Treasures
of Greece and Anatolia
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Compare with a Gulet Cruise : Start in Dalaman and on to Antalya
DAY 1 - Istanbul
Our
staff meets your flight at Istanbul International Airport .
Or meet your cruise line at Istanbul
port ( Oceania Cruises , Princess Cruises , Crystal Cruises or other
Mediterranean cruises ), and escorts you to your hotel.
Sample Deluxe hotels : Inter-Continental
or Ottoman Mansion Boutique Hotels: Arena .
first class : Aygun Plaza , Senator or similar.
Welcome fruit basket awaits you at your hotel.
DAY
2 - Istanbul- Home Hosted Dinner (BL)
Drive
along the old city walls and under the ancient Roman aqueduct on the
way to view the best of Istanbul's stunning architecture and attractions.
The impressive Hippodrome is your first stop. Then visit the Blue Mosque
named for the vivid Iznik tiles which line its interior. Browse the
amazing Topkapi Palace-official residence of the Ottoman Sultans-with
courts, pavilions, mosques, fountains and a treasury. After lunch proceed
through the commercial area passing Ottoman monuments to the famous
Egyptian Spice Bazaar for a short visit. Then take the local ferry to
start an unforgettable excursion between two continents, Europe &
Asia. The cruise takes you along the latest palaces of Ottomans, The
Dolmabahce Palace and Beylerbeyi, as well as 19th and 20th century,
beautiful wooden Kiosks. Mansions and modern villas which form the elegant
section of the city. Enjoy the scenery. Lunch is included at a local
charming restaurant.
Complimentary entrance tickets to the Harem's Quarter in Topkape Palace in Istanbul, when you book your tour/cruise with us
This evening we'll venture where few ordinary visitors ever tread . . . right into the homes of some of the people of Istanbul! You'll be invited to a family dinner, and while you enjoy wholesome home-cooked specialties, you'll learn about and appreciate the outlook, aspirations, and way of life of your hosts. Be assured, as curious as you may be about your new friends, they're sure to have questions about your own background. Once the ice is broken, you'll enjoy a lively evening, and find that you have more in common than you ever suspected. Of course, you may enjoy quiet evening with your travel companions, by letting us know your preferences.
Day 4 – ISTANBUL – air – CAPPADOCIA (Breakfast
, Dinner)
In the morning visit the jewel in Turkey's Byzantine crown-the Museum
of St Sophia. This splendid Church of Divine Wisdom was originally built
in the 4th century AD and was lovingly restored in the 1900s, reflecting
the true history of the glorious city of Istanbul. After completing
your exploration at St. Sophia, you will move on to the opposite side
of Golden Horn, passing the Sirkeci train station, the last stop of
the original Orient Express. Leave your vehicle at Karaköy, the
old commercial harbor of the Ottoman Empire, and get on the underground
train which connects the shores of Golden Horn to the Pera district
on the hill. Opened for service in 1880, this is the second oldest underground
train in Europe. You will leave the train in the Pera district which
houses a wealth of fascinating buildings including churches, historical
buildings, picturesque arcades, old Ottoman Hans, consulate buildings,
and fine cafés. It is the best example of Istanbul's rich cultural
and ethnic mosaic. After a short walk on Istiklal Street, "Grand
Rue de Pera," visit the Pera Palas Hotel. The hotel was opened
in 1896 in Istanbul next to the old American Consulate building, built
in order to host the passengers of the Orient Express train. The train
was designed by the French architect Valloury and was renovated keeping
all the valuable and unique furniture in the original form. The original
Orient Express started its service 120 years ago in 1883. Agatha Christie
authored her famous book "Murder on the Orient Express" in
one of the rooms at Pera Palas Hotel. Afterwards proceed to the Grand
Bazaar for some shopping. Continue drive to the airport for your flight
to Cappadocia. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5 – CAPPADOCIA (Breakfast
,Dinner )
Start out early for a full day’s excursion into the magical lunar
landscape of Cappadocia’s rocky hills & valleys. Dominated
by Erciyes Dagi, Mt. Argaeus, the region was first settled by ancient
people then home to Romans, early Christians, Byzantines and Seljuks.
Visit Goreme Church Valley, Zelve, Avanos, Ortahisar and Uchisar, and
see some of the many churches carved into the rocks. Return to the hotel
for the night.
Day 6 – CAPPADOCIA – air – Izmir – KUSADASI
(Breakfast , Dinner)
Visit the underground city of Kaymakli with nine floors underground,
used by early Christians to escape any attack . After lunch drive to
Kayseri airport, fly to Izmir. Transfer to hotel and overnight in Kusadasi.
