Turkey's Magical Hideaways (2012)

Depart the U.S. today on an overnight flight to Istanbul, Turkey.

Today, we arrive in Istanbul, where an OAT representative will meet us at the airport. We transfer to our hotel downtown, and have a brief orientation late in the afternoon. This evening, we can discover any of the Turkish restaurants in the area as we enjoy dinner on our own.

After breakfast at our hotel, we set off early on a comprehensive exploration of Istanbul; the historic city formerly called Byzantium and later Constantinople.

Istanbul is a sprawling city of ten million people, partly in Europe and partly in Asia, with its geography defined by three famous waterways: the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus Strait, and the Golden Horn. The Sea of Marmara lies to the south. The Bosporus Strait divides the European and Asian sections of the city and forms the route from the Marmara to the Black Sea. The Golden Horn divides European Istanbul into the modern Beyoglu section to the north and Old Stamboul (Eski Istanbul) to the south. The famous Galata Bridge spans the Golden Horn to link these two parts of the city.

This morning, we'll discover some of Istanbul's most famous sites on foot, including Topkapi Palace. Mehmet the Conqueror started building this complex in about 1459 and it served as the royal palace of the Ottoman sultans until 1853. Today, it is one of the world's richest museums, with a staggering collection of jewels, arms, porcelain, sculpture, manuscripts, and more. Next, we stop at the classic Blue Mosque, so-called for the shimmering blue tiles that line its interior. Flanked by symmetrical soaring minarets, it is one of the defining elements of the Istanbul skyline. This classic of Ottoman architectural design was constructed under the patronage of Sultan Ahmet I, from 1609-1616.

 

We'll also stroll the Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. Here, you'll have plenty of time to browse in some of its 1,200 shops and wander along its 58 streets. Goods are grouped by category, so if you have a special gift in mind, be sure to ask your Trip Leader for directions so that you can find it easily. You'll also have time here to enjoy lunch at a place of your choosing. Afterward, we explore the Spice Market, the second-largest market in the city, which has 88 rooms. A stroll through this market is a thrill to the senses, with many colors and scents to experience.

This afternoon, we take to the water for our Bosporus cruise. You can look north to the “European” district of Galata, or east to the Asiatic side of the Bosporus and the Maiden’s Tower. In ancient times, the Golden Horn could be closed off to warships with a giant chain stretching from here to Seraglio Point. Following our cruise, we enjoy dinner together at a local restaurant.

After breakfast at our hotel, our day begins with an included tour of Istanbul's Old City, which is full of stunning palaces, mosques, and other buildings bearing the mark of its Ottoman history.

We then visit Hagia Sophia, the "Church of Divine Wisdom." Completed under the Emperor Justinian in AD 537, the magnificent dome of the Hagia Sophia was once the pre-eminent architectural wonder of the Byzantine world. The massive building was a Christian church for almost a thousand years, until the conquest of Constantinople in 1453, when Mehmet the Conqueror claimed it for Islam. The building served as a mosque until 1934, when the revolutionary leader and founder of the Republic, Kemal Atatürk, proclaimed it as a museum. This impressive structure has also been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We have lunch on our own, and then board the Old Tram for a ride down Istiklal Street to the heart of Art Nouveau Istanbul. Istanbul has many Art Nouveau buildings; several were designed by the Italian architect Raimondo Tommasso d'Aronco, the chief palace architect for the last Ottoman sultan, Abudulhamid II, who ruled from 1876 to 1909. D'Aronco drew heavily Ottoman and Islamic architecture and art, reinterpreting them through the lens of the then-popular European Art Nouveau movement and its organic, floral forms. The results can be seen in the many beautiful palaces and grand private homes he designed for Istanbul's government and its elite citizens.

Dinner is on your own this evening.

We rise early this morning for breakfast, and then transfer from our hotel to the airport to fly 450 miles east and south to the city of Kayseri, in the region of Cappadocia—a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The predominant earth surface of Cappadocia is a white volcanic rock called tufa. Centuries of rain and wind have shaped the soft tufa into rhythmic flow patterns and tall cones and columns.

Although the dust from the tufa looks like sand, the area is not like a desert, but is actually highly fertile, and people have inhabited the region since ancient times. Over many generations local inhabitants used hand tools to hollow out thousands of the freestanding tufa formations. These cave-like rooms, carved from the living rock, once sheltered Turkey’s early Christians. A few are still in use today as comfortable houses, complete with doors and glass windows. They stay quite cool in the hot summer weather. Others are barns, stable, or dovecotes. It is said that the area has over 600 Christian churches carved into the rocks, some dating to the third century AD.

