13 Days Travels on the Turquoise Coast Tour Package
Duration: 13 Days / 12 Night
Priced From: $2,458 (All pricing reflects per-person Land Only expenses)
Dates: Apr, Aug, Sep
The massive metropolis of Istanbul, formally know as Constantinople, which served as the capital both for the Byzantine and Ottoman empires, will fulfill anyone’s need for adventure. As we travel through the busy streets, we will come to realize that all the sites that warrant thorough inspection seem endless. There’s the beautiful Muslim art along the walls of the Blue Mosque, the remains of the Hippodrome where Roman and Byzantine chariot races took place, or the museum that’s been constructed within the famous church of St Sophia. Retreating from the busy surroundings, we take a boat cruise to Turquoise Cove, an inlet of Fethiye Bay, where we can enjoy the beautiful waters of the Sunken Baths of Cleopatra. Long hikes will take us through some beautiful rocky terrain with lush pine forests.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in Istanbul
Today we arrive in Istanbul and transfer to our hotel. Although thousands of years have passed, Istanbul still retains its geographical importance. Today Istanbul is a huge metropolis connecting continents, cultures, religions and is home to eleven million people (2007). It is one of the greatest business and cultural centers of the region. Overnight in Istanbul. Dinner if required.
Day 2 Istanbul
Istanbul has been the capital of two of the world's greatest empires, the Byzantine and the Ottoman. Formerly known as Constantinople, this is a city of a thousand-and-one delights. We start our tour at the legendary Blue Mosque, built between 1609 and 1616 by Mehmet Aga. The inside is covered by more than 20,000 Iznik tiles, and the walls are decorated with verses of the Koran in fine calligraphy. At the Hippodrome we see the remains of the great sports stadium where chariot races were held in Roman and Byzantine times. Here we also see an Egyptian obelisk, a giant needle of stone carved for the Pharaoh Tutmoses III around 1500 BC and brought to Constantinople by the Byzantine emperor Theodosius in AD 390. We visit the church of St Sophia (Agia Sophia) which was built by the emperor Justinian between AD 532 and 537. It was the largest church in the Christian world for nearly 1,000 years. When the Ottoman Turks conquered the city in 1453 one of the first actions they took was to convert St Sophia into a mosque. Today it is a museum featuring many beautiful Christian mosaics. Outside St. Sophia we descend underground to the gigantic cisterns which contained the vast water supply which allowed Constantinople to withstand so many long sieges. Here the many columns are reflected in the water while classical music plays quietly. This afternoon you can join us for an optional walking tour of the Grand Bazaar. This is one of the oldest covered marketplaces in the world containing over 4,000 shops where virtually anything can be bought. Overnight in Istanbul. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 3 Istanbul - Antalya
A morning flight (75 min) takes us south to Antalya, located in the region called Pamphylia and founded by Attalus II, King of Pergamum in the 2nd century BC. On arrival we will visit the excellent Antalya Archeology Museum, then continue to Perge. Built around 1000 BC, Perge boasts a beautiful theater and the largest stadium in all Asia Minor. Alexander spent time here, as did the mathematician Appolonius. The city was by turns Pamphilian, Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Selcuk. We then visit Aspendos and the best-preserved theater in Asia Minor which is still used for performances. We arrive at our hotel in Antalya in the early evening. Overnight in Antalya. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 4 Antalya - Fethiye: Gulet Cruise
Today we drive along the Mediterranean coastal road west and reach Fethiye by late afternoon. We continue to Kaya Koy, a Greek ghost town containing over 600 abandoned homes that once belonged to Greeks who were subject to a population exchange between Turkey and Greece in 1930. After exploring this ghost town, we hike to meet the boat in Soguksu Cove for swimming and leisure. OUR BOAT: Gulets are wooden boats, traditionally hand made by master craftsmen from the Bodrum area of Turkey. This classic gulet was once used by fisherman and sponge divers to transport their catch. Today they are purpose-built for the charter market with fittings and equipment designed for guests' comfort. A gulet is typically built of pine wood and styled with a pointed fore and round aft. The major difference between the Turkish and Western boats is that the Turkish boats are designed to allow passengers more space on the deck. The Bodrum built boats take as much advantage as they can of the pleasant climate of the south. An aft deck for dining and lounging in the shade of a sun awning and a forward deck with numerous sunbeds. Large living areas, air-conditioned twin-berth cabins (with WC, shower) and a sun deck furnished lounge area are typical. On deck there are sun lounges for sunbathing and relaxing as well as dining areas under sun awnings. Our gulet will rage in size, depending on number of group participants, accommodating from 4-16 people. (NOTE: single cabins are limited in number. Late single supplement requests may need to double up on the gulet portion of the tour.) The pace is, of course, relaxed with plenty of time for swimming, snorkelling and sunbathing on deck. During the day our gulet navigates for about 4 hours at most, stopping in the bays and isolated islands for swimming breaks or short visits to the shore. In some places where the gulet can dock close to the shore, you will be able to travel by smaller boat (dinghy) to the shore for a walk or to visit a place. Most of the places you visit are of historical and natural importance. Overnight on Gulet. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 5 Fethiye - Hamam Cove - Step Cave - Aga Bay
This morning we cruise to Turquoise Cove, a serene inlet in Fethiye Bay where we visit the Sunken Baths of Cleopatra. We can swim and snorkel, searching for sponges, octopus and fish. An easy walk takes us along the cove. Then we sail towards our anchoring point for the evening. Overnight on Gulet in Aga Bay. All meals.
