Treasures in Turkey 16 Days
Highlights
- Duration: 16 Days
- Comfort: Moderate%
- Language: English
- Rating: 80.0%
- Trip ID: 82429
- Start Location: Sultanahmet, Turkey
- End Location: Sultanahmet, Turkey
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- Primary Activities: Local Culture & Cuisine, Archaeology
- Other Activities: Hiking, museum, riverboating
- Day 1: Flight to Istanbul
- Begin our archaeological tour of Turkey with a flight to Istanbul.
- Day 2: Sultanahmet
- Arrive Istanbul and transfer to the historic area of the city, Sultanahmet, a UNESCO World Heritage site. After a light lunch, visit Aya Sofya, the first church of Christianity, begun in the 2nd century AD by Constantine the Great. One of the great buildings of the world, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople and was the center of the Byzantine Empire for almost a thousand years. Walk to the Hippodrome, scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations and executions, and the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. Housed within a 16th-century palace built by the brother-in-law of Sultan Suleyman, the museum contains the world's richest collection of 13th- to 20th-century hand-knotted Turkish carpets and an ethnographic section depicting objects used in everyday Turkish life. Built partly on the site once occupied by the Byzantine imperial palace stands the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet I, known to foreigners as the Blue Mosque. One of the city’s most prominent landmarks, the shrine took seven years to build, and has an enormous central dome supported by four huge freestanding pillars and six fluted minarets. The interior walls are covered with stunning hand-crafted Iznik tiles from the 17th century which give the mosque its name. Dinner is on our own tonight. Overnight for the next two nights in an Ottoman house that has been transformed into a charming bed-and-breakfast inn. The hotel is within walking distance of the important sites within the historic section of Istanbul. (L)
- Lodging
- Ottoman house
- Description
Traditional Turkish hospitality, comfort, elegant premium service, an unbeatable view of Hagia Sophia Museum and Sultanahmet Square and a blend of Ottoman and Istanbul cuisine is what you'll experience at the Ottoman Hotel Imperial. With its exquisitely furnished guest rooms reflecting the Ottoman art, trend-setting restaurants and bars, extensive guest services and in-house amenities, Ottoman Hotel Imperial responds to the needs of the most demanding leisure and business travellers.
- Day 3: Bosphorus
- Spend the day exploring the historic area of the city. Walk through Topkapi Sarai, built in 1468 as a summer palace for Mehmet the Conqueror. The estate includes lovely gardens, the council chambers of government, and the harem. Yerebatan Cistern is the largest and most magnificent covered cistern in Istanbul. Built in the 6th century in the reign of Justinian , it supplied water to the Byzantine Great Palace nearby. Visit The Church of St. Saviour in Chora Monastery, or Kariye Museum, built between the 11th- and 14th-centuries. When restored, a striking series of mosaics and vibrant frescoes which belong to the last great renaissance of Byzantine art were found within the interior of the building. Lunch will be in the gardens of a restored konak, or wooden mansion, now a restaurant serving Imperial Ottoman cuisine. In the 17th and 18th centuries it became fashionable for high-ranking people of Istanbul to own a summer home on the Bosphorus, the sinuous straits separating Europe from Asia. These wooden yalis, as they are called, were extremely beautiful and elegant, of a perfection of structure and a refinement of decoration that are the supreme examples of their architects’ and painters’ genius. This afternoon, we will travel by boat up the Bosphorus to view these lovely wooden villas and elegant marble palaces along the shore. We will leave the vessel to dine in one of the excellent seafood restaurants along the shore. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Ottoman House
- Description
Traditional Turkish hospitality, comfort, elegant premium service, an unbeatable view of Hagia Sophia Museum and Sultanahmet Square and a blend of Ottoman and Istanbul cuisine is what you'll experience at the Ottoman Hotel Imperial. With its exquisitely furnished guest rooms reflecting the Ottoman art, trend-setting restaurants and bars, extensive guest services and in-house amenities, Ottoman Hotel Imperial responds to the needs of the most demanding leisure and business travellers.
