The Treasures of Turkey April 28 to May 14, 2011

A fascinating tour arranged for The Canadian & Turkish Women's Association of Ottawa

	Mysterious – Exotic – Fascinating Straddling the worlds of Europe and Asia, the ancient and the modern, Turkey, a cradle of civilization at the crossroads of the world, has always been a fascinating blend of east and west. A treasure chest of ancient history, Turkey was home to an astounding number of ancient cultures and the cradle of 10 of the world's greatest civilizations. From Hittite and Assyrian to Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman cultures, each group has left relics that can be found in many corners of the country. A paradise of sun and sea, with an ideal climate perfect for relaxing on sandy beaches or enjoying the tranquility of mountains and lakes, Turkey offers a complete change from everyday life. Please join The Canadian & Turkish Women's Association of Ottawa with Füsun Ören and Evelyn Greenberg on this 17-day tour as we re-visit some of our favourite places.

	Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary

	Thursday, April 28 Depart Ottawa Friday, April 29 Istanbul / Arrival Arrive in Istanbul, meet your guide at the airport and transfer to the Armada Hotel. Welcome dinner at the rooftop restaurant at Armada Hotel with its beautiful view of the Old City. Overnight at Armada Hotel (D)

		Saturday, April 30 Istanbul After breakfast begin exploring the old city of Istanbul with a visit to the Byzantine Hippodrome, one of the largest chariot race grounds of the Byzantine Empire. The spina of the hippodrome is decorated with historical monuments: the Obelisk from Egypt, Serpent column of the Platei battle and the Constantine Column. Continue to the Blue Mosque, so called because of the blue Iznik tiles covering the interior walls. Completed in 1616, its colourful 260 windows enable sunlight to reach inside, making the interior unusually light. Proceed to St Sophia, the Church of the Divine Wisdom, an architectural marvel built during Emperor Justinian’s reign (AD 537). After the conquest of Constantinople in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet II, it was converted into a Mosque. In 1934, Atatürk proclaimed it a museum. Descend underground into the Basilica Cistern constructed in 532 AD by Justinian. The Cistern is 70 meters wide and 140 meters long with a capacity of 80,000m³ of water. See the Medusa head column bases at the far end. Continue on to the famous Grand Bazaar, the largest and oldest covered Bazaar in Turkey where you will find the most oriental atmosphere in Istanbul. Lunch at a traditional restaurant in the Grand Bazaar. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Armada Hotel. (BL)

	Sunday, May 1 Istanbul After breakfast, visit the magnificent Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Sultans for almost three centuries. See the Harem, where women and eunuchs used to live. In the Treasury section, see breathtaking displays, including the “Spoonmaker’s Diamond.” Lunch at Konyali restaurant in Topkapi Palace Garden, overlooking the Bosphours & Marmara sea. After lunch, visit the exotic Spice Market and the immense Suleymaniye Mosque, masterpiece of the great Ottoman Architect Sinan, and the most beautiful of all imperial mosques. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Armada Hotel in Istanbul. (BL)
	Monday, May 2 Istanbul to Ankara After breakfast, a panoramic drive from Istanbul to Ankara during which your guide will explain social life and the specialties of the region. Lunch with regional delicacies at Bolu. Upon arrival in Ankara, a tour at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, named the European Museum of the Year in 1997. See exhibits ranging from the Paleolithic Era to Hellenistic and Roman times. Time permitting, visit the Mausoleum of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, founder of secular Turkey. The mausoleum dominates the city of Ankara from its hilltop position and displays a fascinating visual history of the founding years of the Turkish Republic. Check-in and rest at hotel before dinner. Dinner at a traditional restaurant located in Old Ankara Fortress. Overnight Ankara Surmeli Hotel. (BLD)

