turkey, gulets, Turquoise Coast, cruise
The beautiful Turquoise Coast of Turkey, dotted with traditional gulet boats

Wonders of Turkey: A Family Adventure

Jun 29 - Jul 13 and Jul 20 - Aug 3, 2013; Jun 7 - 21 and Jul 5 - 19, 2014
For more details or to book your family vacation, enter your name and email below or Call 1-888-466-3590 M-F, 9 am-5:30 pm (EST)!
Adult Starting at $6,690
Child Starting at $6,440
Call 888-466-3590
    *First Name
    *Last Name
    *Email
    *Required
    |
     
     
    Overview
  • From Istanbul’s scented bazaars and impressive mosques to the caves of Cappadocia, from the ancient ruins at Ephesus to the Turquoise Coast, this adventure offers endless opportunities to entertain and enrich the entire family. Learn traditional techniques for making terra cotta pottery and paper marbling, attend a Mevlevi Sema Ceremony (Whirling Dervishes performance) and meet an archaeologist at the ruins of Kibyra. Spend four relaxing days sailing on a gulet, Turkey’s traditional wooden yacht, meandering along the Mediterranean Coast with frequent stops to swim, hike, snorkel and discover hidden ruins—including Cleopatra’s Sunken Baths. There’s no end to the fun as your family explores magnificent landscapes and coastal regions, with lots of time for fun in the sun and soaking up the beauty of this magical place. This tour is recommended for families with children ages 8 and older.
    • Special Highlights
  • A crossroads of cultures, people, and places for millennia, Turkey is magical and mystical; friendly, fun, and fascinating. And it’s one of the Mediterranean’s best-kept travel secrets, boasting amazing sites and activities but without the crowds. Turkey is one of the oldest continually inhabited areas of the world—from empires that date back to well before the 10th century B.C., to settlements and invasions by Greeks, Romans, and Mongols to the great Ottoman Empire, you’ll experience the great history of Turkey. For a family adventure, few destinations offer such a wide range of activities in so many geographically distinct landscapes. Your journey through this ancient and culturally diverse land will entertain your senses, challenge your inner explorer, and stoke the fires of your children’s imagination. We know you’ll be wowed!
  • Discover all that Turkey has to offer. On this trip, you’ll experience a wide variety of places throughout this ancient land. From enjoying the intricate beauty of the mosques of Istanbul to exploring the caves of Cappadocia, swimming in the travertine pools at Pamukkale to sailing along the Turquoise Coast, your family will create memories that will last a lifetime.
  • Hands-on learning about traditional Turkish paper marbling. The earliest known marbled papers are Turkish ones from the 1400s. They were used for decorative purposes as well as to prevent erasure and forgery. To achieve this affect, the colors are floated and patterns are made on the surface of a viscous mucilage, known as size or sizing in English, and then carefully transferred to an absorbent surface, such as paper or fabric. Your lesson will be in a beautifully restored Ottoman building, where you will have a special demonstration of this Turkish art form, and then get to try your hand at it to create a souvenir from your trip!
  • Whirling Dervish show. The Mevlevi Order (or “Whirling Dervishes”) was founded in Konya, Turkey in the 13th century by followers of the poet Rumi. The name comes from their ritual of whirling as a way to be closer to God. In 2005, UNESCO proclaimed the Mevlevi Sema Ceremony of Turkey as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, and you’ll be able to witness this rite firsthand at an evening performance.
  • Visit a rug workshop to learn about rug weaving, silk extraction, and dying wool. Rug weaving is an ancient tradition in Turkey, and families can opt to visit a weaving cooperative, where local girls weave woolen and silk carpets, spinning and dyeing the materials themselves.
  • Behind-the-scenes tour with an archaeologist at the ruins of Kibyra. During the Roman era Kibyra was a judicial seat of the province of Asia, and it attracted settlers from the neighboring countries and became a cosmopolitan city where four languages—Lydian, Pisidian, Solymian and Greek—were spoken. Excavations started in 2006 and are still going on. It was just this year the interior of the city hall was unearthed, and the world’s largest portrait of Medusa was discovered, made out of inlaid marble pieces. Enjoy an exclusive tour of this very active excavation and a talk by the chief archaeologist!
  • Swim in the travertine pools at Pamukkale. These travertine formations have been around for centuries—even the ancient Romans believed in their healing powers, and the nearby ancient town of Hierapolis sprang up as a spa retreat. They are called Pamukkale, which means “cotton castle,” and your family can enjoy a soak in these ancient baths before exploring the ruins of the town.
  • Visit the ruins of Hierapolis. Hierapolis was a city that was founded by the Seleucids as a thermal spa in the 3rd century B.C. It has long been believed that the mineral-rich thermal waters of Hierapolis have healing properties, and the area has always attracted people from all over who were seeking a cure for their ailments. The town of Hierapolis and the nearby springs are a UNESCO World Heritage site, featuring remarkable white travertine pools and impressive ruins.
    • World Heritage Sites
  • This tour features the following World Heritage sites in Turkey:
    • Göreme National Park and the Rock Sites of Cappadocia
    • Hierapolis and Pamukkale
    • Historic areas of Istanbul
    • The Mevlevi Sema Ceremony, or Whirling Dervishes (Intangible Cultural Heritage)
    See a complete list of all Smithsonian tours featuring World Heritage sites.


    •