
Day 1: Arrive in Istanbul
Pickup up at the airport and transfer to your hotel. You will be given your room key, and the rest of the day is yours to 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, housing an exquisite collection of crystal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, 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 will then take you to the 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 arts and crafts, such as handpainted 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 25 April 1915 and 9 January 1916. First, we visit the Gabatepe Museum, Ariburnu Cemetery, and Anzac Cove, the original battlefields where the war had started. Then we walk the Beach Cemetery, Shrapnel Valley, and the Plugges Plateau. After the tour, drive to your hotel. Overnight in Canakkale.


Day 4: Troy Tour - Pergamon - Kusadasi
We depart at 8:30 and on the road for about 30 minutes before arriving at the infamous city of Troy. First, visit Troy's famous archeological and mythological site, home of the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy. After Troy tour, approximately 3-hour drive to the Pergamon ruins complex. Lunch break around 1:00 and afterward 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. In addition, Pergamon is 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 fully guided tour of Ephesus, one of the best-preserved ancient sites globally, visiting the Temple of Artemis, Curetes street, famous Roman baths, Celsus Library, Grand theatre, and House of the Virgin Mary. After lunch, we will 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 fruit wine the Turkish way. The town has Greek Anatolian architecture with sloping white houses dating back hundreds of years. On the way, we will visit one of the famous leather production centers of the region, where you will have the opportunity to get a reasonable factory rate on a guided tour, avoiding the nagging and sometimes bullying that is well known in the open markets of Turkey enabling you to enjoy the shopping experience while gaining the knowledge of the ancient craftsmen. Overnight in Kusadasi.


Day 6: Kusadasi - Pamukkale Tour
At 8:30, we depart for Pamukkale. We will check in at the hotel around noon. After lunch, we'll visit the calcium terraces of Pamukkale (cotton castle) and the ruins of Hierapolis, then walk 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 between 11 and 12 am. to Samanlik bay for swimming and lunch. Butterfly Valley (sea conditions permitting) is our next stop for a swim and visiting this natural reserve, hosting 136 different butterflies and moths. Afterward, we cruise to Oludeniz, the Blue Lagoon, again sea conditions permitting. Option for paragliding 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, departure to Aquarium or Firnaz bay near Kalkan for breakfast and swimming. Next, we are cruising to Kas, where we stop in the harbor for lunch and visit 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 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 Byzantine/Ottoman castle. In Gokkaya Bay, watersports are available. 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 the Pirates Cave before cruising to Andriace harbor (lunch). Bus transfer to the archaeological site of Myra and to Demre for the St. Nicholas Church, shopping and banking when requested. Bus transfer to all treehouses in Olympos where we arrive between 4 and 6 pm. Overnight in 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