Welcome to Turkey! Upon arrival to Istanbul Airport you will be met after you exit Customs and Immigration by your local guide (holding a sign with your names on it) and transferred to your accommodation. You may coordinate with your guide as to pick-up times for all tours while in Istanbul. (This service is on a private basis.)

Afternoon Walking Tour & Welcome Dinner

This afternoon enjoy a stroll along the streets of this glamorous city. Highlights include: Spice Market, University Square, and the Covered Bazaar. After a glimpse of the old city, return back to your hotel for a welcome cocktail. This evening enjoy dinner at a traditional restaurant.(This service is on a private basis.)

Istanbul

An international center as long as there has been trade, most of the world's cultures have passed through Istanbul at some point, and it shows in the diversity of its religious monuments, architectural styles, and city streets.

Highlights of Istanbul Tour

Your guide will meet you at your hotel this morning at the agreed upon time. Begin to visit the glorious highlights of Istanbul (once known as Constantinople) with your private guide. Visit Topkapi Palace, and then walk to the other splendid relics such as the 400-year-old Sultanahmet Mosque (the Blue Mosque), and the 2000-year-old Roman Hippodrome and the Underground Cistern. You'll also visit the Hagia Sophia Church, miraculously built in the first half of the 6th century, by Emperor Justinianus. Your full day includes lunch and dinner at local restaurants and you can discuss with your guide where to enjoy these meals. (This service is on a private basis.)

Spice Bazaar & Bosphorus Ferry

The day begins with a visit to the Spice Market and its colorful environs. Then take the ferry to the Asian Side of Istanbul, visit the marketplace and enjoy a special lunch at Çiya Restaurant. Founder and chef of Çiya, Musa Daideviren is a culinary anthropologist. In 1987 he opened Ciya/Kebap-Lahmacun, and in 1990, Zeynep Caliskan, who would later become his wife, joined the Ciya family. Musa’s experiences and his further researches enriched the kebab menu containing a list of 100 items. He also created the first vegetarian lahmacun and kebab. In 1998 he opened Ciya Sofra, where he created a unique menu with the local food, desserts, and drinks of a vast area. In 2001 he started another kebab restaurant, Ciya Kebap II. In 2005 Musa and Zeynep established Çiya Publishing Company and started to publish a semi-academic quarterly magazine called Food and Culture. They have now published five books and three translated books. In 2018 Netflix’s Emmy Award-winning program Chef’s Table featured Musa in Season 5. His first cookbook in English, The Turkish Cookbook, contains 550 recipes and was published by Phaidon in April 2019. Musa and Zeynep established the Çiya Foundation 10 years ago; it produces research and projects in relation to food and drinks culture.

Continue on the Asian side to Usküdar for the best panorama of the old city of Constantipole. From Usküdar you'll take a 10 minutes ferry ride to Besiktas to catch the Bosphorus Ferry. While the boat meanders between the European and the Asian banks of the Bosphorus, you'll see the historic palaces, mosques, castles and the famous waterfront wooden houses (yali). (This service is on a private basis.)

This morning you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the airport in good time to board your domestic flight to Cappadocia.

Upon arrival, you will be picked up at the airport by your local Cappadocia guide (holding a sign with your name) and transferred to your hotel. (This service is on a private basis.)

Uchisar Castle, Goreme Open Air Museum, & Carpet Factory

After checking into your hotel, you will walk (with your guide) to Uchisar Castle, an impressive rock formation long use by locals as a castle. It offers a superb panorama of the surrounding area. Continue to visit the Goreme Open Air Museum with its excellent examples of Byzantine rural art. Finish the day with a stop at a local carpet factory. Turks started making knotted carpets in the 5th century BC in Central Asia and they have been given as highly prestigious gifts since medieval ages. Discuss with your guide any shopping concerns and she will steer clear of tourist traps and high pressure sales situations. You can focus more on hiking if you wish, too. (This service is on a private basis.)

Cappadocia

Cappadocia has dozens of subterranean towns. These elaborate settlements are up to eight stories deep (only yet partially excavated) with a tangle of tunnels leading to churches, private living quarters, storage areas, deep water wells, carved chimneys for air shafts and even wine producing chambers. There is one tunnel nearly 6 miles long that connects the two underground cities. Up to 60,000 people lived here for months underground. The determination and motivation behind the creation of these subterranean fortresses is nearly inconceivable.

