This is the perfect tour for someone who wants to explore both the highlights of Turkey on land as well as the ancient sites along the beautiful Mediterranean coast aboard a traditional wooden gulet.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Flight Day. Flight from the United States.
Day 2: Istanbul. Arrival in Istanbul and transfer to hotel. Dinner on your own. Your guide will show you several restaurants in the area, or you may simply have dinner at the hotel. Overnight at the Istanbul Ottoman Imperial Hotel in the Historical part of Istanbul.
Day 3: Istanbul. Full day visit in Istanbul – Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace and the Harem. Dinner in a fish restaurant by the Bosphorus. Overnight at the Ottoman Imperial Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 4: Ephesus / Kusadasi. Morning transfer to airport for flight to Izmir. Visit Ephesus and environs. Sites include the remains of the Artemis Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and the Church of the Virgin Mary. Visit the museum in which most of the finds from Ephesus are exhibited. Dinner and overnight at the Kismet Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 5: Priene / Didyma / Gocek (Gulet). Visit the most important cities of the classical period, the Ionian cities of Priene and Didyma. Drive to Gocek along Bafa Lake and visit the ancient city of Euromos, which provides a brief introduction to Caria. Arrive Gocek to embark on the gulet, a traditional Turkish wooden-hulled boat. Cruise to Gocek Island to anchor for the night. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 6: Gocek Bays (Gulet). Cruise along Gocek's beautiful bays and coves, enjoying nature at its best. Overnight at Agalimani, one of the most beautiful bays on the Turkish Mediterranean coast, or Hamam where you can see an ancient sunken church and the ruins of Cleopatra's sunken baths. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 7: Kaya / Gemiler Island (Gulet). Cruise to Sarnic Bay. Optional walk to the abandoned Greek mountain village of Kayakoy. Return to Gemiler Island to anchor for the night. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 8: Xanthos / Patara / Kas (Gulet). Early morning cruise to Kalkan, a lovely, small coastal village. Stop for breakfast on the way to Firnaz. Drive to Xanthos, an ancient capital of Lycia, then Patara, where St. Nicholas was born. Relax and enjoy the beautiful beach. Overnight at Kas Marina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 9: Kekova (Gulet). Cruise to Aperlae for snorkeling over the sunken city. Continue to Kekova Bay. Visit the Lycian necropolis at Theimussa and ancient Simena, overlooking the bay and situated below the ramparts of a Roman castle which houses a small theatre cut into rocks. Overnight in Kekova Bay. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 10: Kekova / Myra / Arycanda / Finike (Gulet). Cruise along Kekova Island and see the sunken city as well as the ruins on the island. Continue to Cayagzi, the ancient city of Andriake. Disembark and drive to Myra, where outstanding examples of Lycian funeral architecture can be seen. Visit the church of St. Nicholas, who was once bishop of Myra, in the middle of the town. Drive to Finike and to Arycanda. Overnight at Finike Marina. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 11: Adrasan / Genova Bay (Gulet). Cruise to Adrasan and Port Genova. Visit Olimpos, the ancient city that was used by pirates as a homeport in Hellenistic times and has been inhabited ever since. See the remains of a monumental gateway, an acropolis, and a small theatre. Overnight in Genova Bay. Includes: (B), (L), (D).
Day 12: Phaselis / Antalya. Cruise to the ancient site of Phaselis and stroll through this well-preserved city. See the two ancient harbors and enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches. Disembark before noon at the modern town of Kemer. Transfer to Antalya. Dinner and overnight at the Marmara Hotel in Antalya. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 13: Termessos / Antalya. Meet the bravest and toughest people of Anatolia, the Pisidians. Visit Termessos, the biggest and most impressive city within the grounds of Termessos National Park. Picnic lunch and drive to Antalya to visit the museum. Dinner in town, overnight at the Marmara Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 14: Konya / Whirling Dervishes / Cappadocia. Take a long drive through the scenic Taurus Mountains with various stops and visits before arriving at Konya, the center of the Whirling Dervishes, and visit the Mevlana Museum. On the way to Cappadocia visit a caravanserai, dating from the 13th century and reflecting the high quality of Seljuk art and architecture. Dinner and overnight at the Cave House Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 15: Cappadocia. Wake up in a totally different landscape dominated by deep valleys and fairy chimneys. Visit Goreme and Zelve open-air museums and Uchisar Fortress, where early Christians found shelter. Optional afternoon walk in one of the valleys. Dinner in town, overnight at the Cave House Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 16: Cappadocia. Optional balloon trip over Cappadocia in the early morning. Visit the Soganli valley cave dwellings and churches, the Eskigumus monastery near Nigde, and the castle of Nigde. Visit the underground city of Kaymakli. Dinner in town, overnight at the Cave House Hotel. Includes: (B), (D).
Day 17: Departure Day. Transfer to Kayseri airport for flight to the United States via Istanbul. Includes: (B).
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- 4 and 5 star and equivalent special category hotel accommodations
- All meals as indicated
- All meals and local drinks on board at indoor and outdoor dining tables
- Upscale deluxe traditional wooden gulet or ketch, 70-80 feet long (traditional Turkish boats)
- Air-conditioned cabins with private shower and bathroom
- Mattresses, towels, and bed linen
- Professional, English-speaking guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle with professional tour bus driver
- Only hotel and restaurant tips, where meal is included
- Group flight transfers
- All entrance fees and admissions
- Tea, coffee, and soft drinks with meals
- Baggage handling
- Tour folders with brochures and maps of Turkey.
Price Excludes:
- Lunches, unless otherwise indicated
- Guide, driver, and boat crew tips
- International flights
- Domestic flights in Turkey
- Visa (can be obtained on arrival at airport in Turkey for $20 per person).
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Turkey
Outdoor: Water Drifter
Boating and Sailing
Archeology/History
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