DAY1  (D)
Arrive in Istanbul, where your tour manager will meet you and ensure you are comfortably transferred to Divan Istanbul Hotel. The hotel, renowned in its own right for its cuisine, is located within walking distance of bustling Taksim Square and the Nisantasi shopping area with its many cafes and restaurants.

Once you have settled in, there will be an afternoon trip to take part in one of Turkey's favourite pass times; drinking Turkish coffee in one of Istanbul's most famous coffee & tea houses Markiz, the most popular meeting place of 19th century authors, journalists and intellectuals with ladies and gentlemen of the Pera district, now with it refurbished face again it is the preferred spot among critics.
Turkish coffee is drunk short and very strong and is made by boiling very finely ground coffee with water and as much sugar as you prefer. You will have a short lecture about traditional Turkish coffee, its roasting and preparation and then you will have time to enjoy a cup or two whilst getting to know your fellow travellers.

We return to the hotel to prepare for your welcome dinner which will tonight be hosted by Ottoman, a boutique style restaurant specialized in south-eastern Anatolian cuisine, recent favourite of locals with taste.

DAY2(B, L, D)
This morning, you will start the day with a traditional Turkish breakfast. No breakfast in Turkey is complete without a range of different cheeses and olives and after your breakfast you will have the chance to listen to a lecture from one of Turkey's most famous food critics, historians and authors, Mr.Artun Unsal whose most acclaimed works include, "When milk sleeps it becomes cheese" and, "On the path of the immortal olive."

Depart the hotel to visit the Topkapi Palace, the official residence of the Ottoman sultans from 1453 until 1856 when Abdulmecid moved to the more Western style Dolmabahce Palace. Visit the palace kitchens with their displays of Turkish and Chinese porcelain and the dormitories of the many servants who looked after the palace's 5800 inhabitants and guests. You will also have time to see the Royal Treasury, home of the famous Topkapi dagger and the 84 carat Spoonmaker diamond.

Continue on to the Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii). This is probably Istanbul's best known Mosque complex famous for its stunning interior decoration of Iznik tiles from which it derives its name and built in 1609. After this, a short walk brings you to the Hippodrome Square which was constructed by the Romans as a venue for chariot races. Here you will see the Egyptian Obelisk, the Serpentine and Constantine Columns.

Enjoy lunch at one of best fish restaurants in the beautiful Old City, Balikci Sabahattin. Proceed by coach to the Church of St.Saviour in Chora. This beautiful church, located just outside some superbly preserved stretches of Constantinopolis's city walls, contains some of the most outstanding examples of Byzantine mosaics and frescos to be found in Istanbul. Careful restoration has made it possible for visitors to see the painstakingly created and sequential stories of the bible which have adorned the ceiling of the church since the 11th century AD.

Tonight you will enjoy one of the highlights of your trip with a cookery class and dinner at the Feriye Restaurant where you will learn how to make dishes which are, quite literally, fit for a king! This restaurant, situated in the Ortakoy province is renowned for preparing fine Ottoman cuisine based on authentic recipes rescued by from the palace archives. The restaurant owner and famous food expert Mr. Vedat Basaran is going to be our host.

DAY3 (B, L, D)
Breakfast today is another treat as you will visit Gulluoglu Baklavacisi to sample varieties of Borek (feather light Turkish pastry filled with cheese, spiced minced meat or spinach) and Baklava, accompanied by Turkish tea. This restaurant has used only the finest, natural Turkish ingredients to develop its unique flavours since 1871.

Today, you will travel to Canakkale in the Dardanelles. Lunch is taken on route at the Kucuk Ev Restaurant where you will have chance to sample a range of "Kofte", delicious grilled spiced and flavoured minced meat - a favourite Turkish snack! The word kofte is sometimes accompanied with the name of place which refers to the technique for cooking it or the ingredients or spices specifically used in that region, for example; Inegol kofte, Sultanahmet kofte, Izmir kofte, Akcaabat kofte, Bursa kofte etc.

