Turkish Odyssey

Enjoy a relaxing overnight flight to Istanbul.

You are greeted upon arrival and escorted to your hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure before a welcome briefing by your tour director. (Your arrival transfer is included only if you arrive on the actual day the tour commences. For customers arriving earlier, an individual transfer can be organized at an additional cost.)

Enjoy a full-day tour of Istanbul including Topkapi Palace (excluding harem), the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque and the Grand Bazaar. Consider an optional dinner with belly-dancing entertainment. (B)

In the morning depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale to visit Troy with its famous wooden horse. Continue to Assos for overnight. (B,D)

After breakfast depart for Pergamum. Before arriving in to Asklepion, enjoy a lunch with locals in a traditional local village. Tour the ancient Medical Center Asklepion in Pergamum and continue to Kusadasi for overnight. (B,L,D)

Today tour the ruins of Ephesus, the Virgin Mary's cottage, the 2,000 year old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, and Hadrian's Temple. Visit a regional carpet production center. In the afternoon drive through lush valleys to Pamukkale, which means "Cotton Fortress", describing the white lime cascades formed by mineral springs. Enjoy a swim in your hotel's thermal pool. (B,D)

After breakfast visit the ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis. Later drive to Bodrum to visit the Castle of St. Peter and the renowned Underwater Museum. Overnight in Bodrum. (B)

In the late morning depart Bodrum to see the foundations of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is one of the Seven Wonders of theAncient World. Afterwards, continue to Marmaris. The rest of the day is at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris. (B,D)

Enjoy a day at leisure in this lovely town or join an optional day tour to the Greek island of Rhodes. We will have dinner and stay overnight in Marmaris. (B,D)

After breakfast, depart for Dalyan. After a short trip by coach take a river boat to have a tour to the famous mud baths with sulphur hot springs. View the Ancient Kings’ Tombs of Caunos City. Finally have a relaxing swimming break at Iztuzu Beach (also known as Turtle Beach), which is a natural shelter and breeding site for Blue Crabs and nearly extinct Loggerhead Sea Turtles (Caretta Caretta). Continue to Kalkan for an overnight stay. (B,D)

After breakfast depart for Antalya. En route visit the famous Church of St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) in Demre. Arrive in Antalya for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

This morning visit Perge and Aspendos. The afternoon is at leisure. Overnight in Antalya. (B)

Early morning departure for Konya. Visit the mausoleum of the sufi philosopher Mevlana. Dinner and overnight in Konya. (B,D)

After breakfast depart for Cappadocia. En route, visit a 13th century caravanserai and later visit the underground city of Saratli. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia. You can join an optional Whirling Dervishes performance. (B,D)

Consider an early morning optional balloon tour. Experience floating through the volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and caves at sunrise. After breakfast, visit Goreme with its 6th-10th century rock chapels decorated with Christian frescoes, the pottery-making village of Avanos, Pasabagi's Byzantine monastic complex, and the Red Valley. Attend a brief regional pottery workshop. Dinner tonight is at a special local restaurant. (B,D)

Early morning departure to the capital city of Ankara through the salt lake area. Enjoy an afternoon tour of the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, holding artifacts up to 7500 years old, including the most extensive and valuable collection of Hittite artifacts in the world. Continue to Safranbolu for dinner and overnight. (B,D)

After breakfast visit the old part of Safranbolu, then continue 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 cafés. Finish your last minute shopping at the Spice Market filled with the fragrance of the exotic east. Tonight enjoy a farewell dinner. (B,D)

You will be transferred to the airport for your return flight home. (Your departure transfer is included only if you depart on the actual day the tour concludes. For customers departing later an individual transfer can be organized at an additional cost.) (B)