10 day tour, departs 3 times a week
(Explore highlights of Ephesus and Pamukkale then enjoy rest of the time, cruising, swimming sunbathing, snorkelling )
Small groups, skip the line admissions & excellent services


Program

- Day 1 - Arrival in Istanbul
HOS GELDINIZ! Welcome to Turkey! We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a short briefing about your tour,
you will have the afternoon free to rest and explore Istanbul on your own.
Overnight in Istanbul.

- Day 2 - Istanbul - (L)
In the morning we will meet you at your hotel and take you on a guided tour of the old part of the city.
Sites you’ll see today:
* Blue Mosque/Sultanahmet Mosque (Camii) built during the reign of Sultan Ahmet I during 1609-1616. It is the only mosque in Turkey with six minarets. Due to its magnificent hand-dyed blue, green and white Iznik tiles it has been named the "Blue Mosque" by Europeans. The central dome is 43 m in height and is 33.4 m in diameter; it also boasts 260 windows.
* Hagia Sophia/Aya Sofya is a truly awe-inspiring, 1,400-year-old Byzantine cathedral which houses mosaics, relics and iron work. Hagia Sophia was, for nearly a thousand years, the largest enclosed space in the world, and still seen as one of the world's most important architectural monuments.
* Hippodrome: the backdrop of chariot races and the center of Byzantine civic life. Of the ornaments which once decorated it, only three remain: The Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine.
The Obelisk is in the Egyptian style and was erected in 1547 BC and stood 60m tall.
* Topkapi Palace was the imperial residence and administrative heart of the massive Ottoman Empire, beginning with Fatih Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror, in 1453, until 1856. It was converted to a museum in 1924. Parts of the palace such as the Harem, Baghdad Pavilion, Revan Pavilion, Sofa Pavilion, and the Audience Chamber distinguish themselves with their architectural assets. The museum also has collections from the Imperial Treasury, as well as Chinese porcelain, weapons, calligraphy, etc. The Treasury also houses the Topkapi Dagger, the 86-carat "Spoon Maker's Diamond", and the jewel-encrusted bones of St. John the Baptist.
* Grand Bazaar: this is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world, with more than 58 streets and over 4,000 shops attracting between 250,000 and half-a-million visitors every day!
The Bazaar's construction began in 1455 and opened in 1461, and is still renowned today for its jewelry, ceramics, spices, textiles, and of course, carpet shops. Many of these shops are grouped together according to the wares being sold.
After the tour, return to the hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

- Day 3 - Istanbul -
In the morning , we will meet you at your hotel and take you on this enlightening walking tour down to the water front near Eminonu.
You'll see hundreds of interesting shops lined up cozily side-by-side. Of course, there will be time for for a break at a typical Turkish cafe before indulging our taste buds in the Egyptian Spice Bazaar, tasting lokum (Turkish Delight) and other sweets.

* The Spice Bazaar/Egyptian Bazaar (Misir Carsisi) transports you back to the Silk Road days with its mystical aromas of various spices. Here, you'll also find other shops selling fruits, vegetables, teas, flowers, fish, and Turkish Delight (lokum).
* Bosphorus Cruise takes you though the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia; along its shores, you can take photographs of marble palaces and antique wooden Ottoman-era villas that sit beside luxurious modern residences.
You will also see Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace, and Ortakoy Mosque from the Sea which will give you great advantage of taking wonderful photos.
Overnight in Istanbul.

