Peter Sommer Travels Traveller Reviews

I flew from my home in Hawaii to Dalaman Türkiye which was in and of itself a journey of three days. I was met by a Sommer Travels driver and whisked off to the port of Gocek where I recovered over two days after flying too many miles. On September 8 I was met by Dr Bayliss and Urgur Cinar the two fantastic and responsive guides and taken to the gulet. What a beautiful, clean, well appointed boat, captained by a careful and responsible professional. We departed the marina and motored to an anchorage which was private and tranquil. There were ten of us aboard, and we all got to know each other over the next two weeks, and I found my companions interesting and highly enjoyable. Our cook Ahmed served us very good meals three times a day, beginning each day with freshly squeezed orange juice. The food was delicious and there was always plenty. The crew of young men were all respectful and extremely helpful in getting in and out of the dinghy. The accommodations were typical for a sailboat…compact and spare, and since it was summer, hot. But if I was too hot I went up and slept on deck. The archeological sites mostly involved hiking in the heat. Dr Bayliss kept us amused with his witty stories about various places. He and Ugur Cinar worked together well. Ugur was ever vigilant about assisting many of us old folks as we walked the rocky paths. Then there were many days when we could swim in the exquisite warm Med. Most of us took advantage of getting in that beautiful water. Full moon, glorious sun rises, almost perfect weather. It was all over too soon. And now I’m home remembering it with appreciation for all who made the experience so special.

Peter Sommer Travel hired the best people who provided an exemplary tour.

I have travelled extensively in Greece by myself, but this trip combined islands that not easily reachable by plane or ferry, and so this was the perfect itinerary for me. Then I knew the absolute great quality of Peter Sommer Travels and it was again confirmed this time. Dr Maria Girtzi was the perfect host to her country, with her knowledge of archeology, mythology, food and everything else about Greece. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and Dr Nigel Spivey provided us with thoughtful insights. The combination of visits and swimming time in secluded bays was perfect. The crew of 4 was perfect, as the freshly caught fish and rest of the food cooked on board. Dr Girtzi also always found the perfect choice of restaurants ashore. A thoroughly enjoyable week.

It was my fourth tour with Peter Sommer Travels and the experience is always perfect

We just spent one week cruising from Split to Dubvronik on a boat with a total of 12 passengers, 4 crew members and a guide/archaeologist. For us, it was the perfect holiday. The boat was very comfortable, cabins with enough space, comfortable beds and lovely bathrooms. The food was cooked fresh every day on the boat and was absolutely delicious. The crew was wonderful, very helpful and always made sure that everybody was well looked after. The highlight of the trip for us was the cultural aspect. Our wonderful guide, Mislav, took us around to visit a number of historic sites as well as some local curiosities. Mislav, an archaeologist by training was not only extremely knowledgeable about his particular field of expertise but he had a vast knowledge of general history and culture and managed to put whatever we saw or heard into the larger picture. He is a very engaging speaker and listening to his presentations was not only interesting but also good fun. On a personal note: I had a small medial emergency and Mislav went out of his way to help me get treatment and make sure that I was ok and could enjoy the rest of the trip. The trip was certainly not inexpensive but we felt that we got excellent value for money and basically didn't have any other expenses since everything was being taken care of by Peter Sommer. We are hoping to do more trips with this company in the future.

We felt that Peter Sommer lived up to the promises made in the brochure. The organisation of the trip was very smooth and professional. Any questions or concerns were answered promptly and the overall experience was excellent.

My husband and I signed up for a trip cruising down the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia with Peter Sommer Travels. We arrived and my flashlight went missing. Because I am in my 80s and a fitful sleeper, a flashlight is my best friend because it allows me to read at night without disturbing my husband. I asked our guide where I might buy one. He dashed off and bought me a replacement. Small thing, you say, but for me that was customer service with initial caps. Everything that followed was equally thoughtful, tailored, chosen. We can't imagine a lovelier esperience.

Peter Sommer Travels helped us with our plane reservations, the hotel where we stayed the night before the tour began, all the transportation on the ground. Everyone connected to that trip was so knowledgeable. We felt as though we were hand carried the entire time.

