Would be stopping at Marmaris, Bozcaada, Antalya & Bodrum

[vipro]

We will be joining Oceania's cruise this summer to Greece and Turkey and the ship really calls at unusual ports.

 

Does anyone know where can i find shore excursions for these if i don't join the ship's excursions? 

 

Also can i DIY any of these ports? or are the ports a long way from the town/city centre?

 

We are quite experienced DIYers on ports of calls but that are only limited to Europe where the transportation is good and reliable, not sure about Turkey.

 

Thanks!

[cruisemom42]

I have only been to two of the ports you mention, Antalya and Bodrum.

 

At Antalya, the port is an industrial one and it is a long, long way from the city. Taxis were available at the port to take you into town where, if you had done some research, a self-guided walking tour of the old part of town could be easily done.  The old part of town is charming and includes some Roman remains as well as a medieval area of twisty streets and interesting old buildings. On the ship I was sailing, a walking tour was included at no cost. Another place to visit is the wonderful archaeological museum -- bigger, better and more modern than you'd think. It is a bit out of the "old town" area, so unless you're keen walkers you might want to get a taxi there as well. 

 

There are some outlying ruins that are also often offered as tours, including Perge and Aspendos. The tour to Aspendos includes a stop at one of the most perfectly preserved Roman theatres I've ever seen.

 

Bodrum and Aspendos are nowadays both resort areas, by the way, so there are beaches and lots of tourists in season. Both also have pretty harbors near the city.

 

In Bodrum, unlike Antalya, ships dock near the center. You can walk along the waterfront to reach the castle of St. Peter, the main site, which is worth a visit and includes a museum on underwater archaeology. (I believe that sometimes a shuttle boat runs when ships are in port that will also drop you near the castle if you don't want the walk.)  Along the promenade there are lots of restaurants to enjoy some fresh fish or delicious Turkish food.

 

[vipro]

Thanks on the very detailed response. I was hoping to join an excursion in Antalya. Where did u find these tours? I looked at viator and they seem to target ppl who stay there than cruise excursions.

 

Glad to know Bodrum is easily doable. At least this one I can leave for now (and plan later)

[cruisemom42]

First of all, a small correction: I typed above that Bodrum and Aspendos were resort towns -- I meant Bodrum and Antalya. Guess I was tired last night....

 

Also in re-reading your original post, I see that you are on Oceania. They often will offer a free shuttle into town when the dock is far from it, so that would be a possibility for getting into town on your own, so to speak, and you could then work from there. They would likely drop you somewhere near the old town. You could make a day out of walking around that area, having lunch, and visiting the museum (short taxi ride there and back to drop off point).

 

Regarding tours, when I was there the first time I was lucky enough to be able to arrange a tour with a guide I'd had on a previous land trip who lives not far from Antalya. She was a terrific guide but she's no longer working in that area. A second time, I took a slightly different tour that visited Perge and Side (another ancient city) through the cruise line. I was on Voyages to Antiquity cruise that offered fairly decent tours and NO shopping stops; it was fine.

 

Locating private guides right now is a bit more difficult than pre-Covid, but I had some luck last season by going through Get Your Guide and then asking them to quote me for a cruise excursion rather than a tour for someone staying on land -- never had a problem.

 

[vipro]

On 1/22/2024 at 11:04 PM, cruisemom42 said:

First of all, a small correction: I typed above that Bodrum and Aspendos were resort towns -- I meant Bodrum and Antalya. Guess I was tired last night....

 

Also in re-reading your original post, I see that you are on Oceania. They often will offer a free shuttle into town when the dock is far from it, so that would be a possibility for getting into town on your own, so to speak, and you could then work from there. They would likely drop you somewhere near the old town. You could make a day out of walking around that area, having lunch, and visiting the museum (short taxi ride there and back to drop off point).

 

Regarding tours, when I was there the first time I was lucky enough to be able to arrange a tour with a guide I'd had on a previous land trip who lives not far from Antalya. She was a terrific guide but she's no longer working in that area. A second time, I took a slightly different tour that visited Perge and Side (another ancient city) through the cruise line. I was on Voyages to Antiquity cruise that offered fairly decent tours and NO shopping stops; it was fine.

 

Locating private guides right now is a bit more difficult than pre-Covid, but I had some luck last season by going through Get Your Guide and then asking them to quote me for a cruise excursion rather than a tour for someone staying on land -- never had a problem.

 

Thanks for the information. I tried to engage some land tour operators but they were not keen on offering cruise excursions. Maybe I should have asked for private ones. 

 

Anyway in between Perge, Aspendos, city tour and arch museum which ones should I go for as a first timer. I personally wanted to check out the Roman theatre in Aspendos and also the city but there are no such combinations for the excursions offered by the ship. I only have a choice of Perge and Aspendos, Perge and museum, Perge and city tour. 

 

I think Aspendos is sth that cannot be done by myself? 

 

Also I have been to el Jem in Tunisia so not sure if the theatre there would be better. Also I have been to Ephesus, Jerash, Pompeii and Volubilis, so not sure if Perge is worth the time. 

 

As for the museum. As I would be going to the national archaeology museum in Athens in this trip again I am not sure if it will be too much if I visit this one. 

