Legendary Turkey

Exotic sights, scents, and sounds reign in this fascinating land where Europe and Asia meet.  With its ancient ruins, stunning landscapes, and dramatic Turquoise Coast, Turkey engages and beguiles, offering your small group – limited to 24 travelers – an unparalleled experience.  The 15-day Turkish sojourn begins with four nights in Istanbul, magnificent “Empress of the World” and Turkey’s cultural and spiritual heart.  Among the highlights here:  the Spice Bazaar, the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sofia, and Topkapi Palace.  Take a private cruise on the Bosphorus, wander the Grand Bazaar, and explore independently.  Leaving Istanbul, travel to Gallipoli, the haunting World War I battlefield; then ferry across the Dardanelles to storied Troy.  Discover Pergamum, one of Turkey’s most spectacular ancient sites.  Spending three nights in Kusadasi, tour Turkey’s incomparable classical city, Ephesus, including its acclaimed “houses of the rich.”  Enjoy lunch in the rustic village of Sirince.  Travel to the beautiful port city of Fethiye for a two-night stay.  Visit the museum-like ghost town of Kayakoy, followed by an idyllic day cruising the tranquil Turquoise Coast on a privately chartered yacht.  Journey along the coastal road with stops in Demre, for a visit to the Church of Saint Nicholas, and the ancient Greco-Roman city of Phaselis.  The final destination is seaside Antalya.  Visit its acclaimed Archaeological Museum and its charming Old Town and tour Perge’s outstanding Grecian ruins.  Explore ancient Konya and discover the bizarre rock formations and underground cities of Cappadocia and the Goreme Valley on an optional 5-day/4-night post-tour extension.