Discover the Rich Culture and Timeless Crafts of Turkiye
Embark on a journey through one of the world’s most historically and culturally diverse destinations—Turkiye. This tour invites you to immerse yourself in the vibrant traditions, age-old crafts, and unique artistry that have flourished for centuries, blending Eastern and Western influences in every stitch, stone, and color. From the bustling bazaars of Istanbul to the tranquil shores of the Aegean, you’ll experience the heart of Turkish culture through its remarkable artisanship.
Explore the intricate designs of handmade carpets, admire the artistry of traditional ceramics, and witness the mastery of Turkish calligraphy, lace, and traditional garments. Whether it’s the warmth of a Turkish rug or the delicate patterns of Iznik tiles, each craft tells a story passed down through generations, reflecting the spirit of the Turkish people.
Beyond the crafts, you’ll discover the ethnic and historical diversity, the cultural landmarks, and hidden gems that make Turkiye a treasure trove of history and creativity. So, pack your bags and join us on a tour where the past meets the present in the most beautiful and artistic ways.
The itinerary
Arrival Day:
ISTANBUL
Arrive independently in Istanbul. Complimentary transfer from the airport to the hotel. Free time to rest and acclimatize. While the tour activities begin the following day, there may be the opportunity to informally meet the other tour guests in the hotel. Meeting and orientation at the hotel at 07:00 PM. Independent dinner. Night 1 of 3 in a 4-star hotel in Istanbul’s Old Town
Day 1
ISTANBUL
09:00 am departure from the hotel. Today is dedicated to Byzantine Roman and Ottoman history. We will first visit the Basilica Cistern, a Roman cistern of 1500 years. After our Hippodrome visit, we will head to the Grand Bazaar, remaining from the mid-15th century, the biggest and oldest shopping mall still active in the world. We will have our lunch nearby. We will visit the Hagia Sophia Church and listen to its exceptional story from Deniz. The church is one of the biggest temples still active as a worship place in the world. After the Hagia Sophia, We will have a break in the hotel. We will have a welcome dinner in Ali’s Kebab House. near The Golden Horn. Night 3 of 3 in a 4-star hotel in Istanbul’s Old Town.
The Basilica Cistern, 6th century AD.
The Hagia Sophia Church, 6th Century ADd
Day 2
ISTANBUL
09:00 am departure from the hotel. A short visit to the Topkapi Museum with the discovery of the Harem (the Sultans’ chambers and the residence of Concubines) and the exquisite collection of Sultans’ garments. We will continue our journey with the TIAM museum where there is a very important collection of Seljuk and early Turkish village town and city carpets, besides the collections of books, ceramics, woodwork, metalwork, and jewelry which are displayed to please visitors. After the local lunch, we will visit Tahtakale historical open market and Rüstem Pasha Mosque, a very cozy and charming 15th-century mosque that is even bluer than the Blue Mosque with its 500-year-old tiles. A break till dinner time at the hotel will wait for us. We will go to a traditional fish restaurant and enjoy the classical cold dishes and fish from Bosphorus. Night 2 of 3 in a 4-star hotel in Istanbul’s Old Town
A piece from The Sultans’ Garments collection in the Topkapi Museum
Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum -Istanbul
Day 3
ISTANBUL
09:00 am, Check out and departure from the hotel. 2.5 hours of Boat Trip with Bosphorus views, to the Sadberk Hanim near the northern end of the Bosphorus. After the museum, we will visit a very important Kilim collection Josephine Powell, “The American Nomad”, who dedicated her life to documenting the Anatolian Nomads and their weavings. After the lunch in Sarıyer district, we will pass to the Asian side of the city and visit Caddebostan, the Florida of Istanbul with an interesting European appearance, and Kadikoy, a retro Greek Neighborhood with a century-old market and very local vibes. We will have our dinner in Ciya Restaurant, where we will be served with rare and artisanal Anatolian food. Night 4 of 4 in a 4-star hotel in Istanbul’s Old Town.
Sadberk Hanim Museum -Istanbul
Josephine Powell Kilim Collection, Istanbul
Day 4
BURSA
Depart Istanbul at 9 am for a two-hour drive to Bursa. Visit The Great Mosque of Bursa, once attempted by Tamerlane to be demolished. After spending some time in Irgandı Bridge where the artisanal professions are revived we will have our lunch. After lunch, we will discover a private folk art museum containing old Ottoman costumes and textiles. The last point to visit in Bursa is the early Ottoman sultan’s 15th-century mausoleums full of extremely elaborate frescoes. Break time in the hotel and dinner will be in Bursa city center. Night 1 of 2 in Crowne Plaza, Bursa.
Bursa Great Mosque
Ottoman folk costumes
Day 5
BURSA
09:00 am departure from the hotel. Visit the Green Shrine, then the Green Mosque, two milestones of the Ottoman Visual Artistic development process, and the Islamic Art Museum of Bursa, housed in the former medrese (seminary) of the Green Mosque. Later, we will visit Aynali Market where we will meet with a very knowledgeable silk and antique textiles expert. After Lunch, we will visit the Umurbey Silk Production Center, where the municipality employees produce local silk scarves and carpets. Later, we will have a break time in the hotel and dinner will be in Bursa city center. Night 2 of 2 in Crowne Plaza, Bursa.
