Turkey and the Turquoise Coast
A land fashioned from a sultan's dream, immortalized in myth, and ennobled by antiquity, Turkey is at the crossroads of civilization, where Europe meets Asia and past meets present to form "the cradle of civilization." Begin in Istanbul, Turkey's cultural and spiritual heart, and explore ancient sites from Troy and Pergamum to Ephesus and Perge. Visit a carpet factory and the WWI battlefield of Gallipoli. Board a privately chartered gulet yacht for a five-day cruise along the exquisite Turquoise Coast, swimming in crystal clear waters that afford views into the depths and exploring quaint fishing villages, striking Roman ruins, a Greek ghost town, and a 6th-century Byzantine monastery. An optional five-day/four-night post-tour extension explores the remarkable rock formations of Cappadocia and visits Ankara, Turkey's capital.
Itinerary
Day 1: Depart your gateway city for Istanbul, Turkey.
Day 2: Upon your arrival, you will have time to unpack and have a short rest before joining your tour director for an informative briefing about the journey ahead. Then take a short walking tour of the Taksim Square area (the heart of modern Istanbul near your hotel) and continue on to a local restaurant for your first taste of traditional Turkish cuisine at the welcome dinner.
Day 3: Tour Old Istanbul, home of splendid mosques and magnificent palaces, including the marvelous Blue Mosque, which houses one of the world's great collections of blue Isnik tiles; the ancient Hippodrome; the Sunken Palace, an underground cistern that is part of an ancient Byzantine network of waterways; and the Islamic Art Museum. Lunch on your own before touring famed Hagia Sophia, then visit the huge Grand Bazaar, a converted medieval shopping center.
Day 4: Tour the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent, then head to Topkapi Palace, former home of Turkey's sultans, and dine at a traditional Turkish restaurant that boasts magnificent views. Explore the vast palace with its magnificent artifacts. For the remainder of the day you are at leisure to visit the fascinating Archeological Museum or take a stroll down Istaklal Street, a pedestrian walkway and the crossroads of old and new Turkey. Tonight you have your choice of many excellent restaurants for dinner on your own.
Day 5: Travel to the Northern Aegean coast and the battlefields of Gallipoli, where in 1915 Allied troops faced the Turkish army. Then cross the Straits of the Dardenelles to Troy, where excavations have revealed the remnants of at least nine civilizations dating back 5,000 years. After an exploration of the ruins and relics, continue on to Behramkale, ancient Assos.
Day 6: Depart for Pergamum, once one of the richest small kingdoms in Asia Minor. Visit the magnificent Acropolis, which contains the ruins of Pergamum's acclaimed 200,000-volume library. Below the theater lie the ruins of the Temple of Dionysus and the Altar of Zeus. After enjoying lunch in a typical Turkish kebab restaurant, continue on to Asclepieum, built in the 4th century BC in the name of the god of healing.
Day 7: Visit Ephesus, perhaps the world's best-preserved ancient city. A full day of touring includes the 24,000-person amphitheater; the Sacred Way, where an ingenious water and sewer system was constructed beneath paving stones of marble; the Corinthian-style Temple of Hadrian; and the Library of Celsus. After lunch at the home of a local host in the beautiful village of Sirince, visit the Ephesus Museum and the House of the Virgin Mary.
Day 8: Continue south, stopping along the way to see a demonstration of the ancient art of carpet weaving at a local factory. Lunch in a local village and visit the Camlik Steam Train Museum, then continue on to Marmaris, a coastal center of commerce. Board a gulet, a replica of a traditional Turkish fishing boat, to cruise the waters of the Turquoise Coast. Enjoy your first dinner on board, prepared by the ship's crew with fresh local ingredients. Tonight you may wish to join others sleeping on deck under the stars.
Day 9: For the next five days sail the coastline that Mark Antony is said to have given Cleopatra as a wedding gift. The swimming is glorious, in crystal clear waters that afford views into the depths. With the scent of eucalyptus perfuming the air and forested mountains as a backdrop, travel to the mouth of the Dalyan River and board a small riverboat for a trip through a maze of channels surrounded by bamboo and cattails. Keep your eyes open for the Lycian rock tombs skillfully carved into the mountains centuries ago.
Day 10: Cruise to the hidden cove of Aga Limani, where an optional hike of approximately three hours along an herb-scented trail leads to Lydea, a little-known Greco-Roman site. The hike concludes at the Sunken Baths of Cleopatra. If you prefer a less strenuous day, stay on board the gulet as it sails to the Sunken Baths to meet up with the hikers.
Day 11: After breakfast set sail in the stunning, calm Gulf of Fethiye, surrounded by the pine-covered lower slopes of the Taurus Mountains. Spend the day in Bedri Rahmi Cove exploring the islands dotted with Lycian rock tombs, swimming, and relaxing.
Day 12: Sail to Gemiler Island and tour a 6th-century Byzantine monastery. After lunch, drive to the Greek "ghost" town of Kayakoy and explore its two churches.
Day 13: Sail to Fethiye and bid farewell to your gulet crew, then board a motorcoach for the long drive to Antalya. Along the way, stop in Demre, where the legend of Father Christmas ("Noel Baba," in Turkish) is said to have originated, and tour the ancient site of Myra. After lunch, continue on to Antalya along the beautiful Turquoise Coast.
Day 14: Take a walking orientation tour of Antalya, then board a coach for the ride to Antalya's Archaeological Museum, with its statues of the gods. Lunch will include a Turkish cooking lesson. The remainder of the day is at leisure; you may wish to indulge in an authentic Turkish bath!
Day 15: Set off for a tour of the once-thriving Roman city of Perge with its outstanding ruins of an ancient shopping arcade, a 12,000-seat stadium, and a 15,000-seat theater. Then move on to Aspendos, whose huge theater is considered one of the best preserved in all of antiquity. Return to Antalya in time for lunch on your own and an afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner at the hotel.
Day 16: Transfer to the airport for the one-hour flight to Istanbul, where you will connect with your transatlantic return flight to your gateway city.
Faculty Host:
Henry Rutz, Professor of Anthropology, has been a member of the Hamilton College faculty for thirty years. He was a Fellow of the National Humanities Institute at the University of Chicago in 1978-79 and William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor at Hamilton from 1989-1993. In 1991-92, Rutz accepted a Fulbright Senior Lecturer grant to teach at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey's most prestigious university. With support from the National Science Foundation and the Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research, Rutz studied the impact of economic globalization on the Istanbul middle class. A forthcoming book is tentatively titled Reproducing Class: The Cultural Economy of Istanbul Families. Having lived in Istanbul for several years, Henry is familiar with the western coast of Turkey and many of the sites to be visited on our journey. He is looking forward to his first boat cruise along the southern coast, the area ancient Greeks called Lycia, and to getting to know his fellow travelers.
Price starts at $3,395 including air.
Please
contact the Alumni Office if you're
interested, 207-786-8344 or
lgailey@bates.edu!
