The good folks at Eat Smart Guides (we love them!) are doing an exciting new tour in 2015 to Turkey!

Joan Peterson, author of Eat Smart in Turkey, invites you to Eat Smart in Turkey...

Joan and Susan, Eat Smart Guides

October 1 to October 9, 2015
Come with us on a culinary odyssey through ancient, Ottoman, and modern Turkey, and get to the heart of the culture through an exploration of its scrumptious cuisine and wine. Sample the infinite variety of regional Turkish specialties in their natural setting. Delve into the secrets of Turkish dishes by participating in a cooking class. Visit bustling markets to learn about the herbs, spices and condiments prevalent in Turkish cookery. You’ll come away with a knowledge of the culinary traditions of Turkey and a deep appreciation of the magnitude of history and culture that this ancient land possesses.

Breakfast on the patio

But it’s not all about food and wine. We’ll see the major tourist sights in Istanbul, in the Mediterranean, and in magical Cappadocia, where we can take a sunrise balloon ride and gently soar above its surreal lunar landscape before landing for a champagne toast. And, we’ll still have time to shop and relax along the way.

Balloons, Cappadocia (above and below)

Basilica, Istanbul (above and below)

Here's a sample of the itinerary...

THURSDAY, October 1, 2015

Morning drive along the coastline of the Sea of Marmara, following along the City Walls of Byzantium. The 5th-century walls built by Emperor Theodosius II stretch for 4 miles from Istanbul’s Golden Horn to the Sea of Marmara. They were breached only twice in 1600 years. The first breach occurred during the Fourth Crusade in 1204; the second in 1453 by the cannons and troops of Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror. Several of the main gates were restored during the 1990s, but other parts of the walls are unrestored.

Continue along the Golden Horn and visit Süleymaniye Mosque, better known as the mosque of Suleyman the Magnificent. It was built in the 16th century by the great Ottoman architect Mimar Sinan for Sultan Suleyman the Magnificient, also known as the Legislator. The mosque, the largest in Istanbul, stands on a hilltop, the third of seven hills dominating the Golden Horn and contributing to the skyline of Istanbul. It was ordered by sultan Suleyman, and built by Sinan in 7 years, between 1550–1557. Like all big and important mosques of that period, this one also was built as a complex including a hospital, library, medrese (religious school), kitchen, haman (bath), shops, and hospice for the poor. It is one of the best examples of Ottoman Islamic architecture in Istanbul.

Drive to Sultanahmet Square for a tea break at the Sultanhamet Medrese just next to the Sultanahmet Mosque.

Visit Hagia Sophia Museum. Hagia Sophia is the most magnificent of all Byzantine churches and is one of the world’s finest and largest architectural works of art. It was built by Anthemius of Tralles and Isodorus of Miletus between 532 and 537 under the rule of Emperor Justinian. When the Byzantine Empire collapsed under the attack of Mehmet the 2nd on May 29, 1453, Islam became the state religion. At noon that day, Mehmet the 2nd had the muezzins call the Muslims to prayer from Hagia Sophia, thus converting it into a mosque. It is now a museum where early Christian mosaics and Islamic calligraphy live side-by-side.

Hagia Sophia

Lunch at the famous Sultanahmet Köftecisi Selim Usta, the historic  Sultanahmet “Meatballs” Restaurant run by the fourth generation of the Tezçakin family, with Chef Selim currently carrying on the family tradition. The restaurant was started by Mehmet Seracettin Tezçakin, who came to  Istanbul from Turkmenistan in 1920 to seek his fortune. It became a classic restaurant and has been in business for 95 years.

After lunch visit the Topkapi Palace Museum. Topkapi Palace, the private residence and seat of government of the Ottoman sultans from 1465 to 1853, houses spectacular porcelain as well as jewel collections including the Spoonmaker Diamond (fifth largest in the world) and jeweled swords and armor of the Sultans. After entering a gate once lined with the severed heads of those who dared oppose the Sultan, we will wander through rooms of precious artworks and artifacts, visit the newly remodeled Kitchen, and explore the famous Harem, residence of the Sultan, his wives, concubines, and children.

Topkapi Palace.

Late afternoon drive to Golden Horn.

Continue via Cable Car to the Pierre Loti Coffee House located on a beautiful tree-covered hill. Enjoy the wonderful panorama of the Golden Horn as you ascend 1,800 feet in less than 2 minutes. The coffee house is named for  Pierre Loti, the French author and poet who was especially fond of Istanbul and wrote in the coffee house while enjoying the views.

Dinner at Akdeniz Hatay Sofrasi.
The restaurant specializes in food from the southeastern region of Turkey, as well as a wider selection of Mediterranean food. The ingredients used in the dishes travel from the cities of Hatay and Gaziantep to arrive at your plate in Istanbul: aromatic red pepper pastes, pistachios, chickpeas, olive oil, and pomegranate molasses.

After dinner return to hotel.

Grand Bazaar, Istanbul.

Learn more:
http://www.eatsmartguides.com/tours.html

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All photos courtesy and copyright Eat Smart Guides