When you arrive in Istanbul we will be there to meet you and transfer you to your accommodation

Overnight in Istanbul

The incredible city of Istanbul is the starting point for this tour and what a fantastic place to start, layered in history from many civilisations over the centuries Istanbul is a city with many tales.

You will travel to the Topkapi Palace a beautiful building built in the year 1465, it has been the home of many Sultans and their families and also an important administrative centre for over 400 years. The extensive grounds are also beautiful and as the palace was built on a hill slightly elevated giving fantastic views across the city and overlooking the Golden Horn where the Bosphorus Straits meet the Marmara Sea.

 You will walk through the Hagie Sophia meaning Holy Wisdom. This former Christian cathedral has changed over the centuries later into a Mosque then a Museum, the location is within walking distance from the Palace and you can imagine the sultans looking out of their windows and seeing this impressive sight, when it was built it was the worlds largest building of its type, originally built between 532 and 537 with the riches of Rome and on the orders of Emporer Justinian. In 1453 it was converted into a mosque and the minarets were added and have become an iconic part of the Istanbul skyline.

You will also stand on the site of the ancient Hippodrome, where the people of this ancient city gathered for news and entertainment, in particular, the gruesome and often fatal sport of chariot racing, in the centre of the site stands the relic of the Egyptian Obelisk, with its roman plinth.

Finally, today's tour will visit the cities Grand Bazaar a market unlike any other on earth but it is the oldest and with over 4000 stalls selling everything you can imagine it’s the worlds largest.

Important Notes:
-The Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays
-Hagia Sophia is closed on Mondays
-Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesday
 -Blue Mosque Entrance is limited on Fridays due to prayers, therefore we are unable to enter on Fridays.

Accommodation in Istanbul

IMPORTANT NOTE
-Dolmabahce Palace is closed on Mondays. On this day you will begin the tour two hours later.

This morning after breakfast we will pick you up and start your days' cruise and tour at the Dolmabahce Palace, located on the European side of the city, an elaborate ornate building, summer home to former Sultans the building took 13 years to build and is home to the worlds largest bohemian crystal chandelier. 14 tons of gold gilding were used on the ceilings alone.

You will then find your sea legs as you begin your cruise and see the city from a different angle.
One of the first sites you will sail past is the Maidens Tower located on a small island, the tower comes with a legend so don’t forget to ask your guide.
You will also have a fantastic view of the old walls of Constantinople built in the 5^th century, that protected the city from marauders.

You will have an hours stop at Kucuksu Palace before returning to sail past amazing sites such as Ciragen Palace and Ortakoy Mosque before cruising under the mighty Bosphorus Bridge where you catch sight of Beylerbeyi Palace another summer home of the Sultans, showing their incredible wealth, you will the sail under Fatih Sultan Mehmet Bridge where you will see Rumeli Fortress built by Mehmet the conquerer in 1452.

After the cruise, you will hop onto dry land and jump on a bus heading back towards the old city, along the way stopping for a cable car ride at Pierre Loti hill one of the highest points of the city with amazing views across Istanbul, a romantic spot where there will be time for a traditional Turkish coffee in an old café before taking the bus back to your hotel.
 

Accommodation in Istanbul

Today will be all about travelling. We will take you to the airport where you will catch a domestic flight to the southern Mediterranean city of Antaya, a member of our team will be waiting for you and take you to the local bus station and put you on the right bus for Olympos, a busy day and we know travelling can be tiring so once you reach Olympos and have checked into your accommodation the rest of the days is yours, relax or have a wander the choice is yours.

Accommodation in Olympos

You will be picked up at your accommodation and taken by shuttle bus to the small town of Demre where there will be a short time for you to do a little exploring or shopping and visit the church of Saint Nicholas(Father Christmas) before moving on to the harbour in Ucagiz Village where your cruise begins.

You will meet both your captain and crew before hosting anchor and setting sail for the sunken city at Gokkaya a protected UNESCO heritage site where no swimming is permitted but the beauty and history of this secluded bay are a must-see. Later your gullet will cruise over to Kalekoy where there will be plenty of time to enjoy the water or even hike to the top of the small island to find the castle of Simena, well worth it as the sunsets from here are unforgettable.

After breakfast, we will head in the direction of the small market town of Kas, you have the choice to stay on board and relax, walk through the narrow streets and get to know this delightful town that also has evidence of ancient history with its elaborate sarcophagi and a Greek amphitheatre or you can try the optional extra tour on offer here, Diving.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY : SCUBA DIVING
This location is the perfect place to try diving as the waters are so clear. We recommend pre-booking this optional activity online before your cruise to receive special discounted rates and guarantee your dive.

Today's breakfast will be in the beautiful Butterfly Vallet there will be time to swim and if would like, you can hike in the canyon and discover the waterfalls where during the different seasons of the year you will find many varieties of Butterfly.

Later we will sail to the blue lagoon at Oludeniz, a popular resort with some fantastic nightlife and it is here that the great Babadag Mountain overlooks the sea at 6500ft high its the perfect place to paraglide, people come from all over the world to jump here.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITY : PARAGLIDING OVER BLUE LAGOON
If you want to try something new or if you have tried this sport before but in a different location then this is a fantastic chance to see some amazing views over the whole region from Fethiye, Hisaronu to Kayakoy and beyond. We recommend pre-booking, however, if you decide whilst here that this is for you, please let your captain know.

Tonight we will anchor at St Nicholas Island there are various water sports that you can try here and after dinner, on the deck, you can hike to the top of the Island with a cool glass of sheer bliss in your hand and watch the sun go down behind the horizon

After breakfast, there will be time for some swimming or snorkelling before we set sail towards Fethiye our final cruising destination we will have lunch and may stop at a few islands along the way. Once we are in the harbour your cruise will come to an end.

You will be met at the marina by a member of our team and we will have a private transfer ready to take you to your hotel the rest of the day is yours to relax or discover Fethiye.

Overnight Fethiye area.

The pick up from your hotel will be just after breakfast, we will then start our day tour to the Denizli province of Turkey it's here that the strange yet beautiful landscape of Pamukkale is found, Pamukkale means Cotton Castle and at the first glimpse of this natural phenomenon, you will instantly see why.

The highly calcified waters have been finding their way to the surface and trickling down the mountainside for millions of years, slowly building up and creating what we see today. White pools that overlap each other and cascade one to the next, you will be able to walk in the waters here like many before you.

Above Pamukkale sitting on a flat plateau is the ancient city of Hierapolis today we can see extensive ruins of a once-great and wealthy city that grew as a result of the famed thermal and healing waters, in a time before modern medicine these waters were used to cure all sorts of ails and many flocked here and today as you walk the streets and the remains, you will see the skills of the carvings and the wealth purely by the size of the amphitheatre alone. There is a multitude of tombs and sarcophagi showing us the evolution and ever-changing civilisations that lived here.

 In the evening we will take a relaxed journey back to Fethiye.

Accommodation in Fethiye

This morning is the last part of your tour, you will be picked up from your accommodation and taken to Dalaman Airport for your return domestic flight to Istanbul where your time with Farout ends we wish you a safe onward journey and hope to travel with you again.