Tastes of Eastern Aegean ( 7 nights / 8 days )

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

Ortakoy Mosque and Bosphorus Bridge - Istanbul

Flower Mall - Beyoglu - Istanbul

Fish Market - Istanbul

Celsius Library - Ephesus - Selcuk

Home Hosted Lunch - Sirince Old Greek Village - Selcuk

Sirince Old Greek Village

Gourmet details: The Beyoglu district is the center of the culinary capital of Turkey. Enjoying a cultural and architectural revival, this area boasts many chic cafés, bars, bistros, and restaurants. Istiklal Street is favored by both Istanbul's residents and guests because of its unprecedented options for wining and dining. Here is where we dine at a restaurant specializing in Ottoman-style meals and kebabs. After dinner there is an informal lecture on Turkish cuisine.

Included meals: Dinner

Day 2: Istanbul
We meet this morning and transfer 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. Our next stop is Topkapi Palace where we first break for lunch before proceeding with our tour.

Today the palace is a spectacular museum with one of the largest collections of Chinese and Japanese porcelain and the very famous treasury of the Ottoman Sultans. 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.

Gourmet details: For today's lunch we dine at 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 as we embark on a public boat and start our cruise of the Bosporus 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 the late Ottoman palaces, Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi, as well as beautiful wooden mansions and modern villas of the 19th and 20th centuries which form this elegant section of the city. We disembark at the seafront quarter of Tarabya where we break for lunch. Next we visit the Spice Market which was built as part of the Yeni Cami complex and has since been an exciting covered market filled with the fragrant scent of spices from the Orient. After our visit we stop to enjoy a late afternoon tea before returning for an evening at our leisure.

Gourmet details: Today we have lunch at a restaurant located in Tarabya, a typical Bosphorus shore-side quarter. Like most traditional seafront areas, freshly caught fish and sea products are available throughout the year. Here we dine on grilled seasonal fish and traditional side dishes.

Drinking tea is an essential part of daily life in Turkey. Almost everywhere you go you will be offered a glass. The tea is prepared by brewing it in boiling water and serving it in delicate, small, clear glasses to show the deep red color and to transmit the heat to the hand. This afternoon we relax with Turkish tea and freshly baked cookies in a garden setting.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Alternatively you may choose to join an optional trip to Doluca Winery, only available during the grape harvest season, August and September.

Optional program: In the morning we depart for a full-day educational trip to Doluca Winery—the biggest wine producer in Turkey. During this visit we learn all aspects of wine production in Turkey.

Day 4: Canakkale
In the morning we depart from Istanbul and drive to Canakkale. After driving through ancient Thrace, but before crossing the Dardanelles Strait by ferry, we break for lunch at a local seafood restaurant. After lunch we continue our drive to ancient Troy. Discovered by Heinric Schliemann in the 1870s, the site has since been excavated and now reveals remnants of nine civilizations dating back 5,000 years. This evening we spend at our leisure.

Gourmet details: With Turkey being the country of four seas, seafood naturally has an important place in Turkish cuisine. From a perfectly located restaurant that hosts a beautiful view over the Dardanelles Strait, we enjoy seasonal grilled fish and a fresh herb salad. A Turkish vegetable soup and dessert complete the meal.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 5: Kusadasi
This morning we leave Canakkale and drive to the village of Adatepe. Here we visit The Museum of Olive Oil—first of its kind in Turkey. We continue to a nearby olive processing factory to meet its owners who show us how olives are processed, and olive oil is produced. After the factory visit we will drive to Bergama where we break for lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch we tour 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—so large it rivals the world’s greatest library in Alexandria. Our final destination is Kusadasi where we spend an evening at leisure

Gourmet details: Set in the style of a traditional Turkish house, for today' s lunch we enjoy various stews of meat and vegetable.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 6: Kusadasi
This morning we depart for a full day of sightseeing. First we visit the Ephesus archaeological site which is perhaps the world’s best preserved ancient city and its ruins attract visitors from across the globe. The most significant relic of the site is the immense amphitheater. Next we visit the House of the Virgin Mary. The chapel is built on the foundation of the house where the Virgin Mary is believed to have lived. Next, we continue to the town of Selcuk and visit the Ephesus Archeology Museum. Almost all of the exhibits are findings from Ephesus, the most spectacular being two life-size statutes of Artemis Ephesia, both dating from the middle Roman imperial era. Our final stop is to the village of Sirince. This pretty, old Orthodox village of perfect Turk-Greek culture is located on the top of a mountain where we enjoy impressive views of the vineyards and peach trees. As we wonder the narrow streets of the village lined with typical Greek houses, we come across woman selling handcrafts of all kinds and other local village products. Here we have chance to socialize with locals and taste the simple but delicious meals of Aegean cuisine at a home-hosted lunch.

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
Today is at leisure to enjoy lovely Kusadasi on your own. In the evening we'll enjoy a farewell dinner at the hotel. Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 8: Return Home
After breakfast we transfer to the Izmir airport for the return flight to Istanbul.

Included meals: Breakfast

Price of the package includes:

1. Accommodation in hotels :
   3 nights Istanbul: Central Palace
   1 night Assos: Nazlihan
   3 nights Kusadasi: Kismet

2. Domestic flights within our program itinerary (Izmir-Istanbul)

3. 14 Meals:7 Breakfasts, 5 lunches, and 2 dinner

4. Services of a professional tour guide (private)

5. Modern, A/C, comfortable minibus for land transportation and driver (private)

6. Admission fees to sights and museums

7. Parking, portage, ferry, toll road

8. Gratuity (except guide & driver)

Price of the package excludes:

1. Airfare of international flights and related taxes

2. Bottled beverages or alcohol

3. Optional gratuities to the guide and driver

4. Travel insurance

5. Visas, laundry, and personal items