Day 1

Turkey Istanbul,

Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul : Upon your arrival your own private guide will pick you up at the airport with a private chauffeured Mercedes. Let the Turkish Gourmet Grand Aegean Tour commence! Then you will be transferred to your hotel and relax at your room or take a walk along the old streets of ISTANBUL while you are informed about your trip by your guide. In your promenade you can stop at small corner restaurant off the unbeaten track where you can taste the delicious varietes of some Turkish food before arrival at your hotel.

Kebabs refers to a great variety of meat-based dishes in Turkish cuisine. Kebab in Turkey encompasses not only grilled or skewered meats, but also stews and casseroles. Kokoreç (the intestines of sheep) with spices is a traditional low-price fast food in Turkey.Liver is fried in Turkish cuisine meaning Albanian liver, served with onion and sumac, is usually eaten as a meze, in combination with other mezes such as fava. Simit a ring of delicious Turkish bread, covered in sesame seeds. A great midday snack, or include as part of a packed lunch with cheese, olives and cold meats.

Day 2

Turkey Istanbul,

Day 2: Istanbul - Full day tour (Private cooking lesson and dinner in a local house ): This morning you will be met by your guide at the lobby of your hotel then head towards the Topkapi Palace , known as the former residence of Ottoman sultans and the administrative capital of the Ottoman state for 400 years. We will visit the kitchen where the famous Chinese porcelains are exhibited. Then we go ahead to visit the Council Hall, the treasury, Library and other administrative halls during our visit.

After this fascinating visit you will head into a small restaurant which is so famous in the neighbourhood and food is served quickly and fresh, exactly what says on the tin. One of the most beautiful kofta served with fresh salad on the side, some wonderful aromatic condiments to go with, ayran for a drink, and the most gorgeous view of the Hagia Sofia from the half open windows on the top floor-perfect lunch.

Next we walk down to the Spice MARKET where we can explore the stalls and the spice shops and also taste some turkish delight , Turkish pistachios, hazelnuts, dried apricots from a locally owned shop , afterwards we take a ferry for an hour long Bosphorus cruise along the shores of both sides of the continent in Istanbul to explore the famous Mimar Sinan designed mosque in Uskudar as well as the Maidens Tower in the middle of the strait.
Finally, we return to enjoy a private cooking lesson and dinner in a Turkish home. Upon disembarkation we will proceed to a local Turkish cuisine expert’s home to enjoy a hands- on cooking class learning to cook home-style, family recipes and taste what you have cooked. A truly unique opportunity to experience Turkish hospitality and Istanbul home life.

Day 3

Turkey Istanbul,

Today you will be taken on a tour of of Istanbul’s Byzantine iconic monuments in the different corners of the city. First you will visit the Hagia Sophia known as the church of the Divine Wisdom, which was a church built on 537 AD, then converted into a mosque and a museum in the history.The Basilica Cistern built by Emperor Justinian to provide water for the city of Constantinople. You are guarantued to have such a mystical ambiance that you have ever been in your life before while exploring the uniqueness and the beauty of the cistern.Next you will visit the famous Blue Mosque adorned with blue Iznik tiles and six minarets around attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. Last, you will continue to explore ninety-two streets of the famous Grand Bazaar with more than 500 stalls, 18 fountains, six restaurants, a primary school, a large mosque, a police station, a post office and an information center.

After lunch in a restaurant serving the best samples of Ottoman cuisine , you will visit the St. Savior in Chora Museum, known for its magnificent mosaics and frescoes dating from the 11th to the 14th centuries. Then we drive to the Galatasaray neighborhood and stroll down the streets of the Pera District. On the way you will see the historical monuments and buildings built in Baroc and Rococo style such as St. Antoine's Catholic Church, the Tunel neighborhod, Jewish synagogues including Neve Shalom Synagogue and the Galata Tower. At the end of our visit you can dine on your own at any of the local restaurants recomended by your guide respecting the sort of your meal choice or drive to your hotel.

Day 4

Turkey Bursa,

Day 4: Istanbul / Trilye / Bursa :Olive oil tasting in Sigi / Lunch and wine in the Greek town of Trilye

This morning we drive to the city of Mudanya located on the Asian side of the country.It is very ancient settlement which combines the new and the old civilizations together in the ancient peninsula . Then we continue on to Trilye village to enjoy a lunch as a main course; all courses will be served with wine.Then you will head into the wealthy little town of Trilye for an unforgettable lunch featuring traditional cold and hot appetizers and some seafood, and relax over an aperitif of bubbly or vino bianco, outside if weather permits. After lunch, you will probably want to enjoy a short little digestive walk! Before heading to Bursa), you will visit a beautiful “Bogazkere ”, a real “Okuzgozu” wine cellar, where you´ll learn about the interesting history and production of this liquid gold and taste a few aged wine. This is a treat!

