Rated one of the world’s ‘Top Ten Learning Retreats’, and one of ‘The 100 Best Worldwide Vacations to Enrich Your Life’ by National Geographic
A brand new tour for 2013. Many travellers have told us how much they would like to go on one of our full length, 20-day In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great archaeological adventures but that they just can’t take undertake epic 3-week long trips. Michael, Heinrich and Peter have spent a great deal of time to create new, shorter Alexander the Great tours in both Greece and Turkey.
In Turkey, we have split our existing Alexander tour in half, so you can do a ‘Part 1’ and a ‘Part 2’. Here we unveil our new Alexander the Great tour in Turkey Part One.
St Peter’s Castle, Bodrum
For more than 2,000 years Alexander the Great has excited the imagination of people around the globe. This archaeological tour in Turkey is a unique opportunity to retrace his footsteps across Asia Minor, the first leg of his extraordinary 22,000 mile journey.
Join this remarkable historical tour escorted by Peter Sommer, who in 1994 walked 2,000 miles across Anatolia, from Troy to the battlefield of Issus, retracing Alexander the Great’s march in Turkey. Who better to lead you on Alexander’s route than someone who has walked the entire distance!
“Peter was the ideal person to help produce our In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great TV series for the BBC/PBS. Our particular style of documentary making leans heavily on understanding history by following in its footprints. Peter had worn out 4 pairs of boots doing just that on Alexander’s trail. Who better to show you how the conqueror’s story unfolded and how the locations helped mould the legend.” David Wallace, Director, In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great
Travelling back through time we’ll delve into Alexander’s personality and the lives of the people that inhabited his tumultuous world.
This is a true archaeological voyage. We’ll discover the history and architecture of the cities on Alexander’s route on this epic escorted tour. Turkey is rich with Alexander’s legacy; Troy, where Alexander ran naked around Achilles’ tomb; Ephesus, one of the best preserved classical cities in the world; Apollo’s great oracular temple at Didyma, where we’ll stroll along the sacred way.
This inspirational historical Turkey tour is a tale of romance, war and power, an amazing expedition full of unforgettable vistas and historical highlights. Won’t you join us for this once in a lifetime archaeological adventure?
You can see a selection of testimonials (for the 20-day version of this trip) on the right and below is an extended piece of feedback from one guest which we think encapsulates the nature of the tour perhaps better than we can:
”I have been raving about the trip to everyone I meet. I had never been on a tour before and was not sure I would like it. I’m used to striking out on my own, don’t want to be trapped with people I don’t find interesting, and I have a real aversion to ‘group food’, and ‘group hotels’. None of my fears were warranted. The food was outstanding in every respect and Cem’s (our tour manager/local guide) choice of places, most of which we would never have found on our own, was terrific, and the choice of each menu, highlighting particular specialities of wherever we were couldn’t have been more perfect.
The places we stayed - mostly small, and each with unique local features - were exactly the kinds of places I choose to stay when I’m on my own, and I felt like Alexander’s gods must have looked favorably on our trip because our little band of travelers couldn’t have been more interesting. It seemed like each person brought a different perspective to the trip that - through their questions, observations, and comments - expanded and enriched what we were seeing. The overall organization of everything, from the separate luggage van so that we never had to carry our suitcases even an inch, to the well timed rest stops, and Cem’s absolutely unflappable approach to the unexpected made it 3 weeks of bliss - no cares or worries, just time to enjoy and soak it all up.
And last but not least, your enthusiasm and knowledge were inspiring and contagious. It was exciting to learn about a man and a country that have so many lessons for us today. We could all learn a lot by studying Alexander’s leadership style, and it is humbling to actually see the succession of civilizations and empires - Hittite, Macedonian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Ataturk to name only the major ones. I couldn’t help but reflect on what a different perspective that offers, and how much better off the world would be if our current empires were less arrogant about their importance in the larger scheme of things.
Life is fleeting, great civilizations pass, but what remains is the evidence - in every site and museum we went to - of the human drive to create beauty, to build beauty not only in our architecture, but in the smallest objects of everyday life. I found the sarcophagi particularly interesting - obviously emblems of death - but all I saw and marveled at was how the stone masons managed to make the stone scenes that decorated the exteriors sing with such life and movement that mortality was the furthest thing from my mind. Sadly, the trip, like the early civilizations, is over, and it’s back to reality, but I find that it’s a reality that has been changed and enriched by walking in the footsteps of Alexander the Great - and Peter Sommer. Thanks for a unique experience… It was truly magical’”
Joan Lancourt, Brookline, MA, USA
You might also be interested in coming on our Alexander the Great tour in Greece
Request a brochure or to book your place, please contact our office.
Day 1: Arrival in Istanbul. Meet at the airport and transfer to hotel. Welcome drink and dinner.
Temple of Hadrian, Ephesus
Day 2: A day in the great metropolis of Istanbul, Turkey’s most dynamic city, gateway between east and west. An introduction to the tour in the archaeological museum beside the Alexander Sarcophagus, followed by some of the greatest sites of the city.
Day 3: We follow the Marmara Sea to the mighty Hellespont. When Alexander the Great crossed he sacrificed to Poseidon and poured libations of wine to the spirits of the sea. We visit Achilles’ tomb on the plain of Troy, where Alexander paid homage to the hero, running naked anointed with oil. At the legendary city itself, we explore the ruins swathed in myth. At the great temple of Athena, the fabled shield of Achilles was presented to Alexander - it would save his life during a siege in India.
Day 4: A visit to Çanakkale’s splendid little archaeological museum then east into the hills. On the banks of the river Granicus Alexander nearly died in his first victory over the Persians. We examine the most likely location of the battle.