We enjoy lunch on our own upon landing in Cappadocia, then we’ll drive to the famous Goreme “open-air museum,” a group of ancient churches carved from the rock. Most of these chapels have colorful frescoes inside, which date from the tenth to the 13th centuries. Afterward, we'll have opportunities for hiking through the fascinating landscapes of Cappadocia to local points of interest such as Cavusin and Urgup.

Later this afternoon, we have the unique opportunity to get acquainted with the 9,000 year-old pottery-making tradition of Anatolia, before continuing to our hotel, where we dine this evening.

After breakfast this morning, we journey to the small town of Hacibektas to experience A Day in the Life of a Cappadocian village. We’ll begin our cultural discoveries with a visit to a local school (when in session)—supported by Grand Circle Foundation, a part of the World Classroom initiative. We’ll meet the school principal for a tour of the grounds of the school, join the students in their classrooms, and have time for a discussion with the school’s dedicated teachers.

Then we’ll take a walking tour of Hacibektas—including the local market area—before departing for nearby Ilicek village, where we enjoy a Home-Hosted Lunch with a local family, a special cultural experience that allows us to savor a taste of regional cuisine while we get a personal introduction to daily life in this unique part of Turkey. After lunch, we’ll meet with the head of Ilicek village for an illuminating discussion, then return to our hotel. We enjoy dinner at a local restaurant this evening.

This morning, you can choose to rise very early for an optional hot-air balloon flight over Cappadocia, a chance to view its striking landscapes from above by the rosy light of dawn. We regroup for breakfast at our hotel, then depart to visit the village of Üchisar and stroll through a few of the small village lanes. From here, we begin an elective hike of about two hours, heading downhill on a small trail, among terraces, and along a tiny streambed. In this small rock canyon, away from the roads and tour buses, we penetrate an ancient world, serene and startlingly beautiful.

A number of people here still dwell in cave-homes next to their vineyards and apricot orchards. We often see tomatoes, apricots, or peppers spread on the roofs of village homes to dry. Burbling irrigation channels and carefully cultivated fields are tucked between narrow canyon walls. Tufa rock cones up to 250 feet tall loom over us. It’s a fascinating rural tableau: A local man rides his donkey among the stone houses, or a woman makes yufka, the traditional large flat bread of the region.

Later this morning, we’ll get another view of local life as we attend a craft demonstration by local artisans at a rug-weaving cooperative. Here you can learn about all aspects of this traditional Turkish art and craft, from silkworm cultivation to spinning, dyeing, and the traditional patterns and weaving techniques.

After an included lunch, we visit a remarkable underground city. During the Hittite era, as successive armies swept across Asia Minor, underground cities were built as a uniquely defensible community, approximately eight stories underground. We can explore some of the hundreds of rooms, wandering the many narrow, sloping passageways between kitchens with enameled food storage areas, water cisterns, stables, and living spaces—all well ventilated by air shafts. At one time, several thousand people lived here. Following our underground city discovery, we'll see more of this scenic area of Cappadocia before we return to our hotel for dinner.

This evening, you can join our optional Whirling Dervishes tour to witness the "Ritual of Sema." The Semazens, also called “whirling dervishes,” believe that the fundamental condition of our existence is to revolve. From the smallest cell to the planets and the farthest stars, everything takes part in this revolving. Thus, the ones who whirl participate consciously in the shared revolution of all existence. As they whirl, their motions represent a spiritual journey. We’ll observe this mystical ritual, then cap our experience with a glass of sweet Turkish sherbet.

This morning following breakfast, we depart our hotel for our overland journey to Lake Beysehir. The first leg takes us south to the Konya Plain, crossing open farmland to reach the city of Konya. Here we visit the Mevlana Museum to learn about the mystical Sufi order of the Mevlevi. This sect, known as the "Whirling Dervishes" for their ecstatic ritual dance, was founded by Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, a 13th-century lyrical poet who preached of tolerance, forgiveness, and enlightenment.

While here, we see the marble tombs of several Dervish abbots, covered with rich and colorful brocades. Another thing we may notice, is that this is one cultural attraction where visiting Turks far outnumber visitors from abroad. The reverent manner and keen interest shown by visitors from all parts of Turkey illustrate that the Mevlevi Dervish mystics are held in high regard by many outside the sect itself.