Bursa is the first capital city of the Ottoman Empire when it was founded on 1299 AD by sultan Osman giving his name to the empire, later translated in English “Ottoman” . Bursa is known as a green city ( Yesil Bursa) where the mauseloums, ottoman and selcuk mosques, caravenserais, silk bazaar, mount uludag and thermal baths are found. While discovering the ancient historical monuments such as Green Mosque, Silk Bazaar, caravenserai we will have an occasion to taste  the Ottoman cuisine with the deserts (chestnuts, peaches,delights,creams and others).Then we drive to our hotel to stay overnight.

Day 5

Turkey Aydin,

Day 5: Bursa / Pergamon / Kusadasi: Gourmet lunch using local vegetables and ingredients / Gathering wild herbs from the slopes of Mt. Ida

This morning we drive along to the Aegean coastline of Turkey to southwest and stop on the skirts of the mount Ida and we will have lunch at a village restaurant off the unbeaten tracks called Zeytinbagi Restaurant. After lunch in that village area we will continue onto Pergamon known as the devils throne in the history of Christians and the metropolis of the Ionia province in Greek era. In Pergamon ancient site we will take in the views of the magnificent Acropolis with its open-air theater that seats 12,000 spectators, and the marble-columned Temple of Trajan. The famous Altar of Zeus lies below the temple of Trajan . We continue to the Asclepion dedicated to the god of medicine, a sanctuary and healing center built in the 4th century BC where Hippocrates and several medicines studied in medicine and improve the tecniques of healing the mental and physical illneses in the ancient years .Stay in sIRINCE. 

Day 6

Turkey Aydin,

Day 6: Ephesus / Sirince old Greek Village: Gourmet lunch using fresh olive , sac , gozleme

This morning, you will depart from your hotel in order to drive to ancient Greek and Roman ancient site of Ephesus built in 3 different era located along the shores of the Aegean sea. We will visit the Celcius library, the imperial temples,the largest Greco-Roman theatre in the Asian continent . The visit is complete and you will be an expert by the end of the history of Ionian cities and Ephesus ancient site . After this fascinating visit you´ll you will head into the wealthy little town of Sirince overlooking the vineyards and the olive fields with an orange frangrance and enjoy your meal including;

Dolma – vine leaves, peppers, tomato, squash, cabbage leaves, chard leaves, pumpkin, eggplant or mussels stuffed with rice or meat, stuffed zucchini blossoms, Kizartma, various fried vegetables (eggplants, courgettes, peppers) served with yogurt or tomato-and-garlic sauce,

Kavurma which means roasting/parching in Turkish, is generally used for roasted lamb. Çoban kavurma is a variety of it, prepared with diced lamb with tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, peppers and herbs. Kavurma is one of the favorite dishes of Ramadan month, 

Gözleme is a food typical in rural areas, made of lavash bread or phyllo dough folded around a variety of fillings such as spinach, cheese and parsley, minced meat or potatoes and cooked on a large griddle (traditionally sac tava).

Then we walk on the narrow streets where we can find the local women selling hand made soaps and wines and other local village products. Next we drive to visit the Museum of Archaeology in Selcuk to find the artifacts of the nearby excavations including Ephesus, Didyma, Miletus . Arrive back to Sirince village.

Day 7

Turkey Mugla,

Day 7: Izmir / Bodrum: Gourmet lunch using fresh organic vegetables of Bodrum

This morning we drive to visit Sultankoy , where you have an occasion to learn about the rug-making proceses which include silk extraction, dyeing and weaving. Then, we will break for a fresh and organic lunch using ingredients from Sultankoy’s village farm. 

Then we continue onto Bodrum ,a charming coastal town situated in the southwest corner of the Aegean region of Turkey, and it has the white painted stone houses, ancient wind mills , iddylic bays and the blue crystal turquoise water seas of the Aegean. Here we will visit the largest Museum of Underwater Archaeology in the world and the castle of St. Peter in the old town . 

Our farewell dinner will take place in a fish restaurant on the sea while watching the sunset behind the castle and tasting the different fresh sea food as belows; gilt-head bream çupra or çipura, red mullet barbun(ya), sea bass levrek, whiting mezgit(allied to the cod fish) or bakalyaro, swordfish kiliç, turbot kalkan, red pandora mercan, tirança, istavrit and white grouper lagos.

Day 8

Turkey Mugla,

This morning after checkout from the hotel you will be transferred to Bodrum Airport to outgoing flights via Istanbul.