New Turkish Riviera voyages aboard Star Flyer combine Istanbul, Antalya
and lesser-visited ports along one of the Mediterranean’s most storied coastlines

Star Clippers is putting the Turkish coast at the center of its expanded Eastern Mediterranean program with new and enhanced itineraries beginning in 2027. These seven- to 11-night sailings take travellers from Istanbul and the Aegean to the turquoise bays, ancient cities and seaside communities of the Turkish Riviera.

Türkiye offers an unusually rich mix of history, scenery and modern Mediterranean life. More than 2,000 years of Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman heritage coexist with beaches, lively markets, distinctive cuisine and sophisticated seaside towns. Along the Aegean and Mediterranean, pine-covered mountains meet clear blue water, while ancient ruins, castles and harbors share the coastline with café-lined marinas and quieter villages still closely tied to the sea.

For travellers, that means a single vacation can combine swimming and sailing, historic sites and museums, UNESCO’s World Heritage sites and ancient Lycian, Greek and Roman settlements, local restaurants and markets, and time simply enjoying waterfront towns and beaches. And the unique aspect of arriving aboard a traditional four-masted sailing ship small enough to visit harbors and coastal communities that are often outside the itineraries of larger cruise ships.

At the heart of Star Clippers’ program are new 10- and 11-night Turkish Riviera voyages aboard the 166-guest Star Flyer, sailing between Istanbul and Antalya. Together, the itineraries feature an unusually extensive collection of Turkish ports, including Çeşme, Datça, Fethiye, Kaş, Kekova, Dikili, Dalyan River and Bozcaada, with Greek island calls woven into the journey.

The 11-night itinerary from Istanbul to Antalya, departing May 29 and July 24, 2027, begins amid the domes, minarets and markets of Istanbul before sailing south to Dikili, gateway to the ancient city of Pergamon. In Çeşme, travelers can explore a fashionable marina town known for its beaches, thermal springs and proximity to the stone houses and cafés of Alaçatı.

After visits to the Greek islands of Samos and Patmos, Star Flyer returns to Türkiye at Datça, a relaxed harbour community on a peninsula separating the Aegean and Mediterranean. The voyage continues to the Dalyan River and Fethiye before reaching Kaş, another of the Turkish coast’s picturesque waterfront towns. A call at the tiny Greek island of Kastellorizo precedes arrival in Antalya. Fares start at $3,740 per person, double.

The reverse 10-night Antalya-to-Istanbul itinerary, departing June 9 and August 4, adds another Turkish highlight: Kekova, where a dramatic coastline of coves, islands and ancient Lycian remains creates one of the Mediterranean’s most distinctive cruising landscapes. The voyage also visits Fethiye and the Dalyan River before crossing to the Greek islands of Symi and Patmos and returning to Türkiye at Çeşme and the uncrowded beaches, cobblestone streets, traditional tavernas of Bozcaada. Prices start at $3,350.

Türkiye also appears on several of Star Flyer’s shorter Eastern Mediterranean itineraries. The seven-night Yachtsman’s Paradise voyage from Istanbul to Athens visits Dikili before continuing through the northern Aegean, while Delightful Dervishes, sailing from Athens to Istanbul, calls at Dikili and Bozcaada. Other Greek-focused itineraries incorporate Turkish ports including Çeşme, Bodrum, Fethiye, and Kuşadasi, the gateway to Ephesus, giving travelers the opportunity to combine the cultures of Greece and Türkiye within a single sailing. Seven-night Star Flyer sailings start at $2,500.

“Türkiye is a destination that is ideally suited to the way Star Clippers travels,” said Terri Haas, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Americas, for Star Clippers. “There is extraordinary history here, but there is also this wonderful connection between the landscape, the sea and everyday life in the coastal towns. Sailing into these smaller ports allows our guests to experience that side of Türkiye while the journey itself — moving along the coast under sail — becomes part of the destination.”

The itineraries are particularly suited to Star Flyer. Carrying just 166 guests, the four-masted vessel combines the scale of a small ship with the experience of true sailing. Whenever conditions allow, her sails are raised and engines reduced as the ship moves between ports under wind power. Guests can watch the crew work the sails, visit the open bridge, help haul a line, climb to the passenger Crow’s Nest or relax in the bowsprit netting suspended above the sea.

For more information about Star Clippers’ 2027 Mediterranean sailings, visit www.StarClippers.com, contact a travel advisor or call 1-800-442-0551.