Istanbul • Gulet sail in Fethiye bay (7 nights / 8 days)

Day 1: Arrival at Istanbul Ataturk airport
Transfer to your hotel; orientation walking tour of the neighborhood with your private guide. Some good local restaurants can be pointed out for dinner this evening.

Ortakoy mosque and Bosphorus bridge - Istanbul

Wooden houses, mansions - Bosphorus strait - Istanbul

Gulet yachts - Gocek coves

Sailing Turquoise coast of Turkey

Balloon flight - Cappadocia

Celsius library - Ephesus - Selcuk

Day 2: Istanbul – Full day tour
Sight-seeing includes the Roman Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Basilica Cistern, and the Grand Bazaar. (B)

Day 3: Istanbul – Full day tour
Sightseeing includes Topkapi Palace and The Harem, the Spice Market, a boat ride along the Bosphorus Strait for about an hour and a back-roads walking tour. (B)

Day 4: Istanbul / Fethiye / Embark your gulet yacht
Transfet to Ataturk airport for Dalaman flight. On the way to Fethiye, discover the lovely marketplace of Fethiye before embarkation and meeting your captain and crew. Tonight we will sail to Turunc Cove for dinner and overnight. (B, D)

Day 5: Gulet / Blue Voyage in and around Fethiye bay
Today we start by visiting Gemiler Adası (Island of Ships). Once home to Lycian and Byzantine pirates, the remains of an entire village are there to be explored, from pirate-ship parking to a covered passage to temple and basilica. It is believed that St. Nicholas lived on this once, religiously, very important island. Gemiler was one of the sanctuaries for the pilgrims from Europe on their way to Jerusalem and Palestine. We also explore a Greek ‘ghost town’, Kayakoy . This city with about 600 houses was once inhabited by Anatolian Greeks. During the 1920s the entire population moved to Greece after the Turkish war of independence. The hike to Soguksu (an hour) and sail to the Gocek area for the night. (B, L, D)

Day 6: Gulet / Blue Voyage in and around Fethiye bay
Today we transfer by minibus to Dalyan town where we take a river boat to Caunos in the Dalyan Delta. The Delta, with a long, golden, sandy beach at its mouth, is a nature-conservation area, and a refuge for sea turtles (caretta caretta) and blue crabs. At a bend in the river, high on the cliff face above the fascinating ancient harbor-city of Caunos, magnificent tombs were carved into the rock. These are among the most splendid examples of Lycian type funerary architecture in Turkey. The prosperity of Caunos was threatened by the silting of the harbor after which the city was eventually abandoned. The Mediterranean, which once surrounded the hill on which the archaeological site stands, has now retreated 5 km. to the south, pushed back by silt from the Dalyan Cayi. The border between the sea and the internal marsh is a long narrow beach called "the TurtleBeach." This beach is one of the few remaining locations in the Mediterranean sea that has the right conditions for the Giant Loggerhead Turtle (Caretta Caretta) to reproduce. The Giant Loggerhead Turtles have used this beach as a laying ground since time immemorial, especially in June. The females lay their eggs by night in the soft sand, in clutches of about 100. Since the early 90's the beach is closed to the public from 8 pm to 8 am to protect them. The beach is open during the day but swimmers and sunbathers are asked to exercise special care. We then go to Bedri Rahmi Cove for our overnight tonight. One Of the most important inlets of the gulf is the inlet of Bedri Rahmi. Bedri Rahmi Eyüpoğlu who was the one of the first blue voyagers, painted a fish on a rock behind a fountain here, in the year 1973. Thereafter the inlet has been called by his name. You can see the painted fish right behind the fountain and behind it, there is a Lycian rock tomb hidden at the back of the trees. There are many Lycian rock tombs bsides his one in the surroundings, shaped like pigeon nets on a great rock tomb with an ornamented door and a triple tomb further on. (B, L, D)

Day 7: Gulet / Blue Voyage in and around Fethiye bay
Our first stop today is Aga Limanı cove. From here a 30-minute hike takes you to ancient Lydae. Off the beaten path and rarely visited, Lydae features sarcophagi, temple walls, cisterns, Corinthian columns and inscribed tablets from the Roman and Byzantine periods. Cleopatra’s Bay is another exquisite setting with thick pine right down to the water's edge. Monastery ruins half submerged attract the curious. Also called Ruin Bay, Cleopatra was here twice, once with Julius Caesar and once with Marc Antony. He, Antony, was en route to Actium. She, Cleopatra, came for the scenery. Or whatever. A final overnight here. (B, L, D)

Day 8: Gocek / Istanbul – Homebound departure
Fairwell to the crew of our yacht and disembark in the morning to transfer to Dalaman airport for a flight to Istanbul, connecting to your flight home. (B)

Price of the trip package: $1,990
Price is per person, in USD and based on double occupancy.
Single Supplement: $600

Maximum number of participants on this small group tour is 14
2012 scheduled dates (Istanbul arrival dates): May 4, May 8

Price of the trip package includes:

1. Accommodation:
   3 nights Istanbul: Hotel Central Palace
   4 nights aboard a traditional hand-made wooden gulet yacht (in and around Fethiye bay)

2. Domestic flights in coach class within the program: From Istanbul to Dalaman and from Dalaman to Istanbul.

3. Meals as indicated by (B, L, D) - B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner.
   14 Meals: 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 4 dinners include bottled water.