- Day 4 - Istanbul to Kusadasi - (L/D)
Early in the morning, we will provide a transfer to Istanbul domestic airport and put you on a short domestic flight to Izmir.
Upon arrival, we will take you on a guided tour of Ephesus, Temple of Artemis and the House of Virgin Mary.
About the sites you will visit ;
*Ephesus is the best-preserved classical cities from ancient times, and was inhabited by Greeks, Macedonians, Romans and Turks. St. Paul lived here circa 60 AD, when it was at its most populated at 250,000.  During your visit, you’ll walk its stony boulevards, stand in the grand theatre, marvel at the beauty of the Celsus Library, the agora, as well as the baths, giving you the unique chance to get up-close-and-personal with history by literally being able to walk into it.
*The Temple of Artemis is situated in serene countryside celebrates the Greek goddess Artemis, the virginal huntress and twin of Apollo, who supplanted the Titan Selene as goddess of the Moon.  This temple, known as Artemision in Greek times, was the largest of its kind at the world
*The House of The Virgin Mary, high on a hill overlooking the town of Selcuk, is where it is believed that St. Mary came to live with St. John the Baptist in the later years of her life.
Overnight in Kusadasi.

- Day 5 - Kusadasi to Pamukkale - (B/L)
After breakfast, we will depart from Kusadasi to Pamukkale; upon arrival we will continue on the guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis. Our drive will take us through a rich agricultural area, teeming with cotton fields and fruit orchards.
* Pamukkale ("cotton castle" in Turkish) is the result of limestone formations created over thousands of years. Warm, calcium-rich mineral water from nearby thermal hot springs flowed over these cliffs and, as these waters cooled, they deposited the calcium that we see today.
* Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded as an ancient healing care center in 190 BC, taking advantage of the mineral waters. It was one of the most important intellectual, artistic, religious and commercial centers of the Roman Empire.
Overnight in Pamukkale.

- Day 6 - Pamukkale to Fethiye - (B/D)
After breakfast, a scenic drive through the Taurus Mountains will take us to Fethiye,
Upon arrival, you will check into your hotel and have a free day to relax and explore Fethiye at your own pace.
Overnight stay.

- Day 7 - Around Oludeniz and Blue Lagoon - (D)
In the mornin around 10:00 am we will meet you at your Fethiye or Oludeniz hotel and transfer you to Fethiye's port to meet your gulet.

Departure from Fethiye Harbour will be between 11 and 12 PM. Our first stop will be Samanlik Bay for swimming and lunch.
Butterfly Valley is our next stop for more swimming and a short visit to its natural reserve. Afterwards you will cruise onto spectacular Oludeniz (Blue Lagoon). Overnight on St. Nicholas Island

- Day 8 - Fethiye to Kas - (B/L/D)
We'll have an early start for Yesilköy where we will have breakfast and some swimming time in its olive-tree-shaded bay From here, we will journey on to Kas, a small harbour town with a charming Bohemian atmosphere. You'll spend the night in Kas' harbor. Overnight in Kas

- Day 9 - Kas to Kekova - (B/L/D)
A short cruise to the ruins at Kekova, Kalekoy, and Ucagiz (the "Sunken City"). Lunch is on Tersane Bay where you'll see the ruins of a Byzantine church, and other underwater Roman ruins (and along the beach). As you sail on to Gökkaya for the night, more underwater will also be visible.
Overnight in Gokkaya

- Day 10 - Kekova to Demre then to Antalya then to Istanbul - (B)
After breakfast we will cruise over to Demre Port, upon arrival it will be time to say gule gule to gulet's crew.
We will provide a bus transfer to Antalya Airport and put you on a 1 hour 15 minute flight to Istanbul.
Arriving in Istanbul will mark the end of this program.

We look forward to seeing you on a future trip!

*** Program ends ***

Total cost : $_____ for per person
Note: contact us for a free quote

Price includes
* Hotel accommodation in Istanbul, Kusadasi, Pamukkale and Fethiye
* All land transfers with comfortable vehicles
* All of the meals mentioned in the itinerary (B-breakfast, L-lunch & D-dinner)
* Professional, English-speaking tour guides
* Admissions to Ephesus and Pamukkale
* 3 night 4 day blue cruise charter from Fethiye to Demre Port of Antalya
* Domestic fight tickets from Istanbul to Izmir
* Domestic flight tickets from Antalya to Istanbul
* All taxes and service charges

Excludes
* International flight tickets to Istanbul
* Drinks with meals

We can customize this program and add more destinations like Cappadocia, Gallipoli, Troy and more.....