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Shore Excursions for FoodiesTASTEFULL SHORE EXCURSIONS IN TURKISH PORTS
Will you be taking a cruise in the Mediterranean and stopping in Istanbul,Çeşme or Bodrum? Why not add on something special, like a one-day Turkish cooking class? We can arrange foodie shore excursions from Istanbul,Çeşme and Bodrum ports in Turkey. Cooking classes, culinary walks, winery visits, meals in Turkish homes, you name it..
Pre/post foodie cruise itineraries with Istanbul stays before or after your cruise.
DAY 1 ISTANBUL (Arrival day) Arrivals will be at Istanbul Ataturk airport. Before passport control please stop at the visa desk for an entry visa stamp. Proceed through the passport check, pick-up your luggage and pass through customs as usual for any foreign country entrance. After customs clearance our representative will meet you and you will be transferred to your hotel. Rest of the day will be free at leisure. After a short rest we will meet and you will be driven to the Asitane Restaurant. The Asitane Restaurant, whose dishes reflect the eclectic nature of the Turco-Ottoman neighbourhood, was named Asitane which not only means "Head Gate" in Farsi but was also one of the many names given to Istanbul throughout the reign of the Ottoman Empire. The restaurant specializes in fine Ottoman court cuisine. Extensive research was undertaken prior to the opening of the restaurant as kitchen registries deep from the archives of Topkapı and Dolmabahçe Palaces were scoured for recipes, and relevant documentation was found in Istanbul's Beyazıt and Millet libraries. Additional important sources of information for the duration of the preparation period were dug up using old Ottoman dictionaries, the written historic accounts of various statesmen, medical practitioners and soldiers. At dinner you will taste a pre-designed menu chosen from 200 forgotten sweet and savory recipes, prepared in keeping with the cooking methods of 500 years ago.(D)
Learn the secrets of a cuisine relished within all corners of Turkey but rarely experienced by outsiders. Join Selin in the building where she was born -- an authentic 1930’s home, in one of Istanbul's classiest neighborhoods -- where she will teach you how to make a traditional home-cooked Turkish meal. For lunch, you will savor what you have cooked with Turkish wines! Dishes are approachable and easy to replicate in your home country. Detailed recipe booklets are offered to keep. After lunch you will be driven to the old city and you will be in an Oriental dream, the Covered Bazaar, is a universe of its own, an entire city with more than 4000 shops, 500 stalls, 18 fountains, a large mosque and 12 mescits, a primary school, a türbe, two banks, five or six restaurants, a police station, a post office and an information center. One finds anything and everything here from fine silk carpets to leather bomber jackets, from Ottoman cushion covers to silver Russian samovars. (B, L) DAY 3 SPICE MARKET AND KADIKOY STREET MARKET TOUR WITH LUNCH TWO HISTORICAL MARKETS ON TWO CONTINENTS -Europe &Asia Soak up the Turkish culture and cuisine by exploring both the European and Asian food markets of Istanbul, topped with an authentic traditional meal to make your day. Start your tour from the European side of Istanbul with a walk through the Spice Bazaar, an extensive market which was built in the 17th century to finance the upkeep of the nearby mosque - Yeni Cami. The bazaar is often referred to as the "Egyptian Market" due to the fact that spices used to come to the market from India and Southeast Asia via Egypt. Take a ferry ride to the other side of the river that separates the European and Asian parts of Istanbul to explore the famous open-air street market of Kadıkoy. Notice the big difference in atmosphere between the Spice Market and the Kadıkoy which is more in tune with the way most people in Istanbul cook and eat. Indulge yourself in the huge variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, with plenty to discover for the "foodie." Feel the real bazaar shopping experience with the fishmongers, bakers, butchers and grocers singing out to attract you to their stall. Take your time and explore the many pastry shops, Turkish delight and deli stores and the aromatic spice stands. There is plenty to see and buy, with information and recommendations available. Feeling hungry after all that walking? Want to try some of the things you have seen? One of Istanbul's best restaurants, is just around the corner. Enjoy an ethnic countryside style dish in a traditional atmosphere . A ferry ride back to the European side ends our delicious walking tour in Istanbul. (B,L) DAY 4 EMBARKING DAY This morning at 9:00 AM your guide and driver will be ready at your hotel. After check-out your baggage will be loaded your bus and your day will start. Your first stop will be the Blue Mosque, was built in the early 17th century by Sultan Ahmet I; the mosque takes its name from the exquisite turquoise-blue ceramic tiles that decorate its interior walls. Its magnificent series of domes and semi-domes, its six slender minarets, its spacious courtyard, and its grandiose yet elegant proportions make it the most popular Moslem shrine in the city. Then you will spend rest of the morning in the Topkapi Palace, the royal residences of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th till the 19th century. The Grand Seraglio, as it was called in the west, was also the seat of administration of the Ottoman Empire as well as a center of arts and education. Collections of jewelry, costumes, Islamic and Old and New Testament objects and many other objects of art, formerly belonging to the sultans are on exhibit. Originally a Turkish tribe from Central Asia, the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453 and put an end to the Byzantine Empire. At the height of its power in the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire ruled over such vast territories from Vienna to the Indian Ocean and from Algiers to the Caspian Sea. The buildings, gardens, courtyards and the exhibitions display the lavish lifestyle of the Ottoman sultans. Visit will cover the Jewellery sections and secrets of the Harem. After lunch you will be transferred to the port to embark your cruise ship.(B)