- Day 4: Alaca Hüyük
- An early flight takes us to Ankara, the capital of the country. Here, we view the extraordinary collection of artifacts in the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, housed within a splendidly restored 15th-century covered bazaar. Displayed are frescoes from Çatalhüyük, grave offerings from Early Bronze Age burials at Alaca Hüyük, a unique and priceless collection of Hittite art, and discoveries from Gordion’s Midas Tomb. Located within the 7th century citadel above the city is one of the best surviving Byzantine forts. Our lunch is within its walls in Zenger Paşa Restaurant, situated in an old Ottoman wooden house and with dazzling views over the city. In the afternoon drive to Alaca Hüyük where two large sphinxes flank the entrance gate. During excavations traces of a large Hittite building were discovered, and down the hill was found a royal necropolis of thirteen tombs dating from about 2500 BC and filled with remarkable funerary objects. After exploring the remains, continue to Boğazkale where members of the Hattusas archaeological project will join us for dinner. Overnight at the simple Asikoğlu Hotel. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Asikoğlu Hotel
- Description
Is in the center of the Hittite Civilization.Hotel Asikoglu is 1 km to Hattusas,32 km to Alacahoyuk,50 metres to Museum, 210 km to Ankara Airport and 210 km to Cappadocia. There are 35 standart rooms, 1 suit room,17 trb(triple),17 dbl(duble) rooms and totally capacity of 85 people.All rooms have view of Hattusas antique city. Hot water (24 hours) , telephone , tv , hair-dryer , shower and 24 hours room service , also medical service is thought for your comfortable.
- Day 5: Insider’s view of the excavations at Hattusa
- Today, we join the project director, for an insider’s view of the excavations at Hattusa, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From 1600 to 1180 BC, Hattusas was the capital of the proud and warlike Hittites, whose empire stretched from the Black Sea to Syria. The fortified city was the residence of the great Hittite kings, the administrative seat as well as the principal cult center. One of the most important discoveries at the site has been the cuneiform royal archives of clay tablets, consisting of official correspondence and contracts, as well as legal codes, procedures for cult ceremony, oracular prophecies and literature of the ancient Near East. One particularly important tablet details the terms of a peace settlement between the Hittites and the Egyptians under Ramesses II, circa 1283 BC. A copy is on display in the United Nations in New York as an example of one of the earliest known international peace treaties. Nearby Yazilikaya is an open air, natural rock shrine located where a spring of fresh water once flowed. The site has characteristics similar to other Anatolian spring-sanctuaries, and may well have been a place of worship for hundreds or even thousands of years before the rise of Hittite power. The former importance of the shrine is shown by the incised Hittite gods marching across the cliff face. We then drive on to the Cappadocia region, noted for its Byzantine churches and monasteries carved out of the volcanic tuff. Dinner this evening will be outside under the stars in one of the beautiful valleys. Spend the next two nights in the Alfina Hotel, a whimsical hotel that depicts the charm of the area with rooms that have also been cut from the living rock. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Alfina Hotel
- Description
The Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia is a 41 room upscale hotel located in the heart of Cappadocia, Nevsehir district, catering to the sophisticated traveler. With its elegant decor and unique design, the Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia is the perfect combination of history and classic elegance. The Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia features a free hot breakfast buffet, 24 hour front desk assistance, a luxurious restaurant and bar ,meeting areas.Each comfortably designed, recently renovated cave guestrooms feature all of the standard amenities such as high-speed wireless Internet access, direct-dial phones (bedside and in the bathroom), free of charge security safe, minibar and satellite TV. Deluxe and suite rooms with executive work desk, fireplace, dvd and mp3 player, seperate rain showers in bathrooms.
- Day 6: Cappadocia
- Millions of years ago, a volcano near Cappadocia spewed out molten lava and dust. Since then, wind and weather have reshaped the soft rock, leaving an eye-catching landscape of cones and "fairy chimneys." Early Christians carved churches and monasteries out of the volcanic tuft, many with colorful wall paintings still visible, and huge underground cities where they could hide from their persecutors. Today’s explorations take us to explore the rock-cut churches of Göreme Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Zelve, a natural amphitheater at the junction of three canyons where the cliff faces are riddled with openings to houses and churches, many still containing multihued frescoes. After a climb to the top of the natural rock citadel of Uchisar, continue to the underground city of Kaymaklı and walk through a maze of tunnels and rooms at least eight stories deep. Before returning to the hotel, stop in Mustafapaşa, the former Anatolian Greek village of Sinassos. After finding the gatekeeper to unlock the door, walk down steps carved hundreds of years ago to see a church, Ayios Vasilios, still containing painted murals of St. Basil. Return to the hotel and enjoy an open-air dinner serving traditional and delicious cuisine. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Alfina Hotel
- Description
The Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia is a 41 room upscale hotel located in the heart of Cappadocia, Nevsehir district, catering to the sophisticated traveler. With its elegant decor and unique design, the Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia is the perfect combination of history and classic elegance. The Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia is simply a unique cave hotel that combines cave dwellings of the centuries with the luxurious comfort of today. You may relax on multi level terraces and explore this historic, fascinating and romantic landscape while enjoying this admirable hotel accommodations and world famous Turkish hospitality.
