Eastern Türkiye Tour

Arrive in Istanbul and transfer to the historic area of the city. After a light lunch, visit Aya Sofya, among the first churches of Christianity, begun in the 4th century AD by Constantine the Great. One of the great buildings in the world, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople and was the center of the Byzantine Empire for almost a thousand years.

Walk to the Hippodrome, the scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations, and executions. Nearby, enter the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts. Housed within a 16th-century palace built by the brother-in-law of Sultan Suleyman, the museum contains the world’s richest collection of 13th-20th century hand-knotted Turkish carpets and an ethnographic section depicting objects used in everyday Turkish life.

We end today at the Basilica Cistern, the largest and most magnificently covered cistern in Istanbul. Built in the 6th century in the reign of Justinian, it supplied water to the Byzantine Great Palace nearby.

Overnight for the next four nights at the Ottoman Imperial Hotel, ideally located within walking distance of the important sites within the Old City. Enjoy a rooftop welcome dinner with views of the historic quarter. (L/D)

This morning we begin at the Dolmabahçe Palace, an impressive and elaborate landmark sitting on the European side of the city. Home to the last six sultans of the Ottoman Empire, this palace complex has 365 rooms and 22 salons, all lavishly adorned with a collection of European antiquities, furniture and one 4.5-ton chandelier. 

In the 17th and 18th centuries, it became fashionable for high-ranking people of Istanbul to own a summer home on the Bosphorus, the sinuous straits separating Europe from Asia.

This afternoon, we travel by chartered boat to view these lovely wooden villas and elegant marble palaces along the shore. Afterward, we leave our vessel to dine at one of the excellent seafood restaurants nearby. (B/L/D)

Today we enjoy a culinary walking tour of Istanbul’s historic Old City that will transport our taste buds back in time!  With the iconic Grand Bazaar as our starting point, we embark on a journey to discover the best eateries that still utilize generations-old recipes in their creations. 

As we dine where locals do, we will immerse ourselves in their culture and habits to truly understand why Turkish cuisine is one of the world’s most famous. 

After our extensive exploration, we return to the hotel with a free afternoon and dinner on our own. (B/L)

Begin today by exploring Topkapı Sarayı, built in 1468 as a summer palace for Mehmet the Conqueror. Within the estate are exquisite gardens, the council chambers of government, and the harem, the home of the sultan’s family.

After a delicious lunch, we will visit the Panorama 1453 Historical Museum, housing a panorama painting of the conquest of Constantinople.

Our farewell dinner will be at one of Istanbul’s fine local restaurants. (B/L/D)

Join your fellow travelers to begin the main trip. (B)

Depart on a flight bound for Istanbul, Türkiye.

Arrive Istanbul. Transfer to our flight to Trabzon.

Upon arrival, enjoy a city tour.

Dinner and overnight in Trabzon at Zorlu Grand Hotel. (D)

This morning we begin at the church of Hagia Sophia, beautifully situated in the western suburb outside the city walls and overlooking the Black Sea. 

In the afternoon we drive to Erzurum with a stop en route at the cliff-side monastery of the Virgin Mary at Sumela in the Altindere National Park.

Overnight for one night at the Zade Boutique Hotel in Erzurum. (B/L/D)

Erzurum has long played a significant role in the history of Anatolia, witnessing the rise and fall of various empires including the Urartians, Byzantines, Seljuks, and Ottomans. We begin today with a tour of its iconic monuments, including the Great Mosque, the Çifte Minareli Medrese (with its double minaret), Yakutiye Medrese, and the bazaar. 

After lunch, we transfer to Kars with a stop at the  Çobandede Bridge.

Overnight for one night at the Beylerbeyi Palace Hotel. (B/L/D)

Just outside Kars is the ancient Armenian capital of Ani. The greatest achievement of medieval architecture to be seen anywhere in Turkey, this 11th-century metropolis once was home to 100,000 people. Consequently, in 2016 Ani was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Today, the extraordinary walled city still contains splendid frescos that proclaim the richness of the city’s inhabitants and the excellence of the designers.

After exploring the site, drive on to Doğubayazıt. This town is on the border with Armenia. From here we will witness stunning views of sacred Mount Ararat.

Overnight in the Ertur Boutique Hotel. (B/L/D)

İshak Paşa Sarayı is a dazzling array of pointed domes and striped minarets invoking images from “A Thousand and One Arabian Nights.”  Notably, a local feudal lord built this citadel in the 17th century. This lovely palace is one of the most memorable monuments in Turkey. And, for this reason, it is on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. The edifice is noteworthy not only for its beautiful classical style but also for its internal central heating system. 

After a brief stop at the Muradiye Waterfall, continue through breathtaking scenery to the rarely visited Ayanis, the last castle complex of the Urartians. Here, we meet Professor Mehmet Işıklı, the director of the archaeological project who will give us a private tour of excavations.

Then it’s on to Van. This city is handsomely positioned on the edge of Turkey’s largest lake within a lush green oasis encircled by stunning mountain peaks. Van is the location of the 9th century BC former Urartian capital of Tuşpa.  Interestingly, it is also famous for the Van Cat, a pure white, longhair feline with one blue eye and the other green.

Overnight for two nights in the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Van. (B/L/D)

The Urartian fortress of Çavuştepe perches on a mountaintop with breathtaking views of the surrounding area.  A very old stronghold, a cuneiform inscription on a temple here proclaims King Sarduri II, who ruled between 764 and 735 BC, as the builder.

