CUSTOM TRAVEL PROGRAMS Five to Fifteen Day Itineraries

Crossroads & Culinary Experiences ( 7 nights / 8 days )

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul
Arrive at Ataturk International Airport in Istanbul and enjoy a private transfer to your hotel located in the city center, just a few steps away from Taksim Square. After check-in we meet for a welcome briefing and orientation tour of the area. We proceed to Taksim Square for a walking tour. Tonight we dine at a local restaurant, located on Istiklal Street.

 

Day 2: Istanbul
We meet this morning and drive to Sultanahmet for a full-day tour. Our day begins with a visit to the ancient Hippodrome, an area that was once the center of Byzantine civic life. We continue to Sultan Ahmet Mosque, more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque, because its interior gleams with a magnificent paneling of blue and white 17th century Iznik tiles. Next we visit Hagia Sophia, often described as the greatest work of Byzantine architecture. Our next stop is Topkapi Palace where we first break for lunch before proceeding with our tour. Once home of the Ottoman sultans who ruled a vast empire spread across three continents, the palace is a museum today, housing the spectacular artifacts found in this site including the famous treasury of the sultans. A large collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain is displayed in an extensive kitchen complex which once served to the 5800 inhabitants of the palace. We also see the dormitories of the cooks with more displays in them. We finish the day at the Grand Bazaar. This bazaar will tempt even non-shoppers with nearly 4,000 shops exhibiting a rich collection of precious handmade carpets, jewelry, leather, antiques, and souvenirs.

We have our lunch today in a restaurant specializing in Ottoman imperial cuisine. Here we enjoy a cold appetizer specialty of the day (prepared in olive oil), traditional Turkish pastry with cheese, kebab with smoked eggplant puree, and an assortment of Turkish desserts.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3: Istanbul
Our tour begins today with a visit to the Spice Market which was built as part of the Yeni Cami (New Mosque) complex and has since been an exciting covered market filled with the fragrant scent of spices from the Orient. Unlike the Grand Bazaar, the old Spice Market retained its original character to some extent. Today, the majority of the shops in the market still specialize on spices, herbs, nuts and dried fruits. Connoisseurs of Istanbul frequent the delicatessens in and around the market. The main shop of the biggest Turkish coffee producer is too around the corner. The extremely lively atmosphere here adds to the cornucopia appearance of the shop entrances.

After our visit we embark on a public boat and start our cruise of the Bosphorus Strait. The Bosphorus is a narrow, navigable strait between Europe and Asia connecting the Black Sea to the Marmara Sea. This boat ride takes us past late Ottoman Palaces, as well as beautiful wooden mansions and modern villas of the 19th and 20th centuries which form this elegant section of the city. In a very relaxing and enjoyable way we have an insight to the past, present and the future of Istanbul. The silhouette of the old city at distance summarizes what we have already seen in this tour. The solemn and subtle beauty of the old mansions which once belonged to the Ottoman pashas can be seen side by side with the loudly decorated ones owned by rich industrialists of today.

We disembark at the seafront quarter of Ortakoy where we end our morning tour and ride back to our hotel after exploring this lively area. Ortakoy is a typical Bosphorus shore-side quarter. Like most traditional seafront areas, freshly caught fish and sea products are available throughout the year. Those who wish may stay to dine on grilled seasonal fish and traditional side dishes. Another choice is to sign-up for the optional program ''Private dining in a Turkish home''.

Included meals: Breakfast

Optional Culinary Program: ''Private Dining in a Turkish Home''
This unforgettable Turkish culinary experience includes the opportunity to learn the preparation of some traditional dishes and seasonal recipes in an authentic Turkish home. We say "make yourselves at home" in Turkey and we mean it! Join our host Selin Rozanes for a hands-on experience preparing a Turkish menu followed by a lunch or dinner.
Price: $150.00 (per person) / minimum one couple and maximum six participants at a time.

Day 4: Istanbul - Gallipoli - Canakkale
In the morning we depart from Istanbul and drive to Canakkale. After driving through ancient Thrace, and just before crossing the Dardanelles Strait by ferry, we break for lunch at a local seafood restaurant by the harbor in the town of Gelibolu – which gave the peninsula its famous name: Gallipoli. After lunch we cross the strait by ferry and continue our drive to ancient Troy. Discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s, the site has since been excavated and now reveals remnants of nine civilizations dating back 5,000 years. We spend the evening at our leisure. A buffet dinner is included in our hotel.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Canakkale - Mt. Ida - Pergamum - Kusadasi
This morning we leave Canakkale and drive to the village of Adatepe to visit the Olive Oil Museum – the first and the most sophisticated of its kind in Turkey. Here we meet the owners of the olive oil processing factory who show us how olives are pressed and olive oil is produced. Then we drive to a mountain village at the foot of the mythological Ida Mountain where we break for lunch. After lunch we continue driving to the ancient site of Pergamum. Much of Pergamum has been lovingly restored and is now considered one of the primary ancient sites in Turkey. Here we visit the magnificent Acropolis, which contains the ruins of Pergamum’s acclaimed library— second only to the ancient world’s greatest library in Alexandria. Our final destination is Kusadasi where we spend an evening at leisure. A buffet dinner is included in our hotel.