 

After lunch on our own in Konya, we continue south across rolling hills, flowering fields, and grasslands until we reach one of several small villages on the shores of Lake Beysehir—Akburun, Budak, or Kusluca. The robust local people of these villages make their living as farmers and herders, and their lands abound with fruit trees and fertile gardens. This evening, we'll get an up-close look at life hear as we share a traditional, home-cooked meal with a local family when they welcome us as guests into their wood-and-stone home, enjoying both the hearty, flavorful food of the region and the warmth and good will of our hosts.

Tonight, we sleep as our hosts do, in shared rooms on futon-like floor mats, snuggled under quilts. While these clean but rustic accommodations are much simpler than those we'll enjoy elsewhere on this trip, in return for this lack of amenities, we'll be repaid with a truly unique experience—the chance to observe a fascinating way of life that may soon disappear as Turkey becomes increasingly modern and aligned with the west.

Rise, shine, and see how Turkish villagers greet the day. We may witness the village women milking their cows before they go out in flocks into the hills for a day of grazing. Others may be doing traditional needlework and embroidery, preparing meals, or making molasses or bulgur. Men may be harvesting crops, plowing the fields, or sowing wheat, depending on the season.

We'll have breakfast at our homestay this morning, and over a cup of dark, sweet Turkish coffee, we may continue the spirited conversation begun over dinner the night before. Then we enjoy a village stroll and visit a local mosque, where we enjoy a conversation with its imam (spiritual leader).

Leaving the village, we head south toward the Mediterranean and across the Taurus Mountains, stopping along the way for an included lunch. This afternoon, we reach Antalya, set on a wide bay with mountain views all around. Once an old fishing village, it is now a popular resort that combines unspoiled beaches with a restored harbor, cobblestone streets, and an architecturally interesting Old City that features a mixture of styles from its more than 2,000-year history.

Upon reaching Antalya, we'll take a short orientation tour of the Old City, then enjoy the afternoon to explore on our own. Tonight, we have dinner together at our hotel.

In the morning, we drive to the Antalya Muzesi archaeological museum, which houses an extensive collection of artifacts from the Stone Age to the present in several exhibition halls and an open-air gallery.

After lunch on your own, you can opt to stroll around the Old Town, or join us to experience the Magic of the Mediterranean on an optional excursion to Perge and Aspendos. Perge is an ancient city where St. Paul preached his first sermon in 46 AD. Nearby, we visit Aspendos, a Roman city with an impressive theater and aqueduct. The Roman theater in particular is considered to be one of the best preserved—and perhaps the finest—in the world. Built in the second century AD, this 15,000-seat theater is still in use for large concerts and events today.

Dinner is on our own this evening.

This morning we depart Antalya for a drive to see the ancient Roman ruins of Myra. There, we walk in the large theater, still very much intact with marble seats and mask friezes scattered around the elaborately decorated stage area. The site of Myra also features Lycian house-tombs carved into the cliffs, which are a source of amazement on their own. Built in the fourth century BC, they contain some of the earliest examples of Lycian script and funerary bas-reliefs.

Our next stop is a visit the Church of St. Nicholas in Demre. In the fourth century AD, St. Nicholas was the bishop of this area and was known as a protector of children, showering them with gifts at every opportunity. He was later declared a saint, and is now known as the model for Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Christians from as far away as Italy and Russia come here to attend a special annual festival Mass.

We enjoy lunch in Demre before continuing to Fethiye through an area known as Kekova, a particularly beautiful region with few roads. In its small fishing villages, we may see fishermen mending their nets, women curing olives or drying figs, and village children playing as we pass through.

At the harbor of Fethiye, we board our traditional Turkish gulet-style yacht, our home for the next four nights. Our gulet is a teak and oak beauty with both sails and a motor, an outdoor eating area, and comfortable cushions for relaxing on the observation decks, fore and aft. After we meet our expert captain and his friendly crew, we'll take a short tour of the gulet, then enjoy our first dinner onboard. We'll set off this evening to a nearby cove, where we'll spend a tranquil, restful night.

This morning we begin our cruise along the craggy Mediterranean coast. We make a landing on a small beach in the Bay of Gemiler, and drive to a spot near Kayakoy, a Greek “ghost town.”

