Itinerary:
Oct 1 - Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul. Check into the four-star Hotel
President in the old
section of the city. Welcome dinner. Overnight in Istanbul.
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Oct 2 - Day 2: Morning walking tour to see the major sites of Istanbul. Much of this is on
cobblestone streets so hiking boots are a good idea. We start at the Haggia Sophia, a
vast Byzantine church turned into a museum and then to the Blue Mosque
and the Hippodrome which was the centre of sporting and political
activity during the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Monuments decorating the
Hippodrome include the 3500-year-old Egyptian Obelisk brought to
Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius in 390 AD.
This is followed with a visit to the
Grand Bazaar with its intriguing maze of shops. Lunch included.
In the afternoon there is an
optional Bosphorus Cruise and visit to the underground cistern of
Yerebatan. Overnight in
Istanbul. Dinner at a traditional restaurant in the Kum Kapi
Market
district included.
Oct 3 - Day 3: Morning short flight to Nevsehir in the Cappadocia region.
Cappadocia is generally regarded as the
plains and the mountainous region of Anatolia. It was here that several
ancient highways (including the Silk Road) crossed and different
cultures came into contact with each other. It was also the land of the
Hittites. Over the millenia,
forces of erosion
shaped an incredible and unique tuf a-coned landscape with fairy chimneys
and mushroom-shaped hobbit houses. For thousands of
years men dug into this soft rock to create dwellings,
monasteries, churches and underground cities. At
Uchisar we walk up to the "castle", a volcanic rock outcrop
riddled with Troglodyte dwellings and rock-cut churches. The
Open Air Museum at Goreme contains early Christian
churches hewn out of the rock and decorated with colourful frescoes.
Many are in good condition after a thousand years because of the dry
climate. Basilius the Great
(329-379 AD) Bishop of Caesarea inspired many religious
colonies and for a thousand years an active monastic way of life endured
throughout Cappadocia.. Dinner
included. Overnight in
Cappadocia at the Hotel Peri Tower.
Oct 4 - Day 4: Today we have a choice of walks (one easy and one a
little more challenging) in the spectacular Cappadocia regions filled with
canyons, vineyards and orchards. There are many beautiful valleys and
charming villages to explore. Some of the more famous valleys are the
Honey Valley and the Pigeon Valley. Villages like Zelve, Cavusin, Urgup
are fascinating to explore and as we walk through countryside we see
tiny farms. Life here at first seems primitive but one notes that, after a day of traditional
labour using horse-drawn carts, these farmers go home to their
Flint-Stone like cave houses where a satellite dish outside their cave
door brings the latest TV soap operas. Cappadocia is famous for its wines and we may have a
chance to stop and sample. Dinner included. Overnight in Cappadocia.
Oct 5 - Day 5: Depart from Cappadocia by private bus and head for Konya. Along
the way we stop to see the underground city of Kaymakli which was carved
by early Christians who escaped to these
unde rground dwellings and lived
for extended periods ten stories underground. This is followed by a
delightful two hour walk in the lovely Ilhara Gorge. Here, the
warm-toned rock walls are honey-combed with monasteries and churches
from the early Christian era. Their religious and artistic interest is
magnified by the contrast of the beautiful natural surroundings. In the
middle of our walk we have a picnic by a
pretty stream amid poplar and willow groves. There are more rock-cave
churches along the sides of the gorge. They
have names like the Church That Smells and
the Church of the Serpents - named for the scene showing serpents in the
act of punishing four female sinners. (Women as the source of evil was a
common theme among monks that once inhabited the remote community).
We continue on to see the old
Sultanhani Caravanserai. A caravanseria was an inn where camel caravans once stopped along the Silk
Route from the east. At the end of the day we reach Konya, home of the mystic sect of Whirling
Dervishes started in the 13th century by the mystic poet Rumi. Here, we
visit the Mevlana
Mausoleum, an important Muslim pilgrimage destination.
Dinner included. Overnight in
Konya.
Oct 6 - Day 6: Morning departure for a spectacular drive by private bus through the
snow-capped Taurus Mountains
heading for Antalya. We enter a region that was once
called Pamphylia and has a history dating back to the 12th century BC.
We stop to visit Aspendos where we find the best
preserved Roman theatre in existence in all of the Mediterranean. It was
built in the 2nd century AD and is still used today for
concerts and operas. After that we visit Perge, one of the most beautiful
archaeological sites in Turkey with an acropolis dating back to the
Bronze Age. Late in the afternoon we reach the
charming Mediterranean walled city of Antalya to stay in a boutique hotel in the heart of the old
quarter. The hotel consists of three restored Ottoman houses
arranged around a flower-filled courtyard and fountain. Dinner included. Overnight in Antalya at the
charming Hotel Aspen.
