2008 Turkey, Food and Cultural Tour
11 nights
by
Turkish Heritage Travel and Wine Knows Travel
Guests should arrive in Istanbul on their own by October 16. Individual pick-up from airport that day can be arranged for $25.00 or guests can choose to take a taxi on their own to the hotel.
Thursday October 16
Guests arrive to a special class (traditional Ottoman) hotel in Sultanhamet area of Istanbul. Sultanhamet is the home to major historical sights in Istanbul 5:00 pm.: Meet at hotel. Walk to the Blue Mosque Visit the Blue Mosque, one of the largest and most famous mosques in the world. We will discuss and learn about Islamic religious traditions. Visit Hippodrome and Obelisque. Walk to a welcome dinner at a local restaurant for traditional Ottoman food and discussion of Turkish cuisine with a chef.
Friday October 17
Morning Tour: Visit Topkapi Museum and Aya Sofia Museum. Built in 537 by Emperor Constantine it was the greatest Church in Christendom until 1453 when it was turned into a Mosque as part of the Ottoman Empire. Lunch on own
Afternoon Tour: Tour Egyptian Spice Market. Then visit the Grand Bazaar, with over 4000 stalls and shops. The architecture, goods and handsome merchants will provide the ultimate shopping experience as it has for centuries. Free time will be provided to shop on own. Dinner on own.
Saturday October 18
Free Morning and lunch on own
Afternoon Flight to Cappodocia (Kayseri) and transfer to Kelebek hotel
Arrival: Guests check-into the lovely Kelebek Hotels (highly praised by many international guidebooks). www.kelebekhotel.com
Unpack and get settled. Welcome dinner at hotel. Guests will receive an orientation to Cappodocia’s unique geography, lunar-like landscapes, ancient churches and dwellings carved into caves throughout the region, and picture postcard villages steeped in tradition. Once the home of the Hittite Empire (2000BC), this “other worldly” area of Cappodocia will provide the backdrop to explore traditional village life, Turkish cuisine, and famous Turkish hospitality.
In addition to the tour itinerary, guests will also receive an explanation of optional experiences hiking trips, visit to a jewelry workshop, horseback riding (Cappodocia means “the land of beautiful horses”), hot air ballooning, and visit to a traditional hammam (Turkish bath) are available to guests at an additional fee.
Sunday October 19
Morning: Go to local market. Visit Goreme Open Air Museum. Visit Ortahisar to tour the Museum of Cultural Life. Through discussion and dioramas, we will explore aspects of village life that have been in existence for centuries such as how cave homes were made, how to make pekmez, a grape syrup made every Fall, that cures everything from a stomach ache to respiratory infections and even raki hang-overs.
Lunch and wine tasting of local wines.
Evening: Attend Whirling Dervish Performance at a 13th Century Caravanserai.
Monday October 20
Visit Avanos which is the ceramic center of Cappodocia where we will learn about the local ceramics and try our hands at it, under the supervision of a master potter. Potters have handed down the craft and used the red clay of the region to produce famous artisan earthenware for centuries.
For lunch, we will have pottery kebab in a cave restaurant in Avanos and learn how it is made.
Afternoon and Evening free, dinner on own.
 Tuesday October 21
Morning : Tour the Underground Cities of Kaymakli. We will explore a maze of tunnels and rooms carved eight levels deep into the earth and see the secret life of Christians and how they lived for centuries. We will also see Pigeon Houses across the area, which are the basis of organic farming to this day.
Visit to kilim workshop and have a demonstration and explanation of Turkish carpet making techniques, symbols and different types of carpets.
Afternoon: Free time and lunch on own.
Evening: Dinner at a local restaurant and visit with chef
Wednesday October 22
Morning: Cooking our lunch with village women in a traditional kitchen to experience making traditional cuisine (bread, soup, dolmas, turkish coffee) with our own hands under expert training and supervision.
Afternoon free.
Evening: Banquet at Kelebek hotel, music by local muscians.
Thursday October 23
Early departure to Kas by coach. Stop in Konya for lunch with a famous local “Rumi” chef and PhD nutritionist recently written about in Saveur Magazine. Brief tour of Mevlana Museum,the former lodge of Rumi, one of the great mystic philosophers and poets, and founder of Sufism and Whirling Dervishes.
Depart Konya about 1:00 pm. Stop for dinner on own
Arrive in Kas between 8:00- 9:00 pm for check into hotel (Examples: Hotel Club Phellos Resort, Hideway Hotel, Kayahan or similar quality hotel)
Friday October 24
Free day in Kas and lunch dinner on own.
Kas is not only the quintessential Turkish coastal fishing village, it is the home of Turkey’s growing adventure travel center. Boating, scuba diving, swimming, mountain biking and hiking are all available. Our hotel will provide access to restaurants, bars and the sea so guests can also just relax, go to a hammam or Turkish bath and enjoy themselves as they explore this Mediterranean village by the sea. Also for those who wish, there are daily boat trips to the Greek Island of Meis only 20 minutes away.
Saturday October 25
Free morning in Kas and lunch on own.
Afternoon Boat trip to Kekova and the Sunken City submerged 6 kms below the Mediterranean. We will swim off the boat, sun bathe as well as view ancient Lycian ruins and tombs for an interesting and relaxing afternoon.
