Turkey. Highlights of Turkey

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul

Upon arrival you are met and transferred to your hotel in the Old City. Meet your guide in the afternoon and stroll through the streets of the Old City to an open-air terrace restaurant for dinner. Dinner is an authentic introduction to Turkish cuisine and culture with a spectacular view from our restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus, Golden Horn, Galata Tower, and the Bosphorus Bridge.

Accommodations: Senatus Hotel

Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Istanbul

Explore the grandeur of one of the world’s most important historical cities, Istanbul. Visit splendid relics of the Byzantine and Ottoman empires including the Topkapi Palace, Aye Sophia, the Blue Mosque, the Roman Hippodrome, underground cisterns. If time permits wander in the Kapali Carsi (covered bazaar). Around sunset board a commuter ferry joining locals as they return home from work, passing by lovely restored antique homes and embassies on both the European and Asian sides of the Bosphorus. Dine at a traditional Turkish restaurant before returning to your hotel.

Accommodations: Senatus Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Istanbul - Kayseri - Cappadocia

Transfer to the airport for your flight to Kayseri (1 hr) where you are met and driven to your accommodation in Urgup village of Cappadocia (50 min). Visit Uchisar Castle, a natural rock formation of former residences carved out of the soft tuft, and the Goreme Open-Air Museum, a complex of medieval cave churches carved and elaborately painted by Orthodox monks.

Accommodations: Elkep Evi Cave Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Days 4-5: Cappadocia

Spend two full days exploring Cappadocia with your guide on foot and by private vehicle and with enough time to enjoy the wine and local cuisine. The itinerary is flexible based on individual interests with options for horseback riding or easy mountain biking.

Each day you will hike as long as is comfortable for you along one of the multiple trails through the lovely valleys, looking for hidden churches and pigeon roosts in the sandstone cliffs. On these walks you get up close to the beautiful geological formations and pass by family farms and orchards.

During one of the afternoons you descend into the honeycomb depths of either Kaymakli or Derinkuyu underground cities where the people of Cappadocia escaped from marauding invaders and survived in tunnels and caverns for several months. We highly recommend an optional hot air balloon ride in the early morning (cost not included). See a Whirling Dervish performance on the first night.

Accommodations: Elkep Evi Cave Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Cappadocia - Izmir - Sirence Village

Transfer to the airport for the flight to Izmir (direct or via Istanbul). Drive into the hills to Sirence village (1 hr), for centuries a summer refuge from the coastal lowlands. Depending on your flight schedule, you will stop for an introductory visit to the informative Selcuk Museum and the ruins of the Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Continue to Sirence, a quaint historic village where you will stay in one of a set of small, restored Ottoman style homes. A walk through the town reveals exquisite architecture, tea gardens, vibrant cottage industries and local handicraft shops. Enjoy the afternoon to explore and absorb the ambiance of village life.

Accommodations: Nisanyan Evleri, Sirince

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Ephesus - Tire Village

Wander through the splendid ancient city of Ephesus. Romans of the 1^st and 2^nd centuries AD brought the greatest level of prosperity to Ephesus which became their Asian capital. The excavated city winds up a hillside with colonnaded avenues, ancient temples, stadium, houses, and the ornate two-storied Library of Celsus. In the afternoon, you travel back in time to the rural Aegean village of Tire where you can observe the work of traditional artisans including felt makers, saddle makers, and carpenters. Tire craftsmen employ techniques that have been almost universally lost over the centuries; only here are these skills preserved and passed down through generations

Accommodations: Nisanyan Evleri, Sirince

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 8: Istanbul

Transfer to the Izmir airport for your 1 hour flight to Istanbul. You will be met upon arrival and driven to your hotel located in the bustling Galata district. It’s a short walk to the pedestrian promenade of Istiklal Caddesi where you can explore the lively neighborhood of Beyoglu up to Taksim Square. The area offers an abundance of restaurants, bars, music venues and shops in close proximity. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax, explore on foot and reflect on your experience in Turkey.

Accommodations: The Haze Hotel

Meals Included: Breakfast