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Sample Custom Cruise: 'Turkish
Delight'
14 day trip: 3 days Istanbul,
2 days Ephesus, 7 nights on the boat, and 2 days Antalya.
For over a thousand years,
the fertile land now known as Turkey was called Anatolia. It
was the home of many successive civilizations: Greek, Lycian,
Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. It lies at the heart of Asia Minor,
connecting the east and west not only geographically but culturally.
We begin our trip from historic Istanbul where we'll visit Topkapi
Palace and its Harem, which was the residence of Ottoman Sultans
for centuries. While pondering the famous Grand Bazaar we'll
see hundreds of shops and hear the ezan-islamic chanting.
Then we'll fly to Izmir to visit the famous ancient site of Ephesus
which was a very important Roman city. We'll walk on the marble
streets of Ephesus and sit at its ancient theatre like the Ephesians
did thousands of years ago. Then we'll drive to Gocek to board
our floating home which is a traditional Turkish gulet,
a beautifully handcrafted motor yacht that is both spacious and
well appointed.
For the next 7 days we'll cruise along the Turquoise Coast, so
named for its jewel-colored waters. Pulling into quiet bays and
coves, we'll go ashore and hike through unspoiled countryside
to medieval castles and ancient sites, including the haunting
Lycian city of Myra. Evenings find us aboard our comfortable
gulet, where we share excellent food, wine and stories under
starry Mediterranean skies. The final destination of our adventure
is the harbor city of Antalya, where we stay in the historic
Old Quarter, savoring its atmosphere of centuries past. Highlights
of this trip include a hike to the top of Gemiler island where
we'll watch the sunset and snorkeling over the sunken city of
Simena.
"The
dolphins, the kids, and the castles were my favorites"
- Alex, 9 years old, Private Family trip, August 1998
During our journey, we'll have ample time to swim, snorkel and
sunbathe on some of the finest beaches in Turkey. We'll sample
delicious Turkish cuisine prepared by our cook on our boat and
by the chefs in local pensions along the way (even seasoned travelers
to this part of the world will be surprised at the taste treats
in store for them!).
At the end of our journey we'll stay in Antalya where we'll enjoy
a walk in the old quarter. We'll have our farewell dinner at
a traditional Turkish restaurant built on the city walls of Antalya.
Come prepared to dance and be merry!
ITINERARY
Day 1-Istanbul: Fly to Istanbul. Transfer to your
hotel in downtown Istanbul.
Day 2-Istanbul: After breakfast you'll meet your
guide for a full day city tour. Today we'll explore Istanbul's
ancient monuments, including the famous Blue Mosque, St. Sophia
and Topkapi Palace. In the morning we start with a tour of Sultan
Ahmet Square, the center of historical and cultural activities
of Byzantine and then Ottoman Empires. We also visit the Blue
Mosque, famous for its beautiful blue tiles decorating the interior
walls. Right across Blue Mosque is St. Sophia, originally built
as a church by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and used
as a mosque during the Ottoman era until 1935 (today it's a museum).
After a traditional lunch we'll visit the Topkapi Palace, residence
of the Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. While we're walking corridors
of Harem, we'll hear stories about Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent
and his marriage to the Russian slave girl Roxalena (Hurrem Sultan)
who later became one of the most powerful woman of the Ottoman
times.
Day 3-Istanbul: After breakfast we'll board on
a local ferry for the Bosphorus cruise. Ferry will leave us in
Yenikoy where our minibus will meet us and take us to a city
tour through Taksim. After having a cup of Turkish coffee at
a café behind the Yeni Mosque, it's time to explore the
spice market (also known as Egyptian market). In the afternoon
we'll have free time to discover the wonders of the Grand Bazaar,
where traders from Asia, Africa, and Europe have bartered for
centuries. Five minutes walk from Grand Bazaar will take us to
one of the oldest Turkish Baths. It's a good opportunity for
those who want to experience a traditional bath and massage.
"One of the unique things about this adventure is the
chance to visit a fabulous array of ancient sites-Hittite, Greek,
Lycian, Pamphylian, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman-all
on the same trip. You'll walk on the same paths that the ancient
Lycians once walked, and you'll see their rich cultural heritage,
with ancient theaters, libraries, castles, and tombs. It's exciting
to sit at the top of the aqueduct in Kalkan or the castle at
Kekova and watch the Mediterranean, as the Lycians did thousands
of years ago."
Day 4-Arrive in Kusadasi:
After breakfast
we'll transfer to the airport and fly to Izmir (1 hour). From
Izmir airport we'll drive 1.5 hours to Kusadasi to check into
our hotel located on a peninsula overlooking the Mediterranean.
Afternoon free to relax.
Day 5- Ephesus: Today we'll explore the ancient
city of Ephesus, once called "the star of Asia Minor",
the largest and most important Roman city in Anatolian antiquity.
It was known at the time for its wealth and beauty. Today it's
one of the best archaeological sites in the country. We'll wander
through the history of Ephesus and explore the library, marble
streets, baths, agora and the theatre. The last visit of the
day will be to the House of Virgin Mary, who was held in high
regard and worshipped like Artemis. After visiting Ephesus ancient
site we'll visit the ruins of the Sanctuary and Temple of Artemis.
This was an example of a cult center built on a site which had
long been sacred to the Mother Goddess Cybele who was transformed
into Artemis during the Greek period. Although we'll see only
one column left from the temple, all the artifacts including
one of the most beautiful statues of Artemis are displayed at
the Selcuk museum nearby. After lunch we will visit the special
exhibit room for the goddesses of Ephesus. Before we go to our
hotel we'll visit the House of Virgin Mary which is located very
close to Ephesus.
