Turkey

11th May

Day 3

EXPLORE ISTANBUL + SET SAIL FOR BURSA

After breakfast, you will walk to one of the smaller Byzantine cisterns before being driven to the Süleymaniye Mosque, a wonderful alternative to the better-known but often crowded Blue Mosque. Your guide will then accompany you on a 15-minute walk to the Grand Bazaar, which is a fun and thrilling place to explore, from where you’ll be transferred to Hamdi in Eminonu, on the southern side of the Golden Horn, for lunch. Hamdi is one of the city’s best-loved restaurants, serving excellent traditional dishes, such as tasty Urfa-style kebabs, yoğurtlu şakşuka (yogurt meze with fried eggplant, peppers and potato) and içli köfte (meatballs rolled in bulgur).

Afterwards, you will stroll through the modern Galata and Pera districts, home to many galleries and shops, before transferring to the wonderful Naval Museum, where you will see the Ottoman imperial caïques (rowing boats), among other historic treasures. Then you will continue to the dock to board Halas 71, your home for the next four nights.

Once aboard, you will begin your spectacular journey along the Bosphorus and out of Istanbul. Dinner will be served as you sail across the Sea of Marmara towards Bursa.

WHERE YOU WILL BE STAYING FOR FOUR NIGHTS

Halas 71

Built in 1914 as a passenger ferry in Glasgow, this fabulous motor yacht has a rich history. Formerly called Reshid Pasha, she saw action in the First World War, before serving at the British Allied Headquarters until 1923 when she was given to the newly established Republic of Turkey and her name was changed to Halas, meaning ‘deliverance’.  She was then used as a passenger ferry on the Bosphorus for 65 years. In 1984, the Turkish publisher Haldun Simavi and his wife Çiğdem rescued her from the wreckers’ yard, restoring her to her former beauty and transforming her into a 15-cabin luxury cruiser. In 2008, Mustafa and Caroline Koç renovated her. Today, she is a very high-end coastal cruiser – with 12 elegant and tastefully decorated cabins, a sauna, excellent non-motorised watersports equipment and a crew of 16.

12th May

Day 4

VISIT BURSA + SAIL TO ÇANAKKALE

After breakfast, you will disembark and set off on an hour-long drive to Bursa, a relatively unvisited place that is both beautiful and fascinating. It was the capital of the Ottoman Empire from the 1300s until 1453 when they used it as their launchpad to eventually take Istanbul, which is just to the north across the Sea of Marmara. The architecture is splendid and the city has a very different feel to Istanbul. The old city, in particular, is full of wonderful treasures, such as the exquisite Green Mosque, a very early Ottoman mosque.

After exploring Bursa, you will be driven to the Muradiye Complex, a series of stunning mosques, shrines and tombs of old early Ottoman sultans in beautiful gardens, on the way to rejoin the boat further up the coast for lunch.

This afternoon, you will have time to relax, read and write on the boat as you cruise towards Çanakkale, and Jeremy will give a talk on the Gallipoli Campaign at tea-time. Dinner will be served onboard and, later, the boat will continue its journey to Çanakkale, where it will drop anchor at around midnight.

13th May

Day 5

SAIL THROUGH THE DARDANELLES STRAIT TO GALLIPOLI

Today, you will wake up in Çanakkale and enjoy breakfast as the Halas sails through the Dardanelles Strait to Gallipoli. Çanakkale is located near where the Strait is at its narrowest, so the scenery is particularly dramatic here. In fact, the whole of the Gallipoli Peninsula, which played such an important part in the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, is astonishingly beautiful and unspoilt as it was declared a national park after the campaign in tribute to the tens of thousands of Ottoman soldiers who died here and were buried where they fell.

After breakfast, you will disembark to explore Gallipoli. You will go to several key spots, such as the Cape Helles Memorial, V Beach, the Doughty-Wylie grave and other cemeteries maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The whole of the southern end of the Gallipoli Peninsula tells the story of the British campaign and, as you wander around, Jeremy will bring this enthralling chapter in history to life. We strongly recommend visiting the charming village museum at Buyukanafarta, which is run by local peasant farmers. It is a very simple display of the moving collections of artefacts that have been found in the fields, such as tins of bullied beef meat and crosses worn by soldiers.