4. Services of a private licensed, professional English-speaking guide throughout your trip.

5. All transfers and travel by private, modern, air-conditioned, chauffeur driven vehicles.

6. All entrance fees to the sites and museums mentioned in the program.

7. Parking, ferry, and toll road fees. Not applicable if you are driving a rental car.

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

9. Porterage fees at hotel(s) & airports.

1. Airfare for international flights.

2. Beverages other than water during included meals.

3. Optional gratuities to the tour guide(s), driver(s) and the gulet crew.

4. Travel insurance.

5. Visas, laundry, and personal items.

POST TOUR EPHESUS
Day 8: Ephesus and Sirince old Greek Village
After breakfast on board it is time to say goodbye to the captain and crew as we disembark at the port town of Gocek. We depart by minibus from Gocek to Kusadasi, arriving in Kusadasi in the early afternoon. Kusadasi is set in a superb gulf and is known for its sparkling water, broad sandy beaches, and large marina.

Stop for lunch on your own then begin sightseeing. 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.

Day 9: Kusadasi / Ephesus
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. Our program includes this visit as well.

For our lunch, we visit the local carpet making village of Sultankoy. 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. (B, L)

Day 10: Kusadasi / Izmir / Istanbul - Homebound Departure
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Izmir Airport for your return flight. We suggest trying to schedule your flight from Istanbul at 12 noon or later so that you can easily make this connection. Or, if not, add a final night in Istanbul before heading home. (B)

Price of the trip package: $690
Price is per person, in USD and based on double occupancy.
Hotel : Hotel Kismet (2 nights)
Flight : From Izmir to Istanbul.
Meals: 2 breakfasts and 1 lunch.
Single Supplement: $150

POST TOUR CAPPADOCIA
Day 8: Istanbul / Cappadocia – Flight to Kayseri or Nevsehir
Private transfer to Dalaman Airport (just 20 minutes away) for an included flight to Cappadocia.

This area is renowned for its awe-inspiring natural rock formations that were utilized for everything from housing and churches to even complete underground villages. The valleys here are carved by erosion in tuff, a soft rock formed by volcanic ash accumulation over millions of years, and create a fertile pocket in an otherwise prairie-like Central Anatolian Plateau. Against this beautiful background Cappadocia’s traditional rural life still goes on providing unique opportunities to observe a life style which is rapidly changing. Along with the specific sites mentioned in the following program, we visit a vinery to taste the local wine, stop at many vantage points to enjoy the beautiful scenery around us, or better still, walk in the remote valleys to see more. In our flexibility the choice is always yours.

In the region we first go to Uchisar where we visit the so-called fortress. With a breathtaking view of the surrounding Cappadocian formations, this 60-meter high settlement was not built but carved out of a natural hill dominating the area. After this visit, we check into our hotel and spend some time at leisure.

Day 9: Cappadocia
Today, early in the morning you have a chance to join an optional ballooning tour of the region, probably the best ballooning in the world. Our regular program goes on with a visit to the remarkable underground city of Kaymakli. Throughout history, as successive armies swept across Asia Minor, the residents of Cappadocia created uniquely defensible settlements by digging approximately eight stories down into the volcanic tuff. Next we visit Pasabag site of natural beauty with a remarkable landscape of tuff cones. Also visit the Goreme Open Air Museum which consists of steep cliffs and many hidden churches dating from the second half of the 9th century and later. We then drive to the small town of Avanos, famous for its pottery making which goes back to Hittite times and rugs which are the splendid representatives of the Turkish carpet making tradition. Here we learn about these regional crafts and may also see demonstrations performed by local craftsmen. We return to town in the early evening and have time at leisure. (B)

Day 10: Cappadocia / Istanbul - Homebound departure
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the airport for your included flight to Istanbul, connecting to your flight home. We suggest trying to schedule your flight from Istanbul at 12 noon or later so that you can easily make this connection. Or, if not, add a final night in Istanbul before heading home. (B)

Price of the trip package: $790
Price is per person, in USD and based on double occupancy.
Hotel : Hotel Uchisar (2 nights)
Flight : From Dalaman to Nevsehir or Kayseri via Istanbul and from Nevsehir or Kayseri to Istanbul.
Meals: 2 breakfasts.
Single Supplement: $150