Day 6- Gocek: After breakfast we'll drive (4
hours) to Gocek, to board onto our gulet (a motorized yacht)
which will be our home for the next 7 days. We'll have some time
to stroll through downtown Gocek which is a small village full
of nice boutiques. Then it's time to board onto our boat and
cruise (20 min) to a secluded bay called Ihlamur. We'll have
time to swim and snorkel in the turquoise waters of Mediterranean.
Day 7- Lydae: After breakfast we'll cruise along
the coast for half an hour to visit Cleopatra's Bath also known
as the Sunken bath where we'll enjoy swimming among the ruins.
After having lunch on the boat we'll cruise to Agalimani which
is another secluded bay where we can swim in the calm waters
of Mediterranean, sunbathe or just rest. In the afternoon we'll
have an optional hike to the ancient site of Lydea to explore
the remains of the temples and uncovered theatre. Our hike up
into the hills will be on a steep ancient path to some secluded
farms high above the sea. There are still some nomads living
around Lydae during the summer months. We'll hike back to the
boat where we'll have dinner and spend the night.
Day 8- Gemiler Island
: Early departure
for Olü Deniz (Dead Sea) and Cold Bay, where we anchor beneath
the cliffs. From here we hike about one hour up a steep rocky
trail through a pine forest, then 20 minutes down to the ghostly
remains of Kayakoy, an abandoned Greek town (1,200' elevation
gain). The inhabitants left the town in the 1920s, but the roofless
houses and cobbled paths seem as ancient as any site on our voyage.
After exploring this site we hike back down to the water and
have a swim before lunch. Cruise to Ship Island in the late afternoon.
Here we take a steep hike up to the summit of this small island
and explore the extensive Byzantine ruins with their unusual
covered pathways and small outbuildings (round-trip of about
an hour).
Day 9-Kalkan: A 3 hour cruise will bring us to
Firnazlar Bay where we'll have breakfast on the boat. We can
take a hike (40 minutes) up a steep rocky trail to a remarkably
well-preserved Roman aqueduct (1,000' elevation gain). After
swimming and snorkeling along the rocky shore, we'll have lunch
on the boat and cruise to Kalkan which is a charming Mediterranean
town. In Kalkan you'll have time to sit at a local café
and enjoy the afternoon. Dinner is on your own so you can explore
the restaurants along the harbor.
Day 10-Kas: A short cruise will bring us to
Kas which is a quintessential Mediterranean fishing village.
Simple, white washed houses, Greek amphitheater and a tempting
pastry shop are a few of the attractions of this picturesque
seaside town. Lunch is on your own, you can try the famous Turkish
pizza at a restaurant at the square. In the afternoon we'll cruise
to a secluded bay to spend the night.
Day 11-Aperlea-Simena: After the breakfast we'll cruise
to Aperlea, a sunken city from 6th century BC where we'll snorkel
and swim over the Hellenistic ruins. We'll have an easy hike
to Tersane Bay through local farms where they grow oregano. In
Tersane Bay our boat will meet us and we'll cruise to Ucagiz
village. After lunch, we'll have time to walk in the village.
In the afternoon we'll cruise to Simena village and shop for
some traditional Turkish scarves made by the local women. We'll
have an optional 1-hour hike for those who want to hike through
the farms towards Gokkaya bay. On this hike we'll walk up to
the medieval castle that dominates the skyline above the village
of Simena which can be reached only by foot. Next to the castle
we'll see Lycian sarcophagi-tombs- overlooking the Mediterranean.
We'll overnight at a secluded bay near Simena.
Day 12-Myra-Antalya: After breakfast, we'll cruise
to the Roman port of Andriake and bid farewell to our crew on
the boat. In Andriake our minibus will meet us and drive to the
ancient site of Myra where we'll visit the Lycian royal tombs.
The Lycians were one of the matriarchal societies who were strong,
independent defenders of their territory. They carved elaborate
tombs into limestone cliffs, and decorated them with elaborate
architectural details, which remain intact to this day. A short
ride away is the church of St. Nicholas (later known as Santa
Claus), who was a Christian bishop of Myra around 300 AD. After
lunch we'll drive to Antalya (3 hours drive) and check into our
hotel. Afternoon free to relax. Dinner is on your own to explore
the restaurants along the harbor.
Day 13-Antalya: After breakfast we'll
visit the ruins of Perge and Aspendos. Perge was a lovely city
dating from 300 BC and includes buildings from the Greek, Roman
and Byzantine periods. We'll visit its well-preserved baths complete
with underground heating pipes, and walk along the long colonnaded
street flanking an ancient channel where water once flowed from
cooling fountains. Aspendos was originally a Hittite settlement,
predating Alexander the Great and the Greeks. Today, its Roman
Theater remains in use 1,800 years after it was built. After
lunch in Aspendos we'll drive back to Antalya to visit the Antalya
museum, one of the best in Turkey, where we'll see the artwork
and artifacts representing 5,000 years of human history along
the coast. In the late afternoon we'll walk the Old Quarter on
the cobblestone streets and marvel at the late Ottoman architecture.
At the end of our walk we'll watch the sunset while we're sipping
Turkish drinks at a café built onto the ancient city walls.
We'll have a farewell dinner at a restaurant serving traditional
Ottoman dishes.
Day 14-Return home:
Drive to Antalya
airport for morning flight to Istanbul where you'll connect to
homeward bound flights.
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