Turkey Textile Tour 1 Week

Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul (D)
Welcome to Turkey! You’re greeted upon arrival and escorted to your hotel located in the Old City area-Sultanahmet. According to your arrival time you can either check in to the hotel and relax or check out the Old city area. The remainder of the day is at leisure before meeting your tour guide for a short welcome briefing.
Dinner at the fish markets.
Overnight in Istanbul

Day 2: Istanbul Museums and Bazaars - Private Tour (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel, A visit via the Hippodrome to the Museum of Islamic Arts will follow which is housed in a former palace, displaying exhibits of the carpets, woodwork, copper and gold of Muslim culture. The ethnographical section displays are of particular interest to the followers of textile arts. Time to stroll through the Blue Mosque with its amazing tiles.
Topkapi Palace & the exotic appeal of the Harem awaits us in the morning. The opulence of the jewelry & clothing exhibits are overwhelming.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant.
Following lunch, we will walk to the Covered Bazaar best described as one of the oldest undercover shopping centres in the world containing around 4000 shops. We will be shown excellent examples of handmade textiles including Ikat ,Suzanis (embroidered pieces from Central Asia) & felt artifacts from a UNICEF sponsored cooperative & have time to wander through its amazing streets indulging in some retail therapy.
Dinner in an old city restaurant.
Overnight in Istanbul

Day 3: Ayvacik near ancient Troy - Private Tour (B-L-D)
After having breakfast at the hotel,depart early for Ecebat & Cannakale for the village of Ayvacik near Troy to visit the Dobag Carpet Project established by Dr Harald Boehmer to revitalize techniques of natural dyeing and carpet making in danger of disappearing.
*Lunch in a local restaurant around Troy
Antique nomadic carpets are known for their vivid natural colors & striking traditional designs and this project is ensuring that centuries of the craft of carpet making will live on. See firsthand the villagers spinning dyeing & weaving (wool from the anatolian fatty tailed sheep) in their homes and learn how the project is progressing. Dinner at the Hotel
Overnight in Canakkale

Day 4: Bursa and Silk Markets - Private Tour (B-L-D)
Depart for Bursa famous for its architecture, history of silk weaving, Kestane Seker (chestnut sweets) and Iskender Kebab to visit the Great Mosque (Ulu Cami)dating from late 1400s.It is unusual as there is no central dome but 20 equal sized ones instead supporting the roof and adorning its walls are examples of giant sized calligraphy representing the 90 names of Allah both in divani & kufic script..
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Bursa
On to Koca Han (Silk Market built in 1491) which was used both as a caravanserai & silk market because Bursa was the last stop on the great Silk Road from China & where silk is still traded to this day.
Dinner at the Hotel
Overnight in Bursa

Day 5: Cumalikizik near Bursa - Private Tour (B-L-D)
Visit to Cumalikizik situated at the base of Uladag (Mt Olympus)a village formerly involved in silk production and one of the best examples of rural Ottoman architecture until recently untouched by the problems of modern development.
*Lunch in a local restaurant in Bursa
We will travel up Uladag to see Bursa the 5th largest city in Turkey from its spectacular slopes famous in winter for its ski resort. Then back to Bursa to see the Green Mosque and wander through the gardens of Sultan Murat II and to the Medrese housing the Ethnographical Museum.
Dinner at the Hotel
Overnight in Bursa.

Day 6: Iznik and Hereke - Private Tour (B-L-D)
After breakfast we will leave for Iznik (formerly Nicea dating back to 395 BC) and famous for ceramic production from the 15th century consequently becoming known for its Iznik tiles-examples of which adorn Topkapi & Blue Mosque etc .We will visit the Archeological Museum before leaving for Hereke home of royal carpet weaving from mid 19th century to produce carpets for Dolmabahce Palace in Istanbul.
*Lunch in a local restaurant.
Hereke production was restricted until 1923 and is now world famous for its finely knotted pieces both in silk & wool with intricate floral based motifs .and being the pinnacle of carpet weaving tradition We will visit the Hereke Carpet Factory / Museum before returning to Istanbul.
Dinner in an old city restaurant.
Overnight in Istanbul

Day 7: Istanbul - Spice Market, Bosporus Cruise and Museums - Private Tour (B-L-D)
Wander through the Spice Bazaar tasting the exotic dried fruit and pastries on offer before visiting Rustem Pasha Mosque a short distance away with a huge selection of examples of Iznik tiles .Take ferry up Bosphorus to Sariyer to see Sadberk Hanim Museum and it’s collection of Turkish costumes , needlework & embroidery.
*Lunch in an old city restaurant.
A visit to Istanbul would not be complete without seeing probably Istanbul’s most famous monument dating from 537AD Hagia Sophia renown as the greatest church in Christendom.
Dinner in an old city restaurant.
Overnight in Istanbul

Day 8: Departure Transfer (B)
After breakfast the tour finishes and any assistance for further travel arrangements will be available.Transfer to airport.

Please Note:
*We reserve the right to change the hotels listed if necessary to hotels of a similar category
*All hotels have a wonderful local ambience.
*Transport will only be able to take us to a designated place & then a certain amount of walking is required. Comfortable shoes are recommended for all seasons and appropriately modest dress for any religious venues.

Closed
• Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts on Monday
• Grand Bazaar & Spice Market on Sunday- Replaced with Authentic Shops
• Hagia Sophia Museum on Monday
• Topkapi Palace on Tuesday