Cultural Anatolia
 

DAY 1- ISTANBUL
Arrive in Istanbul. Our staff will escort you to your hotel, in the afternoon we visit Suleymaniye mosque, before we drive to the shopper’s paradise the Covered Bazaar and the Spice Market to stroll around 4000 shops. (-)

DAY 2- ISTANBUL
Our visit to this imperial city begins with a visit to Blue Mosque named after it’s incomparable blue tiles. Right next door is the St. Sophia church, the hippodrome and the underground cistern: a sunken subterranean reservoir with 336 columns built in the Byzantine times. The tour continues onto Topkapi Palace to see, among other things, the secret Harem. (B)

DAY 3- ISTANBUL
In the morning we sail between Europe and Asia on the Bosphorus. In the afternoon we will take a domestic flight to Ankara. Overnight in Ankara. (B).

DAY 4- ANKARA
After breakfast, we visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and The Citadel of Ankara. The Mausoleum of Atatürk, the founder of modern Turkey, is our last stop in Ankara. An enjoyable afternoon drive through the Anatolian countryside will take us to Cappadocia, the land of fairy chimneys. (B, D)

DAY 5- CAPPADOCIA
A full day in Cappadocia starts with the Uchisar Valley and it’s pigeon houses. Rock churches from the 5th to 12th centuries. The Göreme Open Air museum, and the Fairy chimneys of Zelve are the next stops in the region. The underground city of Kaymakly takes you 20 meters below the surface of the earth. (B,D).

DAY 6- KONYA - ANTALYA
Early departure in the morning for Konya, the capital of the Selcuk Turks and the city of Whirling Dervishes. A drive takes us to Antalya through the Taurus Mountains. (B, D).

DAY 7- ANTALYA
Perge is the first visit of the day with its theater, the huge stadium and it’s Hellenistic and Roman gates; Aspendos, the preserved Roman theater, and Side a seaside resort village nestled between classical ruins are the next stops. Return to Antalya. (B, D).

DAY 8- PAMUKKALE
There is the Majestic Hadrian Gate and Grooved Minaret places to explore in Antalya before we drive north to Pamukkale in the afternoon. Overnight in Pamukkale. Visit Pamukkale’s spectacular white lime cascading cliffs. You’ll Enjoy a mineral spring bath at your hotel. (B, D).

DAY 9- HIERAPOLIS - BODRUM
Visit the Roman health spa ruins at Hierapolis.
Then, travel to the Aegean resort of Bodrum. (B, D).

DAY 10- BODRUM - YACHT
After breakfast visit the medieval Bodrum Castle built by the Knights of Rhodes which houses the Museum of underwater Archaeology. The Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is also in Bodrum and later we transfer to the yacht, and enjoy a welcoming cocktail. (B, D).

DAY 11- YACHT CRUISE
Early departure to Knidos, an ancient Carian town. We will visit the remains of an amphitheatre and statues. (B, L, D).

DAY 12- YACHT CRUISE
Visit Mersincik Port after breakfast, lunch at the port. Afternoon cruise to Cati, a landlocked small bay. (B, L, D).

DAY 13- YACHT CRUISE
to the English Harbor, Ballisu and Longoz bays. These are quite and picturesque bays suitable for swimming. (B, L, D).

DAY 14- YACHT CRUISE
We will transfer to the airport for a homebound flight from Istanbul. (B).