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Turkey Package 2
Antique Cities & Blue Cruise Tour
16 days/15 nights
(click on photos to enlarge)
This is a tour that combines a land voyage taking you to many of Turkey's most famous historical and archeological sites with a 7-night sea voyage on a 'gulet' navigating the blue seas of the Aegean Coast, a Blue Cruise. On the land portion of the tour you will have your own private vehicle and English-speaking tour guide.
On the Blue Cruise sea part of the tour you will have your own private cabin with bath on a wooden yacht called a "gulet". You will be sharing the gulet with a few other couples. However, should you desire to make this a private yacht experience, that can also be arranged. Please consult us for the cost of this tour with a private yacht charter.
Gulets are really the vessel of choice for exploring the Turkish coast. A gulet is a traditional wooden Turkish-style motor sailing yacht built for cruising in the calm warm waters of the Mediterranean and south Aegean coastline of Turkey. These yachts are designed to center life on deck during the voyage. Spacious decks and a large half-moon-shaped dining and lounging area aft are their main features.
The number of passengers a gulet carries depends on the boat's size, although most of them accommodate between eight and twelve people. These vessels offer their passengers separate accommodations with private bath facilities. Gulet cabins are not usually air-conditioned. In the warmest weather passengers often choose to sleep on deck under the stars. Gulets used for cabin cruises give you the chance, unlike cruises on large ocean liners, to explore the secluded and often deserted bays and coves of the coastline. Many of these areas are inaccessible to larger vessels. The small harbors and settlements you will visit offer an intimate view of coastal life in the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas.
Don't be surprised if you share your gulet cruise with a number of different nationalities. Meal times will provide you with a good opportunity to get to know one another and you will find that strangers who share a love of the sea and an interest in nature and history quickly turn into friends. Gulet cruises provide you with three healthy meals each day Typically, a gulet has a 3-man crew - a captain, a cook and a seaman. Gulets meet all standard security requirements and are equipped with navigation, sailing and cooking facilities. Cruises are usually on engine in order to keep up with the program of the cruise. However, the sails are used from time to time if the weather conditions permit.
What's Included
8 nights hotel accommodations in 4-star or 5-star hotels
7 nights accommodations on a tradition Turkish gulet (wooden yacht)
All airport transfers by PRIVATE vehicle
All tour-related road travel by PRIVATE vehicle.
Domestic flight returning from Dalaman back to Istanbul after gulet cruise
PRIVATE professional English-speaking tour guide
All breakfasts on nights you stay at a hotel Three meals a day during the gulet cruise
All admission to sites, museums
All taxes
What's Not Included
International airfare.
Meals not listed in tour description.
Drinks and beverages
Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Day 1
Arrival at Istanbul airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Dinner at your hotel. |  |
|  | Day 2
Following breakfast, we drive to the 'Old City' where we will visit the Hippodrome, The Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, the Blue Mosque, famous for its delicate blue ceramic tiles and Saint Sophia. This church - turned mosque - turned museum takes the breath away with the sheer architectural sizeof its interior and magnificent dome.
Next we will visit the spectacular Topkapi Palace. Built on one of the seven hills of Istanbul, this huge complex commands views of the Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. It was the seat of government for the Ottoman Empire for many centuries (1453-1852). (B) |
| Day 3
The morning starts with a visit to the aromatic Spice Bazaar, where the smells of cinnamon, cloves and thyme, rise from hundreds of colorful muslin bags at every store-front.
We then board a ferry boat for a relaxing cruise along the shores of the legendary Bosphorus, the natural gateway that divides Asia and Europe. As you sit back and enjoy Turkish coffee or well-brewed tea from traditional small cups, numerous summer palaces and palatial homes will pass by on either side. Disembarking at the northern end of the Strait, we proceed to a restaurant for a tasty meal of local fish.
We will travel to the Suleymaniye Mosque, built by master architect Sinan during the reign of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver. The last stop will be Grand Bazaar with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewelry, gold, carpets and leatherwear. (B) |  |
|  | Day 4
After an early breakfast, we begin a scenic drive down to Gallipoli, historically famous for being the site of a long campaign during WWI. Following a lunch break, we will cross the second strategic waterway, the Dardanelles, and land in Asia and proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey", Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon another. Troy VI pertains to the famous Trojan War of Homer where the legendary heroes included Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses and Nestor on the Greek side and, Priam, Hector and Paris on the Trojan side. We will check-in to our hotel in Canakkale for the evening. (B) |
| Day 5
On our journey to Izmir we stop by the hauntingly beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures of this city, dating from 399 B.C., we will see the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed only by that found in Alexandria at the time. Leaving Pergamon behind us we settle in at our hotel in Izmir. (B) |  |
|  | Day 6
Following an early breakfast we proceed to the old section of Izmir called Kadifekale, a bastion built by Alexander the Great. Heading further south, we arrive at the ancient city of Ephesus and first visit the Basilica of St. John, who came here with the Virgin Mary and wrote his Gospel.