Silk carpet weaving in Bursa
Day 6
ÇANAKKALE
08:00 am, Check out and departure from the hotel. 2.5 hours of drive to Gönen district where we will visit a local market where town ladies sell their “oya” needlework. 2 hours of drive will take us to Lapseki, a sea town of Çanakkale cit where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will depart to see the famous historical city of Troy and talk about the Troy Legend, we will visit the ancient site, and the museum. We will arrive in Çanakkale city center where we will have dinner and pass the night. Night 1 of 1 in Double Tree Hilton Çanakkale.
Ancient city of Troy
Day 7
ÇANAKKALE
09:00 am, Check out and departure from the hotel. We will have a journey of one hour and arrive at the ancient city of Alexandria Troias, visit the temple, and depart for the village of Çamkalabak, an old DOBAG project village where Yörük women still weave their authentic carpets and sell those carpets as dowry pieces within their community. We will study their carpets and have a village lunch there. For the evening, we will drive to Assos village where we will visit an ancient city, with a doric temple, and an extremely beautiful sea view. We will have dinner and stay one night at one of the very beautiful boutique hotels in Assos and talk about the ethnic diversity of the country after seeing the remains of different civilizations that had lived in these lands. Night 1 of 1 in a boutique hotel in Assos.
Assos Athena Temple
Day 8
BERGAMA
09:00 am, check out and depart from the hotel. We will drive to Bergama town for 3 hours. Bergama is a very old town of Izmir greater city with diverse ethnic, cultural, and historical features. The first Parchment in the world was invented here, in the second century BC, due to the competition Between ancient Pergamon and Egypt kingdoms, having the two largest ancient libraries in the world. We will have an excursion in the old market, then have our lunch in a very typical Egean tavern. After lunch, the city museum and Pergamon ancient city visits will wait for us. We will also have a parchment workshop before we check in the hotel and have a break till dinner time. Night 1 of 1 in a 4-star Hotel in the town.
Ancient Pergamon City Amfitheathre
Parchment revival workshop
Day 9
IZMIR
09:00 am, check out and depart from the hotel. Our drive to the Izmir city center will take 1.5 hours. We will visit the Arkas carpet collection in Matteys Mansion, talk about the multicultural aspect of the city and see one of the most valuable Ottoman carpet collections in the world, with more than 90 exquisite examples. After the Arkas collection, we will drive one hour to Selçuk town to see the famous Ephesus ancient city after lunch, where there is also a group of Roman houses remaining from the 1st century AD almost in an intact state. After the Ephesus visit, we will drive back to Izmir city center for one hour for dinner and accommodation in a 4-star hotel. Night 1 of 1.
Arkas Ottoman Carpets Collection, Izmir
Ancient city of Ephesus
Day 10
ANKARA
07:30 am, check out and depart for Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport to catch the Ankara flight at 09:55. We will be landing in Ankara at 11:15. Our first visit will be in the Ankara Caste built in ancient times by Hittites and used during the medieval and modern times. After lunch, we will visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum (the Turkish equivalent of MET) and the Foundations Museum where more than 80 carpets and kilims are waiting for us to be seen. We will then, check in at our 4-star hotel and have a break time till dinner. Night 1 of 1 in a 4-star Hotel.
Ankara Anatolian Civilizations Museum
Ankara Foundations Carpet Museum
Day 11
HACIBEKTAŞ-CAPPADOCIA
09:00 am, check out and depart from the hotel. we will have 3 hour of drive to Hacıbejtaş town there we will visit the museum and a shrine of a Turkmen Sufi type who played a very important role in the Turkic settlement of Anatolia and who is now representing, the historical spiritual leader of Alevi – Bektashi Belief, a belief system where the Central Asian Shamanism is mixed up with Islamic religion and a heterodox believe and practice system raised up from this amalgam adopted by 1/4 to 1/3 of the Turkish population. We will talk about music, dance rituals, and other central Asian practices still in the daily life of the Turkmen believers of Anatolia. After lunch, we will drive one hour more to the Cappadocia area, the fabulous land of the rock formations named fairy chimneys, with thousands of monastic chambers carved in. Our first visit to the area will be to Zelve village used since neolithic times till the 1960s. After Zelve, we will check in at the hotel and have a break time till dinner. Night 1 of 3 in Hezen Cave Hotel.
