RICHES
OF TURKEY
No
trip currently scheduled
May
we suggest our journey to
Southwest Turkey for the
March 29, 2006 Solar Eclipse
More Turkey Destinations
Hos Geldiniz – ‘welcome’ is the word
most often heard in Turkey. Visitors are usually surprised to
discover that the country’s main attraction is the charming
and friendly people who receive visitors with almost medieval
gal-lantry and hospitality that is an integral part of the Turkish
culture.
Turkey
offers a visual wealth of ancient architecture, intricate art,
ageless and varied cultures, tantalizing cui-sine and drinks,
and a cornucopia of seaside towns, forested mountains and fertile
plains bathed in almost con-stant sunshine. Located at the crossroads
of East and West astride two continents, the country has seen
the foot-prints of nine major civilizations - Hittite, Urartian,
Phrygian, Persian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk and Ottoman
Turk - and each has bequeathed an impressive legacy.
Gain
a personal view of Turkey's archaeology, history and culture
while traveling with notable historian, Pro-fessor Kenneth Harl
and only 16 other participants on this 18-day itinerary that
covers Turkey’s western coast and central Anatolia, ancient
Asia Minor. Turkey often conjures up clichéd images of
oriental grandeur, deca-dent sultans, opulent harems, and vividly
dressed belly dancers, but Turkey offers so much more. The itinerary
includes both well-known and remote ancient sites, Selcuk and
Ottoman architecture, and meetings with ar-chaeologists and
other specialists for private lectures about their projects.
ITINERARY:
(B)
breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
Day
1: Depart the USA on Turkish Airlines non-stop flight to
Istanbul.
Day
2: Arrive Istanbul. In the afternoon, walk to the Hippodrome,
scene of Byzantine chariot races, athletic events, victory celebrations,
and executions. Built partly on the site once occupied by the
Byzantine imperial palace stands the Mosque of Sultan Ahmet
I, known to foreigners as the Blue Mosque. It took seven years
to build the mosque and its associated buildings. The structure
has an enormous central dome supported by four huge freestanding
pillars, and six fluted minarets. In the Grand Bazaar, see thousands
of shops, a mosque, a school, a post office and police station
are all housed underneath a vast roof. Overnight for the next
two nights in an Ot-toman house that has been transformed into
a charming bed-and-breakfast hotel within walking distance of
the Blue Mosque and Aya Sofya. (L)
 Day 3: Spend the day
exploring the historic area of this great city. Visit Aya Sofya,
the first church of Christianity, begun in the 2nd century AD
by Constantine the Great. One of the celebrated buildings of
the world, it served as the cathedral of Constantinople and
was the center of the Byzantine Empire for almost a thousand
years. Ex-plore Topkapi Sarai, built in 1468 as a summer palace
for Mehmet the Conqueror. The estate includes lovely gardens,
the council chambers of government, and the harem. Continue
to the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, housed within a 16th-century
palace built by the brother-in-law of Sultan Suleyman, and containing
the world's richest collection of 13th- to 20th-century hand-knotted
Turkish carpets and an ethnographic section depicting objects
used in everyday Turkish life. Then on to Suleymaniye, the mosque
of Suleyman the Mag-nificent, considered the finest creation
of Sinan, the greatest of the Ottoman architects. Lunch will
be true Ot-toman cuisine served within a restored 16th-century
imaret, or public soup kitchen, built by Sinan upon order of
his sultan. At Saint Saviour in Chora Monastery, or Kariye Museum,
view mosaics and frescoes that are mas-terpieces of the “Renaissance"
of Byzantine art. Dinner tonight in Kumkapi, a delightful, boisterous
neighbor-hood where seafood restaurants abound and musicians
entertain with lively music. (B/L/D)
Day
4: A scenic drive through Thrace and a trip by ferry across
the Dardanelles Straits leads to Troy. Late 19th-century excavations
revealed nine principal levels of occupation covering a period
of over 3000 years. Possibly founded by the Hittite King Tudhaliyas
IV, it is encircled by more than two miles of imposing 4th century
BC walls. Overnight in the Hotel Tusan, surrounded by a pine
forest. (B/L/D)
Day
5: Begin at Alexandra Troas, founded by one of Alexander’s
generals in 300BC. The remains of buildings covering a vast
area surrounded by city walls, once more than six miles long,
are witness to the city’s impor-tance. Drive
over a 14th-century Ottoman bridge to view Assos, a picturesque
