ART TOUR OF TURKEY

Explore Turkish Local Arts & Culture
Between April – November
For Special Interest Groups
11 Nights - 12 Days
Land Only

DAY 1 ARRIVE IN ISTANBUL

Meet our guide and transfer to the hotel by coach. A short briefing will be provided by our guide at the hotel in the afternoon. Evening at leisure.

DAY 2 ISTANBUL

Full day tour of Istanbul including the hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, The Hagia Sophia Church/Museum. After lunch, visit the Topkapi Palace Museum and the Museum of Archaeology . Welcome cocktail at the historical Underground Cistern and dinner at the nearby Cistern Restaurant. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 ISTANBUL

Visit the Yildiz Porcelain Factory built in 1895. Lunch at a local sea food restaurant. Then, take a boat tour along the Bosphorus visiting the Asian and European shores of Istanbul . Afternoon visit to Dolmabahce Palace . Dinner on your own. (B,L)


DAY 4 ISTANBUL - FLY ANKARA - CAPPADOCIA

Morning flight to Ankara . Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations and the Citadel of Ankara . After lunch drive to the Cappadocia region. See Agzikarahan Caravanserai en route. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA

Full day tour in the Cappadocia region, including Kaymakli Underground City, Goreme Open Air Museum, lunch at a local restaurant, Avanos, the town of pottery makers and a two hour pottery making show at a local workshop. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 6 CAPPADOCIA - KONYA

Depart for Konya . Visit the Museum of Whirling Dervishes. After lunch see the Karatay Tile Museum and local handicrafts such as felt makers and horse carriage decorators. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 7 KONYA - PAMUKKALE

Depart for Denizli to explore the glass blowing tradition in Denizli Glass Factory. Then visit the ancient ruins of Hierapolis . Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. Swimming is available in the hot spring pool of your hotel. (B,D)

DAY 8 PAMUKKALE - KUSADASI

Visit Sentez Carpet manufacturing company, a private handicrafts center supported by the government, trying to keep the carpet manufacturing tradition alive in the Honaz Mountain area. Then we will see clay workshops in Karacasu. We will continue to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. (B,D)


DAY 9 EPHESUS - KUSADASI

Visit Ephesus , the most famous ancient site in Turkey . See the House of the Virgin Mary, the Archaeological Museum. Lunch at a local restaurant. Then visit the ruins of Ephesus and the Temple of Diana which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

DAY 10 KUSADASI - TIRE - IZMIR

Depart for Tire, a small town still practicing many local arts such as fabric making, rope making, wooden horse carriage wheels, etc. See the local workshops. In the afternoon, drive to Izmir , the 3rd largest city of Turkey . Dinner on your own. (B)

DAY 11 KURUDERE - IZMIR

Visit Kurudere village near Izmir . The blue beads of this town are sold nationwide, even exported to many countries. Explore local blue bead kilns. See the country life. Return to Izmir . The afternoon is free for several options such as Kemeralti Bazaar, the Archaeological Museum or walking in the streets of modern Izmir . Farewell dinner at an outdoor fish restaurant. (B,D)

Day 12 IZMIR - FLY BACK HOME

Transfer to Izmir airport. Fly to Istanbul to connect to your international flight back home. (B)