SHORE EXCURSIONS
The Turkey Specialist
SHORE EXCURSIONS & DAILY TOURS
If you are planning a cruise vacation and you have port calls in Turkey or just looking for daily tours, we have a lot to offer to you. Our handpicked tour guides, drivers and vehicles will privately give an exclusive and professional service to you, your family or your group. Different from the cruise lines, we don’t get 2,000 travelers from every ship, for which we have to organize shore excursions. This means that the entire staff in our Turkey office is exclusively at your service during your tour.
Longer pre and post land tours with hotel accommodations are highly recommended to have a chance to explore country’s not to be missed places such as Cappadocia, Bodrum or a detailed tour of Istanbul, when your cruise starts or ends up in Turkey. Check our Private Tours page for the attractions that you may want to add to your tour. During the port calls, if you have limited time, we can also arrange a half day tour for you. Contact us for more information:
Al Avan
E-mail: Al@AvanTravelServices.com
Phone: 714.458.0715
ISTANBUL
Istanbul Old City Tour
If you haven’t been to Istanbul before or you don’t have any other special interests, this itinerary is always the most recommended consisting of the most well-known sites of the city.
We will start the tour with Hippodrome Square where all the major public events were held during the Roman times. Our next stop will be the Blue Mosque, one of the most famous mosques in the world because of its interiors, decorated with exquisite Iznik Tiles. After a detailed visit to the most well-known cathedral of the world, St. Sophia, we will continue sightseeing with the Topkapi Palace which was the residence of the Ottoman Royal Family for four centuries. The crown jewels, kitchen complex, holy relics that contains some very important items of the three monotheistic religions, the sultans’ costumes and the living quarters of the sultans with their family and concubines which is known as the Harem are some of the exhibits that we will see in the palace.
Our tour will conclude with the Grand Bazaar where you can have an interesting bargaining experience. The building was constructed in the 15th Century on top of the old forum of Constantine. click for prices
Hidden Treasures of Istanbul
This tour includes the sites which are not as well-known as the ones in the Old City Tour but won’t make you disappointed at all such as the Cistern Basilica which was constructed in the 6th century as an emergency water supply for Constantinople. The amazing architecture and its mysterious ambiance will make the tour worthwhile. While you are in the area, you will have time to visit the famous old Grand Bazaar for a treasure hunt shopping.
Chora Church made its place in several art books all around the world with its rare golden Christian mosaics and frescoes. After a short picture break by the city walls, the tour will continue with a small monument called Rustem Pasha Mosque. Like the Chora Church, this mosque has a much bigger name than its size because of carrying the most valuable Iznik Tiles on its walls. You can stop at the Spice Bazaar for some exotic spices and nuts on the way to the port. click for prices
Baroque Palaces of Istanbul
We will start the tour with a walk down on the Istiklal Street (a.k.a. Beyoglu) which is the most popular promenade of the city for the locals, full of baroque buildings. Visiting the Dolmabahce Palace, where according to some major architects of the country, 6 tons of gold was used for the construction, will make you see how the Ottoman Turks tried to surpass the French in luxury in the 19th century.
We will travel from Europe to Asia over the Bosphorus Bridge to see another Ottoman Baroque Palace. Beylerbeyi Palace was built again in the mid-19th century as a summer palace for the sultans and a guest house for the visiting foreign royalties. The last stop of the day will be Camlica Hill which has a big place in the Turkish Literature mentioned as the most romantic spot in the country. Because of its overlooking position to the Bosphorus Strait and to the entire city, Camlica Hill has always been the most popular place in history for pictures, maps and engravings. click for prices
Istanbul Jewish Heritage Tour
We will spend the morning visiting the historic and most important synagogues of Istanbul. Neve Shalom is known as the biggest one in Turkey. After a short walk down the promenade, we will visit the only Ashkenazi Synagogue left in Istanbul.
We will drive by the Golden Horn which was the port of Constantinople and visit the oldest synagogue which is still in use for services in Istanbul. Ahrida Synagogue is over 500 years old and located in Balat where the Jewish People who were saved from the inquisition by the Ottoman Sultan settled. After a walk through the neighborhood, we will continue to Ortakoy which is located on a beautiful spot of the Bosphorus Strait and known as the Turkish Soho. Here we will visit one of the most active synagogues of Istanbul, Etz Ahayim and walk through the charming narrow streets to observe the colorfully restored Ottoman houses.
In the afternoon we will visit Karakoy Jewish Museum which was converted from the old Zulfaris Synagogue. Here we will see several Jewish artifacts and learn about the Turkish Jewish people. Later, you will have some time to have an exotic shopping experience in the famous old Grand Bazaar. click for prices
Streets of Istanbul
This tour will give you the chance to visit the most popular social places in Istanbul, see how the locals live and what they like. We will start the day with a walk down on Istiklal Street (a.k.a. Beyoglu, Pera) which has been the most active and social promenade in the whole country for almost two centuries.
Enjoying the 18th-19th century baroque and neo-gothic buildings, you have a chance to give a coffee break in the café of the Pera Palace Hotel where the passengers of the Orient Express used to stay as it was the most luxurious hotel in the Ottoman times. On the doors, you can still see the names of the famous people who stayed in that room like Agatha Christie, Mata Hari, and King Edward. The elevator in the hotel was the first one in the Ottoman Empire and still in use.
Through the boutique fashion shops, we will walk to the French Street just to admire the exquisite artistic decorations on the buildings, and have a snack or a glass of wine in one of the French restaurants. We will go back to the promenade to take the first subway of the Ottoman Empire and go down to Karakoy. After a short drive from Karakoy, we will visit the main trade center of the Silk Road, Grand Bazaar. Driving by the Bosphorus, we will stop at Arnavutkoy to see the mansions of the Ottoman nobles. As the last visit of the day, we will go to Turksih Soho, Ortakoy and walk through the charming narrow streets to observe the colorfully restored Ottoman houses which are mostly restaurants and boutique shops today. click for prices
IZMIR - KUSADASI (EPHESUS)
You can take these tours with the same conditions no matter what if your cruise ship stops in Kusadasi or Izmir. Besides the suggested itineraries below, we can always make custom itineraries for you to visit Smyrna, Pergamum, Sardis and more.
Ephesus Tour
Our tour will start with the visit House of Virgin Mary. Many Christians believe that Mother Mary spent a part of her life after the Crucifixion when Jesus named St. John as her new son. On the outskirts of the same hill, we will visit Ephesus which is one of the best preserved Greco-Roman cities of antiquity. Our next stop will be the Basilica of St. John, where you can also visit the burial site of the apostle. From this high point, you will see the remains of one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Temple of Artemis. click for prices
Miletus – Didyma – Sirince
Miletus is where you can see a theater with reliefs and as well as a very well preserved Roman bath. The temple of Apollo in Didyma was the second most popular prophecy center of antiquity after Delphi and the ruins are still astonishing after 2500 years. The village of Sirince, which is declared as a historic site and under strict protection, is a quaint small town which was founded by the late Ephesians after they abandoned the city. You can enjoy an exotic shopping experience at the local market place with charming boutique shops, wine tastings, and beautiful landscape. If your cruise vacation ends or start in Kusadasi or Izmir, for pre and post tours, we can arrange your stay in the village at some beautiful boutique hotels which are converted from old authentic village houses. click for prices