village clinging to the side of the ancient acropolis.  The
magnificent ruins of the city dominate the top of a mountain
overlooking the Aegean Sea. The oldest part of the
city was Hellenistic, and the stunning basaltic walls encircling
the site date from this period. Down the cliff-face
from the ruins is the port with charming buildings
dating from the last century when the town was Greek. Overnight
in a charming small hotel, housed within an ancient caravanseray,
with swimming pool and spectacular views across the turquoise
blue waters. (B/L/D)
Day
6: Created by the heirs of Alexander, Pergamum was a Hellenistic
city that rivaled Ephesus. Climb to the ancient metropolis that
stands majestically on an acropolis rising precipitously to
a height of nearly a thousand feet above the modern city of
Bergama. Overnight for three nights in the Hotel Kismet, located
in Kusadaci only a few miles from Ephesus. (B/L/D)
 Day
7: Of all the cities of ancient Turkey, Ephesus is the best
preserved and the most often visited. Dedicated to the virgin
goddess of the chase, the city is the site of the Temple of
Diana (Artemis), one of the Seven Wonders of the World, and
The Church of Saint John, where the disciple spoke. We will
visit the nearby museum to see marvelous artifacts found nearby.
Continue to the classic city of Ephesus, and, if onsite, join
a member of the project staff for a private tour of the excavations,
including the Terrace Houses, the magnificent villas of the
wealthy filled with colorful wall frescoes and intricate mosaic
floors and closed to the general public. (B/L/D)
Day
8: Today’s tour takes us to a number of imposing
sites. A powerful Greek force before the 5th century,  Miletus
features a colossal theater surprisingly crowned with a crusader's
castle on top. The city of Priene was laid out according to
the design of Hippodamus of Miletus, the famous town planner.
The enormous temple at Didyma housed the oracle that
declared Alexander the Great to be the son of Zeus. Stunning
Euromus contains a still standing, classically proportioned
temple with columns still supporting the crossbeams. Dinner
is on our own this evening. (B/L)
 Day 9: Our journey takes
us to Aphrodesius, one of the most exciting recent discoveries
in Turkey. Within this ancient city, dedicated to the goddess
of love, have been found monuments of great beauty, many of
Aphrodite herself. Here, a member of the archaeological staff
will open the storage building that is closed to the public
to show us the lovely marble statues that have been found during
the excavations.  Our drive takes us through
forest-clad mountains to Pamukkale, a dazzling white plateau
that rises 400 feet in a curtain of stalagmites and shallow
ponds. The healing waters were popular when the people of Hierapolis
built their spas, and at least three Roman Emperors visited
here. The grandeur of the 2nd century baths shows the importance
of the site. Overnight in the five-star Spa Hotel Collosae.
(B/L/D)
Day
10: Today, visit three important capitals of the Lycian civilization.
In Xanthos see the fine theater dominated by monumental carved
tombs. After the 4th century BC, nearby Patara was the capital
of the Lycian Federation and its port. Today the harbor has
completely silted in and the resulting five-mile-long beach
is one of the most beautiful in southern Turkey.  Turkish
archaeologists have been excavating here for the past ten years
and they are restoring the city to its former grandeur. If available,
a member of the Patara staff will take us around the site to
view the latest discoveries. The Letoon was a shrine dedicated
to the goddess, Leto, and her children by Zeus - Apollo and
Artemis - the principal deities of Lycia. The sanctuary became
the place of assembly during the height of the Lycian League
and national festivals were celebrated here.  During recent excavations information has been found that links
the three temples to the cult of Leto and the Nymphs. Overnight
in Kalkan in the Hotel Pirat. This tiny community has become
an artist’s colony and refuge from big city life. There
will be time to explore the many shops in the town. Dinner is
free to enjoy one of the local sea-food restaurants. (B/L/D)
Day
11: This part of the coast, heavily indented and
full of isolated caves and islets, has some of Lycia's most
rugged scenery. Hundreds of tombs dot the hills and valleys,
and castles guard the sea channels. Travel the coastal road,
and stop to explore the huge necropolis of tombs in the cliff-faces
of Myra, carved before the time of Christ by Lycians. Continue
to Demre where in the 4th-century, St. Nicholas was the bishop.
