Turkey Textile Tour - 2 Weeks
2011 Season: April 16 - 30 & October 08 - 22nd
Day 1: Istanbul (D)
Arrival in Istanbul Ataturk Airport with transfer to Hotel in Sultanahmet, one of the most interesting old quarters of the city. Welcome meeting in the hotel lobby at 5.00 pm for an introductory talk followed by dinner at a nearby restaurant. .
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel, a visit to Istanbul would not be complete without seeing probably Istanbul’s most famous monument dating from 537AD Hagia Sophia renown as the greatest church in Christendom. A visit via the Hippodrome to the Museum of Islamic Arts will follow which is housed in a former palace, displaying exhibits of the carpets, woodwork, copper and gold of Muslim culture. The ethnographical section displays are of particular interest to the followers of textile arts.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant
Time to stroll through the Blue Mosque with its amazing tiles before dinner at the fish markets.
Dinner in an old city restaurant.
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 3: Istanbul (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, Topkapi Palace & the exotic appeal of the Harem awaits us in the morning.The opulence of the jewelry & clothing exhibits are overwhelming.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant
Following lunch, we will walk to the Covered Bazaar best described as one of the oldest undercover shopping centers in the world containing around 4000 shops. We will be shown excellent examples of handmade textiles including Ikat, Suzanis (embroidered pieces from Central Asia) & felt artifacts from a UNICEF sponsored cooperative & have time to wander through its amazing streets indulging in some retail therapy.
Dinner in an old city restaurant
Overnight in Istanbul
Day 4: Istanbul & Ankara (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, We visit Spice Bazaar and walk its narrow streets, a feast for all the senses, and Rustem Pasha Mosque, we will take a ferry up the Bosporus to visit Sadberk Hanim Museum in Sariyer with its spectacular displays of Costumes & Embroidery and other artifacts.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant
We will then leave to drive to Ankara (450kms aprox) to begin our journey around the country stopping for dinner along the way.
Dinner at the Hotel
Overnight in Ankara
Day 5: Ankara (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, we will visit Anitkabir the mausoleum of Ataturk (formerly Mustafa Kemal) the founder of the Republic of Turkey before going to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, a spectacular venue displaying artifacts from 26 different civilizations. We will have a better comprehension of the country’s cultural & historical eras afterwards and wander the old streets of Saman pazari in the vicinity including a stop at the Koc Museum with its superb collection of industrial pieces housed in a renovated han.
*Lunch in a restaurant around castle
We will travel by bus to Cappadocia in the afternoon via wonderful country scenery stopping for dinner on route. The journey is 350 kms aprox & takes 5 hours
Dinner at a local restaurant in Goreme
Overnight in a cave hotel in the Cappadocia
Day 6: Cappadocia (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
Nothing prepares you for the lunar landscape of Cappadocia & full day’s bus tour will show us some of what this amazing area has to offer. This will include Goreme Open Air Museum with its spectacular examples of fresco art from the Byzantine times on the walls of churches hewn from rock, then visit Pasabag Fairy Chimneys vallley.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Avanos
A pottery workshop will be held in Avanos with instructions from local masters before a tour through a valley at sunset on quad bikes (available as an optional extra.)
Dinner at a local restaurant in Goreme
Overnight in cave hotel in Cappadocia.
Day 7: Cappadocia (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
In Goreme a well known expert will lecture on the motifs, colors & history of old kilims & carpets by a showing numerous examples before we visit a local village to see spinning, dyeing & traditional weaving in an authentic setting and a chance to experience the skill of these weavers carried down through the centuries.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Goreme
Arrangements to take a hot air balloon flight to view the spectacular landscape at dawn can be organized at an extra charge.
Dinner at a local restaurant in Goreme
Overnight in cave hotel in Cappadocia.
Day 8: Cappadocia & Konya (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel,
We will travel to Kaymakli Underground City one of the most interesting settlements in Cappadocia where Christians hid from invading enemies for months at a time. We will go via Sultanhani Caravanserai with its spectacular Seljuk architecture to Konya (350kms aprox taking 3hrs)
*Lunch in a restaurant in center.
Check in to Hotel. Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Konya
Day 9: Konya & Pamukkale (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, We start our discoveries.
Konya is one of the first inhabited cities in the history of mankind & used to be one of the most important trading centers of the Silk Road. It became the adopted home of Celaleddin Rumi the Sufic mystic founder of the Whirling Dervishes Sect. One of the highlights of Konya is a visit to the Mevlana Museum housed in the the former lodge of the sect. After visiting Karatepe Medrese (now the Museum of Ceramics & Tiles) and a local felt studio.
*Lunch in a restaurant in center.
We will leave for Pamukkale and arrival in evening and check in to hotel
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 10: Pamukkale & Sirince (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
Visit to Pamukkale a travertine outcrop cascading down below the ruins of Hierapolis & Necropolis followed by a chance to swim in the spa waters of the Roman Baths.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Pamukkale.
We will then leave for Sirince formerly a Greek village reverting to Turkey after the exchange of populations in 1924.Here we will visit local ladies expert in knitting & crocheting their wares & knowledgeable in the use of natural ingredients used for herbal remedies. We will be invited to pick fruit in season, sample the locally made wine and enjoy dinner overlooking the olive groves.
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Sirince
Day 11: Tire & Birgi (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
Tuesday is market day in Tire with many of the streets of this town full to the brim with seasonal fruits & vegetables and with a section for village ladies to display their handmade wares. A demonstration of Oya Turkish needle lace will be seen with wonderful new and old examples available.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Tire
On the way to Birgi a small village under preservation order 35kms away to visit Cakiroglu Konagi perhaps the finest country home from the 1700s open to the public, we will pause at Odemis Museum for its wonderful display of embroidery & costumes. Nearby we are invited to a silk & linen weaving facility for fabric bargains from a range of collections including Dolce & Gabbana etc.
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Sirince
Day 12 : Selcuk & Ephesus (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
Following breakfast we will be driven to up the hill to the House of the Virgin Mary followed by wandering through the site of ancient Roman ruins of Ephesus .Nothing prepares you for the grandeur of the amphitheatre designed to seat 20,000 the restored Celsus Library & Terrace House Museum.
*Lunch will be served under the shade of a nomadic tent tasting true gozleme (Turkish pancakes).
St John’s Basilica a few kms from Seljuk, and time to stroll through the old town
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Selcuk
Day 13: Tire (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
A day devoted to working with fibre to produce your own unique piece of wearable felt
supervised by an expert craftsperson in Tire 40kms from Seljuk. The town has been a centre for felt making in this region for decades supplying cloaks for shepherds, fabric for bridle makers & crafting everything from slippers to shawls from wool fibres.
*Lunch in Tire
Tire is also famous for its Tire Kofte - meatballs cooked on a skewer with tomatoes & butter served
With sheep’s milk yoghurt, something not to be missed
Dinner at a local restaurant in Seljuk
Overnight in Selcuk
Day 14: Cooking (B-L-D)
Breakfast at the hotel,
A day devoted to cooking Turkish style using only fresh local seasonal ingredients. We will of course get to eat the fruits of our labors. The afternoon will be free relax around vineyards enjoying a wonderful dinner alfresco. For those preferring shopping a transfer to Kusadasi will be available .
Dinner at the hotel
Overnight in Kusadasi
Day 15: Kusadasi & Istanbul (B)
After breakfast we will transfer back to Izmir airport for a flight to Istanbul.
The tour will finish in Istanbul and any assistance needed for further travel arrangements is available.