Gourmet details:Today's lunch is in a unique village at the edge of Ida Mountain. Chef Erhan Seker runs a local restaurant where he offers local dishes prepared with vegetables of the Aegean coast and wild herbs from Ida Mountain.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Kusadasi
In the morning we depart for a full day of sightseeing. First we visit the ruins of Ephesus which is one of the best excavated and most attractive archaeological sites in the world. The size of the site, particularly its giant theatre, impresses visitors. More impressive still is the richness of detail even a casual observer can notice. The Roman period villas known as the Terrace Houses on the hill slopes overlooking the main street were recently opened to the public and they are comparable only with Pompei. This entry is also included.

For our lunch we drive to a village on the hills near Ephesus. Originally a Greek-Orthodox village, Sirince is now a very pretty site of Turkish-Greek culture. From its beautiful hilltop location we enjoy impressive views of the vineyards and olive trees surrounding the village. As we wander the narrow streets of the village lined with typical Greek houses, we come across women selling handcrafts of all kinds and other local village products. Here we have a chance to socialize with the locals and taste the simple but delicious cuisine of the Aegean at a home-hosted lunch. Our final stop of the day will be in the town of Selcuk where we visit the Museum of Archaeology. Almost all of the exhibits are findings from Ephesus, the most spectacular being two beautiful statutes of Artemis Ephesia, both dating from the Roman Imperial era.

Gourmet details: : In one of these typical Greek houses we will savor gözleme, a homemade stuffed pancake, güveç, a stew prepared in the oven, and freshly baked bread.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 7: Kusadasi - Bodrum
This morning we leave Kusadasi for Bodrum, driving via Milas. Bodrum is situated in the southwest corner of the Aegean region of Turkey; it has an excellent climate and a beautiful coastline. The city of Bodrum rests on the ancient city of Halicarnassus. Due to both its historical importance and natural beauty, Bodrum has become a popular tourist destination. After check-in at our hotel, we will have some free time to relax and have lunch on our own. We will then visit the harbor and St. Peter's Castle as well as the remains of the Mausoleum which was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Our farewell dinner will be served at a cozy restaurant in Ortakent, a town on the Bodrum peninsula.

Gourmet details: We visit a small town called Ortakent to meet our host chef Asli Mutlu and taste her dishes prepared with local vegetables, herbs and flavors. The menu can be described as Mediterranean fusion. It is Asli's passion to cook the wonderful fresh and wild vegetables in different styles, one day pumpkins will be served with walnuts as cooked in the Turkish way and another day it will be a raw salad mixed with green herbs. What is always in these dishes is the extra virgin olive oil of the region. She also cooks meat, fish and poultry with a never ending passion to research old recipes as well as create new ones. The medieval atmosphere of the village also will make the whole experience unforgettable.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner (farewell)

Day 8: Bodrum / Istanbul / Homebound Departure
After breakfast we transfer to Bodrum / Milas airport for homebound flight via Istanbul.

Included meals: Breakfast

Prices ( per person in shared room and in USD ):

Istanbul, Canakkale, Kusadasi, Bodrum ( 7 nights / 8 days ) Price Table

2 participants	4 participants	6 participants	10 participants
$ 3,590.00	$ 2,450.00	$ 1,990.00	$ 1,690.00

Price of the package includes

1. Accommodation in hotels:
   3 nights Istanbul: Central Palace (near Taksim Square) or Ottoman Imperial (old town)
   1 night Canakkale: Nazlihan (Assos) or similar
   2 nights Kusadasi: Kismet or Charisma
   1 night Bodrum: Majestic Marina or similar

2. Domestic flight within our program itinerary (Bodrum - Istanbul)

3. 15 Meals: 7 Breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 4 dinners

4. Services of a licensed professional tour guide (private)

5. Transportation with comfortable, modern, air conditioned, chauffeur driven cars, vans or minibuses appropriate to the size of your group (private)

6. Admission fees to sites and museums

7. Parking, ferry, toll road fees

8. Gratuity at restaurants where meal is included in the program

Price of the package excludes :

1. Airfare of international flights and related taxes

2. Soft and alcoholic beverages, unless otherwise stated

3. Optional gratuities to the tour guides and drivers

4. Travel insurance

5. Visas, laundry, and personal items