The Blue Voyage:
Turkey and the Turquoise Coast

September 30-October 15, 2007

A land fashioned from a sultan's dream, immortalized in myth, and ennobled by antiquity, Turkey is at the crossroads of civilization, where Europe meets Asia and past meets present to form "the cradle of civilization." This is a small group trip of no more than 25 people.

Begin in Istanbul, Turkey's cultural and spiritual heart, and explore ancient sites from Troy and Pergamum to Ephesus and Perge. Visit a carpet factory and the WWI battlefield of Gallipoli. Board a privately chartered gulet yacht for a five-day cruise along the exquisite Turquoise Coast, swimming in crystal clear waters that afford views into the depths and exploring quaint fishing villages, striking Roman ruins, a Greek ghost town, and a 6th-century Byzantine monastery. An optional five-day/four-night post-tour extension explores the remarkable rock formations of Cappadocia and visits Ankara, Turkey's capital.

Day 1: Depart your gateway city for Istanbul, Turkey.

Day 2: Upon your arrival, you will have time to unpack and have a short rest before joining your tour director for an informative briefing about the journey ahead. Then take a short walking tour of the Taksim Square area (the heart of modern Istanbul near your hotel) and continue on to a local restaurant for your first taste of traditional Turkish cuisine at the welcome dinner.

Day 3: Tour Old Istanbul, home of splendid mosques and magnificent palaces, including the marvelous Blue Mosque, which houses one of the world's great collections of blue Isnik tiles; the ancient Hippodrome; the Sunken Palace, an underground cistern that is part of an ancient Byzantine network of waterways; and the Islamic Art Museum. Lunch on your own before touring famed Hagia Sophia, then visit the huge Grand Bazaar, a converted medieval shopping center.

Day 4: Tour the Mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent, then head to Topkapi Palace, former home of Turkey's sultans, and dine at a traditional Turkish restaurant that boasts magnificent views. Explore the vast palace with its magnificent artifacts. For the remainder of the day you are at leisure to visit the fascinating Archeological Museum or take a stroll down Istaklal Street, a pedestrian walkway and the crossroads of old and new Turkey. Tonight you have your choice of many excellent restaurants for dinner on your own.

Day 5: Travel to the Northern Aegean coast and the battlefields of Gallipoli, where in 1915 Allied troops faced the Turkish army. Then cross the Straits of the Dardenelles to Troy, where excavations have revealed the remnants of at least nine civilizations dating back 5,000 years. After an exploration of the ruins and relics, continue on to Behramkale, ancient Assos.

Day 6: Depart for Pergamum, once one of the richest small kingdoms in Asia Minor. Visit the magnificent Acropolis, which contains the ruins of Pergamum's acclaimed 200,000-volume library. Below the theater lie the ruins of the Temple of Dionysus and the Altar of Zeus. After enjoying lunch in a typical Turkish kebab restaurant, continue on to Asclepieum, built in the 4th century BC in the name of the god of healing.

Day 7: Visit Ephesus, perhaps the world's best-preserved ancient city. A full day of touring includes the 24,000-person amphitheater; the Sacred Way, where an ingenious water and sewer system was constructed beneath paving stones of marble; the Corinthian-style Temple of Hadrian; and the Library of Celsus. After lunch at the home of a local host in the beautiful village of Sirince, visit the Ephesus Museum and the House of the Virgin Mary.

Day 8: Continue south, stopping along the way to see a demonstration of the ancient art of carpet weaving at a local factory. Lunch in a local village and visit the Camlik Steam Train Museum, then continue on to Marmaris, a coastal center of commerce. Board a gulet, a replica of a traditional Turkish fishing boat, to cruise the waters of the Turquoise Coast. Enjoy your first dinner on board, prepared by the ship's crew with fresh local ingredients. Tonight you may wish to join others sleeping on deck under the stars.

Day 9: For the next five days sail the coastline that Mark Antony is said to have given Cleopatra as a wedding gift. The swimming is glorious, in crystal clear waters that afford views into the depths. With the scent of eucalyptus perfuming the air and forested mountains as a backdrop, travel to the mouth of the Dalyan River and board a small riverboat for a trip through a maze of channels surrounded by bamboo and cattails. Keep your eyes open for the Lycian rock tombs skillfully carved into the mountains centuries ago.

Day 10: Cruise to the hidden cove of Aga Limani, where an optional hike of approximately three hours along an herb-scented trail leads to Lydea, a little-known Greco-Roman site. The hike concludes at the Sunken Baths of Cleopatra. If you prefer a less strenuous day, stay on board the gulet as it sails to the Sunken Baths to meet up with the hikers.

Day 11: After breakfast set sail in the stunning, calm Gulf of Fethiye, surrounded by the pine-covered lower slopes of the Taurus Mountains. Spend the day in Bedri Rahmi Cove exploring the islands dotted with Lycian rock tombs, swimming, and relaxing.

Day 12: Sail to Gemiler Island and tour a 6th-century Byzantine monastery. After lunch, drive to the Greek "ghost" town of Kayakoy and explore its two churches.

Day 13: Sail to Fethiye and bid farewell to your gulet crew, then board a motorcoach for the long drive to Antalya. Along the way, stop in Demre, where the legend of Father Christmas ("Noel Baba," in Turkish) is said to have originated, and tour the ancient site of Myra. After lunch, continue on to Antalya along the beautiful Turquoise Coast.

Day 14: Take a walking orientation tour of Antalya, then board a coach for the ride to Antalya's Archaeological Museum, with its statues of the gods. Lunch will include a Turkish cooking lesson. The remainder of the day is at leisure; you may wish to indulge in an authentic Turkish bath!

Day 15: Set off for a tour of the once-thriving Roman city of Perge with its outstanding ruins of an ancient shopping arcade, a 12,000-seat stadium, and a 15,000-seat theater. Then move on to Aspendos, whose huge theater is considered one of the best preserved in all of antiquity. Return to Antalya in time for lunch on your own and an afternoon at leisure before a farewell dinner at the hotel.

Day 16: Transfer to the airport for the one-hour flight to Istanbul, where you will connect with your transatlantic return flight to your gateway city.

Hamilton Professor Henry Rutz will accompany the trip. A member of the faculty since 1976, Rutz received his Ph.D. from McGill University in 1973 and taught for five years at University of California at Davis before coming to Hamilton. He and his Hamilton colleague Erol Balkan are authors of the forthcoming book, Elite Education and The Istanbul Middle Class. Rutz also is a co-coordinator of the New York City program, a semester-long opportunity for students to learn about global political economy and culture in the heart of the Big Apple. His course offerings include Culture and Time, Culture and Consumption, and Colonial Legacy and National Cultures