Culinary Adventures in Turkey, Italy and Greece

Three upcoming tours will focus on the superb local produce, fresh seafood and proud culinary traditions of Caria, Sicily and Crete, while at the same time tasting the extraordinary history and culture of the ancient lands.

Each tour caters to small groups of 8-18 people, hosted by expert guides with academic backgrounds in history and archaeology, and a genuine passion for the local cuisine.

A Gastronomic Gulet Cruise - an eight-day sailing journey along Turkey’s Carian coast, traveling aboard a magnificent wooden gulet to ancient sites including Bodrum, Knidos, Kaunos and Göcek. Rated one of ‘the world’s tastiest cruises’ by London’s Sunday Times, it offers a chance to get involved in the cooking traditions of this flavourful destination. Guests will forage for wild foods, explore local markets, cook with a Turkish family in their home and prepare regional delicacies in a small traditional restaurant. Departing September 20, this tour is priced from £2125 per person double (approximately US$3,560/CA$3,860).

A Gastronomic Tour of Sicily - an eight-day tour based in Sicily’s east, home to a vibrant culinary tradition that draws from the island’s many foreign rulers - from the Byzantines and Arabs, to the Normans and Spanish. Guests will spend the week feasting on Sicilian produce including cheeses, chocolate, olives and honey, as well as enjoying wines from the vineyards of Mount Etna’s slopes. This tour provides a chance to dine in several superb local restaurants, as well as exploring the island’s magnificent scenery, baroque towns and ancient ruins. Priced from £2795 per person double (approximately US$4,680/CA$5,080), the tour departs September 27.

Exploring Crete: Archaeology, Nature and Food - a 12-day focus on the largest of the Greek isles, delving into its rich history - from Stone Age seafarers and Neolithic farmers to the fascinating Bronze Age civilization of the Minoans. This tour takes advantage of the island’s natural beauty with a series of walks among its mountains, gorges and coastlines, helping to whet the appetite for excellent meals in carefully selected restaurants and tavernas. As a result of its varied past, Crete boasts one of the most refined variations of Greek cuisine. April 24 to May 6, 2015. Priced from £3295 per person double (approximately US$5,515/CA$5,990), Exploring Crete departs April 24, 2015, returning May 6.

Peter Sommer Travels’ culinary tours are among dozens of different cultural and historical tours offered in Turkey, Italy and Greece, many conducted as sailing journeys aboard traditional gulets.

For full details and bookings, contact Peter Sommer Travels at 1-855-443-3027 (in the US and Canada), email info@petersommer.com or visit www.petersommer.com.

Tour prices include transport, accommodation, most meals, crew and guide services, and all entrance fees and tips on excursions. Airfare is not included.

In 1994, archaeologist and BBC TV historical documentary-maker Peter Sommer walked 2,000 miles across Turkey, retracing the route of Alexander the Great. Ever since, Peter has been organizing exceptional expert-led archaeological tours for small groups, as well as private charters.