Welcome to Enchanting Journeys

Turkey is a land of vast open spaces, massive mountain ranges, fertile valleys & rugged coastline with unfrequented beaches, fast - growing cities & sleepy villages and bustling neon-lit seaside resorts.

Turkey occupies a unique geographic position, lying partly in Asia & partly in Europe. Throughout its history, it has acted as both a barrier & a bridge between the 2 continents. Among the larger countries of the region in terms of territory & population with a land area greater than that of any European state, it is situated at the crossroads of the Balkans, Caucasus, Middle East & eastern Mediterranean.

Arrive in iconic Istanbul, the largest Turkish city & a major seaport that connects the east with the west.

After you exit in the Arrival Hall at Terminal? -  Istanbul Kemal Ataturk International Airport, subsequent to Immigration & Customs, you will be welcomed by The Journeys representative (holding a placard with your Name) who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to the hotel. He / she will provide assistance during Check-in & also discuss the program for the next few days & provide you with some useful tips for exploring the area on your own

If, for any reason you are unable to make contact with our representative within 30 minutes after you exit in the Arrivals Hall, please call the local Emergency telephone # listed on your Contact List. Please follow the advice given by our 24 / 7 Duty Officer.  Please do not exit the Airport & make your own way to the hotel.

Reach the hotel & Check-in & relax.

*Check-in time is 02.00 pm. For earlier arrivals in the morning, we will request the hotel for a complimentary early Check-in but cannot be guaranteed unless reserved & paid for ‘immediate occupancy’.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps try one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements). 

Living History | Art & Architecture | Culinary Heritage

The city of Istanbul has been known by a number of different names associated with different phases of its checkered history & respective languages. The most notable documented names besides the current Turkish name are Byzantium, Constantinople & Stamboul.

Istanbul‘s strategic location has attracted many marauding armies over the centuries. The Greeks, Romans & Venetians took turns ruling before the Ottomans stormed into town & decided to stay - physical reminders of their various tenures are found across the city. The fact that the city straddles two continents wasn't its only drawcard - it was the final stage on the legendary Silk Road linking Asia with Europe & many merchants who came here liked it so much that they, too, decided to stay. In so doing, they gave the city a cultural diversity that it retains to this day.

Capital of 3 empires, Istanbul is an old city, you can see the remains of many ancient civilizations & their culture in harmony with Turkish culture. The old versus the new, the traditional versus the modern is a conflict a visitor often observes. The city is full of contrasts & colorful views. Where the blowing winds from the 7 peaks of Anatolian Olympos on Asia & Europe merge into each other, where Amazon's cooled their bodies in the waves that break apart from the Black Sea & roll mightily against the shore, where love is symbolized in the Tower of Leandros, where stand the rocks of Symplegad that brought nightmares to the Argonauts. Where romance & traffic jam go hand in hand. Lively & exciting, a world metropolis - that is Istanbul.

The conquering armies of ancient times tended to ransack the city rather than endow it with artistic treasures, but all that changed with the Byzantines, who adorned their churches & palaces with mosaics & frescoes. Miraculously, many of these remain. Their successors, the Ottomans, were quick to launch an ambitious building program & the magnificently decorated imperial mosques that resulted are architectural triumphs that together form one of the world's great skylines. In recent years, local banks & business dynasties have reprised the Ottomans' grand ambitions & endowed an impressive array of galleries, museums & festivals for all to enjoy.

Istanbul is hot. And we are not talking about the weather. The city’s over-abundance of important historic buildings & exciting new art galleries & museums provides visitors with more than enough to see during the day, but it is at night that the place swings into high-velocity, mega-stylish action.

These days, locals are flocking to see & be seen at an ever-growing array – more than there are exquisite Ottoman mosques (& that is a lot) - of happening bars, clubs, restaurants, galleries around town, bringing with them an infectious sense of joie de vivre & a discerning ability to judge these places on their standard of service, drinks, music & food as well as their position in the what’s-hot & what’s-not stakes.

The international fashion & design press have been talking up İstanbul ad nauseam, but the most significant thing about the accolade ‘World’s Hippest City’ is that İstanbullus themselves have come believe it. The creeping sense of decrepitude that had fallen like a pall over their once-all-powerful home town has vanished, replaced by a sense of energy & innovation not seen since the days of Sueyman the Magnificent.

'But, what about the food?' we hear you say. The city's cuisine is as diverse as its heritage & delicious to boot. Bon vivants need look no further than Istanbul, where the markets are among the most stylish & atmospheric and the mod Ottoman cuisine rates as the tastiest, in the world.

