ON TOUR: With Viking into the Aegean

In the latter part of January TNU’s Editor-in-Chief and wife joined Viking Saturn on a seven-night cruise from Istanbul to Athens, the ship night-stopping at both the boarding and departing ports.

See CRUISING www.travelnewsupdate.co.uk/article/588 in this month's TNU.

As part of our Viking Saturn package, we flew Economy on British Airways from Heathrow to the now five-year-old Istanbul International Airport (see www.btnews.co.uk/article/13838).

For the four-hour-plus flight we were supplied with bottled water plus a biscuit and not very tasty sandwiches with the name “Tom Kerridge“ attached.  The master chef should be ashamed of what was supplied under his banner.  We could have bought much cheaper and better sandwiches at the shops in the Duty Free area before boarding. (A report on easyJet from Luton to Malaga will feature in April's TNU. Food and service were superior.)

Istanbul airport has set a new world record for hiking around an airport (even more than Helsinki, the previous TNU record holder).  Call for the plentiful buggies if your walking is poor. Taxis galore will take you into the city at a reasonable metred price.

Many of the ship’s guests chose to arrive early and take in much more of the fascinating city.  For us it was a convenient stay at the excellent Novotel near the seafront in a busy upmarket cosmopolitan area which also included the new 5-star Peninsula Hotel where we dined in style.

The cruise terminal complex itself is something else, a $3.5bn development over the last three years with seamless boarding facilities.  See ON TOUR extra: Galataport www.btnews.co.uk/article/13838 in this month’s TNU.

For Viking guests there is an included shore excursion at every port.  For the most part we chose these trips, although there were a fine range of alternatives. It is best to book early and pick your time of departure, mostly from 08:30 onwards.  


Istanbul’s Majestic Waterways

Once called Constantinople after the Roman emperor who converted to Christianity, and was born in York, Istanbul sits across the Bosporus, the waters that divide Europe and Asia.  With a population of 15m it is one of the world’s largest cities and a brief visit only scratches the surface. The capital of Turkey is Ankara.

In the morning we joined a local guide for a scenic drive along the massive ancient walls that seemed to go on and on and have been extremely well preserved, followed by routing via the Sea of Marmara and finishing up in the busy area around the atmospheric Spice Bazaar which dates from 1664.  The traders were only too keen to offer samples of the delicacies. It is very clean and safe,

Within easy walking distance was the Rüstem Pasha Mosque, built in 1561. There are exquisitely coloured Iznik tiles of blue, red, green and purple covering the entrance, the minbar (pulpit) and its columns. This is the most richly tiled mosque in Istanbul; its facade is similarly decorated.

It was then into a sightseeing boat and a view of the mansions, mosques and palaces along the shores and the towering Bosphorus Bridge that links the continents.  Our tour took five hours.  

If you have not been to the Blue Mosque it is only a ten-minute walk from the Terminal.  It is not to be confused with Hagia Sophia, originally completed in 537 as a church, and in more recent times a museum, and now once again a mosque.  It is a 20-minute taxi drive from the port, traffic permitting.  The Grand Bazaar is the largest covered market in the world with its narrow passageways lined by cafés and shops.  That’s for another time.  Allow for up to a week for a proper visit to Istanbul.

By the time Saturn left Istanbul it was dark.  The spectacular view made it worthwhile to step out onto the promenade deck showing 1°C.  It can get up to 40°C in the main summer months.  

https://istanbul-tourist-information.com/en


The Battlefields of Gallipoli

Moored at Çanakkale (Troy) it was an early start the next day for Gallipoli, synonymous with The Great War (WWI), April 1915 until December 1915. It was here that Churchill got it all wrong and was hounded out of the Admiralty.  It was a trip we paid for (£92), the small group mostly made up of British, Australians and New Zealanders plus a sprinkling of those from the USA.  Turkey, still at that time part of the Ottoman Empire, was an ally of Germany.  It became a modern democracy in 1923 and sat out the WWII as a neutral country.

Gallipoli is tranquil but not grim unlike the WWII cemeteries of Normandy and Ypres.  It is a moving tribute to those who fought on both sides in the demanding circumstances.  It was a barren landscape 100 years ago, but today vegetation rules the day, pleasant scenery.

We crossed the Dardanelles Strait via the 1915 Çanakkale Bridge, at just over 2000m the longest suspension bridge in the world and it was straight to ANZAC Bay, the site of the initial landings.  

Unlike Normandy getting the troops ashore was no problem but once on the beach the going was very slow and over the whole campaign the Allies got no further than 900m from the landing spots.  The weather was hot, the food awful and the Turks were led by Colonel Kemal Ataturk, later to become President of Turkey.  The very small Turkish navy was not involved, but the Turks did have spotter aircraft and indulged in simple electronic counter espionage activities.

The whole area is contained in a National Park full of monuments and cemeteries honouring the dead of both sides.