Day
7 – KUSADASI – Ephesus – KUSADASI
(Breakfast , Dinner )
Depart the hotel for the magnificent site of Ephesus. Ephesus is the
best preserved of the Greek/Roman cities in Anatolia and while you are
visiting the ancient ruins of this magnificent site and your guide will
bring them alive. You will see the beautiful Celsus Library, restored
and reconstructed according to its original form by the architect Friedmund
Hueber in the 1970's. The most spectacular building of Ephesus is the
Grand Theater, built during the Hellenistic age to hold 24,000 spectators.
It is there that St. Paul preached. Opposite the Temple of Hadrian are
the Hill Houses, homes of Ephesus' wealthy citizens. The city was also
the hometown of great philosopher Heraclitus. After a visit to Ephesus
Antique Site, you will arrive at Sirince Village. This old Orthodox
Village, 30 km from Kusadasi, was once "Cirkince"(ugly). Indeed
its inhabitants gave this name on the purpose as they did not want to
be bothered by foreigners nor to share the beauty of their village.
Still after years, visitors understood that the village was not ugly
and called it "Sirince" (pretty). Today the village is a perfect
synthesis of Turkish-Greek culture as of the 1920's; after the Turkish
Independence War, people exchange between Greek and Turks has occurred
and all those typical Greek houses, though they kept their original
outside characteristics, have received the local layout inside. At Sirince
Village you will have chance of seeing the local life at a village and
purchasing some small local souvenirs and handicrafts. The village is
also famous for its local grape and other fruit wines. During the lunch,
mingle with the local people of the village as you will be a guest in
their house for a simple lunch of local specialties. Have a cup of traditional
Turkish coffee at the main coffee house of the village. Depending on
the number of guests, a gypsy woman telling fortune by looking at the
coffee grains remaining in the cup, may be available. Your last stop
will be the visit to the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus established
in 1929. It displays very interesting and valuable finds from Ephesus.
Return to Kusadasi for Dinner and overnight.
Day 8 – KUSADASI – Miletus – Didyma –
Priene – KUSADASI (Breakfast ,
Dinner)
Following the departure from the hotel, the first stop will be Priene.
The ancient harbor city of Priene probably changed its location when
the silt of the Meander River threatened to bury it. Now it is nearly
16km away from the sea. The original place of the city has never been
found but it was probably a peninsula with two harbors. Priene was laid
out on a Hippodamian system of grid plan at the foot of a spectacular
cliff on mount Mycale and contained many famous examples of Hellenistic
art and architecture. All the streets intersect at right angles. Next
visit Miletus, an ancient city located near the present Akköy at
the mouth of the Buyuk Menderes (meander) River. Miletus owed its importance
to its position on the trade routes. It was one of the largest cities
in Anatolia. Highly prosperous, it founded many colonies and was the
home of the ancient philosophers Anaximander, Anaximenes and Thales,
the town planner Hippodamus and architect Isidorus. Having a prominent
position, Miletus became the most important port in this area and it
was the most active member of the twelve cities of the Ionian Confederation.
From the 7th century B.C. the city has been controlled in turn by the
Persians, Roman and Seljuk Turks. The last visit in the tour will be
Didyma. The world Didyma meant "twins" and it was associated
by some as being the meeting place of Zeus and Leto to have their twins
Apollo and Artemis. Didyma was famed as a prophecy center dedicated
to Apollo, which served a similar purpose as the Delphi of Anatolia.
It was not a city but a sanctuary linked to Miletus by Milesians with
a 12 mile sacred road. Return to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight.
DAY
9 - The Greek Island of Samos (B)
After breakfast at your hotel, we proceed
to board the ferry from Kusadasi to the lush Greek Island of Samos,
enjoy yours days as you wish on the island. . Deluxe hotel: Proteas
Bay Hotel. First class : Doryssa or Arion hotels. Samos is a
superlative destination to decompress after an intensive traveling program
Day 10 - Samos - Pirates Lunch ( Breakfast ,Lunch)
Our " Pirates Picnic" excursion is a true fun as you sail
in a Greek 'caique' and discover the natural beauty of Samos enchanting
beaches. After a short morning sailing Captain Yannis and his crew will
bring you to the South Coast to the lovely sandy beach of TSOPELA.
There, they will prepare and serve you with a delicious lunch 'barbecue
style", please advise us of any dietary requirement )
Our crew will mysteriously disappear to allow you some privacy as you
relax after lunch, then we head back late afternoon, or if you wish
to extend your stay (supplement applies), then you may reconfirm the
time you prefer for your return. Enjoy the sun and crystal clear Mediterranean
waters.
Day
11 - Samos (BD)
Full day at leisure. If you prefer to extend your stay in Samos, please
do let's know in advance. Enjoy the local restaurants & street cafes.
Please click here for more details on optional
tours available in Samos.