Nearby Lake Van is sprinkled with islands, several containing thousand-year-old monasteries and churches. We will board a cruiser to cross the lake to Akdamar to view a breathtaking 10th-century church constructed by an Armenian king. Built of carved red stone blocks, the walls of the chapel are adorned with exquisite friezes depicting stories from the Old Testament. (B/L/D)

Begin today at the Van Archaeological Museum to view remarkable artifacts found in the area before departing and enjoying a drive along the southern shore of Lake Van to Tatvan. As we traverse spectacular scenery, we will stop at Ahlat, a historic town located on the northwestern edge of Lake Van. 

Ahlat is primarily known for its fascinating cemeteries. Forests of elaborately decorated Seljuk tombstones still stand. Created in the 12th and 13th centuries, most stand seven or eight feet tall adorned with rich, ornate carvings. 

Overnight for one night at The Crater Hotel in Tatvan. (B/L/D)

En route to Mardin today we stop at three interesting sites. First, we see the 10th-century Malabadi Bridge, the world’s longest-spanned stone arch bridge. Thus, UNESCO has placed it on the World Heritage Tentative List. Then we visit Dayro d-Mor Gabriel, also known as Deyrulumur, the oldest surviving Syriac Orthodox monastery in the world.

Our final stop is Anıtlı village to see The Church of the Mother of God, arguably the most beautiful of the many churches of Tur Abdin. The church is part of a large monastic complex on the southern edge of the town of Hah and is thought to have been built around 450 AD and expanded by Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century, with additions being made right down into the modern period.

Overnight in Mardin for two nights at the Gazi Konağı Boutique Hotel. Dinner is on our own. (B/L)

This morning we tour Mardin, beginning with Deir-Al-Zafaran (the Saffron Monastery), center of the Syrian Orthodox Patriarchy and still an active monastery. The site of the Saffron monastery has been a sacred place for thousands of years.

Continue to visit Dara, the remains of a Roman city built in the 6th century to protect the Roman border with Sassanian Persia. In the afternoon, we will have time to walk in the old city of Mardin to see the Great Mosque, bazaar and beautiful houses of Mardin. (B/L/D)

Today we depart for Diyarbakır, a city at least 5,000 years old. Diyarbakır is encircled by a massive parapet built of jet-black blocks of basalt more than three miles long. It is a perfect example of medieval military architecture and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

From the top of the walls, there are magnificent vistas overlooking the Tigris River valley including the Hevsel Gardens, also with UNESCO World Heritage status. This huge green space linked the city with the Tigris River and has played a vital role in keeping the city provisioned and watered since the ninth century BC. 

This evening’s walking tour will take us along the walls, and to Ulu Mosque, one of the oldest mosques in Anatolia.  

Dinner and overnight at the Dies Hotel in Diyarbakır. (B/L/D)

The Kingdom of Commagene emerged as a Roman puppet state in the first century BC.  The most renowned ruler was King Antiochus I, a king whose lineage connected him to the Macedonian Seleucids and the Achaemenid Persians.  He ruled the territory in the 1st century BC and built his extraordinary mausoleum on the summit of Mt. Nemrud, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Certainly, it is one of the most extraordinary tombs in the world. From this imposing sanctuary, we can see for almost fifty miles across the Mesopotamian Plain.  Our climb takes us to both the East and West Terraces to see the huge statues of Hellenistic gods – Apollo, Zeus, Fortuna – with the king prominently seated among them.

Overnight at the nearby Euphrat Hotel. (B/L/D)

Today’s destination is Göbekli Tepe, perhaps the world’s oldest temple dating back to 11,000 years ago and predating Stonehenge by 6,000 years.  Excavations have uncovered several circles of standing stones and inside each are two 16-foot-tall T-shaped pillars towering over the ring of shorter stones. Furthermore, many of these are richly garnished with carvings of foxes, vultures, lions and other wild animals. Understandably, Göbekli Tepe has been designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  If available, we will meet with the director of excavations who will give us a private tour of the latest discoveries. After our tour, drive to Şanlıurfa with origins that are rooted in the Bronze Age. Renamed Edessa in the 4th century BC, it became a famous religious and intellectual center during the Byzantine period. Overnight for three nights in the El Ruha in Şanlıurfa. (B/L/D)

In Şanlıurfa, our walk through the old quarter takes us to the bazaar with its interesting display of local goods. We will also see the city’s 10th century Great Mosque which was constructed on what was thought to be the birthplace of Abraham. Afterward, we will visit two museums – The Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum and the Halepli Bahce Mozaic Museum, home to the famous “warrior Amazon queen” mosaics.

After returning to the hotel, enjoy our farewell dinner. (B/L/D)

Numerous historical ruins are located around Şanlıurfa. Karahan Tepe, along with the world-famous Göbekli Tepe, is part of a cluster of Neolithic settlements. These are spread over 125 miles of southeastern Turkey between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The monumental structures carved out of the bedrock at Karahan Tepe contain T-shaped pillars and carved representations of animals, serpents, and other enigmatic figures similar to the ones in Göbekli Tepe.  However, Karahan Tepe is believed to be considerably larger than Göbekli Tepe, covering an area of about 33 acres. 

Sited along the road that ran from Nineveh to Carchemish, Harran was a major commercial, cultural, and religious center first inhabited in the 6th millennium BC. It was mentioned in the Bible as the place where Abraham brought his family after they left Ur. Today, it is known for the curious beehive-shaped homes scattered throughout the village. 

Return to Şanlıurfa with the rest of the afternoon and dinner on our own. (B/L)  

Depart from Şanlıurfa Airport to Istanbul and our international flights home.  (B) Or fly back to Istanbul to join Far Horizons’ Western Turkey tour.