| Day
1 - Istanbul (L - D) |
|
In
the morning visit the Basilica Cistern and The Turkish Islamic
Art Museum. After lunch visit St. Sophia and Topkapi Palace.
Group meeting at 6:00 pm at the hotel. Dinner at the Blue
House Restaurant.
|
| Day
2 - Istanbul (B
– L - D) |
|
We
will visit the Blue Mosque. Visit Chora Church to see the
exquisite Byzantine mosaics from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Lunch on your own in the 19th century quarter of the city.
Meet at the Pera Palace Hotel. Visit the Spice Market. Cruise
the Bosphorus. Dinner at Kumkapi seafood restaurants where
gypsy musicians add to the ambiance.
|
| Day
3- Kizilcahamam
(B
– L - D) |
|
Leave
the hotel and drive to Bolu. Visit the villages in the forests
and discuss with the villagers their environment problems
related to forest fires and clear cutting. Find out if they
get support from the NGOs or the government. Overnight at a
Spa hotel in the forest.
|
| Day
4- Ankara – Cappadocia (B
– L - D) |
|
Short
drive to Ankara in the morning. In Ankara visit the Anatolian
Civilization Museum. After lunch visit the Mausoleum of
Ataturk. 3.5-hour bus ride to Cappadocia. Dinner by the Red
River in Avanos. Overnight at a Motel, a family run village
hotel in Cappadocia.
|
| Day
5- Cappadocia (B – L - D) |
|
Visit
Zelve. Visit Goreme open-air museum. Visit a house carved in a
rock. Enjoy a great Turkish carpet demonstration. Dinner at
Green Motel.
|
| Day
6- Guzelyurt ( B – L - D ) |
|
Hike
for 1.5 hours in the morning. Those who prefer not to hike can
visit the people in the village, take shorter walks to the old
city or sleep at the hotel. We will later visit a local potter
to see traditional pottery. More thrills of crafts, kilims,
vests and many more. Lunch at Avanos. Visit an underground
city. Stop at a village and be their guests for an afternoon
tea. Overnight at Guzelyurt at a 19th century monastery or
this can be a home stay with villagers if anybody would like
to have the experience.
|
| Day
7- Guzelyurt - Konya
( B – L - D) |
|
Breakfast
at a village house. Hikers can take the morning to hike in the
oldest monastery valley of Christian history. Those who choose
to stay in the town can enjoy visiting with local people.
Lunch at Hotel Karballa. Drive to Konya. Stop at a Caravansari
en route. Konya is the first capital of the oldest Turkish
empire, Selcuk, in Anatolia. The ambiance of the city seems
like has not changed much for 800 years. Our hotel is located
right in the middle of the city.
|
| Day
8- Konya –
Antalya ( B – L - D ) |
|
Visit
the tomb of the father of the Whirling Dervishes. Find out
about the philosophy of the Sufis. Drive over the Taurus
Mountains down to Antalya. Stay at a 200 year old house
renovated as a hotel. Dinner on your own. Overnight at a
Pension or across the street at the Mini Orient.
|
| Day
9- Phaselis - Antalya (B – L) |
|
Cruise
on the Mediterranean to the ancient site of Phaselis. Lunch on
the boat. Take the bus back to Antalya. Dinner on your own.
Optionally enjoy a Turkish bath (included in the tour).
Overnight at same hotels.
|
| Day
10- Hiking - Sille
( B - L ) |
|
Drive
to the Taurus Mountains. A complete day in nature. Hike over
Roman bridges. Enjoy white water rafting - weather permitting.
Picnic lunch in the red pine forest. Visit an ancient site at
Sille en route. Opportunity to meet members of the local anti
nuclear plant organizations. Dinner on your own. Overnight at
same hotels.
|
| Day
11- Pamukkale (B
– L ) |
|
Drive
to Pamukkale, the most unusual natural phenomena of Turkey.
Though under protection, the white cliffs of calsium deposits
are being destroyed dramatically. Meet a local association
that is working on the preservation of these cliffs. Dinner on
your own. Overnight at a nice Motel.
|
| Day
12- Selcuk (B - L) |
|
Drive
through the Meander Valley and hike up to the ancient city
Prienne. Enjoy the pleasure of hiking in an ancient city.
Dinner on your own. Overnight at Selcuk.
|
| Day
13- Ephesus – Kusadasi - Selcuk
(B – L - D) |
| Visit
Ephesus, the biggest Roman city excavated. Our last evening
together. Dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight at Selcuk. |
| Day
14- Izmir - Pergamum ( B – L – D ) |
|
Drive
to Izmir, visit the Ethnographic Art Museum, the castle of
Alexander the Great and the modern part of the city Karsiyaka.
Drive to Pergamum overnight in there
|
| Day
15- Pergamum – Ayvalik ( B – L - D ) |
| Visit
the ancient sites of Pergamum including the Acropolis and the
Asclepion. Overnight in Ayvalik. |
| Day
16- Tahtakuslar – Assos - Canakkale
( B – L – D ) |
|
Visit
the museum in the mountain village of Tahtakuslar. It's the
very first village museum of ethnography. Visit the ancient
city of Assos. Overnight in Canakkale.
|
| Day
17- Troy - Istanbul ( B – L – D ) |
| Visit
the legendary city of Troy. Continue driving to Istanbul.
Overnight in Istanbul. |
| Day
18- Istanbul ( B ) |
| The
tour is over after breakfast. Transfer to the airport. |
