the locally operating fleet has decreased in recent years and is being replaced by larger and better charter yachts, operating not only in Turkey and Greece but in the whole of the Mediterranean.

Most yachts cruise in the southwest of the country, along the Mediterranean coast and the Aegean Sea. This area offers acres of ancient remains, from the ruins of Greek cities to sunken Roman harbours and crusader castles. But what makes it so unique is that you can conveniently visit those from your anchor place!

Best places for embarkation are Bodrum, Gocek and Marmaris.

The Sea of Marmara is also worth exploring and a sail through the heart of Istanbul is an exhilarating experience. The Black Sea coast of Turkey lacks natural harbours but there are several sheltered ports. The coast is spectacular but there are no charter operations carried out.

Mediterranean Coast

Turkey's Mediterranean Coast, over 1,000 kilometres long, is wild and rugged. Steep-to mountains fall into the sea; rocky escarpments give way to pine-clad slopes. A fertile plain opens up between Antalya and Alanya. All along the coast, the Taurus mountains loom to the north.

The Mediterranean Coast is humid with temperatures above 30°C during the summer months. The meltemi is much weaker than in the Aegean and there are land and sea breezes from the Gulf of Antalya to the Syrian border. Sea breezes tend to come from the south or southwest. However there is little or no rain during July and August, there is a rainy season from December through March.

Aegean Coast

Turkey's stunning Aegean Coast stretches from Cannakale at the entrance of the sea of Marmara (the famous Dardanelles) to the pine-clad slopes of the bay of Marmaris in the South. This is a distance of approximately 2800 kilometers. It is a rich agricultural region, where the fertile plains of ancient Thrace extend South to Ayvalik and Izmir. South of Cesme you will sail by gentle hills covered with olive, fig and fruit orchards, great plains and a wild mountainous stretch from Gumusluk to Marmaris.

Temperatures in the Aegean are slightly cooler than those of the Mediterranean and there is usually a sailing breeze. The meltemi prevails from June through August. It comes from the North or Northwest and follows the contours of the coast. It starts around midday and blows until sunset. With many mountainous Greek Islands so close by, wind tunnels between the two countries may produce considerable seas. Despite the meltemi , there are occasional Southerlies.