 TURKISH
DELIGHT
A cultural tour of Turkey
Turkey is a unique place in the world. It is an Asian
– Middle Eastern country and yet European too
- a home to many world civilizations. Rich in history
and culture, it is one of the few countries in the world
that has to be visited, not once, but over and over
again. Our Turkish Delight program has been specifically
tailored for the first timer’s experience of Turkey.
A wonderful introduction to the Byzantine, Ottoman and
Turkish land of past and present.
Day
01: Arrive Istanbul
Upon our arrival at Istanbul, we are met with a friendly
'merhaba' (hello) and escorted to our hotel. Check in
time starts from 1400 hrs. Dinner is not included.
Overnight: Aziyade Hotel, Istanbul (3 nights)
Day 02: Istanbul
A full day tour to explore Istanbul, a fascinating city
straddling two continents which, under the name Byzantium
and Constantinople was the capital of the Roman and
Byzantine Empires, and in 1453, became the third and
last Capital of the Ottomans. Visit the Blue Mosque,
recognizable from its six minarets, built between 1609
and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I and decorated inside with
21,043 tiles from Iznik in a dominant blue color; the
Hippodrome where political, cultural, and sports activities
took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times;
Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman sultans
between the end of the 15th and the first half of the
19th centuries, with its treasures; and free time to
wander and shop at the historical Grand Bazaar. Lunch
during sightseeing. Dinner not included. (B,
L)
Day 03: Istanbul
In the morning, visit imposing Haghia Sophia which marked
the apogee of Byzantine Emperor Justinian's reign; St
Savior in Chora whose mosaics and frescoes are among
the most beautiful in the Byzantine World. After lunch
visit Rustempasa Mosque with its beautiful Iznik (Nicea)
tiles and ; the livelySpice Market with its exotic colors
and aromas. You can take a Bosphorus cruise excursion.
Dinner not included. (B, L)
 Day
04: Istanbul/Ankara (Drive 440 km)
In the morning, drive to Ankara, the Turkish capital
since 1923. Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations
which displays rich and unique collections such as the
treasures in the Hittite section; We will briefly stop
to see the Anitkabir, the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the
father of modern Turkey. Dinner and overnight at the
hotel.
Overnight: Marya Hotel, Ankara (1 night) (B,
L, D)
Day 05: Ankara/Hattusa/Cappadocia (Drive 395
km)
In the morning, drive to Bogazkale to visit Hattusa,
the capital of the powerful Hittites, where numerous
cuneiform tablets have been discovered: you will see
the Lower City with the Great Temple, the Upper City
with the citadel and the double walls, the Royal Gate,
the Lions Gate, the tunnel. You will also visit the
rock sanctuary of Yazilikaya with its friezes and reliefs
depicting the Hittite divinities. Continue south into
the heart of central Anatolia to the volcanic region
of Cappadocia. Upon arrival, visit the charming Uchisar
village, with its tufa rock crowned with a citadel,
which provides a magnificent panorama over the area,
and the Valley of the Pigeon Houses. Dinner and overnight
at the hotel.
Overnight: Kapadokya Inn, Cappadocia (2 nights)
(B, L, D)
Day 06: Cappadocia
A full day tour to explore Cappadocia, a fantastic region
with lunar landscapes. Visit the Red Valley; Goreme
Valley, an open-air museum with rock-cut churches (7th-13th
centuries) decorated with fine frescoes: the Church
of St Barbara, the Church of the Serpent, the Church
of the Sandal, the Church of the Apple, the Church of
the Buckle... Also visit Avcilar Valley and Kiliclar
Valley with their old cave-dwellings and fairy chimneys;
underground city, a labyrinth organized on seven levels
and used as shelter by the local population in period
of invasions. Learn about arts and and crafts of rural
Turkey with a pottery atelier visit and attend a lecture
on Turkish hand-made rugs. Dinner and overnight at the
hotel. (B, L, D)
Day 07: Cappadocia/Konya/Antalya (Drive 535 km)
In the morning, drive through the Plain of Konya,
the granery of Turkey. En route, stop at the Sultanhan
Caravanserai built during the Seljuk period in the 13th
century and which is the largest in Anatolia. Upon arrival
in Konya, the capital of the Sultanate of Rum and the
holy city of the Seljuk Turks, visit the Museum of Mevlana,
the famous mystic and poet who founded the Sufi Order
of the Whirling Dervishes in the 13th century. Crossing
the Taurus Mountains, drive to Antalya, overlooking
the Turquoise depths of the Mediterranean. Dinner and
overnight at the hotel.
Overnight: Golden Ring Hotel, Antalya (2 nights)
(B, L, D)
 Day
08: Antalya/Aspendus/Perge/Antalyla (Drive 90 km)
Through the coastal plain of Pamphylia, drive to Aspendus,
whose 2C AD theatre is the best preserved Roman theatre
in Asia Minor. Continue to Perge, and visit this other
Hellenistico-Roman ancient city with its stadium, colonnaded
street and theatre. Drive back to Antalya. Stroll in
the narrow streets of the picturesque old town (kaleici)
with its narrow streets and typical wooden houses overlooking
the marina, to discover the Hadrian Gate, the Fluted
Minaret, the Truncated Minaret, and Hidirlik Tower.
Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B, L, D)
Day 09: Antalya/Aphrodisias/Pamukkale (Drive
335 km)
In the morning, crossing the Taurus Mountains, drive
to Aphrodisias the ancient city dedicated to Aphrodite,
the goddess of Beauty, Love and Fertility, also famous
for its school of sculpture: visit the stadium, which
is the best preserved in Anatolia, the Temple of Aphrodite,
the Tetrapylon, the Theatre, the Museum. Continue to
Pamukkale, a unique natural site. Visit this "
Cotton Castle " where the hot waters, leaving their
limestone deposits, have created an unreal landscape
with petrified waterfalls and basins; and Hierapolis,
an ancient Roman health spa whose well preserved necropolis
is one of the largest in the ancient world. Dinner and
overnight at the hotel.
Overnight: C & H Hotel, Denizli (1 night)
(B, L, D)
Day 10: Pamukkale/Ephesus/Izmir (Drive 270 km)
In the morning, drive through the plain of the Meander
River to reach the imposing city of Ephesus, one of
the most fascinating in the ancient world. Visit the
site where you will see the Marble Street, the Agora,
the Odeon, the Nympheaum of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian,
the Celsius Library, the Theatre, the remains of the
Temple of Artemis, which was one of the Seven Wonders
of the World. Also visit the House of the Virgin Mary,
which as been designated by the Vatican as a place of
pilgrimage. Continue to Izmir, the third largest city
in Turkey known as "The Pearl of the Aegean".
Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight: Aksan Hotel, Izmir (1 night) (B,
L, D)
 Day
11: Izmir/Pergamum/Troy/Canakkale (Drive 310 km)
In the morning, depart for Pergamum, the capital of
the Attalid dynasty. Visit the ancient city where parchment
was invented: the Acropolis with the ruins of the agoras,
temples, palaces, the library which contained 200,000
volumes, the podium on which stood the Zeus Altar which
was sent to Berlin, and the impressive theatre built
on the hillside which provides a wonderful panorama
of the surroundings. In the lower part of the ancient
city, visit the Asclepion, a sanctuary and a healing
center dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius. Continue
to the ancient city of Troy whose history covers a period
of about 3,400 years with nine layers of settlements
(Troy I to IX). King Priam's glorious city, which can
be found in the Iliad, Homer's epic poem, was immortalized
through mythological characters: Helen, Menelas, Paris,
Agamemnon, Achilles, Hector...and the legendary Trojan
Wooden Horse, a reconstruction of which stands at the
entrance of the site. Dinner and overnight at the hotel
in Canakkale located on the Asian side of the Strait
of the Dardanelles.
Overnight: Akol Hotel, Canakkale (1 night) (B,
L, D)
Day 12: Canakkale/Gallipoli/Istanbul (Drive 335 km)
In the morning, cross the Strait of the Dardanelles
by ferry. Continue to Gallipolli Peninsula where the
Dardanelles War took place. Brief glance at the battlefields,
trenches and memorials that remind us of the Turkish,
English, French, Australian and New Zealander (ANZAC),
and Indian soldiers fallen between 1915-1916. Continue
to Istanbul. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.
Overnight:Aziyade Hotel, Istanbul (1 night) (B, L,
D)
Day 13: Depart Istanbul
This morning we bid farewell and transfer to the airport
for the departure flight. Check out time is by 1100
hrs. (B)
*
The sequence of the itinerary may be changed depending
on your arrival date.
Departure
Dates |
| 2010
English Speaking Departures
Daily except Fridays
|
Inclusions |
| Tour
Price Includes |
Tour
Price Does Not Include |
| Hotel
Accommodation as mentioned or similar |
International
Airfare |
| Meal
Plan as mentioned (B=Breakfast,
L=Lunch, D=Dinner) |
Airport
/ Departure Taxes |
| All
sightseeing and transfers by private transportation |
Insurances
/ Visas / Tips |
|
Services of local English speaking guides |
|
|
Entrance fees to museums and sites included
in the itinerary |
|
|
Tour
Price |
|
| We
accept payment in US $ (US Dollars),
CA $ (Canadian Dollars) or equivalent
EURO (for clients outside North America).
Bestway
Tours & Safaris offers conversion rate protection.
Once full payment has been received, and no
modification has been made to the tour itinerary,
we will honour that rate.
For
complete payment procedures, please download
 Bestway_Payment_Info.pdf
Note: to read this file you must have Adobe
Acrobat. |
Departures
(2010) |
Double
Occupancy |
Single
Room Supplement |
Jan 01
– Mar 31 |
US
$ 1250 |
US
$ 295 |
Apr 01
– Nov 06 |
US
$ 1775 |
US
$ 395 |
Nov 07
– Dec 18 |
US
$ 1525 |
US
$ 395 |
Dec 19
– Dec 28 |
US
$ 1775 |
US
$ 395 |
|
Estimated
International Airfare - International
airfare is NOT included in this tour |
| Canada
- West Coast |
N/A |
USA
- West Coast |
US
$ 1600 |
| Canada
- East Coast |
N/A |
USA
- East Coast |
US
$ 1400 |
|
Participants |
| This
tour operates on a minimum of 02 and a maximum
of 15 participants. |
Notes
|
Customised
Itinerary
If you would like to have a tour on dates
other than the above ones or with a customised
itinerary, please contact us and we will be happy
to work out an exclusive program for you.
Foreign Language Departures
Please contact us for information on French,
German,
Italian and Spanish
speaking departures.
You may e-mail us at bestway@bestway.com
or call us at 604.264.7378. Residents of
U.S.A./Canada may call us toll free at 1.800.663.0844. |
|
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