Locals take their eating & drinking seriously - the restaurants here are the best in the country. For the sociable & family-orientated Turks, getting together & eating well is a time - honoured ritual.  The best thing about sampling Turkey's delicious specialties - ranging from meze on a Mediterranean harbour to a pension breakfast featuring products from the kitchen garden - is they take you to the heart of Turkish culture.

You can eat aromatic Asian dishes or Italian classics if you so choose, but most visitors prefer to sample the succulent Anatolian kebabs, flavorsome mezes & freshly caught fish that are the city's signature dishes, washing them down with the national drink, rakı (aniseed brandy), or a glass or 2 of locally produced wine. Get stuck into olive oil - lathered Aegean vegetables, spicy & dishes from Turkey's many other corners - and as you drink a tulip-shaped glass of çay & contemplate some baklava for dessert, remember that eating is deepening your understanding of Turkey.

The city’s over-abundance of important historic buildings and exciting new art galleries & museums provides visitors with more than enough to see during the day, but it’s at night that the place swings into high-velocity, mega-stylish action.

That is not to say that the locals are turning their backs on much-loved city institutions such as the rakı-soaked meyhane (tavern) or tranquil çay bahçesi (tea garden), because they wouldn’t dream of doing anything so foolish. They know, after all, that such institutions are one of the reasons that their home is - & always has been - rightfully dubbed the ‘City of the World’s Desire’.

Overnight.   

Morning, you will meet the Tour-guide in the Lobby at 09:00 am & embark on a 6 hour sightseeing tour of Istanbul.

You will visit the the main historical sites which illustrate the art & culture of the Ottoman Empire, Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire. Ancient ruins, Museums, Mosques, bazaars & Turkish baths of Istanbul could keep you happily occupied - an eyeful of breathtaking architecture here, a good-natured haggle over a carpet there.

First, head over the Hippodrome to the Sultan Ahmet Mosque internationally known as the Blue Mosque (also known as Sultan Ahmet Mosque), the culmination of two centuries of both Ottoman mosque & Byzantine church development and observe Ottoman architecture at its finest. Turn 360 degrees to see six imposing spires and 260 luminescent windows that scatter brilliant sunlight over the mosque’s 20,000 Iznik tiles.

Continue to Hagia Sophia & learn how this civil engineering wonder was once the largest church in the world, then a mosque, and now the Saint Sophia Museum. Enjoy perusing through this enormous dome structure admiring the beautiful Byzantine mosaics which depict the Virgin Mother, Jesus, saints, Byzantine emperors & empresses and biblical scenes.

Next, delve under the famous peninsula of Sarayburnu into the largest ancient cistern in Istanbul, Basilica Cistern (Yerebatan Sarayı). Located a mere 500 feet (150m) southwest of the Hagia Sophia, Experience its sheer size & learn how it was built under the rule of Byzantine Emperor Justinian I in the 6^th century & is the largest cistern in a city of hundreds.

Rise above ground and take a short walk to Topkapi Palace, the oldest & largest palace on the planet, with its ornate rooms & stories about the treasure held within its walls. It was the official & primary residence in the city of the Ottoman sultans for approximately 400 years. The Palace is also home for the most holy relics of the Muslim world such as the Prophet Mohammed’s cloak & sword. Stroll around its buildings to a spectacular vantage point of the Golden Horn & learn why it is considered the crown jewel of the Ottoman Empire. Visit Rustem Pasha Mosque, which is famous for its large quantities of exquisite Iznik tiles.

Continue onward to the center of Constantinople’s sporting & political heart at the Hippodrome. Go back in time 500 years when the Ottoman empire was in power and imagine a place ruled by games & riots. The Hippodrome is full of monuments & the most well-known is the ancient Egyptian granite Serpent Column, Obelisk of Theodosius & hear how it was transported in 390 AD to Constantinople by Emperor Theodosius. Also notable are the Walled Obelisk & German Fountain. Nowadays, this civic park carries on the Ottoman tradition in its name only known as the Horse Grounds (At Meydanı).

Finally, enjoy the hustle and bustle of the famous Grand Bazaar. Discover the world’s largest canopied market as you stroll along peering into shops known for jewelry, hand-painted ceramics, carpets, leather, embroideries, pottery, spices & antique shops. With more than 4,000 shops on 58 streets (city blocks), you will be astounded that this market has been operating since the 14^th century.

Depending on the time, you can also visit a carpet shop / factory & learn how carpets are made by hand.

