The ancient region of Troas is located along the Northern Aegean coastline very close to Canakkale and in the shadow of Mount Ida. What this area is most famous for is being home to the famous city of Troy – whose story was brought to life in Homer’s Iliad, but more recently by the astonishing ‘Fire of Anatolia’ dance troupe. The stage comes alive with the passion of the times; King Agamemnon’s battle with Achilles, Helen’s love for Paris, Menelaus’ duel with Paris and how the Greeks duped the Trojans with the wooden horse. It’s an amazing show not to be missed.
Spend a day lazily sailing the Mediterranean Sea along the Side and Manavgat coast. Lounge on deck soaking in the sun rays and then cool down with a refreshing swim or a chilly drink. It’s for days like these that we daydream about all winter long.
The cruise begins by boarding your gulet (a wooden 2-tier Turkish boat) on the Manavgat River, sailing along its emerald waters towards the open sea. Relax in the sunshine and enjoy the passing scenery - everything gets particularly pretty when you cruise into the turquoise sea. Sail along the coastline, drifting by long sandy beaches to the sound of soft music played on board. Every now and then, the skipper drops anchor for swimming and snorkeling stops. Complimentary local drinks are available and midway through the trip, lunch will be served on board.
You can stretch on a sunbed on the upper deck cooled by the sea breezes or relax on the shaded lower deck and take in the views.
Leave the hustle and bustle of resort life behind for the day and get off the beaten track to see some of the real Turkey, exploring places you didn’t know existed.
Travelling in off-road vehicles, you'll drive into the hills above the coast, feeling the air get cooler as you go. You'll journey along jaw-dropping mountain roads and through rural villages where time seems to have stopped.
We stop at one of these villages to visit an old house and meet some of the family members who live there; traditional sage tea is served made from sage gathered in the nearby woods.
Come with us for a day of adventure away from the beach. Away from the coast, this part of Turkey is something of an adventure playground - created by Mother Nature herself with craggy peaks, fragrant pine and cedar forests and impenetrable river canyons. And it is the latter that this trip focuses on, a white water rafting trip in the Köprülü canyon in the mountains.
After being picked up from your hotel we'll drive up into the mountains heading for the riverside village of Beskonak, where you will be given a safety briefing and don a helmet and life-vest. Then, take your seat, along with your guide in your eight-person raft and get ready to roll. Feel the cool breezes as your raft skims and spins over the waters with everyone laughing and shrieking along the way.
Keep your eyes on the scenery, too. You will raft past steep cliffs and pine forests that most tourists never get to see. It is an exhilarating ride but the rapids are gentle rather than turbulent, so they are perfect for beginners.
Do you feel like giving scuba-diving a go? Then this full-day excursion will give you a taste of the underwater world and you'll find out whether you are cut out for a wetsuit.
After being picked up from your hotel we'll whisk you to a top-rated PADI diving school where you will get to grips with the basic skills. Then, once you feel comfortable, you will head out by boat to a secluded bay for your first fun dive.
Descend into the warm waters with an experienced PADI instructor by your side. As you explore the waters, keep a lookout for grouper, octopus and damselfish. You might even spy more elusive species like barracuda and parrotfish, too. At some point, your instructor will hold out bits of food, attracting shoals of fish to give you a really close look.
Then, after lunch back on board, you'll enjoy a second, afternoon dive, giving you another chance to brush up your skills and see even more sea life before we turn to the resort.
To join the safari you don’t need any driver license but you have to be older than 16 years.
Before the safari can start you will receive a detailed briefing how to drive a Quad and get all the necessary safety information. After the briefing it’s time to pass the test drive. The professional team will assist and support you with any help that you might need. Then the exciting safari can start.
The tour will be 10 km long and will take two hours. Enjoy this adventure and have great fun on this off-road drive by following forest paths and passing water. During the tour there will be stopovers to take memorable photos.
Want a top-notch tan whilst trying something new, then a trip to a hammam, or Turkish bath, is definitely for you. Hammams have existed in Turkey since ancient times, providing locals with a way to relax, freshen up and catch up with gossip all at the same time. They are also brilliant for exfoliating your skin so you are more likely to develop a lasting tan.
