Ancient Deities and Medieval Knights: Bodrum, Knidos, Symi and Rhodes
The statue of the goddess Aphrodite of Knidos was one of the most famous in Classical antiquity, sculpted in the 4th century BC by Praxiteles who was renowned for his ability to make figures out of marble that looked incredibly lifelike. His beautiful Aphrodite has long disappeared but not without leaving hundreds of copies and imitations. Why was this Aphrodite so famous and what did she look like? Did the Colossus of Rhodes, a statue of the Titan Helios, really tower over the port of the ancient city? Who were the chivalrous medieval Knights who built so many glorious castles in this part of the world? These are some of the questions we can discuss as we journey across the Aegean Sea from Knidos to Symi and Rhodes which, at this time of year, will be peaceful and uncrowded allowing us to explore at our leisure, making the most of the autumn sunshine. Amal Asfour will be your tour leader for this trip. Before you travel, she will arrange a visit to the British Museum to show you a few of the works of sculpture which were excavated at some of the sites you will be going to.
DAY 1
We meet our boat at Bodrum harbour, 40 minutes from the airport.
DAY 2
We head for Knidos and arrive in time for a swim and lunch before we begin our exploration of this most beautiful ancient Greek site, idyllically-situated with a double harbour and such an extensive and varied array of architectural remains that it comes to life very vividly.
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DAY 3
We leave early stopping for breakfast and a swim on our way to Datça, a pretty little town where it is pleasant to stroll while waiting to complete formalities to exit Turkey. That done, we set sail for the Greek island of Symi where we aim to arrive in the middle of the afternoon and moor for the night. The town of Symi itself is a lovely place of colourful old houses and mansions climbing steeply up the hillside from the harbour, ideal for a sunset walk to end the day.
DAY 4
We sail around to St. George’s Bay for breakfast and some of the best swimming in the Mediterranean. After lunch, we move on to the harbour of Mandraki in the city of Rhodes. The rest of the day is free to wander around the medieval Old Town, along the moat and through the former Jewish and Moslem quarters and the modernist Italian quarter with its 1930s architecture.
DAY 5
We continue to Lindos where we visit the beautifully restored Acropolis and the Temple of Athena. We also see the towers and walls of the Castle of the Knights of St John built into the cliffside and, on our way down, visit the Church of the Virgin with its frescoed biblical scenes. We anchor in the natural harbour across the bay from Lindos.
DAY 6
We go back to Rhodes city and visit the superb Archaeological Museum housed in the former hospital of the Knights of St John. We then walk up the Street of the Knights to the Palace of the Grand Master. Later, we visit the Acropolis and the Temple of Apollo.
DAY 7
We are off to Marmaris to see the castle rebuilt by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1522 when he set out to conquer Rhodes. Day 8 Dalaman airport is about an hour and a half away.