Return to the hotel by afternoon & Check-out.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps try one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements). 

Early morning, Check-out & depart Gallipoli Battlefields, one of the most emotionally touching places in Turkey,

The National Historical Park of the Gallipoli peninsula with its ruins of the land and sea combats during WWI, and its impressive war memorials and monuments is inscribed on the list of National Parks and Protected Areas of the United Nations. The historic Gallipoli peninsula is an epic place and a must-see sight that is worth the visit.

The World War I battle for control of the Dardanelles (Hellespont) strait was fought mainly on Turkey's Gallipoli peninsula, with appalling casualties. Around 100,000 were killed and 400,000 wounded during the nine-month campaign (1915 - 1916). The battlefields cover an extensive area from Cape Helles at the southern tip of the peninsula north for over 35 km to the Anafartalar hills.

Visit the Lone Pine Australian Memorial and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial, ANZAC Cove, Brighton Beach, Beach Cemetery, Ari Burnu Cemetery, Johnston's Jolly (where you will visit original Allied and Turkish trenches and tunnels), 57^th Regiment Turkish Memorial and The Nek.

Continue on to Canakkale.

This sprawling harbour town is the busiest in the Gallipoli region & is easily the most frequented stopover for individuals visiting the battlefields & memorial sites. The city was called Hellespont & Dardanelles in the ancient times, took the name Çanakkale after a major war during the last phase of the Ottoman Empire. Having been the scene of great wars & victories, the city has witnessed different phases of history & is now harboring the landmarks of these historic times.  It is the most important center of the civilizations of Troy & Assos but most importantly, the symbol of independence.

It is also a good place to hang around in its own right, with a rare concentration of nightlife in its centre, and a sweeping waterfront drag that heaves with activity throughout the summer months.

On arrival, Check-in at the hotel. .

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps opt for one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Early morning, Check-out & depart for Kusadasi.

Enroute stop at Troy & Pergamum.

Step back in time as we visit Troy, home of the famed Trojan Horse

While not the most dramatic of Turkey's ancient sites, Troy is testament to the importance of myth to the human experience.

Troy was a city in the far northwest of the region known as Asia Minor, now known as Anatolia in modern Turkey. Situated on Hisarlık Hill on the northwestern tip of Troad Peninsula, the site allows total control of Dardanelles, which, along with the Sea of Marmara & the Bosphorus, is today known as the Turkish Straits. In many periods of history, this was a key route connecting Mediterranean with the Black Sea, as well as being where European & Asian landmasses are almost just a stone's throw away from each other.

The UNESCO World Heritage listed Troy, an archaeological site popular with travellers from all over the world, was made famous in Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, which depicts that this is where the legendary Trojan War took place.

The abduction of Queen Helen of Sparta by Paris, a Trojan prince, sparked emnity between the Trojans & Achaeans from across the Aegean Sea, or so goes the story. Having been unable to break into the defensive walls of the city for nine years, Achaeans decided to set up a trick - they offered a huge wooden horse as a gift to Trojans, as an amend for the bother they caused with their war galleys on the city's beach. Trojans accepted the offer sincerely, but this resulted in them losing their city, as inside of the horse was full of Achaean soldiers, ready to combat & now right in the centre of their city.

Researchers still debate not only whether there was a Trojan War but also what it would mean to claim that there was a Trojan War. However, it is settled beyond a doubt that the site on Hisarlık Hill was the city which was regarded as the site of a Trojan War in later time (for instance, numerous coins turn up in the topsoil at the site identifying it as such.).

Hisarlık Hill has hosted major human settlements almost continuously since 3000 BC. The earliest city on the site was a small Neolithic settlement of which little remains. A successor to this settlement, now referred to Troy II, was also of modest size but built monumental buildings & amassed such astonishing treasure that early archaeologists initially associated it with a much later period. More famous, however, are the Late Bronze Age Troy VI and Troy VII archaeological layers, likely corresponding to the city known to the Hittites as Wilusa and possibly corresponding to the city known in later legends as Troy.

Depart for the magnificent acropolis of Pergamum - the capital of the Kingdom of Pergamum during the Hellenistic period & one of the Seven Churches addressed in Revelation. Its impressive temples and library made Pergamum a renowned cultural and political centre in its time. You will visit Asclepion, Temple of Serapis, Library of Pergamum, Theatre & some other ruins.

Continue on to Kusadasi.