After stopping at the impressive Kabatepe Information Centre (museum), we continued to the Lone Pine Cemetery, dedicated to servicemen from the British Empire, including the legendary Australia and New Zealand Army Corps. It was then on to the Turkish 57th Regiment Cemetery and Conkbayir Hill, site of some of the fiercest fighting.

https://turkeytravelplanner.com/go/thracemarmara/canakkale/index.html


Ephesus (Kuşadasi)

I have been to Ephesus (Kuşadasi) before (see BTN 15 December 2014 www.btnews.co.uk/article/8254) but a return visit gave a different aspect.

Our ship moored within very easy walking distance of the little holiday resort and market town of Ephesus, ideal if you don’t want to do much.  It was a glorious January day and for some the attraction was shops selling carpets and leather goods.

From the bustling port and holiday resort our coach took us through the stunning countryside of Selçuk to the Magnesian Gate, the ancient city entrance at the top of Kuretes Street.

Fortunately the walk is downhill via a gently descending route through one of the Roman Empire’s most powerful outposts. Navigating some steps along the way, passing the finely crafted second-century Temple of Hadrian and the spectacular Great Theatre, able to host 25,000.  The Library of Celsus was built to house 12,000 scrolls.

The sales talk at the end was all about Turkish carpets, and an interesting presentation on their history and cultural importance.

https://visitephesus.org/en/learning/tourism-information-offices


Rhodes Town Walk & Palace of the Grand Masters

Just off the coast of modern Turkey Rhodes has been at the crossroads of civilisation since Roman times.

Saturn moored at the simple port, and from our berth we strolled the short distance to the city walls, passing through an imposing gate to explore the atmospheric cobblestone streets.

In the Lower Town, Gothic architecture coexists with mosques, public baths and other buildings dating from the Ottoman period.  

The Order of St John of Jerusalem occupied Rhodes from 1309 to 1523 and set about transforming the city into a stronghold. It subsequently came under Turkish control and in the early part of the 20th century Italian rule.

With the Palace of the Grand Masters, the Great Hospital and the Street of the Knights, the Upper Town is impressive and one of the most beautiful and picturesque sites of the Gothic period.

It was a strange early morning visit on a Sunday morning in January.  The place was deserted and most shops were closed.  We passed the 15th century Hospital of the Knights, now home to a splendid archaeological museum.  The Palace was built in the 14th century and is astonishing with its crenelated walls, massive towers and unmistakable medieval aura.  

As a World Heritage Site nothing must change.  The 70 entry stairs were daunting for those less mobile but for the return no handrail was provided.  Not an easy descent!  

This short first-time visit served its purpose. We shall return.

https://rhodeswelcome.gr


Heraklion - Crete  CANCELLED 

AND RESCUED BY CHANIA SOUDA BAY

Cruise ship operators have to be flexible.  High winds meant that Heraklion was cancelled, and we sought refuge at Chania Souda Bay, about 100 miles down the coast.  No problem with our courtesy tour.  Same guides and same drivers and a 15 minutes' drive from the quickly well organised cruise terminal to Chania Old Town and the Venetian Harbour.  In fact the hastily arranged tour was one of the highlights of the whole cruise.

With the last minute arrangements there was no time for briefing on the 1941 Battle for Crete and the loss of British warships.  In truth it would have not interested the Americans but there is a large Commonwealth War Cemetery.

Our leader knew her way with no need to follow the old town signs downhill past the shops and cathedral.  

The history of Chania (Souda Bay) is really the history of the Venetian era, 13th century until the 17th century when the Ottomans took over.  What you see today are substantial relics of those times.  In 1913 Crete (and Chania) became part of Greece.

The old town is said to be the prettiest in Greec and you can’t argue with that.  Our two-hour walking tour took us down to the harbour along cobbled streets, old buildings, city walls, museums, churches, pastry shops, restaurants and tavernas serving local wines and Cretan pilaf. The atmosphere here in the harbour and narrow alleyways is unique and up there with Venice and Florence.

In the movie For Your Eye’s Only, Roger Moore’s high-speed boat chase was filmed in the Souda Bay.  

Delayed by the pandemic, work is now progressing on the Archaeological Museum of Chania but whether it will be ready for this summer remains to be seen.

www.visitgreece.gr/islands/crete/chania


Panoramic Athens & Archaeological Museum

It was an overnight stay at the Athens port of Piraeus.  There is a train service to the city from the station, a 20-minute walk from the cruise terminal.  Athens has a traffic problem.  Twenty minutes on the subway is a fine alternative.

Our bus passed the small harbour of Zea, whose 5th century BC dock still survives, and the elegant promenade at Mikrolimano.  Near the centre of Athens itself there is the entrance to the original Olympic stadium, nearby the Hellenic Parliament and Syntagma (Constitution) Square, as well as the distinctively uniformed Presidential Guard, or ‘Evzones’, at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Last call was the National Archaeological Museum, one of the world’s great museums. With more than 11,000 exhibits, it provides a panorama of Greek civilization from the beginnings of prehistory to Late Antiquity.  No time for the Acropolis, what you see is the remains of the Turkish accidental destruction of the Parthenon in 1687.

For us it was back to the ship for packing and goodbyes.  Full day tours were bookable and about one third of the passengers were on back-to back cruises.  With the next cruise not completely full some made last minute bookings.

www.thisisathens.org

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