To the southwest of the Basilica stands the Isa Bey Mosque and further in the same direction is the Temple of Artemis. Ephesus was undoubtedly one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. Impressive structures we will see include the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Theater and Odeon. We also visit the Museum of Seljuk. Close by is the House of the Virgin Mary where she is believed to have spent her last years. On August 18th, 1961, Pope John XXll proclaimed the House of Virgin Mary at Ephesus to be sacred. You will have a chance to take a phial of Holy Water from the Sacred Spring. We spend the night in the resort city of Kusadasi on the Aegean Coast. (B) |
| Day 7
We leave early and journey to Priene which is an example of a truly ancient city, one whose history dates back to the 10th century B.C. Highlights include the Temple of Athena Polias, the Ecclesiasterium and the Agora. We next visit Miletus where the Philosopher Thales was born. He coined the phrase "Know Thyself". We will inspect the Delphinion, Baths of Faustina and the Council Chamber. Our last visit is to Didyma which served as a religious sanctuary to the god Apollo. The oracular inscriptions date as far back as 600 BC. Among the highlights are the Temple of Apollo and the Stadium. We then return to Kusadasi for the night. (B) |  |
|  | Day 8
We leave the hotel after breakfast and drive to Marmaris. In the afternoon we embark on our gulet (wooden yacht) and settle down for a relaxing dinner. (B ,D)
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| Day 9
We sail for the Bay of Yalanci where we stop for an afternoon of water sports and sunbathing. (B,L,D) |  |
|  | Day 10
Leaving early in the morning, we first sail to Delikada and following lunch there, go ashore to visit Caunos to see the Lycian Rock Tombs dating back to the 6th century BC.
The Lycians settled in the area in the 15th century B.C. St. Nicholas (Santa Claus) settled here more recently and was bishop of Myra in the 5th century AD. We stay on board overnight at the port of Ekincik. (B,L,D)
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| Day 11
Depart for Fethiye and, after four hours of sailing, arrive at the Bay of Fethiye, an exquisite bay rimmed with pinetree-lined hills. The famous sunken baths are visited before an enjoyable afternoon of water sports and sunbathing. (B,L,D) |  |
|  | Day 12
Sailing across the Bay of Fethiye, we anchor near the city proper for some free time wandering around the shops and cafes of this small fishing town. The afternoon is devoted to water sports and the art of relaxing.
(B,L,D) |
| Day 13
Depart for the Bay of Aga where we anchor for an afternoon of leisure. (B,L,D) |  |
|  | Day 14
Sail to the Bay of Kadirga and anchor for a day of total relaxation. Tonight might be a good time to pack your bags if you don't want a last minute rush tomorrow. (B,L,D) |
| Day 15
We arrive back in Marmaris in the early afternoon and disembark for our drive to Dalaman and our flight to Istanbul. In Istanbul you will be met at the airport and driven to your hotel. (B) |  |
|  | Day 16
Transfer to airport and flight home. (B) |
| Trip Price Per Person
This tour is offered in two price categories, superior and deluxe. The difference is in the hotels. The tour itself - the vehicle, the guide, the places visited and the gulet cruise - is exactly the same in each category. Both categories of hotels are quite nice and you will be staying in clean comfortable surroundings whichever category you decide upon. The only difference is that the deluxe category hotels are, as you might expect, more luxurious. If you click on the website addresses for the various hotels, you should get an idea of what they are like. You'll see that even in the less expensive "superior" category, we are still providing you with very fine hotels. The deluxe hotels are a step up in terms of luxury and the hotels offered in this category are among the best available in any given location.
Prices are per person based on double occupancy. If you are traveling in a group of four or more, then the price per person would go down considerably, usually around 20%. Please call or write us to get those prices. Please note that due to fluctuations in the U.S. Dollar, these prices may fluctuate as well. If you would like to travel solo, then, of course, the price would be higher. Please contact us for solo pricing.
Superior Category Hotels: $2895 per person
Deluxe Category Hotels: $3395 per person
Superior Category Hotels
Your hotels will be selected from the group below, depending on availability on your time of travel and your own preference.
Istanbul:
Celal Sultan Hotel
Lady Diana
Aziyade Hotel
Hotel Prince
Canakkale:
Kolin Hotel
Izmir:
Best Western Hotel
Palm City Hotel
SC Inn Boutique Hotel
Kusadasi:
Pine Bay Marina
Kayhanbey Hotel
Deluxe Category Hotels
Your hotels will be selected from the group below, depending on availability on your time of travel and your own preference.
Istanbul:
Celal Sultan Hotel
Ottoman Hotel Imperial
Barcelo Eresin
Canakkale:
Kolin Hotel
Izmir:
Princess Thermal Hotel
Moevenpick Izmir
Kusadasi:
Charisma Deluxe
Korumar Hotel | |
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