Day 6 Aga Bay - Gemiler Island
This morning we can hike from Aga Bay to Lydea (3 hrs, optional), an ancient Lycian Oracle reached only by foot. This is one of the most spectacular hikes of the trip--high, rocky ridgetops with pine forests, shepherds' homesteads, and the aroma of natural herb gardens of oregano, thyme and sage lingering in the air. After the hike we sail to Gemiler Island. Before dusk we can hike on Gemiler Island to the 6th C. ruins of a Byzantine monastic society. Overnight on gulet at Gemiler Island. All meals.
Day 7 Gemiler Island - Kas - Kekova
We cruise from Gemiler Island very early this morning to reach the charming Mediterranean village of Kas, with its well-preserved Greek theater and narrow streets with bougainvillea flowing over wooden balconies and white-washed houses. After touring the village on foot (1 hr) we reach Kekova Bay for the night. We can hike to Kalekoy (Simena), a pastoral village crowned by a Crusader castle with dozens of impressive Roman sarcophagi strewn around its base. Our gulet anchors near this little ancient village and we watch the sunset over Kekova Bay. Overnight on gulet. All meals.
Day 8 Kekova - Andriace: Disembark - Myra - Finike
We then sail to Andriace where we disembark and drive to the ruins of Myra and then the Church of St. Nicholas (3rd century). Myra boasts one of the most colossal and well-preserved Roman amphitheaters in the world, complete with stone masks of the performers lying about. We explore 4th C. BC Lycian house-tombs with richly-decorated facades carved out of the rock. This afernoon we drive east towards the ruins of the coastal city of Olympos. We hike through the forest to the to the Eternal Fires of the Chimaera (1.5 hrs RT) where the mythologial hero Bellerophon, riding his winged white horse Pegasus, killed the three-headed monster Chimaera, as believed for centuries by both the Lycians and the local people. Today, 15-20 gas-produced flames burn perpetually from holes in the ground. After a visit of Olympos we reach Finike. Overnight in Finike. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 9 Finike - Bodrum
After breakfast we drive to Bodrum, site of one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World: the Mausoleum. This was also the birthplace of the Greek historian Herodotus. Today Bodrum's whitewashed houses scattered on the hillside overlook the perfect natural harbour. It's delightful to wander along the palm-lined marina in the evening and marvel at the yachts from all over the world. This afternoon we visit the Crusader Castle of St Peter which dominates Bodrum Bay. The castle was built by the Knights Hospitaller in the early 15th century. Today the castle houses an excellent museum, mainly dedicated to the artifacts retrieved from the many ancient shipwrecks discovered off the Turkish coast. Many of the pieces in the museum have been excavated from below the sea bed by teams of archaeologists from Texas's A&M University. Overnight in Bodrum. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 10 Bodrum - Kusadasi
After a free morning in Bodrum, we travel northward along the Aegean coast, on winding roads through fields and olive groves, to Kusadasi, a beautiful port city with a small island fortress. The island, attached to the mainland, gives the city its name: Kusadasi, "The Island of Birds." It has rapidly developed into one of the most popular seaside resorts of the coast. Kusadasi was most probably founded on the ancient site of Neopolis. Because of its beautiful location and its excellent hotels, it is an ideal base for Ephesus. Overnight in Kusadasi. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 11 Kusadasi - Ephesus - Istanbul
Morning check-out and drive to Ephesus, one of the highlights of any visit to Turkey. During its Golden Age, the city was adorned with splendid monuments, theatres, agoras and libraries. The protectress of the city was the goddess Artemis whose temple, dating back to 1300 BC, was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. As a prosperous trade and banking centre, Ephesus had a cosmopolitan population. It has been recorded that St John brought the Virgin Mary to Ephesus where she spent her last days after the death of Christ. We proceed to Izmir for a late afternoon flight to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 12 Istanbul: Topkapi Palace
This morning we visit the Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the mid-15th to the early 19th century. It was from this vast complex of buildings that the mighty Ottoman Empire was administered. Today it is a huge museum containing ceremonial robes in silk and gold thread, Japanese and Chinese porcelain, European clocks, miniature paintings depicting Ottoman courtly life, and one of the largest jewelry collections in the world. Highlights of the jewelry collection include one of the world's largest diamonds, the Spoonmakers diamond, and the Topkapi dagger with three enormous emeralds in the handle. The afternoon is free for you to explore Istanbul, a city crowded with beautiful mosques, churches and palaces. You may want to visit the Topkapi Harem (optional entrance fee, approx 9 USD) before leaving the palace; the Grand Bazaar and Spice Bazaar beckon for shopping. Alternatively, you may take an optional ferry ride up the Bosphorous to the Black Sea. Along the shores of the Bosphorous are many summer palaces and old wooden houses dating from Ottoman times. Overnight in Istanbul. Breakfast and dinner.
Day 13 Departure
Departure from Istanbul. NOTE: If you would like to extend your time in Istanbul, please advise us as early as possible so that extra accommodation and / or flights can be booked accordingly. Breakfast. IYI YOLCULUKLAR!
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9/09
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