Itinerary
Arrive in Turkey's beguiling capital of Istanbul where you are met at the airport and transferred to the Pera Palace Hotel, opened in 1892 to host passengers arriving aboard the fabled Orient Express. The hotel has lasted through the reigns of three Ottoman sultans, the fall of the Ottoman Empire, and the rise of the New Turkish Republic beginning in 1923. A paragon of Belle Epoque style, Pera Palace is defined by its Art Nouveau facade and architecture, and black-and-white portraits still hang beside marble staircases, recalling Istanbul’s late Ottoman-era. Among the hotel's many notable guests are Agatha Christie, Ernest Hemingway, Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph and Queen Elizabeth II.
Istanbul wakes early. Ferries cross the Bosphorus as the first call to prayer echoes over the water, and fishermen line the bridges with their morning catch. The Hagia Sophia, commissioned in the 6th century by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I, rises above the old city, its vast dome suspended over marble columns, flanked by minarets added following the Ottoman conquest of Constantinople in 1453, with worn stone floors polished by the footsteps of centuries of visitors. Nearby in the old quarter of Istanbul known as Sultanahmet, spice stalls spill into covered market passages, tea glasses clink in dim cafes, and ferries whisk commuters between opposite sides of the city, linking East and West.
Our day begins on the Bosphorus, boarding a private boat for a morning cruise on the strait that connects Europe and Asia, with Istanbul straddling both. Ottoman palaces and wooden waterfront mansions line the shores, while the domes and minarets of mosques rise on the skyline. Later, we have a private visit to a Turkish carpet workshop, where a master weaver demonstrates the traditional techniques that create exquisite hand-dyed wool carpets. After lunch, explore the Spice Bazaar, where vendors scoop saffron, sumac, dried mint and loose tea from heaped displays, and glass cases hold lokum, nuts and candied fruit. Return to the Hagia Sophia this evening to stand beneath its vast dome as light filters through high windows onto the marble columns and fragments of Byzantine mosaics.
Board the high-speed train southeast to Konya this morning, crossing the Anatolian Plateau. Konya, little known on traditional Turkey tourist circuits, is a spiritual center and pilgrimage destination for Sufis, focused on the tomb of the founder of the Mevlevi Order, 13th-century Persian poet, mystic and theologian Jelaleddin Rumi—also known as Mevlevi or Mevlana.
On arrival, we have lunch at a local restaurant before checking in to our hotel. This afternoon, visit the Mevlana Museum, center of the religious order founded by followers of Rumi, whose poetry and teachings helped spread Sufi practice across the Islamic world. Rumi’s mauseoleum lies beneath the museum’s turquoise-tiled dome while the exhibits within the museum showcase an impressive collection of Rumi's personal belongings, manuscripts, and artifacts, offering an intimate connection with the poet's life and philosophy. The museum's architecture, adorned with intricate designs and symbolic motifs, mirrors the spiritual essence of Rumi's teachings, creating a space that resonates with serenity.
In the 11th century, Konya became the capital of the great Seljuk Empire, and we visit Alaeddin Hill, site of the site of the former Seljuk citadel erected here in the early 1220s, for a panoramic view over the city. Dinner this evening is at a special restaurant built in the style of traditional Konya houses overlooking the Mevlana Museum.
Our day begins with a visit to Hichane Lodge, where Mr. Mustafa, a contemporary member of the Mevlevi Order, offers insight into the Sufi traditions that grew from Rumi’s teachings. We then drive to Sille, a former Greek village where Byzantine-era churches and originally Greek houses line the hillside. This afternoon, meet a local felt—maker for a hands-on session. After dinner at a local Sufi restaurant, we attend a whirling dervish ceremony at a historic Mevlevi lodge.
Travel east toward Cappadocia, stopping en route for a village lunch of flatbread cooked on a griddle using techniques recognized on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Continue into Gelveri for a tasting of wines fermented in large clay amphorae using indigenous Cappadocian grapes, then arrive in Cappadocia, a landscape of volcanic tuff formations and ridged valleys. Check in to Argos, a 2 Michelin Key hotel built from restored stone houses and cave dwellings overlooking the valley.
Early this morning, those who choose may take an optional hot air balloon flight above Cappadocia as daylight reaches the valley walls and stone spires below. Later, explore the region’s valleys with a guide, walking among the rock-cut dwellings and historic chapels. At midday, join a women’s cooperative for a cooking class and lunch, preparing regional dishes together. This afternoon, visit Mustafapaşa village. Carved stone facades and former Greek houses recall the village’s earlier life as Sinasos, an ethnically Greek village. Return to the hotel for dinner and a relaxed evening.
Fly to Izmir this morning and continue to Urla on Turkey’s Aegean coast. Visit Köstem Olive Oil Museum for a look at traditional pressing methods and a tasting of regional oils, followed by lunch at the museum. Afterward, transfer to your hotel before a guided walk through Urla’s market streets and waterfront. This evening, gather for a traditional rakı dinner, with rounds of Aegean meze and seafood served alongside Turkey’s national spirit.
Spend the morning cooking with a local chef at Hiç Urla Forest, using seasonal ingredients from the surrounding area. After lunch, continue to Ephesus for a guided visit. Walk the marble-paved Curetes Street past terrace houses and temples to the Library of Celsus, then stand in the great theater, which held some 25,000 spectators when Ephesus was one of the largest cities of the Roman Mediterranean. Return to Urla for dinner at a local restaurant.
Drive to Barbaros, a village on the Urla peninsula known for its women-run kitchens and agricultural traditions. Meet local women preparing seasonal pumpkin dishes before a farewell lunch at Od Urla. Later, transfer to Izmir airport for the flight to Istanbul and continue to your hotel.
Transfer to the airport for flights home.