		Tuesday, May 3 Ankara to Cappadocia Depart for Cappadocia with a stop to see the impressive Agzikarahan Caravanserai with its geometric motifs and elaborately decorated dome. The caravanserai was a stop for Silk Road traders with accommodations and Turkish baths for the weary travelers, stabling for horses and camels, storage halls and a small mosque. Arrive in Cappadocia, with its bewitching landscape. The most famous and characteristic feature of the landscape is the remarkable conical rock outcrops know as fairy chimneys. As the softness of the tuff (hardened volcanic ash) made it easy to excavate and create dwellings, whole cities were constructed underground as well as hundreds of rock-cut chapels, beautifully frescoed churches and monasteries. Lunch at Han Odasi Restaurant. After lunch, visit Kaymakli Underground City, a nine-level city believed to have been carved by the Hittites for military purposes and used by the early Christians as shelter. People have used the underground cities in this region for lodging for many centuries. Dinner & overnight at Karlik Evi Hotel. (BLD)
	Wednesday, May 4 Cappadocia After breakfast at the hotel, visit the Pigeon Valley near Uchisar and then proceed to Avcilar and Goreme Valleys, the Deserted city of Zelve, the Monk’s Valley and Avanos; the town of pottery makers. Lunch in a local restaurant. After lunch drive to the Open Air Museum in Goreme through Avcilar Valley and visit early Christian churches decorated with unique, colourful frescoes depicting various scenes from the Bible. There are eleven refectories within the Museum, with rock-cut churches tables and benches. Each is associated with a church. Most of the churches in Goreme Open Air Museum belong to the 10th, 11th and 12th centuries. The Goreme Open Air Museum has been a member of UNESCO World Heritage List since 1984, and was one of the first two UNESCO sites in Turkey. Late afternoon, drive to Urgup and Ortahisar, very scenic residential areas of the region, with shopping for world-famous handicrafts, pottery, rugs and wine. Dinner & overnight at Karlik Evi Hotel. (BLD)
		Thursday, May 5 Cappadocia to Antalya After breakfast, check out and depart for Antalya via Konya. Visit the Mevlana Museum which records and celebrates the life of Celaleddin Rumi, the founder of the Mevlana Sufi Sect. The Mevlevi dervishes are known as “The Whirling Dervishes” from the ritual they practice in the form of dance and music to achieve religious ecstasy. Lunch at a local restaurant in Konya. After lunch, continue to Antalya. Dinner & overnight at Divan Talya Hotel. (BLD)
	Friday, May 6 Antalya After breakfast at the hotel, visit Aspendos (Belkis), one of Pamphylia’s most ancient cities, famous for its theater built in the 2nd c. AD and still used today for performances and festivals. Transfer to Perge, an ancient Greek city with an impressive Roman agora and 10,000-seat theater. During the Hellenistic period, Perga was one of the richest and most beautiful cities in the ancient world, famous for its temple of Artemis. It also is notable for being the home of the renowned ancient Greek mathematician Apollonius of Perga. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, continue to Antalya’s Archaeological Museum which displays a variety of pottery, coins, mosaics, sculptures, costumes, sarcophagi and numerous artifacts found in nearby caves. A nomad’s tent and several rooms from a typical Ottoman household showcase lifestyle eras of the region. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Talya Hotel. (BL)
		Saturday, May 7 Antalya to Pamukkale: Aphrodisias After breakfast, drive to Denizli, a famous textile city, also known for its equally famous roosters. Lunch en route. On the way, visit the beautiful city of Aphrodisias, one of the finest archaeological sites of Anatolia, still partly undiscovered. The city was dedicated to the goddess of love, and home to a school of sculpture that was known throughout the ancient world. Sculptural reliefs still adorn many of the buildings. Explore its many Greco-Roman remains including a stadium which once sat 30,000 people and the Temple of Aphrodite, which was later converted into a Christian basilica. Continue to Pamukkale. Check into your thermal hotel in Pamukkale and relax with a leisurely bath in the warm mineral water. Dinner and overnight at Lycus River Hotel (BLD)
