Marmaris is a natural deep water harbour. Ferries link the Turkish mainland at Marmaris with the Greek Island of Rhodes. This is also an excellent starting point for a cruise east to Fethiye.
Marmaris is now a very lively tourist town with many bars, restaurants and hotels. Perhaps you might spend a couple of days there before boarding? The change in atmosphere and environment will be striking!
Marmaris
Marmaris may have lost some of its natural beauty because of its rapid development but there are still a few things to see as you start your Marmaris Fethiye Gulet Cruise.
- Cleopatra Island in the Gulf of Gokova has both Greek and Roman ruins. Its real name is Sedir but it gets its nickname because it is said that Mark Anthony had fine sand delivered to create a lovely beach for his Egyptian lover.
- Cennet (Turkish for ‘’paradise’’) Island is in fact a peninsula but not really accessible by land so your cruise gives you the chance to see it.
Cruises are full board with fresh local produce at every meal. You may try to catch dinner one day because there are plenty of fish in the sea.
If you are unlucky you will not go hungry with the captain likely to BBQ lamb, chicken or both instead.
As you head east you will immediately be struck by the natural beauty of the coastline. There are many coves and certainly two points of real interest very quickly.
- Ekincik is a popular place to anchor. There is a small beach, hotel, restaurant and bar. You may decide it is a nice spot to spend the night.
- Only a short distance further there is the famous Iztuzu Beach. It is a protected area because it is a nesting site for the endangered loggerhead turtle. By day it is a stretch of 5 kilometres of sand. Behind the beach is the delta of the Dalyan River which has come from the inland lake of Koycegiz, past the famous Lycian rock tombs and the ruins of the ancient port of Kaunos.
Sarigerme a little way on has a nice beach but with the independence of your own boat you can drop anchor in any of the small coves en route.- As you sailturkey.com you can also enjoy the small islands that form a very popular day trip for those staying on the mainland. The 12 Islands Tour begins either in Gocek, a small town with an impressive marina or in Fethiye which is your final destination on this cruise.
While you are still on board there are a few places to see before exploring Fethiye on land later. One of those places is Tersane Island which was home to Greeks before the formation of the Turkish Republic in 1923. It has been uninhabited ever since though there are some tourist facilities manned during the summer. It is a chance to explore and have a final swim during your cruise.
Incidentally a more famous Greek settlement is nearby; Kayakoy was abandoned at the same time. It is a popular tourist destination and restaurants cater for visitors from Fethiye which is perhaps 20 minutes’ away. That is a place to see at the end of your memorable cruise.
Once you have taken a cruise like this you are likely to want to do another in the future. There are several popular routes just waiting for you to book.
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Let’s be honest, we’ve all dreamt of making the most fabulous entrance into work. This week, at least Londoners will see that dream come true, as they can drop the Tube or buse and take unicorn cabs to work instead.
Yes, you read that right. Gay Rainbow Unicorn-drawn carriages. Taking you to work. Thats a fabulous entrance if we’ve ever seen one.
And it’s as fabulous(ly gay) as it sounds: two horses, decked with rainbow manes and horns, draw a white coach, complete with rainbow pattern on the side.
Think mascara is only good as make-up? Think again! The Viennese drag queen and burlesque performer, Tamara Mascara, is here to give her top tips about having a great time in Vienna.
A full-on shopping trip on Mariahilfer Strasse is an absolute must for a perfect day in the city on the Danube. “The Phil on Gumpendorferstrasse is a great place for a break: Bookstore, cafe and bar in one. Students and hipsters love it.
The Felixx just around the corner is a cozy place to round off your shopping spree …”
After dropping off the shopping bags at Tamara’s apartment and getting all dolled up, it’s time to start the evening out with dinner at the revolving Danube Tower Restaurant – fantastic 360* panorama included! “I can warmly recommend Cafe Berg for dinner – it’s totally gay friendly.
Looking for something special for you restaurant choice in London? Here’s a selection of our favourite restaurants:
Gaucho – Smithfield
The Gaucho chain of restaurants is a concept that I have never felt a lot of love for. Always too dark and over-priced. But it was a cold Wednesday night and (after a fairly serious work-out at the gym) I had a hankering for a decent steak, so I wandered over to the Gaucho adjacent to Smithfield Market . I ordered a 300g rib eye steak with béarnaise sauce, spinach and a glass of Malbec. All very good. They seem to have improved the lighting, the music was great and the service was professional (if a little lacking in charm). Still over-priced.
Hix Oyster & Chop House – Smithfield
It was a wintry night in Clerkenwell and I felt like some substantial food. I’d eaten at Hix in Cowcross Street only once before, soon after it had opened a few years ago. It wasn’t the most successful meal, but I was feeling generous and decided it was time to give Hix another try. I heaved past the solid door and stood expectantly by the long bar. It took a while for anyone to acknowledge me, eventually it was a fairly surly greeting. “Table for one” I said — the waiter looked at me as if I was crazy. “Pardon?” he said. “Table for one” I repeated — a bit more firmly. I was not in the mood for surly waiters. The restaurant was quiet but he waved me towards the seats at the bar which I was I was fine with. After a little while the surly waiter brought me some menus — they looked tired and tatty, the food menu was laminated. It felt cheap but the prices indicated that it wasn’t going to be. I was looking for comfort food so I ordered the fish fingers, chips and mushy peas with a glass of Bordeaux to wash it down. I asked for a glass of water — it never arrived. The restaurant did get busy — full of suits. The food was okay. Don’t think I’ll give Hix a third chance.
