Honeymoon in Anatolia (8 Days)

Eight day stay in Turkey and Anatolia

Arrive any day, year round to: Istanbul City of the Sultans and more
Tour: Istanbul. Bodrum, Marmaris, Ephesus, Izmir – Pergamum
Asclepion – Selcuk and more

If you have only a short time, this is the perfect getaway. Your eight days are filled with exotic sights, sounds, scenes and scents. We’ll even provide you with the Lonely Planet guide to Turkey so that you can explore on your own, as you like, in your free time! Private Transfers. Private Guide. Private air conditioned Vehicle. Compare with the Mykonos and Santorini Version and extended stay in Bodrum.

Arrive ANY DAY! This is the perfect add on to your Crystal Cruises, Oceanic Cruise, Princess Cruise or other Mediterranean cruise. Extensions are available to Cappadocia. Combine with Greece.

Day 1 – Istanbul
Arrive at Istanbul Airport. Our driver meets you at the exit gate of Istanbul Airport and transfers you to your hotel. Rest of the day on your own. Overnight at Blue House or Arena boutique Hotel in Istanbul. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 2 – (B, L) – Istanbul
We first stroll to the great square which was once the Byzantine Hippodrome. Now it is a great park-like area surrounded by the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, and the Underground Cistern, commonly called the Basilica Cistern. After lunch at a local restaurant, retracing our steps we walk to the Topkapi Palace. More than a palace, it is an assemblage of museums, containing the collections amassed by the Sultans over almost five centuries. After Topkapi Palace, we finish the day with Grand Bazaar visit, world’s largest covered market. Shops selling the same kind of merchandise congregate in the same area and there are 18 entrances and more than 4000 shops in the entire complex. Overnight at Blue House Hotel in Istanbul. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Smooth Tricks of a Turkish Ice Cream Parlor. Video by Tom Henry.

Day 3 – (B, L) – Istanbul
We start our second day in Istanbul with a walk to the Rustem Pasha Mosque, then we visit the Dolmabahçe Palace; overlooking the Bosphorus, it is definitely incomparable with 14 tons of pure gold used for its interior decoration, its priceless paintings, furniture, a rich collection of Bohemian crystal in addition to its famous Harem section. Right after Dolmabahçe Palace, we have lunch at a local restaurant and get on board and take a leisurely Bosphorus Cruise from Eminonu, to the still unspoiled village of Sariyer. We end the day with a visit to Chora Church, with its 14th century mosaics and frescoes of almost supernatural beauty. The most important features of the church are the frescoes and mosaics demonstrating the finest Byzantine art forms and parallel, in time, developments in Italian renaissance art. Overnight at Blue House Hotel in Istanbul. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 4 – (B, L) – Izmir – Pergamum – Asclepion – Selcuk
Our driver meets you at the hotel and transfers you to Istanbul Airport for the morning flight to Izmir. On arrival to Izmir Airport, our guide and driver meets you and starts the tour. We drive to Pergamum. Arrival to Bergama, we drive to Acropolis. The Temple of Dionysus and The Altar of Zeus covered with magnificent friezes depicting the battle between the Olympian gods and their subterranean foes but most of these famous buildings removed to Berlin by the 19th century German excavators. Then we head on to Asclepion where was neither the first nor the only medical & psychological treatment center. After we have lunch at a local restaurant, visit the cathedral sized Red Basilica. St john the Divine wrote that Red Basilica was one of the seven churches of the Apocalypse, singling it out as the throne of the devil. Overnight at Kalehan Hotel in Selcuk. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 5 – (B, L) – Ephesus
Today we first drive to the Virgin Mary’s House; after that we visit Ephesus which was founded in the eleventh century BC by the Ionians. Strolling through the streets of Ephesus, we will witness the perfection of the Greco-Roman Art. Later in the afternoon we will visit St John’s Basilica, believed to be the tomb of the Apostle John, Christ’s beloved disciple. From the basilica, we will be able to look down on the remains of the temple of Artemis. We end the day with our visit to the Isa Bey Mosque. Overnight at Kalehan Hotel in Selcuk. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 6 – (B, L, D) – Priene – Didyma – Bodrum
After breakfast, we drive first to Prienne, formerly a leading member of the Panionic League. As we drive further South, we visit Miletus and then arrive at Didyma, where we have lunch at a local restaurant, circumstances permitting, across the road from the temple. As the historian Pausanias wrote, “The sanctuary of Apollo at Didymoi, and the oracle there are more ancient than the Ionian settlement”. After this we transfer you to your hotel in Bodrum. Dinner and overnight at L’ ambiance Resort in Bodrum. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 7 – (B) – Marmaris
After a late breakfast and checking out from the hotel, our driver meets you at the hotel and transfers you to your hotel in Marmaris. Rest of the day on your own in Marmaris. Overnight at Candan Hotel in Marmaris or similar. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Day 8 – (B) – Marmaris – Departure
After breakfast transfer to the airport, or port to take the morning ferry to Rhodes. Combine with Greece. Private air-conditioned vehicle, private chauffeur at all times for all your transfers and touring in Turkey.

Rate Includes:

• Domestic flight tickets within Turkey, tax included – economy class
• Hotel accommodation at the mentioned hotels or similar
• Air conditioned minivan with driver for all the tours and transfers
• Professional upscale guiding
• Breakfast (B), Lunches (L) and Dinners (D) as indicated in the itinerary
• All admission fees to the museums and sights as per itinerary
• For guests going on to Rhodes, we are happy to assist with the purchase/booking of the ferry tickets to Rhodes.
• Local Taxes

Rate doesn’t include:

• International air fare.
• Visa Fee: (procure yours online in advance of travel at www.evisa.gov.tr/en/)
• Trip/travel insurance
• Tips

Suggested Hotel or similar:

• Istanbul: Blue House Hotel
• Selcuk: Kismet Hotel
• Bodrum: L’ ambiance Resort
• Marmaris: Candan Hotel

VEHICLE:
A Mercedes or Volkswagen minivan with large windows instead of a car for the tours and transfers. Minivans are always more comfortable.

GUIDING:
Two local guides; one for Istanbul part and one for Ephesus area. We always use experienced guides with huge knowledge about their subjects and very good English.

FOOD:
We try to use the best restaurants available in each area. Dinners are generally not included, to allow you the opportunity to go out and enjoy a nice restaurant on your own. Local guides may recommend you some good options for dinners.