Authentic Adventure Option A

Historical and Boutique Hotels

Included Highlights

• Stays at historical, boutique and cave hotels.
• Option to visit local villages, markets and have lunch with locals
• Option to Turkish Gulet yacht cruise (Blue Voyage)
• Some dinners at local restaurants
• First hand experience to learn pottery making
• Program offers some easy walks
• Visit to a Winery and taste Turkish Wines

Day 1 Thu: Istanbul
Upon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Welcome briefing will be held.

Day 2 Fri: Istanbul
Enjoy a full day tour including a visit to Topkapi Palace Museum, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between 1453-1852(excluding harem). Visit the Hippodrome, which was once the center of life where chariot racing and other public events took place. Tour the Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616, famous for its blue ceramic tiles. Next see St. Sophia, a church built in the 6th century Byzantine capital, converted to a mosque by the Ottomans, and now a museum and one of the worlds greatest architectural wonders. Your last stop will be the famous Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest and oldest covered market with over 60 streets. Join an optional dinner with belly dancing entertainment. B

Day 3 Sat: Gallipoli- Dardanelles- Canakkale
In the morning, depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale for overnight. B D

Day 4 Sun: Troy-Pergamum- Izmir
Visit Troy with its famous wooden horse, best known for being setting of Trojan War and many cities built on top of each other. Before arriving into Asclepion, enjoy lunch with locals in a traditional local village. Then continue to Izmir for overnight.  Optional: Dinner at local restaurant. B L 

Day 5 Mon: Ephesus & St Mary’s House- Izmir
Tour the ruins of Ephesus, an important cultural center of the ancient world, and explore 2,000 year old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, a gymnasium and Hadrian’s Temple. Take a short drive to see St. Mary’s stone cottage where it is believed Virgin Mary spent her last years accompanied by St. John. Continue to a regional rug production center to have a firsthand experience of this unique art form. B D

Day 6 Tue: Izmir- Pamukkale
Drive through lush valleys to Pamukkale, the Cotton Fortress, with white lime cascades formed by hot mineral springs. Visit ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis and enjoy a swim in your hotel’s thermal pool. B D

Day 7 Wed: Pamukkale- Bodrum
After breakfast drive to Bodrum and start an explorative tour of Bodrum city by walking around. Overnight in Bodrum. B

Day 8 Thu: Bodrum-Marmaris
After breakfast, depart for Marmaris. Overnight in Marmaris. B

Day 9 Fri: Marmaris
After the breakfast, day at leisure for optional activities. Overnight in Marmaris. B

Day 10 Sat: Marmaris – Cruise
Depart for Marmaris pier to board a gulet at 15:30 am. You will have time for visiting the old town and bazaar of Marmaris with its small streets and hundreds of shops, bars and restaurants. The castle of Marmaris lies on the old town hill and offers a beautiful view across the harbor. Dinner and overnight stay will be in Marmaris. B D

Day 11 Sun: Ekincik Gulf – Dalyan
After breakfast you will be informed about the cruise itinerary and boat. The cruise will move toeards Ekincik Gulf and overnight stay will be this beautiful gulf. You may join optional Dalyan excursion. The participants will be taken from the yacht with a smaller boat called “Piyade” which will bring you into the green delta of Dalyan through the Lycian Rock Tombs. You may see the Caretta- Caretta turtles on the way if you are lucky. You will have a swimming stop at a unique place called Caretta – Caretta beach. There will be a mud bath occasion on the way back. Final destination before getting on the boat will be the village of Dalyan. B L D

Day 12 Mon: Sunken Bath – Tersane Island – Kizil Island
Because of the wavy seas of Disibilmez and Kurtoglu capes that we have to cross, we will cruise earlier than the other days and reach the worldfamous Gocek Gulf. We will anchor at Sunken Bath for breakfast and swimming break. This place is also known as Cleopatra Bay or Sunken Bath Bay due to the beautiful underwater ruins of an old bath. Then we will cruise to Tersane Island. This naturally protected harbor was used as a shipyard in Byzantine and Ottoman times. Dinner ond overnight stay will be at Kizil Island. B L D

Day 13 Tue: Fethiye – Cappadocia
Leave the boat and transfer to the Dalaman Airport for flight to Cappadocia. B D

Day 14 Wed: Cappadocia
Early morning optional: Hot Air Balloon Tour. Experience floating through volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and caves at sunrise. After breakfast  visit Goreme, a historical region of Turkey, located among the rock formations, which were first settled back in the Roman period. Many rock churches can still be seen today, as Christianity was then the prevailing religion in that region. Continue to the town of Avanos renowned for its high quality earthenware. Also visit Pasabagi, Red Valley and attend a brief regional pottery workshop. Dinner at a special local restaurant. Join an optional whirling Dervishes performance. B D

Day 15 Thu: Cappadocia-Istanbul
After breakfast depart to the airport for flight to Istanbul. In the afternoon, join an optional half-day Bosphorus cruise enjoying the strait that separates Asia and Europe. Its shores are lined with fine neighborhoods, Ottoman Palaces, fortresses, old wooden villas, hotels, parks and gardens, restaurants and cafes. Finish your last minute shopping at the Spice Market filled with the fragrance of the exotic east. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner. B D

Day 16 Fri: Istanbul 
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home. B

Price Includes

• Boutique Class hotels
• Meals are indicated on itineraries by B breakfast, L lunch, D dinner
• Licensed guides throughout Turkey
• Private air-conditioned transportation
• Luggage handling
• Flight ticket from Bodrum to Cappadocia and Cappadocia to Istanbul
• Local taxes and service charges
• Arrival/departure transfers: only on arrival and departure days. Pre or post stay transfers are not included

Price Excludes

• Personal expenses
• Optional tours
• Customary tips to guide and drivers