Ancient columns at Sardis
Day 5: A beautiful morning drive through rolling countryside to gaze out across Bin Tepe (thousand mounds), the burial ground of the Lydian kings and aristocracy. After lunch we visit their royal capital, Sardis, where the imposing city of Croesus is being excavated.
Day 6: We explore the magnificent column lined agora of ancient Smyrna, modern Izmir, and the spring nearby which Alexander is alleged to have slept and dreamed of refounding and rebuilding the city. Ongoing excavations are revealing the heart of old Smyrna in all its glory. We also visit the newer archaeological museum which houses some splendid objects and historical treasures.
Day 7: We visit Ephesus’s marvellous archaeology museum, the nearby Temple of Artemis, one of the seven ancient wonders of the world, which was reportedly burned down the night Alexander was born. We reach monumental Ephesus as the tourist buses depart and explore its spectacular remains.
Day 8: A morning to relax in Kuşadasi, then we walk the stepped streets of Priene, virtually unchanged since Alexander the Great was here. To the south lay Miletus, which refused him entry. It became his first major siege and his first chance to try out a new weapon, the torsion catapult. The city was battered into submission.
Alexander the Great in the Pompeii mosaic
Day 9: The temple of Apollo at Didyma remains one of the most spectacular of all monuments. It was here that Alexander’s ultimate victory over the Persians was prophesised. Beside the sea, we explore Iasos, one of the prettiest sites in Turkey, where Alexander made a local boy, who swam with dolphins, priest of Poseidon.
Day 10: In Bodrum, birthplace of Herodotus, we visit the site of the celebrated Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, and the remains of the fortifications against which Alexander laid a desperate siege. We finish with a tour of the Castle of St. Peter.
Day 11: Transfer to Bodrum airport, about 40 minutes away.
Arrival and Departure Information
Arrival Airport - Istanbul
Departure Airport - Bodrum
Check in time at your hotel in Istanbul is after 13:00 so we recommend choosing a flight that arrives in the afternoon/early evening on April 28th in time for a welcome dinner. Check out time on the 8th of May is 12:00pm. We will arrange local transfers from Istanbul airport on April 28th and to Bodrum airport on May 8th.
Booking Flights
The cheapest way to book flights is directly with the airline online.
Suggested Flights
Details tbc.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a requirement of our booking conditions and we recommend you investigate the options thoroughly to make sure that your trip is properly covered.
In the UK we work with specialist travel insurers Milsom Howard Ltd. 22 Highfield Drive, Ickenham, Uxbridge, Middlesex UB10 8AN, UK Tel: +44 (0) 1895 234 919 • Fax: +44 (0) 1895 231 864 • Email: globetrotter@milsomhoward.com.
Our travel insurance specialist in the US is Julie Gorny, Email: juliannegorny@yahoo.com • Tel: +1 773 972 8849.
Alternatively you might like to look at an online travel insurance company like World Nomads to give you a comparison in terms of price and coverage.
If you would prefer not to take out travel insurance you will need to complete a travel insurance waiver form.
Visas
Visas are easily obtained online at E-visa or on arrival at Istanbul or other local airports. A visa costs £10 for UK Nationals, $20 for USA Nationals and $20 for Australian Nationals. Only US dollars and Euros are accepted at the airports and visas must be paid for in cash. UK passport holders can also pay in sterling. Once you have arrived in the terminal, do remember to obtain your visas before queuing up for immigration control. You can also get your visa in advance, before you arrive in Turkey, from any Turkish Consulate, but it entails time and an extra visa processing fee.
Istanbul
If you are planning to extend your stay in Istanbul before or after your tour we have included below links to more information and things to see and do.
Istanbul Destination Guide
Istanbul Travel Article
Our “flagship” tour, personally led by Peter Sommer, is a unique historical holiday right across Turkey from Istanbul to Antioch. In 1994, Peter walked 2,000 miles across Turkey retracing the route of Alexander, and fell in love with the country, its people, and its ancient civilisation. Following the walk he worked for 18 months on the acclaimed BBC/PBS documentary TV series, In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great, and set up all the filming in Turkey, as well as in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Peter will escort you all the way, bringing to life the history of Alexander, and showing you around some of the most fascinating ancient sites in Turkey.
This truly is a once in a lifetime cultural tour, but you do need to be aware that it is the most intensive and physically demanding of all our trips. In contrast to our gulet cruises which tend to visit one ancient city per day, and are designed with rest and relaxation, as well as history in mind, our Alexander tour visits at least 2 ancient sites per day, sometimes more. It is essentially a major road trip with a number of hotel changes. You will have the chance to explore a great many ancient sites, and travel through some stunning countryside, but we do need to cover large distances, so there are long drives involved on some of the days.
Because we sometimes visit locations which are often well off the beaten track, often down narrow tracks and sometimes across open country, we have to use a medium sized minibus which seats 17 people, rather than a large luxurious coach. In terms of comfort we would prefer to use a large coach to give guests more space, but it is not practicable considering our itinerary. Where possible we try to use smaller, family run, boutique hotels with character rather than large chain establishments. Almost all of the hotels are of a very high standard. When we are staying in less well visited areas we will use the best hotel available in the area.
The sites themselves often have rough and uneven terrain with loose stones underfoot and there are some considerable hills to walk up, so guests must be fit and well to take part in this tour. Suffice it to say that it is a real archaeological adventure. You will have the opportunity to explore some of the most beautiful and best preserved ancient sites in the world, as part of a small group, in the company of a specialist guide.