SAMOS GREEK VILLAGE EVENING DANCE & DINNER
Have you heard of "KALAMATIANOS, SIRTOS or CHASAPIKOS" ? no
?
Well, come along and enjoy the true Greek Mediterranean life ! as you
experience a typical Greek Village Evening. A spontaneous and charming
Greek band, traditional Greek cuisine, not forgetting the wine ! (all
included ), we'll even introduce you to Greek dances and show you some
of the steps if you wish to join our Greek dance!
Day
12 - Samos/Kusdasi / Izmir Airport (B)
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and morning before we head back to the port
(transfer included).
The port is suitably picturesque and lined with cafes and clusters of
tourist shops that offer the ubiquitous worry beads and Greek key design
jewelry, we'll meet back at the Pier in Kusdasi upon your return and
escort you back to Izmir Airport for your flight home.
RATES per person in US $
| Deluxe
Hotels class |
First
class |
|
| In Triple Occupancy | US$
3585.00 |
US$3365.00 |
| In Double Occupancy | US$
3610.00 |
US$
3400.00 |
| In Single Occupancy | US$
4620.00 |
US$
4405.00 |
Rates include :
Sample
hotels |
Deluxe
Hotels class |
| Istanbul | Arena
|
| Cappadocia | Cave
Suites |
| Kusadasi | Kismet
Hotel |
Rate doesn't include :
* Tips, Visa
Fee : $20 in cash upon arrival,
for US citizens, or $45 for Canadians.
* Trip cancellation
* International air fare from /to your home country
Click here for info on sailing the Mediterranean ( Blue Cruise)
Tour starts daily in Istanbul Apr-Oct.
Optional
Tours -Samos:
Rates are per person
JEEP
SAFARI $ 65.00
Even for the most adventurous there is something to suit in our program:
a bit of 'sportsmanship', a touch of adventure and above all lots
of fun ? that's our Jeep Safari.
In this way you can discover all those hidden beauties of Samos and
its varying scenery. Up hill and down dale on natural and mountain
roads, passing through lovely, original villages, where you will be
welcomed with overwhelming hospitality. The 'crowning finale' is a
swim?stop at a marvelous beach
PATMOS/MONASTERY
- ST. JOHN : $25 .00
Named "Jerusalem of the Aegean Sea" is this island of aesthetic
austerity. This tranquil island ? formerly a refuge for Christian
monks ? seems to consist only of jagged rocks, lave?stone and beautiful,
crescent moon bays.
P a t m o s ? a significant connection with the Byzantine Period and
whose Christianity has still strongly preserved the Byzantine presence
by the monastery and churches. Here, in a cave, ST. JOHN wrote the
'APOCALYPSE' ? one of the most magnificent texts of world literature.
The harbour town of SKALA is dominated by the mighty monastery of
the 'Theologian', built in the 11th cent., with its priceless religious
relics, rare manuscripts, icons, jewellery, embroidery and its wealthy
library constituted it as one of the richest monasteries within Christianity.
The narrow lanes with the typical white?painted houses, the innumerable
taverns and the mediaeval town of CHORA with splendid architectural
patterns, the people's life?style and hospitality ? all this creates
for you an unforgettable stay on Patmos.
WALKING
TOUR "AMBELOS": $ 35
Our starting?point is the typical mountain village of VOURLIOTES.
From there we walk up to one of the oldest monasteries of the island,
PANAGIA VRONTIANI (built in 1566). The church has the form of a Basilica
with dome and a remarkable collection of icons, dating from the 18th
and 19th centuries, as well as many other sacred church articles,
such as books and other ecclesiastical documents.
After this short visit we return to the village, upon arrival at the
village?square we make a welcome 'coffee?stop'. Then after having
left finally the village behind us, we walk through the most beautiful
and wild?romantic landscape of Samos descending along the route of
an ancient 'donkey?foot?path', until we reach a very nice old church,
where there is time for a short stop. We then continue walking through
the constantly varying scenery, passing along vine?yards, olive, cypress
and lemon or orange groves, along some country?houses, on very old
foot?paths and through 'natural channels' of trees and bushes, until
we finally reach the coast side and the finishing point for our walk.
ARCHAEOLOGY
TOUR : $35
This tour perfectly combines nature with archaeology and includes
visits to the most famous archaeological sites of Samos:
Our first visit is to the Archaeological Museum in Samos Town, where
we can adore ? as a nice 'rounding? off' of our already gained impressions
by the visit of the 'Heraion' ? all the most wonderful excavations
of the 'Temple of Hera', dating from the Pre?historic, Geometric and
mainly from the Archaic Era. Apart from other works of sculpture of
different art, also exhibitions from the Hellenistic Era. The greatest
and thus most famous pieces of excavations from the Archaic Period
are the assemblage of the Samian sculptor GENELEOS and ? above all
? the 5,5 m huge statue of a young man ? KOUROS.