Evening free and dinner on own
Sunday October 26
Early Morning transfer to Antalya Airport. Arrival in Istanbul check into hotel. Lunch on own. Afternoon free.
Evening: Meet at 6pm. Farewell dinner in Begyolu with mezza and raki. Begyolu is where all of Europe would arrive in the 19th Century on the Orient Express. It is the home of the Pera Palace hotel where Agatha Christie wrote her famous mysteries.
Wandering the Cicek or Balik Passages, lined with permanent stalls selling fish, fruit, vegetables, olives we also will see modern Istanbul full of designer boutiques, coffee houses and hip clubs. Most of the area is closed to traffic and you can see a microcosm of modern Istanbul strolling the streets.
We will have our farewell celebration dinner at a traditional Meyhane, an outdoor (and indoor) Turkish Tavern, where traditional mezza ( starter plates of vegetables dishes, melons, cheeses, fish, seafood and meat) will be accompanied by Raki, the anise flavored national alcoholic drink. As this is the celebration day of the founding of the Turkish republic, expect fireworks and other celebrations to honor your visit to Turkey.
October 27
Transfer to airport to flights back to USA or elsewhere.
Guests may also wish to extend their stay in Istanbul on their own. Arrangements can be made through Turkish Heritage Travel.
Please write to
info@turkishcuisinetours.com
for further information and booking. |
2008 Turkey, Food and Cultural Tour is organized by Turkish Heritage Travel in Turkey and
Wine Knows Travel in USA
The rates will be declared soon. Please send an email for information about rates.
Includes:
 11 Nights accommodation at special class hotels
Inter-Turkey air and bus transportation
Food and cultural tours including a cooking class, wine tasting and several other food and cultural activities
Daily breakfast
5 dinners with wine, beer or raki and gratuities
5 lunches, beverages and gratuities
English speaking guides
Museums and all entrance fees
Transportation to and from all sights, cities, cultural outings, hotels etc. (over 2000kms)
Airport transfer at end of tour in Istanbul
Excludes
Airport pickup in Istanbul (optional for $25.00 fee)
Transatlantic airfare
Personal incidentals and gifts, etc.
Food and drink outside of scheduled meals
Optiona gratuities for exceptional individual services
Turkish Heritage Travel
Turkish Heritage Travel was established in 2004 by tourism professionals with many years of professional service to clients from around the world. Key personal for this trip would include:
Mr. Ali Yavuz:
Ali Yavuz, founder and owner of Turkish Heritage Travel and Kelebek Hotels, Ali is a native of Goreme, the village heart of the tourist area of Cappodocia. In addition, to building and running hotels, through his love and extensive knowledge of Turkish culture, traditions and his history of personalized service to guests, he received numerous requests to provide tours of Turkey with the same excellent quality that he provided hospitality to his hotel guests. Thus, he founded Turkish Heritage Travel that specializes in customized travel experiences and providing experiential exposure to small groups of travelers interested in an authentic Turkish cultural experience. Mr. Yavuz is a leader in his community and in the tourism industry in Turkey and has the experience, connections and relationships throughout the country to make a trip to Turkey with Heritage Travel a unique, personalized and unforgettable experience. His entire staff is dedicated to serving the guests needs and providing outstanding service.
Ms. Serap Avcu
Serap, a founding partner of Turkish Heritage Travel, is originally from Malatya. She attended a 4 year national guiding program at the University in Nevsehir. (Cappadocia). She has been guiding for 8 years throughout Turkey, but specializes in her favorite place Cappadocia, where she has lived for six years. Besides being an expert guide, she is also is the mother of Mert, who was born in October 2006 right after she led our 2006 cooking tour. Raised in a traditional area of Turkey, Serap, is a modern Turkish young woman, balancing her love of guiding with being a wife and mother. She applies the same high standards and excellence and customer service to both vocations.
Mr. Mustafa K. Turgut
Mr. Turgut, a founding partner in Turkish Heritage Travel, is a licensed national tour
guide throughout Turkey. His excellent English language skills, sincerity in meeting all guests special interests and his historical and geologic knowledge of all areas of Turkey, provides the basis of his popularity as a tour guide and travel planning professional.
In addition, Mr. Turgut is a licensed pilot in Hot Air Ballooning (licensed in Albuquerque, New Mexico) and is constantly furthering his in-depth knowledge with specialties in leading tours in Turkish cuisine music, carpet-making and wedding traditions.
Wine-Knows Travel, USA
Wine-Knows Travel is based in Oakland, California and specialized in health and cusine tours.
June Forkner-Dunn, PhD
has been guiding groups to Europe since 1978, specializing in tours to France, Italy and Spain. She has taught classes on wine at the University of London & at the American Embassy in Paris. June currently teaches classes in the San Francisco Bay Area. A member of the Society of Wine Educators for 25 years, June has published numerous articles on wine. She has a Diploma for proficiency in Italian Wines, a Certificate of Merit on French Wines from Le Comite National Des Vins de France, and has attended the German Wine Academy. She is a member of the American Institute of Wine and Food, has studied at the Cordon Bleu in Paris, as well as participated in numerous other international cooking programs.
Wine-Knows Travel Inc.
4382 Bridgeview Drive,
Oakland CA 94602, USA
Phone: 510-336-0303
Fax: 510-336-0303
dunn@wineknowstravel.com
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