Ruins and Palaces in the Ancient World of Turkey
2011

Turkey’s rich concentration of ancient sites presents an open-air museum of art and architecture. This land and sea tour begins in the modern capital of Ankara where an outstanding museum provides an introduction to the great civilizations that have been based in Turkey: Phrygian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Persian, and Byzantine. Travel east to the rock-cut villages of Cappadocia and the Goreme Valley, then southwest to see Seljuk architecture in Konya. Continue to the rugged coastal town of Antalya, which is as historically fascinating as it is naturally breathtaking. Embark on a traditional Turkish gulet in Fethiye and spend four days cruising along the Turquoise Coast exploring harbor towns, forested inlets and white-sand beaches in an area with several Lycian tombs and Greek amphitheatres. Visit Gemiler Island with the mysterious ruins of a Byzantine city and the small seaside town of Bozburun. Continue to Knidos, an ancient center of art and culture to see Praxiteles’ sculpture of Aphrodite, and spend a night at the seaside resort of Bodrum. Explore the ruins of the ancient city at Ephesus before flying to Istanbul where Asia and Europe are separated by the Bosphorus Strait. Tour the great monuments of Byzantine and Ottoman Turkey including Hagia Sophia, Suleymaniye Mosque, and the Blue Mosque. Topkapi Palace, residence of sultans for four centuries, contains a world class collection of great porcelains as well as a maze of courtyards that served as The Harem. Cost tba.

Istanbul, Turkey