Gulet sailing holidays are a different kind of wonderful. It’s not just your standard sailing cruise holiday where you charter a yacht and simply venture out to the open sea. Having to think about it that way would defy the true meaning of Blue Cruises. It’s reminiscent of a fairy tale holiday at sea, taking place within history that is today, still quite alive from the ruins left behind in time.

As well all know, sailing has been around since the beginning of time. Sailing vessels have come and gone in all sorts of shapes and sizes and characteristics as well as purposes; and to this day they still do. Uniquely enough, the one that has stood out the most for me have been Turkish yachts, a.k.a. gulets. When I first laid eyes on one, I truly would have never guessed at what they were called. But quite honestly though, at first glance, the first thought that jumped into my mind was the movie The Pirates of the Caribbean!  Too funny…!  As the thought may have been funny, being on these luxury gulets was not.

Now there are luxury yachts …and then there are luxury yachts.  But gulets are something more of a hybrid between a yacht (as we know it) and a huge, huge sailboat with traditional culture. It runs on an engine when needed and more so than often, and then when the winds are just right, it unveils its massive sails, from stern to bow, that from a distance, looks as though its 3 times the size of the gulet itself.  Gulets are graceful, yet powerful in appearance. Gulets tie history, culture, emotions, and adventure into a glorious  journey that words are too weak to truly portray.  A gulet sailing holiday must be lived and can only be justified with the memories it leaves within ones’ self.

These classical Turkish gulets can take you sailing to so many amazing habours. Each port has a different offering, yet common with history, and culture and the warmth of both the Mediterranean and Aegean’s turquoise blue waters. From sailing to the busy bustling port of historical Bodrum, to the world reknown Oludeniz in Fethiye and the quaint little city of Marmaris, sailing holidays in Turkey are truly a spellbinding affair and should be lived at least once in a lifetime.