Turkey

For James

March 2013.

Land of ancient legends

Dear James,

Turkey is an enchanting combination West and East, with sites that bear witness to antiquity’s most enduring tales and two of humanity’s great religions. Contrasting with the many opportunities to delve into the past, Turkey is also a vibrant nation with many delights for the modern traveler, including shopping malls, fine dining, and breathtaking scenery.

Day 1: Arrival

A greeter from the hotel holding a ’Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul’ sign will await your arrival in the terminal and take you to the Four Seasons Bosphorus. Built in the 19th century, your hotel, which overlooks the water, is a former Ottoman palace, where hand-painted ceilings and modern décor are seamlessly combined. A luxurious indoor pool and spa or, if you prefer, an outdoor pool where you can sample an adult beverage are available for your enjoyment.

Based on our conversations, I am certain you will enjoy your dinner at Mikia. The restaurant is a short drive from your hotel, and its location, on the top floor of the Marmara Pera Hotel, provides stunning views of the city. If you linger over the delicious Mediterranean cuisine, you will discover that the restaurant bar becomes quite lively after hours. Dress fashionably.

Day 2: Istanbul

Burak, your friendly guide, will drive you to the Asian side of the city first, where you will tour Beyierbeyi Palace, which was the summer palace of the Ottoman Sultans dating back to the 1860s. Your next stop is the old city, where you will visit the famous Hagia Sophia Museum, the Underground Cistern and the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum. Hagia Sophia, which was formerly both a church and a mosque, is an architectural marvel. A monument to both the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires, the domed museum contains glittering mosaics and the resting places of long-dead rulers of the Empire.

Next up are a few more remarkable offerings of Turkish history and culture. First, you will visit the Underground Cistern, with its hundreds of soaring columns, dates back to 532 BC. Then, you will round off the day at the Turkish and Islamic Arts Museum, built in the 16th century, which was also once a palace. There you will become acquainted Turkey’s various cultures, along with Islamic calligraphy, tiles, and rugs.

After a day steeped in the past, I have planned an evening firmly grounded in the present. Dress in smart/casual clothing for your dinner at Hakkasan, Alan Yau’s famous Chinese fusion restaurant based in London. While out you will also get to visit Kanyon, the very modern shopping mall where Hakkasan is located.

Day 3: Modernity and more history

Once again, Burak will be your guide for another full day of adventure. You will begin by visiting the Blue Mosque, with its profusion of domes and six graceful minarets, followed by the expansive Topkapi Palace, one of the major residences of Ottoman Sultans for 400 years. Next is the Grand Bazaar, the oldest and largest shopping mall in the world. In the late afternoon, visit the Taksim area, the heart of modern Istanbul and site of the Independence monument, in memory of Turkey’s founder, Kemal Ataturk. A walk along Istikial Street, the most colorful and famous pedestrian area of Istanbul, will bring your day of sightseeing to a fascinating conclusion.

The dress code for your dinner at Ajia, located on the Asian side of the Bosphorus, is smart/casual. You will need to take a boat ride and dock at the pier. Ajia is located in a very pretty 19th century wooden house that has been turned into a contemporary hotel. If the weather is cool, you may want to eat inside, but the views looking back to the city, notwithstanding, are wonderful.

Day 4: Istanbul to Yesilturt

Burak will set your departure time with you in advance for a day full of sobering reminders of the cost of war. Gallipoli is the scene of one of the most critical battles in modern history. In March 1915, the allied armada of British and French navies attacked the Dardanelles, which was defending the entrance gate to Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. The allied armada was heavily defeated by Turkish guns and sea mines.

Later in April 1915, following the orders of Sir Winston Churchill, a joint army of British, French, Australians and New Zealanders landed on the Gallipoli peninsula to take control of the Dardanelles. For nine months, one million men fought over this tiny patch of land, half of them leaving as casualties from both sides.

The battle ended with a Turkish victory in January, 1916, and was the bloodiest battle of modern times until Stalingrad. This war made a young Colonel named Mustafa Kemal famous for his heroic command of Turkish troops; he renamed himself Ataturk after founding the Republic of Turkey. The battle of Gallipoli was also regarded as the birthplace of the nations of Australia and New Zealand. The anniversary of this war, known as Anzac Day, is their most important national holiday.