Hacıbektas Derwish Lodge Museum
Ancient Village of Zelve inhabite till the 1960s
Day 12
CAPPADOCIA
09:00 am, departure for Soğanlı Valley distant to us by one hour of drive. We will visit Soğanlı rock monasteries and the abandoned Christian Turkish village of Soğanlı, and talk about Karamanli Christian Turks. After Soğanlı we will drive to Güzelyurt for two hours to see a very interesting winery, belonging to a legendary character “Udo Hirsch”. Udo is a Turkish carpet and Kilim expert missioned by the Turkish government in the late 60s to find and collect medieval Turkish carpets and kilims to be exhibited in Turkish museums. This experience gave Udo the opportunity to be the first expert to witness the last traditional Anatolian weavings produced in villages and do ethnographical research with Anatolian weavers. Then he wrote the book named “Goddess from Anatolia” with James Mellaart, the professor who excavated Çatalhöyük neolithic site, the earliest metroğolitana city in the world, found in Konya. Hacer, Udo’s wife will serve us lunch with all of the components produced by Udo and her based on neolithic formulas, such as wine, bread, 5-year-old cheese, tahini (sesame paste), and molasses. We will then, see the early kilim collection of Udo and talk about them. We will turn back to our hotel towards the evening, and have a break time till dinner. Night 2 of 3 in Hezen Cave Hotel.
Soğanlı, a Medieval Village in Cappadocia
Udo Hirsch & Hacer Özkaya
Day 13
CAPPADOCIA
09:00 am, departure for Göreme Open Air Museum with a dozen of rock churches with frescoes. After Göreme Museum we will visit a ceramic museum where some of us will have the opportunity to play with mud, to do a ceramic pot model. One of the main properties of the area is the abundance of clay naturally found on the shores of Red River, this provides the usage of earth pots in the daily life of locals. After lunch, we will visit a private carpet collection and talk about yellow ground Cappadocia carpets and Cappadocian eating mats. We will have a break in our hotel and go for a local dinner in the evening. Night 3 of 3 in Hezen Cave Hotel.
Day 14
CAPPADOCIA, AKSARAY, KONYA
09:00 am, check out from the hotel, departure for Mazı underground city. We will visit this small cozy, non-touristic but very representative underground city and talk about the method and the reason for the construction of such settlements. We will drive to the Aksaray city museum for 1.5 hours to see some 16th-century Aksaray carpets and early Christian mummies and a rare early Christian textile piece with extreme finesse and brilliant colors in detail. After 40 minutes of drive towards Konya greater city, we will pass by Sultanhani district, have lunch, and visit the oldest and biggest Seljuk caravanserai in the town square. Sultanhani is also a very important weaving, yarn-preparing, and antique carpet restoration center, where rugs and carpets from museums all over the world have been sent to this town to be restored. We will visit a repair studio and talk about carpet restoration and its technical and economic aspects. After the Sultanhani town visit, we will drive to Konya, for 1.5 hours, check-in, and have a break in the hotel, till dinner time. Night 1 of 2 in Hilton Konya.
Restauration workshop in Sultanhani Town
Sultanhani, the largest Seljuk Caravanserai
Day 15
KONYA
We will drive to Çatalhöyük which is 40 minutes distant to the city and see not only one of the oldest neolithic metropolitan cities in the world but also one of the newest interactive museums in Turkey. We will talk a lot about the symbolism in Neolithic drawings and antique carpets, based on the different roles of the members of ancient civilizations. Driving back to the city, we will see one of the oldest and richest antique carpet collections in Turkey in the Konya Ethnographical Museum, and talk bout Seljuk and Turkmen village carpets. After lunch, we will visit a museum with Seljuk stone and tilework, then have a visit to a felt shop owned by “Jelaleddin dede” a sufi/soufi spiritual master and talk about what is sufi/soufi spiritualism and derwishhood. after “Jelaleddin dede” we will stop by a carpet shop and will see antique, vintage, and contemporary handwoven naturally dyed carpet and kilim examples. After a short break in the hotel, we will take our farewell dinner
Visit the last Felt Master-Sufi Dervish-Konya
Catalhoyuk Neolithic house reconstruction, Konya
Day 15
BACK TO ISTANBUL
16:30 flight to ISTANBUL airport, a shuttle will take us from the airport to the old town.
TOUR COST INCLUDES
1 Deniz Coskun Leadership and guidance throughout the trip
2 Hotel accommodations as indicated on the itinerary FB – Full Board
3 Air Conditioned 34 – 36 seat bus transportation for 12 – 14 person groups.
4 A La carte Meals, soft drinks during meals, B – Breakfast, L – Lunch, D- dinner except the alcoholic beverages.
5 Welcome and Farewell dinners with Wine and Beer
6. Bottled water in hotels, meals, and during land transportation.
7 Museum and Historical site fees
8 Private arrival and departure transfers including for those who arrive earlier or depart separately from group transfers.
9 Domestic flights tickets for flights as indicated on the itinerary
10 Tipping to Hotel receptions and bell-boys.
11 Tipping to waiters at restaurants
TOUR COST EXCLUDES
1 Flights from the US to join/depart the tour which begins and ends in Istanbul
2 All Extra services and expenses at hotels.
3 Tipping the local guide
4 Anything that is not mentioned above in the Includes section.
5 Tipping the bus driver
FITNESS
This tour has an easy-to-moderate activity rating. You will be expected to walk at a gentle but steady pace for a distance of 1 mile at a time and to stand without support for up to 30 minutes.
The refund policy In case of cancellation:
The Tour Traject
