Gay Travel Türkiye Cultural Tour

Days 1-3: Istanbul

We will arrive in Istanbul and be transferred to our first hotel. Later this evening, we will meet with our tour guide and enjoy our welcome dinner and orientation.

We’ll spend the next two days exploring the city, which is dramatically situated upon three waterways: the Bosphorus, the Sea of Marmara, and the Golden Horn. Istanbul’s exotic flavor comes alive in its magnificent mosques with their minarets, bustling bazaars, and boulevards and bridges. We’ll have ample time to soak in the atmosphere of the city and enjoy its many exciting vistas.

We’ll start at Hagia Sophia, known for its magnificent dome. Then we will tour the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, more familiarly known as the Blue Mosque. It is known for its magnificent paneling of over 20,000 blue Iznik tiles.

After lunch, on our first full day in Istanbul, we’ll wind down with a visit to a traditional Turkish Bath (hammam).

No stay in Istanbul is complete without an unforgettable boat excursion through the Bosphorus. This is the winding strait that separates Europe and Asia and connects the Mediterranean and Black Seas. We start our second full day in Istanbul with a boat ride. From there, we’ll take a leisurely visit to either the Dolmabahce Palace, the grand administrative center of the Ottoman government overlooking the Bosporus, or the Topkapi Palace Museum. The Topkapi is a former residence of Ottoman Sultans and now a museum filled with Chinese porcelain and extraordinary jewelry. After lunch at an elegant seafood restaurant, we’ll visit the Grand Bazaar. We will explore a labyrinth of streets and passages where more than 4000 merchants will vie for our attention.

Day 4: Cappadocia

From Istanbul, we will fly to Cappadocia, where we’ll check into our hotel for the next two nights. Over centuries, soft volcanic rock has been sculpted by wind, rain, and erosion into magnificent columns and fantastical shapes. These created one of the most interesting landscapes in the world.

In the afternoon, we’ll enjoy a pottery-making demonstration by a local artist. We will check into our unique lodgings at a cave resort. This will provide a first-hand experience of the unique characteristics of cave dwellings.

Day 5: Goreme, Esentepe and Uchisar Castle

Today starts at 5 am for anyone who would like to arrange for an optional hot air balloon ride over the vast sandstone landscape. (Must be booked in advance and then paid directly to the vendor during the tour).

We’ll visit the open-air museum of Göreme whose steep cliffs hide many tiny churches dating from the 9th century when Christians fled here to escape persecution. We’ll visit a 180-foot-high fortress carved out of a natural hill dominating the area, for a breathtaking view of the surrounding Cappadocia formations and other sights.

We will enjoy lunch in Göreme before we enjoy a carpet weaving presentation at a local manufacturer.

Next, we will descend to the remarkable underground city of Ozkonak. This underground City is an ancient city built into the northern slopes of Mt. Idis about 14 km northeast of Avanos in Nevşehir Province, in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. Here we will have a 1.5 hour tour.

This evening we will enjoy a Turkish Night Show with a performance and dinner.

Day 6: Kayseri – Flight to Antalya

Today we will visit the city of Kayseri where we will enjoy the best pastirami and manti.

After we have a local lunch, we will take our flight to Antalya(1 hour).

Day 7: Antalya and Perge

After breakfast, we will enjoy a visit to Aspendos, including lunch. We will explore the ancient sites around Antalya. One stop will be the ancient city of Perge, which was founded after the Trojan wars, and was first mentioned in 334 BC when Alexander the Great passed through. Later Perge was where the apostle Paul and Barnabus began their first mission in Anatolia.

We will visit the Antalya Archaeological Museum before arrival at the hotel, with a free evening.

Day 8: Myra – Kas – Kalkan

Today we will have a drive along the coast of the Mediterranean via Lycian Road. We will make a stop in Myra, an ancient city to have a look at rock carved Lycian tombs. For lunch, we will stop in Kas before are arrival in Kalkan. We will also enjoy a visit to the grave of St. Nicolas, born in Turkiye.

Days 9: Sailing the Turquoise Coast

In contrast to our busy day the day before, we devote a day to relaxing on an all-day ride on a gulet, a charming and comfortable wooden sailing vessel. We’ll enjoy a 4-hour Gulet Sail from Kevkova to Ucagiz with lunch on board, then enjoy our second evening in Kalkan.

Day 10-11: Kalkan – Bodrum

Today we will drive to Kayakoy, a ghost village, abandoned by the Greeks. We will have lunch and continue our drive to Bodrum.

The following day we will make our way to Bodrum, one of the most beautiful locations along Turkey’s Lycian Coast. Here, we will visit Bodrum Castle, walk in the market, and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. We will have some free time in the afternoon. There is a beach club, for those that are interested.

Day 12: Home of the Ephesians

This morning we will drive to the ancient Roman site of Ephesus, one of the largest and best-preserved ancient cities in the world. A walk down the well-preserved wide marble streets lined with columns, offers a vision of the ancient Hellenistic and Roman empires, complete with theaters, temples, and baths. We will have a 2 hour tour of Ephesus, followed by a visit to a leather factory, for those that are interested.

After touring Ephesus we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, then drive to our hotel in Kusadasi. Tonight we will enjoy our Farewell Dinner before departing the next morning.

Day 13: Istanbul Return & Departure Day

From Kusadasi, we will provide a transfer to the airport for a morning flight to Istanbul to connect with flights home or to your next destination. For those who would like to spend more time in Istanbul, our local partners can also arrange transfers and lodging to extend your stay.