 Through his
good works the bishop became known as Santa Claus, and you will
see the still standing church dedicated to him. The rarely visited
site of Arykanda is perched high in the Taurus Mountains and
once controlled ancient trade routes. The city is set on a pine-forested
slope, and is truly magnificent. Built of huge basaltic stone
blocks, many of the monumental buildings still stand, and the
remnants of intricate mosaic floors are visible. Lunch will
be in on alabalik, or trout, in a typical outdoor restaurant.
Continue to Antalya, magnificently situated atop 150-foot cliffs
overlooking the sea. The award-winning renovations of the Old
Port Section have recaptured the charm of the ancient Roman
and Ottoman styles. Our hotel for the next two nights is a beautifully
restored 19th-century Ottoman home. Dinner is free. (B/L)
Day
12: Travel to Perge, founded by Greek settlers following the
Trojan War, to see the great theater, stadium, enormous Hellenistic
and Roman gates, and a colonnaded street. Continue to Aspendos,
containing a fine  Ro-man
theater restored by Ataturk in 1932, and to the Antalya Archaeological
Museum, an architectural delight housing artifacts from many
nearby sites. Tonight's dinner party is in an elegant restaurant
overlooking the an-cient harbor and shadowed by a 2000-year-old
Roman wall. (B/L/D)
Day
13: A drive over the Taurus Mountains reveals terrain ranging
from pastoral valleys to spectacular snow-crested peaks. Explore
the magnificent ruined city of Sagalossos clinging perilously
to the southern granite slopes of the Taurus Mountains. Originally
inhabited by Pisidians, the pirates of the central Anatolian
world, this was the highest city in the Roman Empire. In Konya,
we will visit Mevlana Tekke, the tomb of the mystic Jala ad-Din
ar-Rumi, better known as Mevlana, the founder of the whirling
dervishes. Overnight in Konya in the Hilton Hotel. (B/L/D)
Our
Hotel in Cappadocia |
Day
14: This morning’s drive takes us along ageless caravan
trails, with a stop to examine a beautifully carved, 13th-century
caravansaray built by Seljuk Turks. Then it’s on to the
Cappadocia region, noted for its Byzantine churches and monasteries
carved out of the volcanic tuff, where many wonders will be
seen. The beautiful val-ley of Ihlara is formed by the still
flowing Melendiz Dere River, and contains about 60 churches,
monasteries and hermits’ cells that have been cut out
of the volcanic tuft. The
underground city of Kaymakli was built to protect early Christians;
the city descends more than eight floors into the volcanic tuft
and contains kitchens, living areas, stalls for animals, and
rooms where wine was created - all wrapped around huge air shafts
that make even the lowest rooms comfortable. Spend the next
two nights in the Urgüp Ev, a whimsical hotel that depicts
the charm of the area with rooms that have also been cut from
the living rock. Each of the spacious rooms has been individually
and elegantly decorated with Ottoman furniture, antiques and
crafts of the region. (B/L/D)
Day
15: Millions of years ago, a volcano near Cappadocia spewed
out molten lava and dust. Since then, wind and weather have
reshaped the soft rock, leaving cones and "fairy chimneys."
Here, early Christians carved out churches, monasteries, and
huge underground cities where they could hide from persecutors.
Explore the rock-cut churches and monasteries of Goreme Valley,
and Zelve, a natural amphitheater at the junction of three can-yons
where the cliff faces are riddled with openings to houses and
churches, many with frescoes still visible. After a climb to
the top of the natural rock citadel of Uchisar, continue to
the abandoned village of Cavusin, partly built into a pock-marked
cliff face. On top of the cliff is the impressive colonnaded
façade of the Church of St. John the Baptist. Tonight’s
dinner party will feature a folk dance show. (B/L/D)
Day
16: Today will be spent exploring two fascinating but remote
ancient sites. From 1750 to 1180 BC, Hattusas was the capital
of the proud and warlike Hittites. The city is huge, covering
several square miles. The Great Temple was the most important
temple within the metropolis and is dedicated to the weather
and sun gods. One of the most important discoveries here was
an archive of clay tablets written in two languages –
Akkadia and cuneiform Hittite - which were instrumental in the
decipherment of the Hittite written language. The nearby outdoor
shrine of Yazilikaya was created within a natural rock sanctuary
and contains spectacular 3500-year-old petroglyphs. Here, view
beautifully carved processions of Hittite gods as they march
across the sanctuary walls. Overnight in Ankara at the Hotel
Gordion. Dinner is free. (B/L)
Day
17: Visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, set within
a splendid restored bazaar and contains a priceless collection
of Hittite art. The 7th-century citadel towering above the city
is one of the best surviving Byzantine forts. Lunch within its
walls in Zenger Pasa Restaurant, housed within an old Ottoman
house. Gather this evening for our final dinner party in an
elegant Ankara restaurant. (B/L/D)
Day
18: Return to the U.S.A. (B)
TRIP LEADER
Kenneth
W. Harl received his Ph.D from Yale University, and is Professor
of History at Tulane University in New Orleans, where he teaches
undergraduate and graduate courses on Mediterranean civilizations,
including those of Greece, Rome, Mesopotamia, and Egypt as well
as Byzantium. The author of two books and numerous essays, he
is also a veteran field researcher who has served since 1999
on the editorial board of the American Journal of Archaeology.