Oct 7 - Day 7: We start this morning with a walk though old
Antalya with its lovely Harbour. This area has been settled
since the Paleolithic Age. Since there are names of this region
mentioned in Homer's Illiad, it is obvious that there were indigenous
people called Pamphilio, living here around 1200 B.C. Later, the
region was ruled by the Lydian Kingdom, followed by the Persians and
then by Alexander the Great. Pamphillia was acquired
by the King Attalos II of Pergarnon in the 2nd century B.C., and the
king founded a city and
gave his name to the city, 'Attalia' (today's Antalya). Today, Antalya is a UNESCO World Heritage
Site. Leaving the charming historic centre, we pass through Hadrian's Gate and
drive to the award-winning Antalya Archaeological Museum. Here we find
masterpieces from all the archaeological sites in South-western Turkey.
The sculpture gallery is marvelous. The ethnographical section showcases
art and craft from Ottoman times, a gallery of Greek and Roman gods and
a section on spell-binding charms. This is a museum where visitors
want to spend more time.
In
the afternoon there is a choice of exploring this
lovely old town on your own or an optional short 2 km hike (uphill) to a site outside Antalya in a lovely
mountain setting at Termessos.
Termessos
is an interesting old Psidian city built at a height of 1050 meters in
the Taurus Mountains.
Alexander the Great surrounded Termessons in
333 B.C. but failed to conquer it.
For those who would prefer to stay in Antalya for the afternoon there
will be a transfer back to the hotel available. This is a good time to
try a genuine Turkish Bath in a historical "hamam". Men can try a real Turkish barber and get a
"bride-groom shave". For those who prefer to
explore, old Antalya has narrow, maze-like streets with delicately carved
over-hanging balconies. One can explore secret walled gardens, quaint tea
shops, historic mosques.
Dinner at an elegant restaurant in the Roman Harbour included. Overnight in
Antalya.
Oct 8 - Day 8: Depart for a drive along a spectacular route through
forests with snow-capped mountains on
one side and the turquoise Mediterranean on the other. This is the
beginning of the Lycian Region. Lycia meant "Land of Light"
and this is the start of the "Lycian Way". Over the next
few days our walks will be
on parts of this 500 km ancient route. This morning our first walk on the Lycian Way starts
at the romantic, pine-shaded Roman and Byzantine ruins of Phasalis. In antiquity,
the harbour of Phasalis was wealthy because of
trade in rose-oil and perfume. Today one can see the ruins of this
major trading city which was founded in 700 BC. We stroll through the ruins
then our walk takes us along a coastal trail to flower-filled Tekirova.
We continue by bus to Cirali to spend one night in a hotel located in a remote canyon. It was from
here that came the ancient legend of the Chimera, the dragon that
terrorized Lycia and was was slain by Bellerophon. Legend says
that on the site where the Chimera was slain a flame burst from the
ground and will burn eternally. The flame still burns although it
seems that there may be a scientific explanation. We do a 10 km walk through citrus and pomegranate orchards
to see the flame (it is an easy walk except for a steep 1km up to the
flame). It is possible to shorten the walk by taking the bus back to the hotel
thus giving time to
enjoy the lovely beach. Dinner included. Overnight at the charming Hotel Canada.
Oct 9 - Day 9: We have a morning walk
through a lovely canyon to discover the lost city of Olympos, a
legendary pirate lair whose ruins are now almost hidden under vines,
oleander and wild figs. From
here we continue to the tiny village of Ucagiz to begin a stroll on an ancient Lycian road to
the Byzantine castle
of Simena which was built around the ruins of an ancient Greek
theatre. Here we board a private boat for an hour cruise in a quiet bay
to see the remains of the ancient sunken city of Kekova. Little is known about
Kekova except that it probably sunk into the sea at least three thousand years
ago. From here we continue along the coast to Kalkan.
Along the way we view the postcard perfect sparkling waters of Kaputas
Beach and we also see many "rock tombs". The
ancient people here seem
to have held a belief that the souls of their dead would be transported
from the tombs to the afterworld by a winged siren-like creature and so
they often placed tombs on cliffs to ease the flight. The
5th century BC elaborately decorated and carved tombs are still seen on
many cliffs today. Late in the afternoon we reach the stylish resort of Kalkan
where we
spend the night. Dinner included. Overnight at
the exquisite Patara Prince Hotel.
Oct 10 - Day 10: Today we have a full day of walking in this beautiful
area (with a choice of an easier or more challenging walk). One of the highlights
of the area is the ruins of what was once the ancient city of
Patara. Legend says
the city was founded by
Patarus, a son of the god Apollo, and we know there was a Temple of
Apollo in the city. The oracle at
this
Temple of Apollo was said to rival the famous oracles
at
Delphi and Delos. The ancients
believed that Apollo lived at Delos during the summer but spent his
winters at Patara. We know it was a very wealthy city
due to trade. Following
its capture by Alexander the Great, it became an important naval base as
well. Around 138 BC Patara had
a population of about 20,000 and ranked among the top cities of Anatolia
after Ephesus. Today, its ruins sit among fields with goats
grazing. Its monumental gate still stands and we do an easy 5
km walk to the magnificent white sand Patara Beach.
