DAY 1 -  ISTANBUL    

Welcome to Turkey! Trip members on the designated group flight are met on arrival at Istanbul’s Ataturk International Airport and transferred to the lovely Erguvan Hotel or a similar accommodation in Istanbul’s fascinating Old City, the Sultanahmet.  Here, in the capital of three great empires of  the Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman, you feel the history around you. We may visit the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Art in the late afternoon. Tonight, after an orientation meeting, we enjoy a welcome dinner in a favorite local restaurant.

DAY 2 - IZMIR / SELCUK / KUSADASI    

This morning we fly to Izmir and drive to the city of Selcuk near Ephesus where we visit the ruins of the great Temple of Artemis, the largest Greek temple ever built and one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. We then continue to the forested hills above Ephesus to visit the House of the Virgin Mary. The present structure dates from the Byzantine period but was built over the foundation of an older building believed to be Mary’s last dwelling place.  We then come back to Selcuk and stay at beautiful Nilya Hotel or drive to the seaside town of Kusadasi and the stunning ocean-front Kismet Hotel  where we spend the night.

DAY 3 - EPHESUS / MARMARIS   

This morning we tour glorious Ephesus, considered by many the best preserved ancient city in the world. 

Ancient Ephesus was a cosmopolitan trading center of 250,000. It was made capitol of Roman Asia by the Emperor Augustus and in these streets Marc Anthony romanced Cleopatra and St. Paul preached the new religion of Christianity. In the expert hands of our guides, the marble paved avenues, wonderfully preserved homes, temples, theaters, baths, markets, brothels, libraries and gymnasiums transport us back to the splendor of the ancient world.

We then visit the Ephesus Museum with its statues of Artemis and gladiatorial artifacts. We then drive to the Lake Bafa Nature Preserve for lunch at the charming Club Natura Oliva then continue on to Marmaris, the site of ancient  Physcus. Marmaris is a natural harbor surrounded with rugged pine clad mountains.  Here we board our private gulet, a traditionally built wooden yacht designed to run under sail or motor and the ideal way to explore Turkey’s breathtaking “turquoise coast”.  We sail out of the marina to an unspoiled beautiful cove for a quiet night.

DAY 4 - CAUNUS/ DALYAN / EKINCIK  

We sail to Ekincik Bay in the morning, and leave our gulet for a 8-kilometer sea kayaking.  We see interesting rock formations and caves as we kayak along the indigo-blue coast. We leave the kayaks at Iztuzu Beach, a protected nesting area for the endangered loggerhead turtles in the Dalyan Delta wetlands nature preserve. Here we board a river boat and follow the circuitous route of the Dalyan River through vast reed beds to the ancient ruins of Caunus. This is an impressive site with a well excavated Roman bath, theatre, agora and Byzantine church. But it is the 4^th century BC rock tombs carved into the cliffs overlooking the modern town of Dalyan which make Caunus truly exceptional. We have lunch by the river just opposite these rock tombs. Later we stop for a soak in a natural hot sulfur mud bath.  The river boat takes us back to our gulet at Ekincik bay.

DAY 5 - DISIBILMEZ / HARBOR OF NETS   

This morning we sail to the Disibilmez cove for breakfast and swim. There are interesting jeological formations and caves that make this cove quite dramatic. Later we continue sailing to Ag Limani (Harbor of Nets) where we spend rest of the day. Ag Limani is a beautiful natural harbor where we swim, snorkel around.

DAY 6 - SUNKEN BATH / GEMILER ISLAND    

Early morning we hike across the peninsula through the ruins of Lydae. We pay a visit to a shepherd family on the way. At the end of the beautiful hike we meet our boat in the marvelous bay of Batik Hamam, where the ruins of partially sunken Roman bath line the natural harbor.  After lunch we sail to Gemiler Island across the Gulf of Fethiye.  We have a nice short hike up to Byzantine ruins spread among the wild olive and oak trees on Gemiler Island.

DAY 7 - GEMILER ISLAND /  KAYAKOY     

We swim and sea ski, optional - on your own expense, in the gemiler area.

We then cruise to Soguksu Bay from where we start hiking to Kayakoy, an abandoned Greek settlement, now a weird ghost town. The inhabitants deserted this town during the population exchange between Turks and Greeks in 1924. The hiking trail follows a terrain full of sage, thyme and lavender,  typical Mediterranean vegetation. Overnight in the Soguksu Cove.

DAY 8 -  TURUNCPINARI / FETHIYE  

Early in the morning we sail to beautiful Turunc Pinari (citrus spring) and have breakfast there.  We then sail to Fethiye, a nice coastal town overlooking a beautiful bay strewn with islands. Just above the town are the ruins of a fortress built by the Knights of Rhodes on the hill. In Fethiye, we take a town walk visiting the local fish and vegetable markets and famous rock tombs cut out of the cliff face dating from 4 C BC. We may spend some time for shopping, mailing, emailing, etc., here. Late in the afternoon we sail to a natural harbor in the Gulf of Fethiye to stay overnight.

DAY 9 - GOCEK / ISTANBUL   
  

This morning we say good bye to our gulet and are transferred to Dalaman Airport. Flight to Istanbul takes about one hour. In the afternoon we visit the monuments of the Hippodrome area: The Obelix (1540 BC),  the Serpent Column (479 BC),  the German Fountain (1895) and the Blue Mosque (1616).  We also walk to the Grand Bazaar which was built by Mehmet II in around 1460. We go to Kumkapi for side walk dining listeneing gipsy music.  Overnight at Erguvan Hotel or similar accommodation.

DAY 10 - ISTANBUL    

We visit the the great church, mosque and now museum of Haghia Sophia, built by Justinian in AD 537, in the morning. In the afternoon we walk to the Topkapi Palace, the home and administration center of Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. Tonight we enjoy a farewell dinner and share our experiences of Turkey and its unforgettable people and landscape. We overnight at Erguvan Hotel or similar accommodation.

DAY 11 - DEPARTURES    

Transfer to airport for homeward flights.

Optional 3-day pre-trip or post-trip Cappadocia extension.