In the afternoon, we take you to the beautiful and atmospheric Gallipoli Peninsula which was the scene of the disastrous British and Commonwealth invasion during the First World War. You will see some of the most important sites which eloquently recount the events of that tragic battle.

You then cross the Dardanelles by local ferry and check into the Kolin Hotel for a 1 night stay. This evening, dinner at the nearby Yalova Restaurant provides an opportunity for you to taste the traditional Mezes of the North Aegean and to enjoy a short lecture about the delicious way of preparing local fish, "Buhulama".

DAY4(B, L, D)
After breakfast at the hotel, depart for the short drive to visit the ancient site of Troy. The historic city which dates back to 3000 BC was immortalised by Homer in his stories of the Trojan War. Later made famous by Heinrich Schleiman who claimed to have found Priam's treasure during his excavations there, the remains that you will see cover a period of 4000 years and include palace walls from Priam's reign up to a Roman temple and council house.

A relaxing lunch is taken today in the Tusan Hotel which is set in a pine forest with glorious views across the Dardenelles.

Continue on to the Zeytinbagi Hotel which is situated on the idyllic slopes of Mount Ida surrounded by olive and pomegranate trees and grape vines. This afternoon you have some free time to enjoy tea, coffee and liqueurs and to relax in the terraced gardens of this lovely hotel before enjoying an evening cookery class and dinner.

While witnessing the traditional methods of preparing home made mezes from our lovely host Mrs. Seker (meaning sweet or sugar in Turkish) we will also have an opportunity to enjoy the smooth and relaxing conversations we’ll find ourselves in with her husband, Mr. Kurtiz, famous Turkish stage actor and auther of many plays and books; including ‘A bit of this, a bit of that’.

Our accomodation created by these two wonderful people is an exact reflection of Aegean life style and both with the way it’s decorated and the food we’ll be served, its going to become one of those parts of the tour when we might prefer to stay instead of moving on!

DAY 5 (B, L, D)
Enjoy a gourmet breakfast at the hotel before departing to visit the ancient site of Pergamum. Your tour will include not only the Asclepion, an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Asclepios the god of health and used as a healing centre for the ancient world but also the Acropolis high above which is home to the steepest Hellenistic theatre, the ornate temple of Trajan and the site of the famous Altar of Zeus.

Drive on to the village of Kozak. Here we will enjoy a lunch of local delicacies, served in the style of a village feast created entirely in our honour!

We continue on via Izmir, the site of historic Smyrna, to the beautifully restored Ottoman Greek village of Syrince where we stay over night at the Nisanyan Houses where you will be welcomed with a glass of Murver Sherbet; a cool local drink flavoured with mountain spices and flowers. The Nisanyan Houses offer an opportunity for you to enjoy traditional Aegean village life. Dating back to the 19th century, they have been fully renovated to provide today's guests with everything they require without spoiling their original character.

Surrounded by pine forests, peach orchards and olive groves, the village of Syrince commands beautiful, undisturbed views of the countryside and you have the afternoon at leisure to relax or, if you prefer, enjoy a peaceful stroll. This evening, a gourmet dinner will be served in the lovely surroundings of your hotel.

DAY6(B, L, D)
Following a traditional Aegean style breakfast(which includes locally produced eggs, cheeses, homemade jams, spicy sausage and fresh bread) visit the splendid site of Ephesus. Ephesus was one of the most magnificent sites in the ancient world and it is remarkably well preserved to this day with whole streets still clearly visible. Your tour will include many remains dating from the time of St Paul such as the Odeon, Bouleterion, Nymphaeum, great baths and the two most famous sites of all; the magnificent theatre which is still in use today and the Library of Celsus which stands to the height of three stories.

Drive to Tire for lunch at Kaplandag Restaurant where you will be able to sample a local beef speciality, the favourite of Turks.

We then drive on to Bodrum, the site of ancient Halikarnassos where you check into the The Marmara Hotel for a two night stay and dinner. This luxurious and elegant hotel is situated close to the ancient theatre and just a few minutes walk from the centre of town and offer us a most beautiful view of the Aegean sea.

Dinner will be served at Sait Restaurant a popular sea food restaurant.