Red Valley, Cooking Class, & Pottery Studio Visit

Coordinate with your guide the pick-up time this morning. The day begins with a guided walk to some of the best picturesque spots, including Red Valley, Pasabag vineyards, Love Valley, and Pegion Valley. Then visit a local home for a cooking class and lunch.

After your self-made lunch, we'll take a short drive to Avanos. This part of Cappadocia is well known for its pottery, and this afternoon we'll stop to visit a local studio to learn more about this ancient art. (This service is on a private basis.)

Visit Kaymakli & Derinkuyu + Ihlara Valley Hike

Cappadocia has dozens of subterranean towns, but the most impressive are Kaymakli and Derinkuyu. These elaborate settlements are up to eight stories deep (only yet partially excavated) with a tangle of tunnels leading to churches, private living quarters, storage areas, deep water wells, carved chimneys for air shafts and even wine producing chambers. There is one tunnel nearly 6 miles long that connects the two underground cities. Up to 60,000 people lived here for months underground. The determination and motivation behind the creation of these subterranean fortresses is nearly inconceivable.

Next, it’s off to the beautiful stream-lined canyon of the Ilhara Valley for an afternoon visit. This narrow canyon is simply delightful with dozens of hidden, Byzantine churches, along with their original frescos, to explore along the way. After lunch in the valley at a small cafe situated on the banks of the river, you'll head back on a different track to see more.(This service is on a private basis.)

This morning, you will be picked up at your hotel in Cappadocia and transferred to the airport for your flight to Izmir via Istanbul. Upon arrival in Izmir you'll be met by your next guide and transferred to your hotel in Urla. (This service is on a private basis.)

Olive Oil & Wine Tasting

In Urla, with your guide, you'll visit the oldest olive oil press in the world near the ancient site of Klazomenai. You'll then embark on the Urla Wine Route for wine tasting. Visit the Olive Museum before we check into your boutique hotel in Alaçati. Alaçati is a charming small town, famous for art, live music and good food.(This service is on a private basis.)

Urla

Urla is located on the Izmir Peninsula. The region is known for its charm, culinary experiences and wine route.

Journey to Ephesus

Today you will be driven about 100km to the town of Selcuk near Ephesus. The international port of Ephesus has attracted the world’s merchants, artists and the statesmen interest for centuries. As we arrive into Ephesus, we'll visit St John's Basilica Church, which provides a nice view over the whole area. Enjoy lunch in Selçuk Town at a traditional restaurant. This unique village is under preservation and famous for its nice architecture, wineries and olive oil. Selcuk is a very walkable town and Saturday is market day! This is nice non-touristy market to visit on Saturdays. Then settle into your charming boutique hotel in Selcuk, walking distance to all the local sites. (This service is on a private basis.)

Ephesus Area

This is a very important delta, where the river Kaystos silted for millenniums. The international port of Ephesus has attracted the world’s merchants, artists and the statesmen interest for centuries. In this area we will visit the successive Hellenistic and Roman settlements founded on new locations, which followed the coastline as it retreated westward. Excavations have revealed grand monuments of the Roman Imperial period including the Library of Celsus and the Great Theatre. Little remains of the famous Temple of Artemis, one of the “Seven Wonders of the World,” which drew pilgrims from all around the Mediterranean. Since the 5th century, the House of the Virgin Mary, a domed cruciform chapel seven kilometers from Ephesus, became a major place of Christian pilgrimage. The Ancient City of Ephesus is an outstanding example of a Roman port city, with sea channel and harbor basin.

Ephesus Highlights Tour

Today we'll visit the other impressive sites in Ephesus, including the impressive museum and Artemission, which was rated as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, the House of Virgin Mary, which was authenticated by the Vatican as a pilgrimage destination. The Virgin Mary was entrusted to St. John the apostle and is said to have come to Ephesus with him. The highlight of the day is the great Ephesus ruins. You will walk the marble streets, admire the library, the temples and dream of the big riot against St Paul in the 25,000 seat Roman Theater. Enjoy another lunch and a final farewell dinner in Selcuk tonight. (This service is on a private basis.)

This morning you will be picked up at your hotel and transferred to the Izmir airport in good time to board your domestic flight to Istanbul where you can connect with international flights home.

We hope you had a fascinating journey in Turkey!