Everything starts when we take you to one of the best local hammams. Here, you will change into your swimwear in a cubicle and wrap up in a towel. Then it is off to the hammam itself - a humid, marble-tiled room with a `gobektasi', or heated stone slab, in the centre. Relax as the heat softens your skin, opens your pores and gets you sweating out those toxins.
Next, you will lie on the `gobektasi', where you will be treated to a body scrub followed by a head-to-toe massage in soft, soapy bubbles. And after that, you will get an all-over oil massage, leaving you positively glowing and the most relaxed you have ever felt.
A great way to start your holiday.
Our private guide service allows you to explore not just the main sights and attractions but all the hidden corners and secret favourites known only to the locals.
The knowledgeable guides will give you the lowdown on the history, the culture, the architecture, the legends and much, much more – all in the language of your choice!
Choose a four-hour morning or afternoon tour, or an eight-hour full-day excursion. Only the guide’s service is included.
From the Turkish word meaning cotton castle, Pamukkale is a spectacular, natural beauty. On this private tour prepare yourself for a carefree day, taking in all the marvellous surroundings, leaving the passionate and knowledgeable tour guide in charge.
Pammukale is a series of mountainside terraces where natural springs have solidified into snow-white stalactites and cliffs. The effect is absurdly exquisite- it almost looks like a winter wonderland of pools in various little tiers. The Romans were the first to realise its' potential healing powers and established a health spa there. In modern day, we would like you to experience the same healing powers the Romans found by inviting you to join us and bathe in the main thermal pool and feel revitalized.
Start the day with a delicious, freshly prepared buffet breakfast in Antalya. Then the tour leads you to Korkutelli where there will be a short break to regain energy for the exciting day ahead. At midday there is a scheduled photo break to capture the stunning panoramic views, to create memories you can keep. After, you will be given leisure time to explore Pamukkale and the Ancient City Hierapolis. Up the hill, at Hierapolis, there is a well-preserved Roman theatre and ancient thermal baths, which have been restored and converted into an archaeological museum. Other significant sites include the Temple of Apollo, the Necropolis and the Nymphaeum and the fourth century basilica. On the way back to the hotel, we will stop for a delightful dinner.
This makes for a wonderful day, full of culture and history, one which you must do should you wish to engage with the country’s history.
Explore the ancient city of Side, one of the area’s must-see places on this special guided tour. Situated on its' own peninsula and flanked by golden beaches on both sides, this ancient site holds many archaeological wonders.
Admire marble Roman ruins and the Temples of Apollo and Athena –reputedly the site of Cleopatra and Mark Antony’s romantic trysts and explore Side’s majestic ruins including the city gates and walls and the aqueducts which brought water from the Taurus Mountains. Visit the old baths which have been turned into a museum, where some of the statues and treasures found locally are exhibited, or marvel at the impressive 15,000 spectator Roman theatre, unlike any other antique theatre in the region in that it is not built against a hillside, but supported with a series of arches.
Discover a triumphal arch, fountains, an agora and many more historical treasures, scattered around the old town before driving on to the Manavgat waterfalls, where you will witness how the white, foaming water flows powerfully from a low height over the rocks covering a wide area whilst you enjoy tea by the water´s edge in a shaded garden.
Walk the Roman roads as you travel back in time to the days of togas and chariots with a visit to the classical city of Perge, once a bustling Roman port. Then we move on to the splendid Aspendos Roman theatre which is still in use today.
HIGHLIGHTS:
*Visit to the Roman Baths in Perge
*Explore on foot the other Roman treasures of Perge
*Trip to the world´s best preserved Roman theatre at Aspendos:
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Start your excursion in the morning with a visit to Perge, one of the largest ancient cities of the Pamphylia region, the city that was once the capital of this region. Walk like a Roman as you wander the colonnaded streets and the Agora, visit the Roman baths and the Stadium and marvel at the remains of the Nymphaion.
The Aspendos Theatre, the best preserved of all Roman theatres, that dates from the 2nd Century AD and has a capacity for 15,000 will leave you in awe. It is still in use today as a concert and festival venue and is the most incredible demonstration of Roman design.
The tour involves a lot of walking to truly experience the magical history of Perge and so the tour finishes mid-afternoon to allow time upon your return to relax and reflect on the wonders you have seen.
