Aegean Coast Luxury Cycle Touring

Sirince is a beautiful and very old-fashioned wine-producing village where you will stay in beautifully restored Greek “Konak” houses. From the airport, an easy drive of around 40 minutes brings you into a picturesque landscape where steep hillsides are home to traditional olive groves. In the formerly Greek village of Sirince you have time to relax and enjoy a stroll through the historic, cobbled streets. There are interesting local boutiques to browse through, followed leisurely by a fine dinner at the Arsipel Restaurant- the perfect beginning to an incredible week of Aegean culinary experiences with the extra bonus of live music every weekend. Your room is the best available- authentic and somewhat rustic but with an unmatched classical grandeur and perfect romantic air.

Meals (Guided tour): Dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): None

This is a relatively easy first day, with plenty of time for sightseeing at Ephesus and relaxing in the hotel gardens at the end of the ride. From Sirince you follow a new road through vineyards, rolling hillsides and forested countryside, enjoying great views over Selcuk and Pamucak Beach beyond. A fantastic downhill brings you easily into Selcuk town, and after stopping to admire the Roman aqueduct and charming central square you head on to the wonderful ruins at Ephesus- perhaps Turkey’s number one must-see historic site. You might choose to spend anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours exploring the site. Continuing towards the coast on a tree-lined cycle path, you soon arrive at Pamucak beach, where there are nice places for a morning break or lunch. You can swim here too- the water is lovely! Continuing towards Kusadasi on the seaside backroad you escape the traffic and arrive in this popular, fashionable resort town easily and safely. After enjoying the town’s boutiques, cafes and upmarket marina, you transfer you onwards to Camlik, where you will stay in a luxury winery, with great food in a perfect Mediterranean garden setting.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

Today your route takes us on through fruit orchards and vineyards as it winds up and over rolling hills to Kirazli, and out into open garrigue on a panoramic country road to arrive at the small village of Yaylakoy. From here, after a brief downhill section on a bigger road, you drop down to the coast via Sogucak village and enjoy a wonderful traffic-free cycle lane right on the seafront. From Guzelcamli, you enter the Dilek Peninsula National Park and ride to the very end of the peninsula road (Karasu Beach). Here there is time to relax on the beach, swim or take a walk up a fantastic canyon path. From there, you drive for 2 hours to an area nearby Bodrum. There are views of the inland salt-flats lagoon of Tuzla that are often home to flamingoes. Tonight you stay in a fantastic true boutique hotel right on the edge of this lagoon with wonderful views and a waterside restaurant. The perfect taste of luxury.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

After a short (20 minute) transfer, you begin riding in the sleepy small town of Mumcular, soon climbing steadily up onto an area of wild, open countryside. Descending through picturesque villages where beekeeping, small-scale gardening and simple, pastoral existence are still the staples of daily life, you eventually arrive at the coast on a deserted asphalt road that runs right along the seafront. You’ll enjoy lunch at Cokertme, a truly little-known paradise cove often shared by only the occasional yacht. After lunch, your ride takes you right along the seaside, passing through contrasting vistas on your way to Oren. The hotel here isn’t one of the best on the tour, but it is the best in this entire area!

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

The group begins with a short (20 minute) transfer inland up a densely wooded valley where there are impressive ruins of a Roman aqueduct to be seen. Beginning the ride in an elevated position at Alatepe village, the panoramas are breathtaking and a predominantly downhill course makes for extremely pleasant road cycling. Eventually, you arrive again at the coast, high above Akbuk- a protected area with little development and a gorgeous shingle beach. The jetty makes a perfect diving board and you can enjoy a swim break before lunch at the Altas Pension- again, famous for daily catches of local seafood. From Akbuk, you follow an easy-going and incredibly beautiful single track coast road that may perhaps be the best cycling road in Turkey! With no traffic out of season and a new road surface, this relatively flat 25 km stretch to Akyaka is an absolute paradise, in the shade of mature pines with fleeting glimpses down to the azure waters below. Your hotel is one of the region’s best, the perfect place to unwind in truly refined luxury.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

After another short morning transfer (30 minutes), you leave your driver at the top of the hill on the road to Yesilbelde, bypassing the town of Marmaris and enjoying awesome views over the bays, peninsulas and islands below. You rejoin the main road briefly, before turning onto the wonderful Bozburun Peninsula at Hisaronu. Here, the coast road is unforgettably picturesque, meandering its way between little-visited bays and paradise villages along the peninsula, often right on the waterside! Turgut village is a particular highlight, nestling in blissful seclusion just 1 km or so inland. The whole landscape in this area is stunning, and your course around the peninsula is surely one of the trip highlights. Your hotel is very special- authentic Aegean experience, right on the waterside… The big draw here is the hotel restaurant- one of the best in the whole region!

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

Today you explore the undeveloped and wild Bozburun Peninsula. This is a shorter day, and a well-earned rest after some challenging rides. Unless you are feeling fit and strong, you can enjoy the first section of our tour by car! Passing by Bozburun village, you head into the mountainous hinterland, climbing into the hills via Sogutkoy to Bayirkoy- a wonderfully picturesque place set in lush, green hills. After enjoying a restaurant lunch here and sampling the many varieties of honey that the region is famous for, you continue on one final climb that brings you out high above the coast once more and begin riding through the open pine forest. This section of the trip feels quite wild and isolated, and the beach resort of Icmeler will be a strange sight below! You continue onwards to the town of Marmaris, riding on the seaside promenade right onto the marina. From here, a delightful last section brings you to the Marmaris National Park, where you stay at one of the best boutique hotels in the region.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

From Marmaris, you start with a 40-minute transfer to the lakeside town of Koycegiz and embark on a fantastic tour around Koycegiz Lake with its incredible hot springs and mud baths- perfect for relaxing road-weary muscles! You ride through Sultaniye and Candir before stopping to explore the ancient city and admire the massive Lycian rock tombs at Kaunos. You finally arrive at the riverside and take a taxi boat across the water to arrive in Dalyan. Your base for the next days overlooks the clear blue waters of the Dalyan River, where you can often see freshwater turtles, amongst a host of wildlife that visits this natural haven. It’s a paradise place and our hotel is in the very best position- an extensive layout with several gorgeous pools, bars, choice of restaurants, sauna and hamam complex, but it doesn’t feel big and impersonal.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

Iztuzu is one of Turkey’s most important and environmentally protected beaches, and its 7 km sandy strip is a crucial sea turtle nesting ground. This easy last day’s ride gives you time to explore not just the beach itself, but the incredible scenery that surrounds it. If you prefer, however, we will organize a river taxi to take you down through the delta to the beach. It’s also possible to take the riverboat one way, walk the 6 km length of the beach, and cycle home from the road at the far end (your driver will wait there with your bikes). In the afternoon you can choose to explore the village, do a little shopping or simply relax and rest your weary muscles.

Meals (Guided tour): Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Meals (Self-guided supported tour): Breakfast, dinner

Meals (Self-guided tour): Breakfast only

Your last day together with your group - time to pack up bikes and enjoy a lazy breakfast on the riverside. You are transfered to Dalaman Airport for connecting flights. On request, it’s also possible to drive you back to Bodrum or Izmir Airports too (supplement payable).

Meals (All departures): Breakfast