I was beyond excited to return to Rome at the end of my Italy trip last week – a city I hadn’t been to in many years but that I had truly loved during my previous visits. Since I didn’t have much time, I decided to spend most of my time in Trastevere, my favorite neighborhood in Rome. Located on the west bank of the river (Trastevere translates to across the Tiber (river) ), it has become a favorite with many Rome fans over the years, yet it doesn’t see as many visitors as the part of town on the east bank.
Why is that? Because all of Rome’s famous sights, like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon… are located on the east bank of the Tiber, and most people don’t make it on the other side of the river during their visit to Rome – except for the obligatory stop in Vatican City, which is also on the west bank.
What I love about Trastevere is that is the neighborhood in Rome where not only can you find typical Italian architecture, charming piazzas (squares), cobble stone streets (many of which are pedestrianized), many outdoor cafes and restaurants, but also plenty of street art, which gives the neighborhood a bit of an edge.
London, Tel Aviv, Madrid – we’ve explored some super hot gay scenes recently, and this week it’s Paris getting the Moovz treatment.
In this new video, cute local Sylvain Poisson meets the movers and shakers of the French capital’s queer community and the Paris Gay Scene.
The vid follows the presenter on a a wild night out. gay Parisian style. Watch as he takes in busy nightspots like Freedj Bar, Spirit of Star and the evidently very naughty Raidd Bar.
Gay Athens life is lively and interesting. And the Boys, oh the Boys… If you are looking for a place full of Scruffy, Hunky, Beefy types… oh well don’t look any further! Athens is the TOP destination for your next holidays (Or at least long weekend if you happen to live in Europe!).
Most of the life in Gay Athens happen in Gazi area. Gazi takes its name from an old gas depot that stands in the area: no worry, the gas depot is not in use anymore since 1984. Since then, the area has become more and more gentrified, and nowadays it is a trendy area, plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs targeting the young crowds, and the gay crowd obviously.
To get to Gazi is easy: if you are staying in the centre of Athens, you can definitely walk to Gazi Square from anywhere, as its position is pretty central. Another option is to get there through underground: Kerameikos station has its exit right in the middle of the square! And it is around this square that most of the life of Gay Athens happen! Be aware: as in the Southern European tradition, the nightlife in Gay Athens starts very late! So, don’t rush! Have a siesta, a late dinner, and get ready to enjoy Athens until very late!
What a week it has been! My rather spontaneous journey to Italy was such a whirlwind trip that I am still processing everything I’ve experienced during my eight days of walking through Umbria and Lazio into Rome. (For those of you who haven’t read my September round-up: I walked parts of the historic Via Amerina pilgrims path from Assisi to Rome).
I don’t even know where to begin… but let’s just say that this has easily been one of the highlights of my entire year, and when I finally took off my walking shoes (to be precise, my running shoes, in lieu of actual hiking shoes) on the very last day, my emotions were torn between substantial relief about not having to put these shoes back on and the desire to keep walking.
Umbria was a region that I hadn’t known very well prior to this trip, and I was once again amazed by the beauty of this country. Is there any region in Italy that is not absolutely stunning?! I felt the same way about Lombardy last year.
Usually Athens is the starting point of many trips around the Aegean sea and its beautiful islands: not many visitors decide to give a go to a tour around the city. Wrong choice: the Greek capital is definitely worthy to go around and enjoy!
A visit to Athens should start with a visit to the Acropolis: the heart of the millennial history of the city! It is also the best point to enjoy an amazing view over the metropolis! Only from the Acropolis and its Parthenon you can realize the majesty of the Greek Capital, a really huge city surrounded by both the sea and the mountains!
Despite being such a big city, the center of Athens is definitely walk-able! Soon after visiting the Acropolis my suggestion is to get the underground and start a walking tour of the center of the Greek Capital from Omonia Square. Walking along Panepistimiou road, you will find a few of the main sights of the city: the Huge Adrian’ s National Library of Athens, the beautiful Academy of Athens, the National History Museum.
Six LGBT landmarks across England have been given special status to celebrate England’s Queer History. The locations include the London home of Oscar Wilde and the house where Benjamin Britten lived with his partner Peter Pears.
It comes as a result of Historic England research project Pride of Place, which aimed to record and preserve the history of LGBT people. As an outcome, the grave of pioneering lesbian writer and Egyptologist Amelia Edwards was today granted listed status by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Five other places with queer histories have also had their landmark status bolstered to recognise their unique importance to LGBT history. Among them is London’s Burdett-Coutts Memorial, which commemorates Chevalier d’Eon – an 18th century transgender spy who lived as a woman inside the Empress of Russia’s court.