Ephesus: Embark on a journey into the past. Ephesus is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of Turkey's biggest attractions. Once known as extremely wealthy and magnificent harbour city, today in Ephesus you can see one of the best preserved settlements of the ancient times. The Temple of Artemis, also known as "Artemisia", was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Particularly interesting are the Grand Theatre, St. Mary's Church, the famous Celsus Library, the hillside houses with well-preserved mosaics and murals, the Temple of Hadrian, the Odeon, marvel paved streets, a large fountain and bath facilities.
The House of the Virgin Mary "Mother Mary's House") is a Catholic and Muslim shrine located on Mt. Koressos ("Mount Nightingale") in the vicinity of Ephesus, 7 km from Selcuk. The house was discovered in the 19th century by following the descriptions in the reported visions of “Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich” 1774-1824, a German Roman Catholic nun and visionary. The Catholic Church has never pronounced in favour or against the authenticity of the house, but nevertheless maintains a steady flow of pilgrimage since its discovery. Anne Catherine Emmerich was beatified by Pope John Paul II on October 3, 2004.
Catholic pilgrims visit the house based on the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was taken to this stone house by Saint John and lived there until her assumption (according to Catholic doctrine) or dormition (according to Orthodox belief). The shrine has merited several papal apostolic blessings and visits from several popes, the earliest pilgrimage coming from Pope Leo XIII in 1896, and the most recent in 2006 by Pope Benedict XVI. The village of Sirince: In ancient sources, the village is called "Ephesus in the mountains" or "the old Ephesus". The people of Ephesus fled in the summer from the malaria-causing mosquitoes in the small Menderes delta. So Sirince was the summer residence of Ephesus citizens. Nowadays it is an old picturesque village whose houses differ markedly in external appearance of other villages in Turkey: White brick stone houses with large windows and tiled roofs, which are listed as historical monuments. Time seems to stand still here.
The women of Sirince offer natural olive soaps, olive oil, syrup, freshly picked fruit, herbs from the area, homemade goat cheese, wine and handicrafts. Stroll through the village, keep your camera ready to make memorable photos and taste the offered delicacies or have a good glass of wine.
Transfer from the Hotel to the Buggy Safari base. After a briefing about the vehicles, the route and safety rules you'll make a test drive. Now you're ready to head for your exiting fun-filled drive, off the beaten tracks, by following dusty paths, and crossing creeks.
There will be two short stops during the tour for taking pictures. Back at the base you'll get the opportunity to change your clothes and refresh yourself before you will return to your hotel.
The best journey for being a part of the nature in the Köprülü Canyon National Park which is the most spectacular place in the Mediterranean Region in Turkey. That is the best way to explore the fantastic nature of springs which formed the Köprülü River and has many specialties to be told about the flora and fauna of the Park.
After we pick up our guests from their hotels, we will drive to the first meeting point about 6 km far from the main road of Antalya and Alanya. There, after a short break of 20 min, we’ll move on up to Karabük bridge and stay there for a while for taking photographs and being informed about the area. After that, we’ll have another stop at the Ancient Bügrüm Bridge. Some more information will be given there, then we will take a walk for 1 km around the Oluk Köprü (The bridge which gives the name to area and river as KÖPRÜLÜ), which is not far from the path where St. Paul is said to have been twice to pass through the Taurus Mountains to the city of Antiochia Pisidia with Barnabas.
There you may want to take photographs of the beauty of the fascinating Köprülü Canyon and feel the freshness above the springs. Our walk around Oluk Bridge ends at the Rafting Start Point for applicants of optional rafting. If the weather conditions are suitable, the applicants will be (for free) rafting for 2.5 km. on the calm part of the Köprülü River with experienced Guides. While applicants are rafting, the rest of you will be back on the bus and heading to the restaurant 3km away. After the rafts arrive, our lunch is going to be served.
During the lunch, we’ll have a little course of making Sumacs Salad, Cacik (made of yoghurt, garlic and chopped cucumber and served as a side dish) and a special recipe of Trout Fish on a barbeque.
Then, we will have our lunch which includes fish or chicken kebab (optional) salad and Turkish rice (boiled and pounded wheat). After the meal, we will drive up to the Canyon before driving back to the first meeting point for a short break then continue to the hotels.