- Day 7: Konya/Aspendos/Antalya
- Travel along ageless caravan trails with stops to examine a beautifully carved 13th-century caravansary built by Seljuk Turks as a rest stop for camel trains. Jalal ad-Din ar-Rumi, later given the honorary title of Mevlana ("our master"), was the greatest Sufi mystic and Persian-language poet, famous for his lyrics and for his didactic epic which widely influenced early Muslim mystical thought and literature. He was buried in Konya and we will visit his mausoleum. After lunch, drive through the mountains to the Mediterranean coast and stop at Aspendos containing what is probably the finest Roman theater in the country, restored by Ataturk in 1932, and almost ten miles of still intact Roman aqueduct. Continue to Antalya, magnificently situated atop 150-foot cliffs overlooking the sea. The award-winning renovations of the Old Port Section have recaptured the charm of the ancient Roman and Ottoman styles. Our hotel for the next three nights is a beautifully restored 19th-century Ottoman home located within the Roman walls encircling the ancient section of town. Dinner is on our own to discover one of Antalya’s exceptional restaurants. (B/L)
- Day 8: Sagalassos
- A drive over the towering Taurus Mountains reveals terrain ranging from pastoral valleys to breathtaking snow-crested peaks, and the splendid remains of Sagalassos, clinging perilously to the southern granite slopes of these mountains. Originally inhabited by Pisidians, the pirates of the central Anatolian world, this was the highest city in the Roman Empire. The Sagalassos Archaeological Project has made many incredible discoveries recently including the remains of a colossal, 15-foot tall statue of the emperor Hadrian, a huge statue of Marcus Aurelius the longest surviving successor of Antoninus Pius, and an imperial statue of the empress Faustina. Many of the breathtaking excavation finds can be seen in the Burdur Museum that we visit this afternoon. Return to Antalya with dinner at the hotel. (B/L/D)
- Day 9: Perge
- Begin our explorations at the Antalya Archaeological Museum, an architectural delight, for a tour of the stunning collection including the marble sculptures from nearby Perge, one of the southern coast’s most remarkable ancient cities. Greek settlers journeyed to Perge following the Trojan War, and substantial signs remain of a great theater, stadium, enormous Hellenistic and Roman gates, and a colonnaded street. We visit the site this afternoon before returning to Antalya for some free time to explore the historic quarter. Dinner is on our own tonight. (B/L)
- Day 10: Lycia
- We leave Antalya this morning and begin our journey along the coast, heavily indented and full of isolated caves and islets, with some of Lycia's most rugged scenery. Hundreds of tombs dot the hills and valleys, and castles guard the sea channels. Along our way, we stop to explore the huge necropolis of tombs in the cliff-faces of Myra, carved before the time of Christ by Lycians, and Demre where St. Nicholas was the bishop in the 4th century. Through his good works the bishop became known as Santa Claus, and we will see the still standing church dedicated to him. Continue along this spectacular coast road to the village of Kalkan and the Hotel Harpy, our home for tonight. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Hotel Harpy
- Description
A fine 4-star hotel in Kalkan which is the best in its class in the whole "Land of Light".