	Sunday, May 8 Pamukkale to Kusadasi (Ephesus) After breakfast at the hotel, visit Hierapolis, an ancient Greek city located on top of hot springs. Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The hot springs there have been used as a spa and cure centre since the 2nd century BCE, and people came to soothe their ailments, with many of them retiring or dying here. The large necropolis is filled with sarcophagi, including the Sarcophagus of Marcus Aurelius Ammianos. The Necropolis is the largest ancient cemetery in Anatolia with approximately 1200 graves. Near Hierapolis, see the travertine basins of Pamukkale, known to Turks as the cotton fortress. The stunning white terraces were formed over centuries by streams of hot mineral water flowing down the hillside. Depart for Ephesus and lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch tour the Ancient City of Ephesus, a site in a perfect state of preservation. See the State Agora, the Odeon, the marvelous view from the Curerts Street, Hadrian’s Temple with the moulage of the legend of Androcles on the inner walls, Scolastica Baths, recently excavated hillside houses and the public lavatories. Walk through the Marble Street and Arcadian Avenue and see Celsus Library, the best preserved structure of its kind. The inscription on the side of the building’s front staircase says that the library was built by Julius in his father’s honour. The facade of the library is embellished with four statues personifying four virtues. Dinner and overnight Grand Onder Hotel in Kusadasi. (BLD)
		Monday, May 9 Kusadasi Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure with lunch on your own. In the afternoon visit the House of the Virgin Mary on a hill top near Ephesus. Dinner and overnight Grand Onder Hotel in Kusadasi. (BD)
	Tuesday, May 10 Kusadasi to Canakkale After breakfast, check out and transfer to Pergamum. Visit Bergama Acropolis and the remains of Asclepion, among the world’s earliest and greatest medical centres. The ancient city of Pergamum first became famous because of its temple to Aesculapius, the Greek god of healing. It prospered under the famous physician Galen (131-210 CE) who was born here and worked as a physician to the city's gladiators. The grand colonnaded entry to the Asclepion would have been as thronged with visitors seeking healing in ancient times as Lourdes is today. Visit the Red Basilica built in the 2nd century A.D. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, continue to Canakkale with a stop on the way for a visit to Ancient Troy, the legendary site of one of the most famous wars of ancient times, immortalized in Homer’s Illiad and “discovered” in 1871 by Heinrich Schliemann. Dinner & overnight at Kolin Hotel in Canakkale. (BLD)
		Wednesday, May 11 Canakkale to Istanbul After breakfast, check out. Ferry across the Dardanelle for a somber stop at the very moving memorial at Gallipoli, commemorating one of the most famous battles in modern history. Visit Gallipoli National Park including the Gallipoli Battlefields and Anzac Cove. Lunch at a local fish restaurant by the sea in Gallipoli. After lunch, continue to Istanbul. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Hotel Crystal. (BL)
	Thursday, May 12 Istanbul After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the pier for an exciting cruise on the Bosphorus Sea in a private motor-boat. See magnificent palaces, old seaside mansions and impressive fortresses. Lunch at a local fish restaurant. After lunch, visit Sadberk Hanim Museum on the Bosphorus, a private museum founded by the Koç family. Rare objects collected over the years, costumes and artifacts reflecting the lifestyles of past centuries, valuable fabrics, and gold, silver and porcelain wares are on display. Dinner on your own. Overnight at Hotel Crystal. (BL)
		Friday, May 13 Istanbul Breakfast at the hotel. Morning at leisure, lunch on your own. In the afternoon, visit the Imperial Dolmabahce Palace, (including the Selamlik and the Harem Sections of the palace) built in the mid-19th century by Sultan Abdulmecit I. Decorated throughout with Bakara crystals, pictures by famous artists, luxurious furniture, rugs and carpets from the famous carpet manufacturers of the city Hereke, Dolmabahce has the largest collection of Bohemian and Baccarat crystal chandeliers in the world. A special farewell dinner at Haci Baba Restaurant Overnight at Hotel Crystal (B,D) Saturday, May 14 Istanbul / Departure Transfer to airport for return flight to Canada (B)

Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C. (613) 236-5555 Or 1-800-267-5552 Registration No.: 1892605

For more details on this tour or to request a brochure, please feel free to contact us at 613-236-5555 or email Jean Sheikh at jsheikh@executive-trvl.com.

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