From the open water, there is little to suggest what lies beyond the pine-fringed headland. Then our boat rounds into Bedri Rahmi Bay, the water shifts from cobalt to glassy turquoise, and Miori presents itself. Among the yachts lining the dock is a gleaming 1957 Riva gently bobbing in front of the restaurant. The boat is the pride and joy of Haldun Kilit, one of Miori’s founders, and sets the tone before we step ashore: polished, nostalgic and entirely at home on the water.
The bay takes its name from artist and poet Bedri Rahmi Eyüboğlu, whose painted fish on the rocks has become its enduring symbol. Miori continues that creative thread through artist residencies and a collection curated by Ayça Okay, including a life-size meditating figure at the water’s edge by Carole A. Feuerman. Its stillness shifts the mood from journey to pause.
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Only accessible by sea, and catering to travellers arriving by private yacht, Miori opened last summer as Turkey’s first ‘gastro destination’, with six restaurants and the country’s first Riva Lounge. Despite its high-end credentials, it feels like an intimate meeting point for travellers on different journeys. Some crews come alongside for breakfast, others arrive by tender for lunch, take a berth overnight or linger for several days.
Life in Göcek is low-key and shaped by sailing culture rather than performative beach-club preening. Our days found their own easy rhythm: swims before breakfast and again when the heat built after languid lunches, boat rides through neighbouring coves, late-afternoon bakery stops, and cocktails as the light softened.
The water was clear enough to watch sunlight moving over the stones below. The cooking is also a sensory delight. Homemade sourdough arrives with olive oil from Miori’s own grove; a caviar-and-lemon mayonnaise is sharp, silky and dangerously moreish; and honey-drizzled yogurt ice cream tastes perfect on a hot day. Better still, as the sun drops behind the hills, nobody announces that lunch is over; the day simply melts into evening.
Four sailing clubs making a splash
Located in Porto Cervo, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda has set the standard for Mediterranean yachting since 1967. Lunch on the terrace comes with front-row views of one of Europe’s most glamorous marinas, where classic racing yachts and 100-metre superyachts share the same berths. yccs.it
Following a major redevelopment, Club de Mar-Mallorca has emerged as one of the Mediterranean’s finest marinas, combining first-class berthing with a smart waterfront restaurant and easy access to Palma’s elegant old town. clubdemar-mallorca.com
On the site of a former Austro-Hungarian naval base, Porto Montenegro has transformed Tivat into one of the Adriatic’s leading yachting destinations. It overlooks a marina filled with cruising yachts and the world’s largest superyachts, with the UNESCO-listed Bay of Kotor just beyond. pmyc.portomontenegro.com
In the heart of Falmouth Harbour, Antigua Superyacht Marina & Resort is one of the Caribbean’s best-known sailing addresses and a regular fixture on the international racing circuit, including Antigua Sailing Week. Its marina, waterfront restaurants and hotel make it an ideal base for exploring the UNESCO-listed Nelson’s Dockyard before sailing on through the Leeward Islands. asmarinaresort.com
Miori is located in Bedri Rahmi Bay, near Göcek. Advance reservations are recommended: reservation@miorigocek.com
