Program
Day 1 - Istanbul to Antalya - (L/D)
Very early in the morning, we will meet you at your Istanbul hotel and transfer you to the domestic airport for a 1-hour 15-minute flight to Antalya.
After arrival, our staff will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel; after a 1-hour refreshment period, we will continue on a full-day guided tour of Antalya, where you will explore the ancient cities of Side, Perge, and Aspendos.
* Perge is a magnificent example of how an ancient classical city looked. Records date it to roughly the 4th century BC. It was settled by the Greeks following the Trojan War, then visited by St. Paul and his disciples when it was a leading city of Pamphylia. It then fell under the leadership of Alexander the Great and eventually to the Byzantines. It was during the reign of Constantine that Perge became an important center of Christianity.
* Side was the site of Pamphyilia's largest port and was probably first colonized in the 7th BC. Coming from Cyprus, St. Paul would have very likely visited en route to Perge (another site you'll see today). The great ruins are among the most notable in Asia Minor. They cover a large promontory where a wall and a moat separate it from the mainland. During medieval times, the wall and moat were repaired, and the promontory housed a wealth of structures.
* Manavgat Waterfalls is where we'll have a cool rest, right next to the falls. Local vendors offer beverages and ice cream.
* Aspendos and Aspendos Theatre is another beautiful example of a well-preserved classical city that is most famous for its theatre, which dates to 160-180 AD. Depending on performance dates, we may be lucky enough to see a summer evening opera or ballet performance in a theatre that's widely-considered to be the most intact classical theatre in existence. Overnight in Antalya
Day 2 - Antalya - (B/L)
After breakfast, we'ill take you on a full-day tour of the following sites:
* Termessos is an exceptionally-preserved Pisidian city built high on a natural platform on top of Güllük Dağı in the Taurus Mountains, soaring to a height of 1.665 metres, which averages only 200 metres above sea level. Concealed by a multitude of wild plants and bounded by dense pine forests, the site, with its peaceful and untouched appearance, has a more distinct and impressive atmosphere than other ancient cities.
* Karain Cave is located in the foothills of the Katran Mountains in the village of Yagca, some 30 km from Antalya. The large cave site contains several interconnected chambers (A-G), including the well-known Karain "E chamber" which dates to the Lower to Upper Paleolithic; it has also yielded human remains dating to 100-130,000 and 200-300,000 years BC.
Overnight in Antalya
Day 3 Antalya - Kekova - (L/D)
After breakfast, we will meet you in your hotel in Antalya or Olympos (or in other regions of Antalya and transfer you to Demre Port) to board the gulet/yacht and depart for Kekova.
We'll take a short cruise to the ruins at Kekova, Kalekoy, and Ucagiz (the Sunken City). We'll have lunch on gorgeous Tersane Bay where you can see the ruins of a Byzantine church and ancient Roman ruins, all under the water and along the beach. As you sail on to Gökkaya for the night, the underwater ruins of ancient Gökkaya will also be visible.
Overnight oboard in Gokkaya
Day 4 Kekova to Kas - (B/L/D)
We'll set out early for Yesilköy where you will have breakfast and time to swim in the quiet bay surrounded by olive trees. Then we will journey on to Kas, a small, quiet harbor town with a charming Bohemian atmosphere. You'll spend the night in Kas' harbor. Overnight onboard in Kas
Day 5 Kas to Fethiye - (B/L/D)
We'll depart Kas after breakfast and be on our way to Fethiye/Oludeniz area. We'll visit Samanlik Bay for swimming and lunch. Butterfly Valley is our next stop for a swim and to pay a visit to its natural reserve. Afterwards, you will cruise to Oludeniz (blue lagoon). Overnight onboard on St. Nicholas Island
Day 6 - Fethiye to Istanbul - ( B )
After breakfast in Fethiye, it's time to say good bye to your shipmates, gulet and its crew. Then we will transfer you to your hotel in Fethiye or Oludeniz. We can also provide a transfer service to your next destination.
*** Tour ends ***
Prices are starting from 685 Euros per person in a double, contact us to get a price quote for your dates
Price includes
* All transportation in comfortable vehicles
* 4-star accommodation with breakfasts, 2 Lunches, dinner
* Domestic flight tickets ( Istanbul - Antalya & Dalaman - Istanbul )
* Professional, English-speaking guides
* Entrance fees to ancient sites
* All service charges and local taxes
(We can always customize this program by adding more siites, or providing extra nights at any destination. According to time of the year, some changes may occur in this program.) |