From here, we begin our hike to Kayakoy, on a rarely used trail that follows the side of a hill full of carob trees, thyme, and bay, with incredible vistas of inlets and lacy coastline. Anatolian Greeks once inhabited this city of about 600 houses. During the 1920s, the entire population was relocated to Greece in the aftermath of the Turkish War of Independence. It is an eerie and moving place, a tragic reminder of how politics can affect human lives.

 

Leaving Kayakoy, we hike down a winding path to a cove at Soguk Su, where our gulet will be waiting for us. We enjoy lunch onboard, and in the afternoon we cruise to nearby Gemiler Island, where we visit a sixth-century Byzantine monastery and ancient churches and refectories. If you like, you can hike to the top of the island for a breathtaking view of the azure channel below. We return to our gulet in the afternoon, and you may have time for a brief swim before dinner.

In the morning, we cruise to Aga Limani, or "Friendship Cove." There's time for a swim this morning before we begin today's hike through forests, meadows, and spectacular coastal scenery to a little-known Greco-Roman site called Lydea. We walk a pine-shaded trail amid the smells of wild herbs, and the music of goat bells, with spectacular vistas of the Gocek Lagoon and Bay of Fethiye.

As we hike, our gulet sails around to meet us in a scenic cove which shelters the sunken baths of Cleopatra, built for her by Mark Antony. Legend says that Antony gave Cleopatra the entire Turquoise Coast as a wedding gift—a present fit for a queen. This is another excellent place to swim, if you feel so inclined.

After lunch onboard, you'll have the afternoon free. Dinner is onboard the ship tonight.

We cruise to Ekincik Cove this morning, where a small riverboat meets us and takes us on a side trip upriver on the Dalyan River. A shimmering blue band, the Dalyan River snakes amid bamboo and cattails, glimmering like the nearby Mediterranean Sea. Named for dalyans, the fishing weirs that have supported locals for centuries, the river reveals abundant birdlife. As we cruise this lovely waterway, we may well see some of the many species of birds that live here, from the shy ibis to the fearless gull.

When our small riverboat brings us to Iztuzu Beach, we may also discover the Loggerhead Sea Turtles, depending on the season, who have nested here since the age of the dinosaurs. Here, we may be transported by the tranquil sands, which are bordered by the Dalyan on one side and the Mediterranean on the other.

Then, we set out to visit the ancient Lycian site of Caunus, a beautiful ancient site where we clamber around the temples, baths, nympheum, and an ancient theater. We have striking views along the way of Lycian temple tombs hugging a rock face.

We return to our gulet for lunch, then enjoy the afternoon is at leisure, including another chance to swim in the beautiful waters of the Turquoise Coast. Tonight, we enjoy dinner onboard.

In the morning, we have our last breakfast onboard and make a short cruise to the harbor at Marmaris, where we bid a fond farewell to our captain and crew. We have some free time in Marmaris, and then drive north, parallel to the Aegean Coast but well inland, to Kusadasi.

We stop on the way for lunch, and to see a stand of storax trees. In forest stands like this, Orthodox Christians gather storax sap to make incense which they burn in their churches. We also stop en route to view the ruins of the sixth-century Basilica of St. John, said to stand over the burial site of the Apostle of Jesus, who is thought to have authored the Book of Revelation and the Fourth Gospel of the Bible while in Ephesus.

Then we continue on to our hotel in Kusadasi, a popular seaside town with a large gulet harbor, where we enjoy dinner together tonight.

After breakfast, we drive for less than an hour to the world-famous ancient Greco-Roman site of Ephesus, one of the largest and best-preserved ancient cities in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

You can walk on the remarkably preserved wide marble streets, flanked by columns and temples. We see the Library of Celsus, a tiered façade decorated with exquisite statues. The amphitheater we’ll see is the same one where St. Paul preached to the Ephesians. And there are also remarkably preserved baths. Ephesus was also the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. No longer standing, it was said to be one of the most colossal temples ever built.

After lunch on our own, we visit the Ephesus Museum in Selçuk, which displays incredible finds from the ancient city. This evening, share all you’ve discovered with your traveling companions at our Farewell Dinner.

We'll transfer to the İzmir airport early this morning, where we catch our flight to the U.S.

Travelers continuing on the Nemrut & the Bible Lands, Turkey trip extension will fly from İzmir to Mardin.