- Day 11: Xanthos/Patara /Kusadaci
- Today, visit two important capitals of the Lycian civilization. Xanthos, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,was the capital city of the Lycian Federation and its greatest metropolis for most of Lycian history. Excavationsshow that the city dates back to the 8th century BC, but it is possible that the site may have existed during the Bronze Age. The history of the city is quite violent - the Xanthosians twice demonstrated their fierce independence when they chose to commit mass suicide rather than submit to invading forces. After the 4th century BC, nearby Patara was the capital of the Lycian Federation and its port. Today the harbor has completely silted in and the resulting five-mile-long beach is one of the most beautiful in southern Turkey. Turkish archaeologists have been excavating here for the past decade, and they are restoring the city to its former grandeur. Continue to Kusadaci and overnight for the next two nights. Dinner is on our own this evening. (B/L)
- Day 12: Temple of Diana/Church of Saint John/Selcuk Museum
- Of all the cities of ancient Turkey, Ephesus is the most visited. Dedicated to the virgin goddess of the chase, the city is the site of the Temple of Diana (Artemis), one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the Church of Saint John. We will walk through the church where St. John spoke, and visit the classic city of Ephesus with its beautiful 2nd century Library of Celsus, the burial place of Gaius Julius Celsus Polemaeanus, the governor of the province of Asia. Here, we meet with the Director of excavations for a private tour of the city. Then it's on to the nearby Selcuk Museum containing striking artifacts found in the nearby excavations. Dinner tonight will be in a local restaurant, renowned for its fresh seafood. (B/L/D)
- Day 13: Pergamum
- Created by the heirs of Alexander, Pergamum was a Hellenistic city that rivaled Ephesus. Climb to the ancient metropolis that stands majestically on an acropolis rising precipitously to a height of nearly a thousand feet above the modern city of Bergama. Drive over a 14th-century Ottoman bridge to view Assos, a picturesque village clinging to the side of the ancient acropolis. Down the cliff-face from the ruins is the port with charming buildings dating from the last century when the town was Greek. Overnight tonight in the charming Hotel Nazlihan overlooking the sea. (B/L/D)
- Day 14: Assos/Troy
- This morning we will explore the magnificent ruins of Assos dominating the top of a mountain overlooking the Aegean Sea. The oldest part of the city was Hellenistic, and the stunning basaltic walls encircling the site date from this period. Drive on to Troy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where late 19th century excavations revealed nine principal levels of occupation covering a period of over 3000 years. Possibly founded by the Hittite King Tudhaliyas IV, it was encircled by more than two miles of imposing 4th century BC walls. At Troy, we meet privately with the archaeologist heading the project to learn how recent excavations have given us much more information on the city. Overnight in the Hotel Tusan in Çanakkale. (B/L/D)
- Lodging
- Hotel Tusan
- Description
Our 4 Star Hotel is situated within a pine forest, looking across the Dardanelles. Tusan is a family run hotel with its private beach. Discover a wonderful fun-filled world of easy living and lazy loafing under an everblue sea. Rest under the warm Aegean sun with every convenience at your fingertips for resort living in a holiday mood. Pine trees surround you and warm gentle breezes refresh you.
- Day 15: Explore the Grand Bazaar
- A trip by ferry across the Dardanelles Straits and a scenic drive through Thrace returns us to Istanbul. This afternoon, there will be time to explore the Grand Bazaar where we will see thousands of shops, a mosque, a school, a post office and police station all housed underneath a vast roof. Our farewell dinner will be at one of Istanbul’s fine local restaurants. (B/L/D)
- Day 16: Depart
- Return to the U.S.A. (B)
Trip Includes
- International flights from New York to Istanbul and one Turkish domestic flight on Turkish Airlines (Istanbul-Ankara)
- All hotels
- Most meals (as noted in brochure)
- All entry fees Ground transportation.
Trip Excludes
- The tax-deductible check for $150.00 written to the AFDAI
- Passport or visa fees
- Airport or departure taxes
- Beverages or food not included on regular menus Laundry Excess baggage charges
- Gratuities to guides and drivers and other personal tips
- Email,Telephone, Fax charges
- Or other items of a personal nature
Trip ID#: 82429
CANCELLATIONS: 20% cancellation fee applied if cancelled 60 days prior to departure. Cancellations within 60 days are 100% non-cancelable
Gian Tordi
About Gian
Gian Franco grew up in Europe and has traveled extensively and can help you with all your travel planning needs. Gian Franco’s expertise is primarily in Europe, but he has travelled around the world and speaks six languages. Previous to AdventureLink, Gian worked as a personal travel consultant and tour guide and his passion is putting together customized travel itineraries. Gian Franco will guide you through the process of picking the right trip and customizing the experience to meet your exact requirements!
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The itinerary, tour guides and leaders, together with the fabulous Turkish cuisine and extraordinary fellow travelers made this an unforgettable trip - one which will be held dear for a lifetime.
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90%Another great trip! Bravo!!! Thanks for contributing to my traveling pleasures.
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80%One of the greatest travel adventures we have had. Maybe it was that rainy, mysterious visit to Sagalassos, or the glorious, quiet (!) day in Ephesus, or having tea with the caretaker in the twilight at the excavation building in Patara, or our first, wonderful vision of the glories of Istanbul, or descending the hill from Pergamum, or bumping the other balloon over Cappodocia, or gazing at the astoundingly ancient inscribed stones at Yazilikaya, or just learning how to pronounce Egirdir, but this was a highlight of our travel lives.
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