Turkish Delight

Arrive in Istanbul from anywhere in the world. Check into the lovely Bank Hotel in the center of Istanbul’s groovy Karaköy district. Formerly at the heart of the Ottoman financial empire, this old bank was designed by Antoine Tedeschi in 1867, and renovated to create the luxurious space we’ll enjoy for 2 nights.

Meet for a welcome drink in the hotel’s stylish lobby and then head out to dinner and plan the next day’s expedition to the world’s first shopping mall - the Grand Bazaar.

This morning’s sumptuous Turkish breakfast will fill us with energy for a day exploring the heart of ancient Istanbul - Sultanahmet/Fatih districts. We’ll enter the Blue Mosque and marvel at the hand-painted tiles that give its name and replicate the feeling of the open sky, then move on to ancient and magnificent Hagia Sofia, possibly the oldest building you have ever been inside - and certainly among the most magnificent.  

We’ll enjoy a simple lunch of street food on the run in the Grand Bazaar while exploring the vast array of antiques, jewels, shoes, lanterns. Our guide will ensure we find the hidden treasures and the specially desired items we talked about last night - and make sure we don’t get lost among the maze of tiny streets and over 4,000 booths. Nearby we’ll enter the Egyptian Bazaar specializing in spices, sweets, soaps and medicinal teas. After a little rest at the hotel, we’ll board a private boat for an evening sail up the Bosphorus to our dinner in an Ottoman palace.

Today we’ll focus on the modern side of Istanbul’s arts culture with a visit to the fabulous Istanbul Modern art gallery and the cutting-edge SALT Galata projects. There’s time for a quick photo-shoot at the glamorous Kamondo Stairs. Serious art collectors can take a side trip to a premier dealer gallery if they wish. Then we’ll head to the airport and our flight to Cappadocia.

After checking in at the magnificent Kayakapi Hotel there’s some free time to chill out before dinner in the hotel’s own restaurant and an early night.

We wake up before dawn today for our private flight with one of Cappadocia’s premier hot air balloon companies. Nothing beats the gentle sensation of drifting above the fairy-chimneys at sunrise!

Then we’ll spend a playful morning in the kitchen learning to make some classic Turkish dishes. After we eat our lesson for lunch there’s free time for the nap some people need after the early balloon flight or to explore the gorgeous historic village of Ürgüp. We’ll have an independent dinner in one of the many excellent restaurants in the town. If any of us would like to learn about Turkish/Oriental carpets in a no-obligation environment, we’ll make a fascinating seminar happen this evening.

Today is a nature-focused day - we’ll take a trip to a serene valley garden for some gentle yoga under the balloon flight path, then enjoy a picnic breakfast before heading inside for a demonstration/lesson in the art of oya - the local beaded lacemaking technique. Village women invented the art to decorate the edges of their headscarves, now it’s also used to make charming jewelry with designs inspired by wildflowers. After lunch we’ll head back into nature for a jeep or horseback safari through to a hidden cave church and later a gastronomic twist on the famous mangal (Turkish barbecue) under the stars.

Today we can sleep in a little, then we’ll check out of the hotel after a final luscious breakfast. This morning we’ll try our hand at the classic Ottoman art of ebru - a form of marbling on paper and textiles, and integral part of the fine calligraphy practiced here since the 13th century.  

We’ll visit Ürgüp’s famous 7-level underground house - a living anthropological museum of the cave-dweller’s life. We’ll eat lunch in the charming Greek village of Mustafapaşa, an architectural treasure, before flying to Izmir and transferring to Alaçatı and our home for the next two days, the simply elegant Gaia Hotel. We’ll eat in tonight; their kitchen is superb.

We’re on the exquisite Aegean coast, so of course we must go sailing. Our private yacht will take us out on the warm crystal waters for a day of sailing, swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing, with a picnic at a secluded beach.  

Back in town, we’ll take a short stroll from the Gaia to savor a farewell dinner at Fava and toast our new friendships and beautiful experiences in Turkey.

Sadly, it’s time to check out of the Gaia, they will hold our luggage while we pop into a nearby top design spa to put the final polish on our vacation bloom. Then it’s off to the airport for our flight back to Istanbul and a last güle güle (go smiling!)