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Antikythera Shipwreck Exhibition

Heinrich Hall — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:05:08 +0000

Have you noticed? Lately, the print and online press appeared to be dominated by a story to do with an anniversary and a ship that sank (yes, that really happened). So, here’s our own marine disaster related anniversary story (spoiler alert: it’s about a different ship). In addition to the points made in our recent post, there is a new and specific reason why anyone interested in ancient art, technology or seafaring, or more generally in human achievement, should consider travelling to Athens within the next 13 months. In early April, the venerable National Archaeological Museum at Athens has opened a superb temporary exhibition devoted to the famous Antikythera shipwreck, marking the 110th anniversary since the recovery of its best-known artefact, the Antikythera Youth. The wreck site had been discovered accidentally by sponge divers from the island of Symi in 1900. What they happened upon was an undersea area covered in ancient artefacts, especially parts of stone and metal sculpture, scattered on the sea bottom near the island of Antikythera, at a depth of ca. 50m (160 ft). The site was then explored with the aid of archaeologists and the Hellenic Navy, producing an astonishing array of ancient artworks, as [...]

Gulet shipyards

Heinrich Hall — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 20:54:20 +0000

If you have travelled on a Turkish gulet, perhaps even on one of our cruises, you may well have wondered where these beautiful handcrafted wooden boats come from – where they are built and maintained. Last week, I was given a very hands-on approach to answering that question. Peter Sommer, Michael Metcalfe and I spent a few days in Western Turkey to inspect several of the shipyards in the area. We were accompanied by our local logistics expert Cem Yücesoy, and Alper Akbay, our partner at Almira Travel. Such trips are an evident necessity: We need to keep abreast of which boats are available for scheduled tours or charters, what trends are developing in boat-building in the area, what alterations, renovations or upgrades are made to the boats we use, and so on. At the same time, they provide an ideal opportunity to meet our local friends, colleagues and partners, the boat builders, owners and captains who add so much to the experience of our cruises. Visiting the area in summer, one is often surprised by the sheer number of gulets travelling up and down the coast and filling busy harbours, most famously that of Bodrum, by the hundreds. It [...]

Why you should visit Greece, now more than ever

Heinrich Hall — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 01:19:23 +0000

Is it a good idea to visit Greece in 2012? My answer is a resounding yes – let me tell you why. Recently, I have been asked to respond to a question from Nick Easen, a columnist at BBC Travel, in regard to the realties of travelling to Greece in the present situation. This is my reply. Of course, Greece has been in the news all too much recently, and for unpleasant reasons. The country is undergoing a severe economic crisis, many of its inhabitants are experiencing what one might euphemistically call “difficult times”, and things are unlikely to improve very quickly. Thus, it is hardly a surprise to find various discussions, on the internet and elsewhere, about the question whether this is a good time to visit the country. The British Foreign Office and the US embassy in Athens have issued some (very moderate) warnings, adding to such worries. As I live in Greece and am involved in tourism, I have lately been approached from various quarters asking what my views on travel in Greece in 2012 are, as well as – more broadly – what challenges the country faces in regard to tourism, a key sector of its [...]

New: Peter Sommer Travels in German

Peter Sommer Travels — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:07:35 +0000

It’s been a while since we last posted on this blog. The reason is simple enough. We’ve been very very busy. January is always a highly dynamic time for bookings (and has certainly proved to be so once again), but this year, an exciting – and at times exhausting - element has required our attention. We are launching a new facet of our activities: Peter Sommer Travels in German! During our 14 years of organising tours and cruises, we have not remained unaware of the potential opportunities presented by the German-language market. More foreign travel (in absolute numbers) originates from Germany than from any other country in the world. German visitor numbers are among the most significant in the three countries we currently cover (Turkey, Greece and Italy), and German speakers have a long tradition of active cultural travel in those areas and beyond. The fact that the occasional German, Austrian or Swiss guest has already participated in our English tours speaks for itself. Recent years have seen a considerable increase in the range of trips we offer and a steady growth in the number of guests who choose to travel with us. So, the time is ripe for this [...]

Impressions of Istanbul in January

Heinrich Hall — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:38:03 +0000

What did you do during the first week of the New Year? Resulting from a quick and unofficial poll, common answers include dealing with tax returns, skiing holidays, spending quality time with the family, or being in bed with the flu. While all those are surely very fine options (well, except the last one), I used the opportunity to do something that had been top of my list for ages: explore the fabled and fabulous Turkish metropolis – Istanbul. There are uncountable reasons to spend time in that great city: its long and distinguished history, its wealth of archaeological monuments, its renowned beauty, and the wide array of excellent food it offers are perhaps the most obvious. Also, anyone who loves Turkey will, before long, have to immerse him – or herself in the country’s cultural centre. For me, having lived in Greece and with Greeks for many years, and for my Greek travelling companion, there may have been an extra element of interest – although everyone knows that the modern city is Istanbul, not Constantinople, the former Byzantine capital still retains many echoes of its Greek past and still maintains a sentimental place in the Greek psyche – surely [...]