As Samos is also known as the 'Island of wine' (Mouskat) and as viticulture
permanently marked the island's economy and history, we also visit
the Union of the Wine Producing Cooperatives of Samos. After this
interesting visit and enjoying a fantastic view from a high point
down on the whole harbour bay of Samos Town we continue our tour passing
through the village MITILINI where our next stop will be at the PALAEONTOLOGICAL
MUSEUM. Here it is said to have been located the ancient town CHISSIA.
We can adore findings of great value from the point of view of the
science of Paleontology such as: bones of pre? historic vertebrate
animals, of rhinoceri, of a Mediterranean horse with three hoofs,
hippopotami and of other wild beasts of 13 million years old.
In
continuation we are approaching next the southern area, where we visit
the EFPALINOS TUNNEL. This ancient aqueduct had been constructed by
the haudraulic engineer EFPALINOS in order to provide the city of
Polycrates always with water. With its two openings from both sides
of the mount CASTRI it is considered to be one of the greatest works
of Antiquity. For relaxation we walk up to our next interesting stop:
the monastery of SPILIANI to visit its famous cave of the ancient
prophet PHYTO.
From here we enjoy a wonderful view on the entire southern area including
the archaeological site of 'ROMAN BATHS'.
IKARIA ISLAND :$35
Ikaria is an island, famous for the legend of IKAROS and known as
'Radium Island' because of its hot medicinal springs. Its ancient
names were 'MAKRE' and 'DOLIHI', reflecting its length and 'ICTHYOESSA',
expressing the abundance of fish to be found there. ICARIA (or NICARIA,
as the inhabitants call it) is an island of surprising alternations
in its landscape: from the south with its steep and barren rocks,
to the inner part so calm and peaceful, and the north with its marvelous
coastlines.
Our point of arrival is AG. KIRIKOS the capital and largest town on
the island. From here we start our tour by coach. Passing through
numerous picturesque villages we have a chance to soak up the atmosphere
of the island before we drive up the mountain to cross over to the
north coast. At the highest point the views are truly spectacular
and we make make a short photo stop at the village of MILIOPO. Our
next destination is the beautiful harbour town of EVDILOS, the islands
second largest port situated on the northern coast. Her we have a
short stop to explore (30mins), before continuing our tour. Continuing
along the north coast we pass through KAMBOS, where the ancient city
of OINOE used to be situated. Ruins of the ancient city are still
existing and we may visit the small museum with its archaeological
remains. Continuing further along the coastline with its lovely scenery
we reach the magnificent sandy beaches at ARMENISTIS. We then proceed
to the picturesque village of YIALISKARI with its small port used
for docking fishing boats. This will be our lunch?stop and we have
time to enjoy a lunch in one of the local restaurants.
In the afternoon we make our way leisurely back to AG. KIRIKOS following the same route as we took in the morning, making a short coffee stop in the village of Miliopo. Just before we arrive in AGIOS KIRIKOS we make a stop in THERMA, set next to the sea and surrounded by greenery, it has five iamic hot water springs of which three are functioning: Spilia, Apollonas and Kratsa. Our tour ends as we arrive back in AG. KIRIKOS to take the ferry back to Samos.
Mediterranean
Fish : $ 35
Our Greek Mediterranean fish is simply the best !
You will sail with our true Greek Captain : "Yannis" in
typical Greek fishing boat !caiquis to a special place in the nearby
water , where we have made arrangemnets with Poseidon to enusre that
you can catch some fish for lunch. After hopefully a successful fishing
Captain Yannis will prepare a delicious barbecue lunch ( you do nothave
to eat the fish you caught :-) enjoy the beach and relax for the rest
of the afternoon.
Private Cruise ship Shore excursions in Greece & Turkey
The cruise regular shore excursion are generally a good introduction to the city, most of the seasoned cruise travelers prefer to go sightseeing with a private guide.
The difference between ship organized and private tours is best described as "package versus tailor-made." Some people may feel all right joining a large tour group whereas sometimes it is difficult to hear the guide and the group moves only as fast as its slowest participant.
Others may not get their questions answered at all as there may be twenty other people in the group trying to do the same.
In contrast, a small tour group with tailor-made program is way more enjoyable and ensures personal attention for everyone. You will spend as much time as you want.
Therefore, if you want to maximize your limited time, the private escorted tour tailored to your unique wishes and interests is an ideal solution.
All our private shore excursions tours are carefully designed to give you the best possible experience. Our knowledgeable, friendly and qualified tour guide and driver will ensure that your visit ashore is truly memorable. When you tour with us in Turkey as part of a private shore excursion , your tour guide will get you into sites without waiting in lines that is especially valuable given the limited time you have to spend in Turkey.
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