After lunch at Doyuranlar, a simple place serving delicious gozleme, a local Turkish delicacy, you will be driven north up the west coast of the Gallipoli Peninsula to the so-called Anzac Region, which is where the Australian and New Zealand landings took place and there is another concentrated area of cemeteries. You will stop at Lone Pine and various other memorials along the main battlefront en route to Chunuk Bair, which has excellent views of the peninsula. From here, you will set out on a fabulous walk down to the landing beaches through delightfully green scenery, before returning to the boat at Morto Bay. You will have dinner onboard that evening.

14th May

Day 6

VISIT TROY + SAIL TO THE ISLAND OF BOZCAADA

This morning, while you sleep, the Halas will make her way towards Troy. After breakfast off the coast at Geyikli – opposite the idyllic Aegean island of Bozcaada, otherwise known as Tenedos – you will head ashore and be driven the short journey to Troy.

Troy’s preeminence in cultural history makes it a fascinating place to visit. Our specialist local guide, Mustafa Askin, will tell the story brilliantly, unravelling history and bringing these ancient stones to life. There is also an excellent museum here to explore.

You will then rejoin the boat and have lunch onboard during the short crossing to Bozcaada, home to a fine old town, Homeric associations, superb beaches and a flourishing wine scene. The island and its neighbour – the only inhabited Aegean islands owned by Turkey rather than Greece – guard the entrance to the Dardanelles, so are strategically important. In 1915, Bozcaada was a base for the allied troops during the Gallipoli campaign.

After lunch, you will wander around the pretty port town, enjoy some wine tasting and watch the sun set over the Aegean. Dinner will be served onboard and the Halas will continue towards Assos either overnight or early the following morning, depending on the weather conditions.

15th May

Day 7

DISCOVER ASSOS + RETURN TO ISTANBUL

After breakfast, you will say farewell to the Halas, head ashore by tender and be driven to the hilltop ruins of the Greek settlement of Assos. You will spend a couple of hours exploring the spectacular sites here, including the Temple of Athena, an ancient theatre and a necropolis.

After lunch, you will be driven to Istanbul, a journey of around five hours, and taken back to the Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, a splendid hotel overlooking the Bosphorus. There will be a farewell dinner at Ulus 29, an excellent restaurant a short drive away from the hotel. One of the most sought-after places to eat in Istanbul, this restaurant has magnificent views and serves creative dishes cooked by Mert Şeran, one of the top chefs in Istanbul’s culinary scene.

WHERE YOU WILL BE STAYING FOR ONE NIGHT

FOUR SEASONS HOTEL ISTANBUL AT THE BOSPHORUS

This fabulous hotel – a beautiful restored, 19th-century Ottoman palace – lies on the banks of the Bosphorus, the famed river that links Europe and Asia. The rooms here are extremely comfortable, many with Bosphorus views, and there are plenty of excellent dining options, including Aqua, which serves fish and seafood dishes overlooking the water, and Ocakbasi, a pop-up restaurant on the roof terrace that dishes up delicious kebabs and mezze. There is also a lovely outdoor swimming pool and a fabulous spa, with a sauna, steam room and a serene indoor swimming pool, from where you can enjoy views of Istanbul’s striking cityscape.

16th May

Day 8

Return Home

Today, you will fly home from Istanbul or continue your journey in Turkey. Scroll along to read our suggestion on how to extend your trip in Turkey.

Keen to Stay Longer?

SIX SENSES KAPLANKAYA

We recommend extending your time in Turkey by spending a few nights or more at the beautiful and secluded Six Senses Kaplankaya. On a secluded stretch of coast, north of Bodrum, this wonderful beach retreat is surrounded by olive, oleander and cypress trees, and has stunning views across the sparkling Aegean Sea. The hotel is designed in the style of a Mediterranean village, with pathways connecting the buildings. All the stylish rooms and suites have private terraces to soak up the beautiful vistas. The three restaurants and three bars serve scrumptious Mediterranean- and Turkish-influenced dishes, mostly sourced from the hotel’s organic garden and the sea. There are three private sandy beaches, two outdoor pools and a fantastic spa and wellness centre, with an indoor pool, hydrothermal areas, hammams, gym and classes.