Our hotel is across
the bay from Kalkan either a 1 km walk or a short boat ride. Late in the
afternoon it is worth going in to explore this charming white-washed fishing village with quaint balconies dripping with
bouganvillea.
Overnight at the Patara Prince Hotel. Dinner included
Oct 11 - Day 11: We continue by private bus along the Lycian coast to the remote ruins of
the village of Kayakoy. This town played a part in more recent Turkish
history. In 1923 there was an "Exchange of Population" between Greece
and Turkey. This was the setting for the best-selling novel "Birds
Without Wings". With little notice, Turkish Christians who had
lived in Turkey for generations were
deported to Greece while Muslims in Greece had the same fate and were sent
to Turkey. We see
the sad remains of a Christian ghost village that today has become a
conservation site.
From here we walk to a cove on Gemiler Bay that was once a stop for Crusaders
on their way to the Holy Land. We then continue by bus to the gorgeous
Bay of Fethiye
with its dream-like panorama of islands and peninsulas.
There is free time to explore the town of Fethiye with its ancient theatre and rock
cut tombs. Overnight at Fethiye at the
Yacht Boutique Hotel at the edge of the yacht marina. Dinner included at the terrace restaurant
overlooking the harbour.
Oct 12 - Day 12: We start early and travel to Gocek where we board a private boat
to cruise the Twelve Islands area with its spectacular scenery.
According to legend, it is in the Göcek area that Icarus
landed in the sea after his famous flight trying to escape from the
tower where he was imprisoned. We disembark from our boat in a remote
area and walk through the ruins of ancient Lydea on a 3 hour hike
that is off the beaten track where
the only other people we see are a few shepherds. This hike ends
at the Cove of Cleopatra's Bath. Legend says that Cleopatra bathed here
and so can you - it is possible to swim into the submerged ruins of the
baths if you wish. We board our boat to return to
the coast and continue by bus to the
town of Kusadasi where we stay in a lovely hotel overlooking the Aegean
Sea. Dinner
included. .
Oct
13 - Day 13: Today is one of the highlights
- the ruins of the Ionian City of Ephesus
which dates from the 1st century B.C. Ephesus and is considered to be
the best preserved classical city on the Aegean. As the capital of Roman
Asia Minor and the second largest city in the Roman Empire, it was
richly endowed with marble temples and beautiful mosaics which have been
recently uncovered. The carefully reconstructed facade of the Celsus
Library, built c. 125 AD, the Agora and a theatre which seated
twenty-eight thousand patrons are fascinating. Ephesus was a hot-bed of
Christianity in the first century. Legend has it that the Virgin Mary
came here at the end of her life. From AD 52–54, the Apostle Paul
lived in Ephesus, organizing missionary activity into the
hinterlands. Our tour includes the “Terraced Houses” which
paints us a vivid picture of the sophisticated life of the wealthy
during the Roman and Byzantine periods. There are six residential units
on three terraces, the oldest of which dates back to 1 BC. Here we find
the "theatre room". Its name is based on the theatrical
subjects of its frescoes and one must suppose that the owner of the
house may well have overseen theatre performances in Ephesus since the
walls clearly depict scenes from various Greek plays. Leaving Ephesus,
we walk to the
Temple of the Goddess Artemis (the temple was one of the Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World).
As time permits,
additional walks may be added. Dinner included.
Oct 14 - Day 14: Drive
to Izmir Airport (about an hour) for a short flight back to Istanbul.
Here we transfer to our
hotel and in the
afternoon we tour the
fascinating Topkapi Palace, home of the Ottoman sultans.
Our tour includes the palace's vast treasury filled with jewels, imperial robes and priceless objects that were gifts
to the Ottoman sultans. We also visit the mysterious harem where women were trained in the
art of being royal wives. In another area of the palace we find sacred
religious relics. Among these are items which are said to be the cloak
of the Prophet Mohammed, the sword of David, the staff of Moses and a
cooking vessel of Abraham. The boxes, cases and cloths in which the Holy
Relics are kept are each in themselves dazzling masterpieces made of
gold, silver, and decorated with diamonds, rubies, and emeralds. These
important religious relics are on display in a room in which the Koran is read
aloud 24 hours a day by a mufti (no photographs allowed).
Tonight we have a farewell dinner. Overnight in
Istanbul.
Oct 15 - Day 15: Tour ends after breakfast - transfer to Istanbul airport.
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