Situated on the west coast of Turkey, Kusadasi is reputed to be one of the most attractive city of the Aegean & it is close to the important historical sites. This pretty beach resort town attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world with its many sandy beaches, 300 sunny days in a year, sparkling glassy water of blue Aegean, famous night life, countless fish & kebab restaurants, rich shopping facilities, historic sites around etc

It is also a major cruise ship destination and its seafront promenade, marina & harbor are lined with hotels & restaurants. Just offshore on Pigeon Island is a walled Byzantine castle that once guarded the town, connected to the mainland via causeway. Lacking the sights & ambience of Bodrum and the mix of Marmaris, Kuşadası remains a runner-up on the Aegean party scene, but the Irish pubs, discos & multilingual touts certainly create a memorably ribald atmosphere.

Check-in on arrival.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps try one of the options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Meet the Tour-guide at 09:00 am in hotel lobby & embark for a 6 hour tour of Ephesus.

Of Turkey's hundreds of ancient cities & classical ruins, Ephesus is the grandest & best preserved. Indeed, it is the best place on the Mediterranean to get a feel for what life was like in ancient times. Ancient Ephesus was a great trading city & a centre for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess.

The Greco-Roman world truly comes alive at Ephesus. After more than a century & a half of excavation, the city's recovered & renovated structures have made Ephesus Europe's most complete classical metropolis - & that is with 80% of the city yet to be unearthed!

As capital of Roman Asia Minor, Ephesus was a vibrant city of over 250,000 inhabitants, the fourth largest in the empire after Rome, Alexandria and Antioch. Adding in traders, sailors & pilgrims to the Temple of Artemis, these numbers were even higher, meaning that in Ephesus one could encounter the full diversity of the Mediterranean world & its peoples. So important & wealthy was Ephesus that its Temple of Artemis, on the western edge of present-day Selçuk, was the biggest on earth & one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Under the influence of the Ionians, Cybele became Artemis, the virgin goddess of the hunt & the moon & a fabulous temple was built in her honour. When the Romans took over, Artemis became Diana & Ephesus became the Roman provincial capital, the fourth largest city in the empire after Rome, Alexandria & Antioch.

In 356 BC the Temple of Cybele / Artemis was destroyed in a fire set by a lunatic called Herostratus, who claimed to have done it to get his 15 minutes of fame, proving that modern society has no monopoly on a perverted sense of celebrity. The Ephesians set to work building a grand new temple which, when finished, was recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

Ephesus was an important center for early Christianity from the AD 50s. From AD 52-54, Paul lived here & Ephesus contains the largest collection of Roman ruins in the eastern Mediterranean. Only an estimated 15% has been excavated.

You will see the Artemis Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, Library of Celcus, Basilica of St. John or Ephesus Museum, the Odeon, the Temple of Hadrian, the Temple of Domitian, the Theater - believed to be the largest outdoor theater in the ancient world & the Tomb / Fountain of Pollio & some other ruins. (Hillside Houses are excluded; entrance requires additional admission fee to be paid directly).

After the Ephesus tour, visit House of the Virgin Mary, a short distance away.

The House of the Virgin Mary is a Catholic & Muslim shrine located on Mt. Koressos in the vicinity of Ephesus. It was discovered in the 19^th century by following the descriptions in the reported visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich (1774 - 1824), a Roman Catholic nun & visionary, which were published as a book by Clemens Brentano after her death.

While the Catholic Church has never pronounced in favour or against the authenticity of the house, it nevertheless has maintained a steady flow of pilgrimage since its discovery. Anne Catherine Emmerich was Beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 2004. The shrine has merited several papal Apostolic Blessings & visits from several popes, the earliest pilgrimage coming from Pope Leo XIII in 1896 & the most recent in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI.

Catholic pilgrims visit the house based on the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken to this stone house by Saint John & lived there for the remainder of her earthly life.

The shrine itself is not extensively large, but may rather be described as a modest chapel. The preserved stones & construction date back into the Apostolic Age, as consistent with other preserved buildings from that time, but with minor additions such as garden landscapes & devotional additions outside the shrine.

Upon entrance to the chapel, a pilgrim is met by one single large room where an altar along with a large statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary is prominently displayed in the center. On the right side, a smaller room lies - traditionally associated with the actual room where the Virgin Mary is believed to have slept. Marian tradition holds that some form of running water used to flow like a canal in the smaller room where the Virgin Mary slept & rested, leading to the present drinking fountain outside the building structure.

