Day 7 - GOCEK / GEMILER ISLAND
This morning we begin our cruise along the craggy Mediterranean coast. We make a landing on a small beach in the Bay of Gemiler, and drive to a spot near Kayakoy, a Greek “ghost town.” From here, we begin our hike to Kayakoy, on a rarely used trail that follows the side of a hill full of carob trees, thyme, and bay, with incredible vistas of inlets and lacy coastline. Anatolian Greeks once inhabited this city, with about 600 houses. During the 1920s, the entire population was relocated to Greece in the aftermath of the Turkish War of Independence. It is an eerie and moving place, a tragic reminder of how politics can affect human lives. The hike takes two hours. We walk first uphill, then descend on a well-graded but sometimes rocky path to a cove at Soguk Su. (Please note that if you elect not to join the hike, you will need to stay onboard the gulet, which sails to meet us at Soguk Su.) In the afternoon, we cruise to nearby Gemiler Island, where we see a sixth-century Byzantine monastery and ancient churches and refectories. If you like, you can hike to the top of the island, about a 400-foot elevation gain, for a breathtaking view of the azure channel below. We return to our gulet in the afternoon, and you may have time for a brief swim before dinner. (B/L/D)