Archaeological tours in Turkey

Peter Sommer Travels.
If you want are interested in archaeological tours, escorted tours or luxury gulet cruises then Peter Sommer may have the perfect trip for you. Peter Sommer is an expert in this field and in 1994, he walked “2,000 miles across Turkey, retracing the route of Alexander the Great, and in the process fell in love with the country, its ancient civilizations, and the Turkish people. A British archaeologist, filmmaker, and highly experienced tour guide, Peter created Peter Sommer Travels in 1996, offering unique escorted tours and cruises in Turkey.” It is a UK-based specialist travel operator that provides a select number of holidays and vacations with a professional and above all personal touch. The great majority of the archaeology tours are personally led by Peter.

They offer small group tours: “We take only small groups (max 16 on land, 14 by sea) of like-minded people, travelling in an easy-going, friendly, and informal style. Our expertise stems from an especially intimate knowledge of Turkey – its geography, history, people, and much more”.

And also escorted tours: “Over the past ten years we have created a rich and varied collection of escorted cultural tours - archaeology tours and cruises with a difference. Our Turkey tours bring to life the rich heritage of the country from profoundly ancient times to the modern era. Come sailing, cruising, or exploring with us, and see some of the very finest temples and tombs, baths and aqueducts, theatres and castles. Discover a Turkish archaeological paradise full of Greek, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman treasures!”

Peter Sommer Travels also offer crewed yacht charters for private groups.

Porto da Barra, Salvador, Brazil.

Porto da Barra is in a stunning location, at the entrance of the magnificent Bahia de Todos los Santos, with a whitewashed church sitting up on a hill at one end and a small, white colonial fort at the other. There is always something for the eye to see: small fishing boats unloading their catch, beach volleyball, football and tennis, teenage boys eyeing up the girls, young lads diving into the sea off the old stone harbour walls.

As the beach is in a bay the water is calm and also incredibly clean and clear (which is surprising given that it is right in the heart of Brazil's third-largest city), so it's perfect for swimming.

And the Porto is one of the few west facing beaches in a country with over 7,000km of east-facing coastline, so you can watch some stunning sunsets. Where to stay: Pousada Estrela do Mar