Turkey: Origins of Western Civilization (Copy)

Arrive in Cappadocia

You arrive in Nevşehir via Istanbul, where you will be met for a group transfer to the stunning Avantgarde Hotel in Ürgüp, Cappadocia, for four nights.

Valleys, cave churches and underground cities

Each morning brings a hike through Cappadocia’s otherworldly landscape of “fairy chimneys,” past orchards and vineyards, in blossom in spring and heavy with fruit in fall.

Walk through Pigeon Valley and the Red Valley, named for its rose-colored stone that shifts with the light. You’ll explore a “secret” stone cathedral and may climb into additional mysterious rock-cut churches. You’ll also descend into one of the region’s underground cities, carved deep into volcanic stone in Hittite times and expanded as armies swept across Anatolia. There are at least 100 underground cities in the area, and only a few are open to the public.

If you’ve reserved the optional hot-air balloon flight, you’ll lift off at dawn, when the air is still. Even if you stay on the ground, it’s worth rising early to watch the balloons drift past. At the welcome dinner, try one of Türkiye’s excellent local wines.

The Silk Road to Konya

You’ll travel west across the Anatolian Plain, the breadbasket of Türkiye, en route to Konya.

You will stop at the restored Sultanhanı Caravanserai, one of many refuges for camel caravans built about 25 miles apart along the Silk Road. It’s easy to imagine 13th-century Seljuk traders arriving by camel.

In Konya, visit the tomb of the poet Rumi (Mevlana), whose followers founded the Sufi order known for its whirling dervishes.

Then visit Çatalhöyük (circa 7000 BC), among the oldest known settlements and famous for its size and remarkable wall paintings. Return to Konya for dinner and overnight.

Over the Taurus Mountains to Antalya

From Konya, the highway rises into the forested Taurus Mountains before descending to the east-west Turquoise Coast highway. You will visit the well-preserved Greco-Roman theater at Aspendus before continuing to Antalya, where you will spend two nights in a hotel overlooking the Mediterranean.

Termessos and the Antalya museum

In the morning, hike up a steep, forested canyon to Termessos, perched more than 3,000 feet up in the Taurus Mountains. Its cliffs were so formidable that Alexander the Great passed it by in 333 BCE, one of the few cities he never conquered.

After lunch, visit the Antalya Archaeological Museum, whose collections, from the Stone Age to the classical era, bring the region’s long history to life.

Myra and setting sail

Travel south along the Turquoise Coast to the ancient city of Myra, with its rock tombs and Roman theater. At the nearby port of Çayağzı, board your gulet and sail west after lunch to anchor at Kekova. Ashore, climb through the hillside village of Kale, once Simena, to a castle overlooking the bay. Each evening, you’ll anchor in one of our favorite secluded coves and dine under the stars.

Kaş and Gemiler Island

Cross the channel to see the submerged ruins of a sunken village, then sail west to the harbor town of Kaş for a leisurely visit ashore. Later, cruise to Gemiler Adası (Gemiler Island), where St. Nicholas is believed to have been originally entombed. Explore Byzantine churches and a monastery linked by a 1,100-foot covered passageway along the island’s ridge.

Kayaköy and Cleopatra’s Bath

A skiff takes you to Soğuk Su (Cold Spring) Harbor, where a steep hike leads to Kayaköy, a Greek village abandoned after World War I. Over a cool drink, you’ll hear its story, then return to the gulet for lunch.

Prefer not to hike? Ride to Kayaköy by van, or stay aboard to read, swim or nap. In the afternoon, sail into Göcek Bay and anchor for the night off Cleopatra’s Bath.

Lydae and the Bay of Ekincik

Go ashore early for a challenging but beautiful hike through pine forest to the mausoleum at ancient Lydae, a site reachable only from the sea that few visitors ever see. Or relax on board as the gulet sails around the peninsula to meet the hikers at Ağalimanı, with time to swim along the way. In the afternoon, cruise to a quiet cove in the Bay of Ekincik, home for two nights.

The Dalyan River and Caunus

A small riverboat carries you past İztuzu Beach, a protected nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles, then drifts through the reed marshes of the Dalyan River, beneath Lycian tombs carved into the cliffs. At Caunus, explore a Roman theater, baths and agora from the 2nd century BC.

Hikers return to the gulet on a three-hour trail over the peninsula; everyone else browses the village of Dalyan before rejoining the boat.

Didyma and Selçuk

Bid farewell to the gulet crew and travel north through farmland and pine-covered hills to the Aegean coast. At Didyma, explore the enormous Temple of Apollo and learn about the oracles of ancient Greece. Continue past the Meander River delta and Miletus to Selçuk, a historic village near Ephesus and your home for two nights. Stop at its farmers market, full of seasonal produce: spring herbs and artichokes, or autumn figs and grapes.

Ephesus

Spend the morning walking the marble streets of Ephesus, the largest Greco-Roman site in the world: the Library of Celsus, one of antiquity’s largest theaters, and the beautifully preserved terrace houses. Time permitting, visit the Basilica of St. John, the House of the Virgin Mary and the site of the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. After lunch, visit the Ephesus Archaeological Museum in Selçuk.

Fly to Istanbul

A short flight from İzmir brings you to Istanbul, the city that spans two continents, for four days among the legacies of Greek, Byzantine and Ottoman civilizations.

Enter the Sultanahmet (historic center of Istanbul) through the massive Byzantine walls that span the peninsula from the Sea of Marmara to the Golden Horn. These walls both defined and protected Constantinople until they were breached by the Turks in 1453. Your home is the Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet, an oasis of calm in the heart of the old city.

The old city, the bazaars and the Bosphorus

Your days here are flexible, shaped by weather, group interest and energy. Here are our best intentions, and we usually do them all—and then some!

Explore the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapı Palace, and see the Egyptian obelisk the Romans raised at the Hippodrome. Wander the Spice Bazaar, fragrant with saffron, sumac and dried fruit, and the tiled Rüstem Pasha Mosque nearby, a gem by the great architect Sinan. Lose yourself in the maze of the Grand Bazaar, then take a private cruise on the Bosphorus, the strait that divides Europe and Asia.

Across the Golden Horn, visit Taksim Square and stroll İstiklal Caddesi, a historic street open only to pedestrians and little red trolleys. Climb the 14th-century Galata Tower for a 360° view of the city. Expect dinners at some of our favorite restaurants (a drink on the Four Seasons terrace at sunset is always a winner!), and time on your own to savor the city.

Homeward

Transfer to the airport for your flight home, unless you’ve chosen to stay on for more.