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DAY
1 - ISTANBUL
Arrival at Istanbul Atatürk Airport, meeting
and escort to the hotel. Briefing and
welcome cocktail (D).
DAY
2 - ISTANBUL
After breakfast, we drive to the the "Old
City" where you will visit the Hippodrome,
the Blue Mosque and St. Sophia. Lunch
will be served on the grounds of Topkapı
Palace which is overlooking one of the
world's largest natural harbors. Following
lunch, we will visit the priceless treasury
and delicate porcelains exhibited in Topkapı
Palace. The Underground Cistern, storage
of 80,000 tons capacity that provided
the water of the city in the old days
will be our last stop. We will proceed
to welcome the evening with dinner at
a night-club where the floor-show will
include live music, Turkish folk dancing
and the belly dancing (B, L, D).
DAY
3 - ISTANBUL
Our tour will include a visit to the Spice
Bazaar, Museum of Turkish and Islamic
Arts, Süleymaniye Mosque, St. Chora Museum
and the Grand Bazaar (B, L, D).
DAY
4 - ÇANAKKALE (TROY)
Following an early breakfast, we will
drive down to Gallipoli which was a major
front during World War 1. After lunch
here we will cross into Asia by a ferry
and proceed to Troy which has a cities
superimposed one upon another. Troy lives
in shore with its epic legends of Helen,
Paris, Achilles and the Trojan horse.
Surrounded by the spirit of Hommer's Iliad
and Odyssey there are few who would remain
unmoved by the ghosts of these brave and
long - lost heroes, brought to life as
you tread across one of the most famous
sites in the ancient world. We will return
to Çanakkale for the evening. (B, L, D).
DAY
5 - KUŞADASI
On our way to Kuşadası, we will stop at
the classic ruins of Pergamum to see the
Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and
the Library. The Asclepion of Pergamum
was a famous health -center during the
ancient times Then on to Kuşadası (B,
L, D).
DAY 6 - KUŞADASI
We spend a full day touring the ancient
city of Ephesus, Selçuk Archaeological
Museum and the Basilica of St. John and
the House of Virgin Mary. Return to Kuşadası
for the evening (B, L, D).
DAY 7 - BODRUM (HALICARNASSUS)
OR ISTANBUL
We will leave early and proceed to Priene
which was one of the earliest Ionian settlements.
Priene was built on the Hippodamian system,
according to a city plan in which streets
intersect at right angles, and is the
oldest and the finest example of this
type to be found among Hellenic cities.
We will see the Temple of Athena, the
Agora, the Temenos of Zeus Olympos, the
Bouleuterion, the Prytaneion, the Theater,
the Gymnasia and the Sanctuary of Demeter
in Priene.
Miletus, next on our itinerary is the
ancient city where Philosopher Thales
was born. Delphinion and the Baths of
Faustina will be the highlights. We will
drive down to Bodrum and we will proceed
Euromos on the way. Euromos is mentioned
in inscriptions and by ancient writers
from the 2nd century B. C. on. The ruins
of the Zeus Temple at Euromos are in a
very good state of preservation. The structure
is a peripteros of the Corinthian order
with 6 by 1 1 columns. We return to Izmir
airport for flight to Istanbul or we continue
our drive to Bodrum which is ancient Halicarnassus
and we will embark on our yachts and settle
down. Dinner on board (B, L, D).
DAY
8 - BODRUM (HALICARNASSUS)
After breakfast, we will embark our yacht
and visit the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus,
reckoned to be one of the Seven Wonders
of the World by Plinius. It was built
for the King Mausolos by his wife and
sister Artemisia who ruled for two years.
The other highlights of the city is the
Castle built by the Knights of St. John.
The castle is used as a Museum of Underwater
Archaeology today and it is the only underwater
museum in Turkey. We willl return to our
yacht and slip away from the Bay of Bodrum
around 1 2:00 A.M. to Orak Island for
lunch. Orak Island is a stark rocky island
lying a short distance off the coast.
There is a cove on the north side suitable
for a lunch stop when the "meltem"
is not blowing and a more sheltered cove
on the eastern side. The attraction of
this little island is its a seclusion
and the remarkably clear water around
its shores - ideal for snorkeling. After
lunch, sailing to Alakışla Bükü where
the gullet stays for an overnight (B,
L, D).
DAY
9 - SEVEN ISLANDS
The name means the Seven Islands, but
as there are only five easily recognized
as such, whoever named the place must
have counted a detached rock or two. The
area has a wilder and more rugged aspect
to it than the softer pine covered slopes
further east. Here the trees are stunted
and twisted by the prevailing westerly
that howl over the islands and adjacent
coast in the summer months. The islands
are lumpy rocky things bereft of any vegetation
and the waters around them are spiked
with razor - back reefs and jagged pinnacles
of rock. There are several anchorage around
the coast with the best being in the creek
where with care a yacht can get right
inside and take a line ashore to a tree.
The creek is used by a few fishermen and
is a little oasis for water - birds -heron,
cormorant, curlew and the electric blue
kingfisher (B, L, D).
DAY
10 - ENGLISH HARBOR
After breakfast, sailing to English Harbor.
This name derives from activities during
World War II
when small English petrol boats used to
hide here by day and sail at night to
German - occupied Dodecarese Islands.
Overnight at English harbor (B, L, D).
DAY
11 - CLEOPATRA ISLAND
Sailing from English harbor you reach
Cleopatra Island. In ancient times it
was known as Cedrae, the name of the 'cedar
tree' though none are to be seen today.
On Admiralty chart 1533 the island are
called rather theatrically the 'Snake
and Castle Islands': the 'Castle' bit
is easily derived from the ancient ruins
of Cedrae and the 'Snake' bit comes from
a symbol found on a tomb on the smaller
island. More recently it has been dubbed
Cleopatra's Island and the tale behind
the name is fascinating. When the Roman
Empire was divided up between Anthony
and Octavius, Anthony and his mistress
Cleopatra spent a great deal of the time
in the Roman provinces of Asia Minor evidently.
Cleopatra spent some time in Cedrae, but
was distressed by the lack of a sandy
beach to cavort upon. In an age when anything
seemed possible and frequently was, she
ordered sand to be brought by ship from
the Sahara and had the perfect little
beach on the west side of the island constructed.
Is it just an apocryhal tale? The sand
has been examined by a geologist, Professor
Tom Goedike, he pronounced to be untypical
of the region and to confirm to the type
of sand found in the Sahara. Overnight
and dinner in Karacasöğüt (B, L, D).
DAY
12 - TUZLA
Sail from Karacasöğüt to Ballı Su for
lunch. In the afternoon sailing to Tuzla
for the night (B, L, D).
DAY
13 - BODRUM
Eary morning sail to Çökertme, where breakfast
will be served. After lunch in Kızılin,
the boat will sail back to Bodrum in the
late afternoon. Overnight in Bodrum (B,
L, D).
DAY
14 - ISTANBUL
Transfer to International Milas Airport
flight back to
Istanbul.
Transfer to hotel (B/L/D).
DAY
15 - ISTANBUL
Transfer to Istanbul Atatürk Airport (B). |
