Turkish delights - Meandering the villages and coastline of western Turkey

day 1 - May 30 - Saturday --- After checking into your hotel in Istanbul, meet your fellow tour-mates and hear details about your Turkey adventure. Afterwards, we'll enjoy our first dinner together in Istanbul's Old Town.

day 2 - May 31 – Sunday --- We will board our bus in the morning and drive to Dardanelles on the way to Asia Minor. En route, we will stop to visit Murefte vineyards and a famous Turkish winery, where we will sample Turkish wines. Later, we will visit WW1 memorials in Gallipoli, and learn about the fierce trench battle that changed the flow of history, and led to the birth of three nations. Then we will cross the Dardanelles, leaving Europe and stepping into Asia.

day 3 - June 01 – Monday --- Today we will visit Homer's Troy, a strategic stronghold on the naval route through the straits. St. Paul and St. Luke met in the ancient city of Assos, and 300 years before them, Aristotle taught here for three years. 1,000 feet above sea level, the 6th Century BC Temple of Athena stands like a watchtower overlooking the Aegean. We will enjoy the view and watch the sunset from the temple.

day 4 - June 02 – Tuesday --- We'll spend our day in the villages of Mt. Olympos, and become familiar with the Aegean life style. We'll visit an olive oil museum and in the local ethnographic museum, learn more about the Turkoman people that settled here in the mountains in the 15th Century.

day 5 - June 03 – Wednesday --- We'll meander along the Aegean coastline with Lesbos on one side and the Gulf of Edremit on the other. In the afternoon, we will stroll the narrow streets of Ayvalik, and enjoy a local dinner in town.

day 6 - June 04 – Thursday --- You'll have time in the morning to enjoy Ayvalik. In the afternoon, you can hop a boat for the short ride to Cunda Island. After a stroll along the island's cobbled stone streets, sample and enjoy the best seafood that Turkey has to offer.

day 7 - June 05 – Friday --- We'll leave Ayvalik and make our way along the coast to Bodrum. We'll visit Acropolis of ancient Pergamum, home of the Altar of Zeus, and renowned as the city where parchment was invented. We will also see the temple of Apollo in Dydima (one of the best-preserved Hellenistic Temples with gigantic Ionic columns).

day 8 - June 06 – Saturday --- Today, we'll explore Bodrum with a visit to the Castle of St. Peter. The castle was built as a crusader stronghold in the early 1400s, and houses the best Museum of Underwater Archeology in the world. This very exciting setting showcases an outstanding exhibition of artifacts gathered from thousands of dives throughout the years. In the afternoon we will stroll the streets of this attractive resort town and stop by the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus.

days 9 & 10 - June 07 & 08 - Sunday & Monday --- Today we'll board our private gulet for a "blue cruise" at the junction of the Aegean and Mediterranean. During the next few days, we will sail the secluded coves and discover ancient ruins only accessible from the water. Overnight in our private gullet.

day 11 & 12 - June 09 & 10 - Tuesday & Wednesday --- During the course of the next two days, we'll enjoy a land excursion to the ancient city of Kaunos and see Lycian rock-cut tombs, sulphurous mud baths (known as Cleopatra baths where legend says that Cleopatra had beauty and youth baths), and explore the delta of the Dalyan River. This labyrinth, formed by thick reed vegetation, is an ideal spot for endangered Carettas (loggerhead sea turtles) to lay eggs. During the boat trip in this delta, we'll keep a lookout for these friendly giant turtles. Overnight in our private gullet.

day 13 - June 11 – Thursday --- Today, we'll continue our coastline exploration into beautiful bays, stopping for a swim or two along the way. Overnight in our private gullet.

day 14 - June 12 – Friday --- After breakfast, we'll say goodbye to our captain and crew and bid our tour-mates goodbye in Gocek. Your options include spending more time in the area, continuing your coastline exploration to Antalya or taking advantage of easy airline connections back to Istanbul.

Individual pre- & post- tour extensions are available to alternative destinations

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------