Tour name was Cruising to Ephesus and went from Bodrum to Ephesus (and back) via a small Turkish gulet, accommodating 14 people max (10 on our tour) with 2 guides and a crew of 4 attending to our eating, drinking, swimming and boating needs. Many of the sites we visited were "off the beaten path" (Prienne, Miletus to name just two) so we had them mostly to ourselves. (Ephesus, the featured site, was visited later in day to minimize crowds but was definitely packed with other visitors.) Our main guide, Filip Budic, an archeologist with a PhD, did a terrific job introducing things and guiding us onsite--he was also a wonderfully entertaining host and presence throughout the trip--Filip really made the tour for me. All the travel arrangements were seamlessly managed by our second guide, Turkish travel manager İlhan Varlık, so all went perfectly on land. The gulet cruising experience was perfect. A great way to reach sites and an utterly enjoyable way to travel. Crew attended to all our (many) needs with friendliness and panache. The gulet aspect allowed time to anchor in little coves for the night and also anchor to swim, kayak, and boat. The gulet was very well-appointed with many places to sit, socialize, or read. Utterly unlike the usual large "cruise ship experience", all in ways we loved.

Peter Sommer office staff were extremely friendly and helpful in answering our pre-trip and pre-booking questions. All arrangements for the tour went off perfectly without a hitch. The guides were terrific, both in terms of knowledge and personalibility. I'd definitely recommend a Peter Sommer gulet tour, without hesitation or reservation, and look forward to taking another tour with this company

The Gastronomic Tour of Sicily went beyond my expectations in providing an introduction to the people, food, wine, history, and archaeology of this beautiful island. The itinerary was packed full of fascinating experiences including visits to several farms where we met the young farmers who shared their family stories, their passion for Sicily, and their commitment to growing crops sustainably. Visits to many of the beautiful small towns, the archaeological park in Siracusa, and majestic Mt. Etna rounded out the tour in the best way possible. Lucia Iacono was an amazing and extremely knowledgeable guide, and an altogether wonderful, kind person. Everywhere we went, it felt like she was introducing us to her friends, and they became our friends too.

This is the second tour we took with Peter Sommer Tours, and both times we have been extremely impressed with their selection of sites to visit, the variety of experiences we had, and the pace they set. Our days were very full, but there is nothing I would cut out.

My wife and I and two friends recently completed the "Cruising to Ephesus" trip. It was magnificent. The gulet was lovely and comfortable, the crew was capable and endlessly helpful, and the visits to archeological sites made this among the most interesting and satisfying vacations we had ever experienced.

It was easy to tell that Peter Sommer and his team have been doing this for a long time and refining their operations continuously. They had thought through every detail.

Our holiday was, for us, the perfect combination of time spent cruising on the boat, sightseeing, swimming and enjoying local food and wine. Our tour leader, Dr Maria Girtzi, was extremely knowledgeable and provided expert guidance at the sites we visited and we also benefited from talks from both her and Dr Nigel Spivey during our visits and whilst on board. Dr Girtzi also ensured that we got the chance to savour local food specialties and drink local wine. The crew of the vessel were helpful, pleasant and very accommodating.

The arrangements ran smoothly and any queries we had were dealt with promptly. We are looking forward to travelling with Peter Sommer again.

PERFECT

PERFECT

Our gullet cruise from Bodrum to Ephesus was superb in everyway, it was a wonderful experience never to be forgotten. This was a very well planned and organised tour of the highest quality. The gulet was magnificent, very comfortable and in top condition. The crew worked very hard to make the trip safe and carefree, we appreciate their attention to detail, willingness to help guests, and their politeness and good humour. The preparation and service of three substantial meals a day was at five-star level. It was also a great introduction to Turkish cuisine, and we will take some recipes home to try. Our guide, Peter Sommer, took us to amazing ancient sites, museums and cultural experiences, his knowledge, professionalism and courtesy made our trip extra special. As an archaeological tour, it offered in-depth visits to spectacular sites in the area. Our Turkish guide was also very interesting to talk to and to listen to his stories about his country. The investment in this tour was well worth the experience, the stylish way of travel, meeting people from around the world, and experiencing the Aegean Sea first hand.

Peter Sommer Travels offers specialist archaeology and culinary tours, our tour via gulet along the Turkish coast was very well organised and ran according to plan. The guides, gulet, crew, transfers, site visits, meals and swimming stops were all exceeded expectations. They are a very professional operator.