Outside the shrine is a particular "wishing wall" which pilgrims have used by tying their personal intentions on paper or fabric. Various types of florals & fruits are grown nearby, and additional lighting has been installed within the vicinity of the shrine for further monitoring of the site. A water fountain or well is also located nearby, believed by some pilgrims to have miraculous powers of healing or fertility.

Come back to the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure. 

Morning, Check-out & and enjoy a display of locally handcrafted leather goods before heading to Pamukkale Terraces (aka Cotton Castle) - the magnificent white calcium terraces made of travertine, a sedimentary rock deposited by water from the hot springs.

UNESCO World Heritage site listed Pamukkale is a village in western Turkey made eternally famous for the warm mineral-rich thermal waters flowing down white calcite travertine terraces on a nearby hillside, above the village - the so-called ‘Cotton Castle' (pamuk means 'cotton' in Turkish). Measures to protect the glistening bluffs have put paid to the days of freely traipsing around, but walking down the travertines remains one of Turkey’s singular experiences. While the photogenic travertines get busloads of day-trippers passing through for a quick soak & photo op, staying overnight allows you to visit the site at sunset & dodge some of the crowds.

On arrival, Check-in at the hotel.

Later, meet the Tour-guide & proceed to see the area.

First stop of course, will be at the Cotton Castle - the unique, Pamukkale Terraces. You can spend a pleasant day at Pamukkale, taking a dip, amongst ancient columns, in the hot sulphur springs that were used in Roman times for their therapeutic powers & exploring Hierapolis.

Just above the travertines lies Hierapolis, an ancient Roman spa city founded as a curative centre around the 2^nd century BC by Eumenes II of Pergamum, it prospered under both the Romans & Byzantines, when large Jewish & Orthodox Christian communities comprised most of the population.

While it is tempting to wallow in the travertines, which remain one of Turkey’s singular experiences, even with restricted bathing, Hierapolis, has considerable ruins & a Museum.

You will tour the exhibits in the Archeological Museum & see the well-preserved ruins of the Temple of Apollo, the Theatre, Plutonium, Nymphaeum, Martyrium a Necropolis with sarcophagi that stretch for 2 km - one of the biggest ancient graveyards. The Antique Pool is famous for its submerged fluted marble Roman columns, the result of an earthquake.

Balance of the day is at leisure for independent exploration or relaxing.

Early morning, head back to Istanbul, passing through rural Turkey & ancient Bursa where you will visit the famous Green Mosque and explore the Silk Bazaar.

Bursa - the first capital of the Ottoman Empire with a history dating back to 4000BC at the heart of the silk and spice trade and Turkey's fourth largest and advanced city. It has been the capital of many civilizations and religions for centuries and its skyline is comprised of historical landmarks varying from mosques to madrasas and from churches to baths. Home to many Islamic, Christian & Jewish monuments Bursa has also been the site of numerous council meetings which are of great importance to Christians. Located within, Iznik is the most important of the eight Christian pilgrimage sites located in Turkey. 

One of the most important contributions of Bursa to the history of Turkish culture is the Karagoz &  Hacivat shadow theater. Shadow Theater has reached the land of Bursa in the 17^th century and has become an important cornerstone of Turkish culture since then.

Continue on to Istanbul.

Arrive by late afternoon & Check-in at the hotel.

Balance of the day is at leisure or perhaps try one of the many options available (we will be happy to offer suggestions & make arrangements).

Alas, like all good things, the wonderful experience comes to an end. Time to say good-bye to this enchanting city & go home.

Check-out of the hotel by 11:00 am (if the departure time is later in the evening, we will request the hotel to allow the use of the hotel facilities & leave the luggage at the Bell Desk if you have the time to walk out). 

Experiencing the legacy of the Romans, Byzantines & Ottomans takes you from the closeted quarters of the Sultan & his harem in İstanbul's sprawling Topkapı Palace to the wider horizons. This is the land where Alexander the Great slashed the Gordion Knot, where Achilles battled the Trojans in Homer’s Iliad & where the Ottoman Empire fought battles that would shape the world. History buffs can immerse themselves in marvels & mementos stretching back to the dawn of civilisation.

And, we are sure that will entice you come back & discover a bit more of this ‘old’ new ultra-modern country which goes back centuries. Republic of Turkey will be waiting to host you again….

“Travel is like knowledge. The more you see the more you know you have not seen” - Mark Hertsgaard

In time, you will be met by a Journeys Rep, who will ensure your comfort & transfer you to Terminal? - Istanbul Kemal Ataturk International Airport, for your onward journey.  B

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