After this sobering tour, you will appreciate the beautiful national park that now sits in this area, with the monuments of different nations silently watching over the magnificent landscape and the Aegean Sea.

Troy is the site of the legendary Trojan War, which was most famously described in Homer’s Iliad, but was also chronicled by other ancient writers. The site was discovered in the 19th century and the archaeological research continues on. It is the most important Bronze Age site in the world, with different levels of settlement dating back from 3000 BC to 500 AD. This site is one of the best studied throughout the Mediterranean. As such, your tour will provide insight into its archaeological importance, as you appreciate its beautiful, romantic landscape, which takes you back to the greatest epic of Western civilization.

After pondering the tale of Helen, Paris, Hector, and Achilles, arrive at what is considered to be one of the prettiest villages in Turkey, Yesilyurt, located 3 km from the sea.

Day 5: Yesilyurt to Kusadasi

Today you will visit Pergamum as your journey to Kusadasi. This stop is a treasure in itself, an an ancient Greek city located just a few miles from the Aegean. You will have plenty of time to visit some wonderful reconstructed ruins, and enjoy a picnic before continuing on to Kusadasi,. where you will spend the night.

Dine locally as suggested by your guide.

Day 6: Kusadasi

Visit Ephesus, one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world. Ephesus hosted one of the seven churches of Asia mentioned in the Bible, and it is said that the Gospel of John may have been written here. It is also contains the largest gladiator graveyard.

The city was famed for the Temple of Artemis (completed in 550 BC), which was destroyed by the Goths in 263. The emperor Constantine I rebuilt much of the city and erected a new public bath. The town was again partially destroyed by an earthquake in 614. The importance of the city as a commercial center declined as the harbor slowly filled with silt from the river. I think you will especially enjoy the the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Gate of Augustus.

Kusadasi is a lovely beach resort town with many waterfront hotels and restaurants. You will have no trouble finding a local dining spot with a scenic view, perhaps of the walled Byzantine castle that sits on Pigeon Island, just offshore.

Day 7: Onward to Cappadocia

Begin your day by transferring to the airport in Izmir. Your first stop thereafter is the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, one of the richest museums in the world, located on the south side of Ankara Castle. Next, enjoy the columned grandeur of the Ataturk Mausoleum, which crowns Rasattepe (Observation Hill).

The site consists of the Road of Lions, a pedestrian parkway named for the twelve sculptures, inspired by Hittite art, which line it; the Ceremonial Plaza, with a floor decorated with patterns used in Turkish rugs, large enough for 15,000 people; the Hall of Honor, location of Ataturk’s tomb, and a Peace Park, where approximately 50,000 trees, flowers, and shrubs provide an apt backdrop in which to ponder Ataturk’s famous quotation, “Peace at home, peace in the world.”

Enjoy a relaxing three-hour drive to Cappadocia, then settle in and dine at a local restaurant. Later in the evening, attend a performance of the whirling dervishes, Sufi mystics whose distinctive movements are used as a means of inducing a state of religious ecstasy.

Upon returning to your hotel, revel in your memorable surroundings. The walls of the Cave Suites Hotel, Goreme, are made of locally sourced stone or carved from natural rock formations; there are actual ancient cave dwellings incorporated into the building.

Day 8: Exploring Cappadocia

Visit Cappadocia all day today, exploring the “fairy chimney” rock formations. Experience the distant past as you tour Bronze Age homes carved into valley walls, which later sheltered early Christians fleeing persecution. Marvel at the numerous rock face churches constructed in Ilhara Canyon. Spend your last night in Turkey at the Cave Suites Hotel, perhaps indulging in a Turkish bath at the spa.

Day 9: Departure

Transfer to Kayseri Airport for your flight to Istanbul. Upon arrival, you will be escorted to your international terminal to connect with your departing flight home.

James, I have enjoyed developing an itinerary that I’m sure you will find captivating. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.