Visiting the home of Father Christmas

Heinrich Hall — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 18:17:03 +0000

It’s that time of year again: Christmas trees, presents, family gatherings, carols, candles, tinsel and snow (theoretically at least) are in season, as is the near-omnipresent image of a jolly white-bearded Father Christmas or “Santa”. In recent weeks, certain tour operators, especially in Britain, have been offering short trips to visit that character at his home, in snowy Lapland, i.e. the parts Sweden and Finland inhabited by the Sami people (formerly known as Lapps, a term now considered offensive). Sweden and Finland? Poor Santa – he must wonder how he ended up so far from his original neighbourhood. His real home is, unequivocally, over 3,000 km (or 2,000 miles) to the south-east, at ancient Myra, in Asia Minor. It is here that the real person behind the modern Santa Claus figure lived and worked: St. Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century bishop and major Early Christian saint. Probably born at the nearby harbour town of Patara, he appears to have lived from about 270 to 340 AD. While virtually nothing is truly known about the real Nicholas, or Nikoalos, a series of legends are associated with his saintly life. He was believed to have performed two miracles during his lifetime: [...]

Wanderlust 2012 World Guide Awards.

Peter Sommer Travels — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 01:39:43 +0000

Quality guiding requires intense preparation, detailed local and general knowledge, great care and attention for the audience, but most importantly enthusiasm and the skill to let others share in it. It is hard work – but it has to look easy… In recognition of the role of guiding, the British travel magazine Wanderlust has just opened nominations for its 2012 World Guide Awards. The awards were established in 2005 in memory of the magazine’s co-founder, Paul Morrison, who regarded guides as the “unsung heroes of the travel industry”, the very people who bring the sights and sites, wherever they be, to life for travellers. The Award is unique: nominations can only be made by the travelling public, any guide in the world can be suggested, and the final deliberations are made by a panel of travel experts and journalists. In recent years, the panel has included the writer Bill Bryson, the director Michael Palin and the zoologist/photographer Mark Cawardine. If you have recently experienced a great guide, wherever you have travelled, ideally on one of our own tours or cruises, please nominate them here.

Miletus Museum reopened

Heinrich Hall — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 18:29:04 +0000

News? Isn’t Peter Sommer Travels principally about archaeology, history and ancient culture, in other words about old things? Of course we are, but since summer 2011, our cruises between Halicarnassus and Ephesus, one of the heartlands of ancient Greek culture in Anatolia have changed, subtly but significantly, as the result of something new. Year after year, there is a steady stream of archaeological news from Turkey and, naturally, we follow it with interest, aiming to keep our knowledge of the discipline fresh and up-to-date. Usually, such new data enters the guiding and background information on our tours – but now and then it directly affects our itineraries and planning, adding new perspectives to our guests’ experience of the ancient lands. A key example of such a development, sadly ignored by the international press, occurred this summer: the reopening of the Milet Müzesi, the museum at Miletus, housed in a brand new building after many years of closure. Visitors to this key site and its stupendous monuments now have access to an entirely new dimension of exploring this once great city, to understand its historical context and, most importantly, to view countless artefacts excavated in Miletus and its surroundings during the [...]

New Travel Brochure

Peter Sommer Travels — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 20:20:47 +0000

We are absolutely delighted to unveil our new brochure. It’s always a special moment for us when the brochures come back from the printers gleaming after so much time and effort has been spent preparing them. 2011 marked my 15th year of organising and leading archaeological tours. At the beginning, Peter Sommer Travels was a one man show inspired by my 2,000 mile walk retracing Alexander the Great’s route across Turkey – an adventure that caused me to fall in love with that amazing country. I am so very pleased Peter Sommer Travels has evolved into a small tour operator company comprising a core staff of hugely talented individuals and a wider team of fabulous tour leaders. We are brimming with ideas and optimism for the future and it is all down to you, our guests, who are interested in the escorted tours that we offer. We have a number of new trips to tempt you. Exploring Cappadocia offers you the chance to discover this quite spectacular part of Turkey, a geological and historical wonderland, escorted by an expert guide. Cruising to the Cyclades is the quintessential Greek island experience. Aboard a beautiful 12 cabin gulet we explore the [...]

New 2012 Tours in Turkey, Greece and Italy

Peter Sommer Travels — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 15:14:48 +0000

Our 2012 brochure is now with the printers. We’re looking forward to mailing it out soon. We have some wonderful new escorted tours as well as a collection of our classic favourites to tempt you for 2012. Here’s a taster of our new trips: A gulet cruise in Greece Cruising to the Cyclades May 19 – Sat June 2 A cultural food tour in Italy A Gastronomic Tour of Eastern Sicily Sat Oct 6 – Sat Oct 13 An historical tour in Turkey Exploring Cappadocia Mon Sept 3 – Sat Sept 8 If you’re not already on our mailing list do get in touch so we can send you a copy!