Carian Coast
Bodrum to Marmaris
The carians, like the Lycians and Lydians, are considered indigenous peoples of Anatolia. The Carian script has not yet been deciphered, and it has not been possible to determine to which group of languages it belongs. They were neighbors of the Lydians and are also thought to have been seafaring people. The Greeks captured the Carian cities of Halicarnassus, Cnidus, and Barygylia. Halicarnassus, today's Bodrum located on a peninsula jutting into the Aegean on the southwestern coast of Anatolia, was the principle center of Caria.
East Lycian Coast
Marmaris to Antalya
The history of Lycia is a story of fierce struggles against those who sought to invade and dominate it, as it was a very desirable region. It appears that Greek efforts to colonize Lycia during the first millennium B.C. were largely unsuccessful even though there were several Athenian expeditions.The first recorded instance of Lycian resistance fighting occurred around 540 BC when the Persians under the commander Harpagos overran all Asia Minor during the rule of Cyrus II (The Great). The Persians attacked the Lycian capital city of Xanthos and the Xanthosians put up a heroic fight. In the end however, they chose mass suicide over surrender. The men of Xanthos gathered their wives, children and possessions in the acropolis and set fire to all before rushing out fighting to die to the last man.
West Lycian Coast
Datca to Marmaris
Herod held that the Lycians came from Crete, yet archaeological finds and other historical show no records of any cultural or political relationship between the two areas.
In fact, Egyptian sources (~1300 BCE) mention a people called Lukka along these coasts as enemies of the Pharaoh, which corroborates the theory that the Lycians where endemic to Asia Minor.
In the Lycian society, women were held in high respect. Herod even tells that - when asked to which family he belongs - a Lycian would state the lineage of his mother. Moreover, children of a female civilian where free even if their father was a slave!
Dodecanese Islands
Rhodes - Symi - Cos - Tilos - Nissiros
The Dodecanese islands are located in the southeast part of the Aegean Sea and consist of twelve major islands and a number of smaller islands: Astypalea, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kastellorizo, Kos, Patmos, Rhodes, Tilos … Some of those Greek Islands are located at the border to Turkey. They have everything to offer to the visitors: whitewashed houses, beautiful beaches with crystal waters, charming villages, exciting nightlife and more…This site about the Dodecanese and its islands provides info about the different islands: history, churches, architecture, beaches, pictures and much more such as a large choice of hotels and other accommodation.
- Turkish Coast
- Carian
- East Lycian
- West Lycian
- Dodecanese
About Symi Island
Symi is an island that has a little bit of everything: beautiful surroundings, nice taverns and wonderful waters. You come here to relax, but it is not one of those islands where time stands completely still. It has quite a lot of visitors every summer, but has remained genuine to a great extent.
The people on Symi live off tourism, fishing and some farming. Like on Kalymnos, the men also collect sponges from the coasts of North Africa.
Beautiful bays and pebbled beaches, best reached by small boats that leave frequently. Daily boats between Symi and Rhodes and many people come for the day to eat in the restaurants and wander around the beautiful town. Symidream is a co-operative of writers, photographers and astrologers living on Symi island, Greece who have classes in creative writing, photography, Life Journeys and other interesting subjects. There are several ferries a week to Kalymnos, Kos, Kastellorizo, Rhodes and Tilos as well as a hydrofoil twice a week. There are a couple ferries a week to and from Pireaus.