 

Thanks

[cruisemom42]

35 minutes ago, vipro said:

Also I have been to el Jem in Tunisia so not sure if the theatre there would be better. Also I have been to Ephesus, Jerash, Pompeii and Volubilis, so not sure if Perge is worth the time. 

 

As for the museum. As I would be going to the national archaeology museum in Athens in this trip again I am not sure if it will be too much if I visit this one. 

 

Clearly a traveler after my own heart. 🥰 I've been to all of the places you mention as well as many more. 

 

The Aspendos theatre is more or less a "stand-alone" so you don't get the full context of the associated city. (For some reason tours do not take you to the remaining Aspendos ruins, although they exist.) But the theatre itself is extremely well-preserved. It's one of the places where I most got the feeling of being in a Roman theatre as it would have been. Perhaps in terms of impact it is close to the theatre at Jerash. It is not as grand as the ones at Mérida nor as large as the one at Ephesus, but the relative completeness of the outer as well as inner areas makes it a great exemplar of the type. (I'm talking of Roman theatres and not so much of the ones that were originally Greek and still maintain a certain Greek quality about them -- like the one at Taormina, of the theatre of Dionysus in Athens, or the heart-stoppingly steep one on the hillside at Pergamum.)

 

I'm not recalling a theatre at El Djem, just the wonderful amphitheatre. If there is one, it must not be terribly compelling....

 

If you go to Aspendos and get the chance, steal away for a few minutes and walk behind the theatre to see the wonderful Roman aqueduct, or ask your tour guide if he can stop there for a few minutes.  (The bus tours tend to drive you by it really quickly after your visit to the theatre but it's worth a closer look.)

 

As to the museum, you could skip it. I think visiting the old city and visiting the theatre at Aspendos would be my two top choices even though I love a good museum -- and this one IS a good one.

 

There is an arch built in honor of Hadrian in the old city at Antalya that's worth tracking down. (I also have a small collection of arches built for Hadrian that I have visited around the Roman world....including Jerash, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Antalya, Perge...)

 

If I recall, the Perge and Aspendos tours are only a half day. The Perge ruins are extensive but -- for me -- not particularly compelling. Many mosaics have been discovered there but they are mostly in the museum. The Hellenistic walls and gate towers are what I recall most. The theatre is very incomplete but does retain some nicely sculpted friezes frome the scenae frons that are worth a look. There are also a couple of interesting fountains/nymphaia.

 

 

 

[vipro]

7 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Clearly a traveler after my own heart. 🥰 I've been to all of the places you mention as well as many more. 

 

The Aspendos theatre is more or less a "stand-alone" so you don't get the full context of the associated city. (For some reason tours do not take you to the remaining Aspendos ruins, although they exist.) But the theatre itself is extremely well-preserved. It's one of the places where I most got the feeling of being in a Roman theatre as it would have been. Perhaps in terms of impact it is close to the theatre at Jerash. It is not as grand as the ones at Mérida nor as large as the one at Ephesus, but the relative completeness of the outer as well as inner areas makes it a great exemplar of the type. (I'm talking of Roman theatres and not so much of the ones that were originally Greek and still maintain a certain Greek quality about them -- like the one at Taormina, of the theatre of Dionysus in Athens, or the heart-stoppingly steep one on the hillside at Pergamum.)

 

I'm not recalling a theatre at El Djem, just the wonderful amphitheatre. If there is one, it must not be terribly compelling....

 

If you go to Aspendos and get the chance, steal away for a few minutes and walk behind the theatre to see the wonderful Roman aqueduct, or ask your tour guide if he can stop there for a few minutes.  (The bus tours tend to drive you by it really quickly after your visit to the theatre but it's worth a closer look.)

 

As to the museum, you could skip it. I think visiting the old city and visiting the theatre at Aspendos would be my two top choices even though I love a good museum -- and this one IS a good one.

 

There is an arch built in honor of Hadrian in the old city at Antalya that's worth tracking down. (I also have a small collection of arches built for Hadrian that I have visited around the Roman world....including Jerash, Ephesus, Jerusalem, Antalya, Perge...)

 

If I recall, the Perge and Aspendos tours are only a half day. The Perge ruins are extensive but -- for me -- not particularly compelling. Many mosaics have been discovered there but they are mostly in the museum. The Hellenistic walls and gate towers are what I recall most. The theatre is very incomplete but does retain some nicely sculpted friezes frome the scenae frons that are worth a look. There are also a couple of interesting fountains/nymphaia.

 

 

 

Thanks very much on yor insights! and you really have been a lot of places as well as knowing your stuff. Yes el-jem has the amphitheater now that u remind me but tbh I am always confused about an amphitheater to a Roman to a Greek theatre as u can see I am just a newbie in this area though I am interested in these things. 

 

You have sold me to Aspendos so I will do the Perge and Aspendos tour in the morning and if I have time do the city myself after lunch (let's hope there are free shuttles from Oceania) as I trust these more than any taxis from ports (always look like a rip-off to me)

 

Thanks again for your help. Now I can move on to plan my tours in Cyprus. (I have given up on Marmaris and Bozcaada)