Turquoise Coast Sailing, Ephesus Ruins and Istanbul Nightlife

Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
Pickup up at the airport and transfer to hotel. After check-in the rest of the day is yours to rest or explore Istanbul. Please note that there are two international airports in Istanbul. Istanbul Ataturk Airport is 20 km away from the city center, and Sabiha Gokcen airport is 55 km away from the city center. Transfer from Ataturk airport to your hotel is included; please let us know beforehand if you arrive at Sabiha Gokcen airport.

Day 2: Istanbul City Tour
Pick up at 8:30 am from your hotel for a tour of the incredible old Istanbul city. The first stop is the ancient St. Sophia basilica, built by Constantine the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, and one of the great architectural marvels of all time. Topkapi Palace, the great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries houses an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury and the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.

Sultan Ahmet Imperial Mosque across from St. Sophia was built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet and is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. The Hippodrome is the location of ancient chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column, and the Column of Constantine. After lunch we head to the infamous Grand Covered Bazaar. In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more than 4,000 shops with each trade having its area: the goldsmiths’ street, the carpet sellers, Turkish crafts with hand-painted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware, meerschaum pipes, etc. After the tour, transfer back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 3: Gallipoli Tour
We depart at 7:30 am for Gallipoli to visit the famous battlefields arriving around noon for lunch before the tour. The Gallipoli Campaign, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, was a campaign during World War I on the Gallipoli peninsula in the Ottoman Empire between April 25th, 1915 and January 9th, 1916. We’ll visit the Gabatepe Museum, Ariburnu Cemetery and Anzac Cove, the original battlefields where the war started. Then we walk the Beach Cemetery, Shrapnel Valley, and the Plugges Plateau. After the tour overnight in Canakkale.

Day 4: Troy Tour – Pergamon – Kusadasi
We depart in the morning for the infamous city of Troy to tour this historic archeological and mythological site, home of the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. After Troy tour we drive to the Pergamon ruins complex. After a lunch break we depart for a guided tour of the magnificent acropolis of Pergamon. Its impressive temples and library made it a renowned cultural and political center of ancient times. Pergamon is also a famous city for its jewelry, stones, and silver. Hence, en route, we stop at a renowned jewelry center for about half an hour to marvel at the myriad of spectacular geology. Arrive at Kusadasi around 6:00 pm. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 5: Kusadasi – Ephesus Tour – Turkish Village Sirince
Departure from the hotel for a guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient architectural sites in the world. You’l visit the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, the Celsus Library, Grand theatre, and House of the Virgin Mary. After lunch we visit a place that continues to perform one of the oldest arts of Turkey; a traditional carpet weaving center. Next we continue to a tour of the ancient Turkish village of Sirince, a famous wine region where we visit vineyards and learn how to make wine the Turkish way. The town has Greek Anatolian architecture with sloping white houses dating back hundreds of years. On the way we’ll visit one of the famous leather production centers of the region where you will have the benefit of a guided tour, enabling you to avoid the nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the open markets of Turkey. This allows you to enjoy the shopping experience while gaining the knowledge of ancient craftsmen. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 6: Kusadasi – Pamukkale Tour
In the morning we depart for Pamukkale. After lunch and checking into the hotel we’ll visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis. You’ll explore around this natural phenomenon and have the option of bathing in the healing waters of the natural springs. Overnight in Pamukkale.

Day 7: Pamukkale – Fethiye
Today we depart for Turkey’s Turquoise Coast in preparation for our four-day sailing cruise to Olympos. Overnight in the beautiful beach town of Fethiye which offers some of the best paragliding vistas on the planet.

Day 8: Fethiye – Butterfly Valley – Oludeniz – St. Nicholas island – Boat Cruise Departure

Departure from Fethiye harbor in the morning to Samanlik bay for swimming and lunch. Butterfly Valley (sea conditions permitting) is our next stop for a swim in this natural reserve, hosting 136 different species of butterflies and moths. Afterwards we cruise to Oludeniz, the Blue Lagoon (sea conditions permitting). Options for paragliding are available. The last stop of the day is St. Nicholas island. Visit the Byzantine ruins, swim, have dinner, and the first night.

Day 9: Aquarium/Firnaz Bay – Kas
Around sunrise depart to Aquarium or Firnaz bay near Kalkan for breakfast and swimming. Next we cruise to Kas, where we stop in the harbor for lunch and to walk around this charming fishing village. Of ancient Antiphellos, as Kas was once known, only Lycian rock tombs, sarcophagi and the Roman theatre are left. But the charm of the town still remains! Finally, in a bay near Kekova, we stop for swimming, dinner, and the second night.

Day 10: Sunken City Kekova – Simena – Gokkaya
Departure to the Sunken City of Kekova (this Lycian – Roman archaeological site is protected, so only looking). Simena is a traditional Turkish fishing village with no car access and a Byzantine/Ottoman castle. In Gokkaya Bay, multiple water sports are available. After dinner relax in this pirates haven, or party the night away at the Smugglers Inn.

Day 11: Gokkaya – Pirates Cave – Andriake – Myra – Olympos

After breakfast, we look at Pirates Cave before cruising to Andriace harbor (lunch). Bus transfer to the archaeological site of Myra and to Demre for the St. Nicholas Church where shopping and banking are available. Afterwards we transfer to spend the night in the unique treehouses of Olympos.

Day 12: Olympos – Atalya – Istanbul

Pickup from Olympos hotel for transfer to Atalya airport for flight to Istanbul for onward journey.

FETHIYE – OLYMPOS cruise includes:

• Breakfasts, lunches – afternoon teas, coffee, and cookies – dinners
• All charter and berth taxes, harbor and port procedures
• Transit log and related formalities
• Mooring expenses
• Crew service
• A water supply for the yacht
• Diesel and Gasoline
• Bed linen
• Use of equipment on board
• Yacht insurance