Turkish Tapestry

Upon arrival in Istanbul, you will be transferred  to your hotel.

After breakfast you will start the day with a visit to the Topkapi Palace Museum, the lavish home to the Sultans. For centuries, this was the place where the most powerful Sultans ran the Ottoman Empire, which stretched from the middle of Europe to the western edges of North Africa. Its displays include a priceless world-class collection of jewellery, porcelain, costumes and relics.

Next you will enter the intricate maze of the Harem; where there are rooms decorated with superb Iznik Tiles. Head to Hagia Sophia, built by Emperor Justinian and inaugurated in 537 A.D, considered the center of the Eastern Orthodox Church for over nine centuries and contains some of the finest mosaics from the Byzantine period, including a mosaic of the Virgin and Child.

Later, embark on a tram to the 17th century Spice Bazaar, where you will find a vast diversity of spices, sacks of henna, many varieties of oils and herbs, and of course the world’s very best Turkish delight.

Today visit the iconic Blue Mosque, which is so named because of its exquisite tile decoration. Thousands of these highly precious tiles line the walls in a mesmerizing display of floral extravagance. Your next stop will be the Basilica Cistern, Justinian’s work. This is the most impressive of Istanbul’s ancient cisterns, with a roof supported by more than 300 columns. Head to the Hippodrome, which was the scene of chariot races and great public occasions throughout the immensely long history of the Byzantine Empire.

In the afternoon, explore Istanbul’s world-renowned Grand Bazaar. Witness skilled salespeople make new products and alterations within minutes. You will focus on tiles, carpets, and other textiles such as pashminas, Turkish towels, and other household textiles. The Grand Bazaar also offers everything from antique jewellery to authentic Christian items, and for many generations, it has been the address for turning family heirlooms into money.

Another amazing day ahead. Today visit the opulent and exotic previous palace of the Ottoman rulers, Dolmabahce Palace. Stretching expansively along the European shore of the Bosphorus, this ornate Baroque masterpiece, built in 1854, was the home of the late Ottoman sultans. No expense was spent decorating its interior, which boasts fourteen tons of gold. The palace houses collections of Bohemian crystals and 19th and 20th century Turkish paintings and sculptures.

Move on to the Church of St. Savior in Chora, which has immaculately preserved early 13th-century mosaics and frescoes among the supreme masterpieces of medieval art, with the Harrowing of Hell being especially noteworthy. Your next stop will be at the Suleymaniye Mosque,  the largest mosque in Istanbul, designed by Mimar Sinan for Sultan Suleyman. Its great dome and soaring minarets dominate the skyline of the Old City.

Later, take a private boat cruise along the Bosphorus, which connects Europe and Asia. You’ll see Istanbul’s fine neighbourhoods, opulent palaces, exquisite mosques, imposing fortresses, and traditional wooden Ottoman mansions.

After breakfast transfer to Istanbul Airport for a morning flight to Cappadocia.

Visit to the famous Goreme Open Air Museum (UNESCO World Heritage Site) to see the best examples of Byzantine art in Cappadocia. These are found in rock-cut churches with frescoes and paintings dating from as early as the 10th century. Move on to the Pigeon Valley and admire ancient caves and carved pigeon houses.

Afternoon visit to the Underground City of Kaymakli, an intricate system of tunnels, chambers, and galleries dating back to 3000 BC. This impressive underground city was home to different cultures and researches estimate that it can hold up to 3000 people.

Early morning you will be taken for a hot air balloon experience in the valleys if Capaddocia. The flight takes place at dawn and usually lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes. Return to your hotel for breakfast. Later you will visit the Dervent Valley, where the rock formations are amazing. A walk through the Zelve Open Air Museum is a journey into the past, with its rudimentary houses. This is one of the earliest inhabited and latest abandoned monastic settlements in Cappadocia. After the museum you will visit whimsical Pasabag’s “fairy chimneys”, where the voice of the wind harmonizes with the songs of the fairies.

Next you will stop at a local market or a local spice store. Then we continue to the village house where country women teach you how to prepare three popular dishes in Cappadocia and Anatolia. They will show us how to make gozleme (cooked thin sheets of dough with cheese in them), yaprak sarma (stuffed vine leaves) and manti (meat pastry). Enjoy lunch with the hosts and their and get to know more about their traditions.

Finish the day with a light walk in the Red Valley, one of the most breathtakingly and mysteriously beautiful valleys in the region. The valley, with its fabulous volcanic rock formations, is in the heart of Cappadocia but well away from the crowds. The little chapels of the hermits, carved out of the valley walls, lend a spiritual dimension to the scenery.

After breakfast transfer to Nevsehir or Kayseri Airport for your flight to Bodrum via Istanbul.

This morning enjoy a full day cruise on a gullet – a luxurious modern version of the traditional vessel in which sponge-fishermen and traders once plied the waters of the Aegean and Mediterranean. You will sail along the shores of the beautiful Bodrum peninsula.

Bodrum stands on the side of ancient Halicarnassos, capital of the Carian Kingdom whose most famous king, Mausolus, was buried here in a magnificent tomb known as the Mausoleum, which was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Sadly, little of it remains today.

After breakfast your private guide and driver will meet you at the hotel. You will visit the Crusader Castle of Saint Peter. Much of the masonry of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus was used in the construction of the castle, which now dominates the town. The castle now contains the Museum of Underwater Archeology, where there is display of glassware, pottery and other artifacts retrieved from ancient and medieval shipwrecks.

Then you will explore a famous food markets in Bodrum, acquainting yourself with the plentiful local vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and other foodstuffs that play such a major role in the Aegean region’s healthful and delicious cuisine.

Today you will travel to the vibrant city of Miletus and visit the great Temple of Apollo at Didyma, which was one of the leading oracles in the ancient Greek world, and is remarkable for its huge size and unique plan. Next explore the Meander Valley and other three great Ionian cities. Priene is the oldest and best example of a Hellenistic city, and its splendid Temple of Athena become the classical model of Ionic architecture. Continue on to Kusadasi where you will check in at your hotel.

Explore Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, considered one of the greatest cities of antiquity. Try to see it through the eyes of a Roman, who would probably be regarded as a barbarian in sophisticated and cultured Ephesus. Walk along its colonnaded bustling streets which contained everything that was necessary for education, politics, religion, entertainment and sport, including the Library of Celsus, bathhouses, a gymnasium and luxurious mansions.

Ephesus is among the best-preserved classical cities of the Mediterranean world, and perhaps the best place in the world to get a feeling for what life was like in Roman times. Its Temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Later, you will visit the Archaeological Museum. The wealth of archaeological findings from the ancient city of Ephesus makes this museum one of the most important in Turkey. The museum rooms are stocked with treasures excavated at Ephesus. Transfer to Alacati for your overnight.

Enjoy the day at leisure. Alacati is known for its beaches, old stone houses and winemaking tradition. You can visit historic buildings or just stroll through the charming city center and  enjoy the coastal atmosphere.

After breakfast transfer to Izmir Airport for flight to Istanbul, where arrangements conclude.