Prof. Harl has worked in Turkey for many years, and is a member
of the American Research Institute in Turkey (ARIT). His skill
and dedication as an instructor are attested by the many teaching
honors he has won. Prof. Harl has earned Tulane’s annual
Student Award for Excellence in Teaching no fewer than eight
times. In 2000, Baylor University named him as the Fall 2001
recipient of its prestigious nationwide Robert Foster Cherry
Award for Great Teachers. Dr. Harl is a featured lecturer with
The Teaching Company, offering adult education by distributing
audio and video cassettes of courses by professors from some
of the nation’s leading universities. His intimate knowledge
of Turkey, his expertise in its fascinating archaeological heritage,
and his wonderful personality make him an ideal study leader.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
Register
for this Trip
TRIP
DATES: No
trips currently scheduled
TRIP
COST:
(per person, double occupancy) includes roundtrip air from New
York and one Turkish domestic flight on Turkish Airlines, all
hotels, and most meals (as noted in brochure). Cost does not
include the donation check of $100.00 to “ARIT, Ankara,
Library Fund in honor of Dr. Toni Cross”; passports, airport
fees, and visas; meals not listed in the itinerary; alcoholic
beverages and other drinks not on the regular menu; laundry;
excess baggage charges; personal tips; alcoholic drinks; or
entry and departure taxes.
SINGLE
SUPPLEMENT:
Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the
single supplement must be charged.
AIRLINE
NOTE: The fare requires that tickets be issued 60 days prior
to departure. Participants who register after 60 days before
departure may be charged an additional fee due to price changes.
Business Class available at a reduced cost, and excellent add-on
fares available from U.S.A. gateway cities.
HOTELS:
In keeping with the historic theme of our trips,
hotels are chosen to depict the charm characterizing the Turkish
culture. Where available, they are restored historical buildings
- elegant Ottoman mansions furnished with period antiques; bed-and-breakfast
style inns filled with lovely weavings, carpets and kilims,
and handmade crafts; beautiful cut-stone Selcuk caravanserai
originally built for camel caravans, and other unique accommo-dations
too small for "tour groups". Of course, all rooms
have private bathrooms.
MEALS:
Wherever possible, meals will be in charming restaurants
instead of in your hotel. Breakfast is Continental (fresh bread,
cheese and coffee or tea).
PRIVATE
TOURS OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES: We
have made arrangements with the director (or a member of the
staff) on several archaeological projects to talk with our groups.
However, please be aware that, due to other commitments, there
may be times when they are not onsite when our groups arrive.
RESERVATION:
A
deposit of $500.00, along with a check for $100.00 made out
to “ARIT, Ankara” with “Library Fund in honor
of Dr. Toni Cross” in the subject line is required along
with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days before
departure. Cancellations received in writing at least 75 days
before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00.
Cancellations received less than 75 days before departure will
not receive a refund. If for any reason you are unable to complete
the tour, we will not reimburse any fees. The purchase of
travel
protection
with both trip cancellation and emergency evaluation is strongly
recommended.
Upon
receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you
will be sent a reading list and a clothing and equipment list.
An information book designed for this trip, including maps of
archaeological sites and articles of pertinent interest, will
be sent upon receipt of final payment.
LIMITED
TO 17 PARTICIPANTS
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