ISTANBUL POST CRUISE SAMPLE ITINERARY DAY 1 ISTANBUL (Arrival day) EXCEPT TUESDAYS You will disembark your cruise ship, your guide and driver will be ready at the port at 9:00AM for a full day tour. Your first stop will be the Blue Mosque, was built in the early 17th century by Sultan Ahmet I; the mosque takes its name from the exquisite turquoise-blue ceramic tiles that decorate its interior walls. Its magnificent series of domes and semi-domes, its six slender minarets, its spacious courtyard, and its grandiose yet elegant proportions make it the most popular Moslem shrine in the city. Then you will spend rest of the morning in the Topkapi Palace, the royal residences of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th till the 19th century. The Grand Seraglio, as it was called in the west, was also the seat of administration of the Ottoman Empire as well as a center of arts and education. Collections of jewelry, costumes, Islamic and Old and New Testament objects and many other objects of art, formerly belonging to the sultans are on exhibit. Originally a Turkish tribe from Central Asia, the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453 and put an end to the Byzantine Empire. At the height of its power in the 16th century, the Ottoman Empire ruled over such vast territories from Vienna to the Indian Ocean and from Algiers to the Caspian Sea. The buildings, gardens, courtyards and the exhibitions display the lavish lifestyle of the Ottoman sultans. Visit will cover the jewelery sections and secrets of the Harem. In the afternoon your first stop will be the Süleymaniye Mosque Complex, a most important example of Ottoman architecture. Built in the 16th century by Sinan, the greatest Ottoman architect for Süleyman the Magnificent, the greatest Ottoman sultan, the complex consists of several different types of buildings and therefore provides a good insight into classical Turkish architecture. Then after you will be in an Oriental dream, the Covered Bazaar, is a universe of its own, an entire city with more than 4000 shops, 500 stalls, 18 fountains, a large mosque and 12 mescits, a primary school, a türbe, two banks, five or six restaurants, a police station, a post office and an information center. One finds anything and everything here from fine silk carpets to leather bomber jackets, from Ottoman cushion covers to silver Russian samovars. At the end of the visits you will be driven to your hotel. After a short rest we will meet and will proceed to the Asitane Restaurant. The Asitane Restaurant, whose dishes reflect the eclectic nature of the Turco-Ottoman neighbourhood, was named Asitane which not only means "Head Gate" in Farsi but was also one of the many names given to Istanbul throughout the reign of the Ottoman Empire. The restaurant specializes in fine Ottoman court cuisine. Extensive research was undertaken prior to the opening of the restaurant as kitchen registries deep from the archives of Topkapı and Dolmabahçe Palaces were scoured for recipes, and relevant documentation was found in Istanbul's Beyazıt and Millet libraries. Additional important sources of information for the duration of the preparation period were dug up using old Ottoman dictionaries, the written historic accounts of various statesmen, medical practitioners and soldiers. At dinner you will taste a pre-designed menu chosen from 200 forgotten sweet and savory recipes, prepared in keeping with the cooking methods of 500 years ago. (B, L, D) DAY 2 IN THE KITCHEN WITH SELİN - EXCEPT MONDAYS Learn the secrets of a cuisine relished within all corners of Turkey but rarely experienced by outsiders. Join Selin in the building where she was born -- an authentic 1930’s home, in one of Istanbul's classiest neighborhoods -- where she will teach you how to make a traditional home-cooked Turkish meal. For lunch, you will savor what you have cooked with Turkish wines! 10:30 am -14:30 pm- 4-hour cooking course with a 6 to 7 course lunch in a private home in Nisantası. Dishes are approachable and easy to replicate in your home country. Detailed recipe booklets are offered to keep. Selin shops daily for her groceries so the ingredients are seasonal and fresh. After lunch you will be driven to the old city and will visit the Hagia Sofia. A true landmark in world architecture, the great dome of St. Sophia, the Church of Divine Wisdom, hovers 180 feet above the marble floor. Supported by hundreds of columns that Emperor Justinian gathered from all corners of the world, St. Sophia was the grandest shrine of Christendom when it was built in AD 537. The building, once the greatest church in Christendom and then a mosque for 500 years became a museum in 1935. At the end of the day you will have free time for shopping.(B, L) DAY 3 SPICE MARKET AND KADIKOY STREET MARKET TOUR WITH LUNCH TWO HISTORICAL MARKETS ON TWO CONTINENTS -Europe &Asia Soak up the Turkish culture and cuisine by exploring both the European and Asian food markets of Istanbul, topped with an authentic traditional meal to make your day. Start your tour from the European side of Istanbul with a walk through the Spice Bazaar, an extensive market which was built in the 17th century to finance the upkeep of the nearby mosque - Yeni Cami. The bazaar is often referred to as the "Egyptian Market" due to the fact that spices used to come to the market from India and Southeast Asia via Egypt. Take a ferry ride to the other side of the river that separates the European and Asian parts of Istanbul to explore the famous open-air street market of Kadıkoy. Notice the big difference in atmosphere between the Spice Market and the Kadıkoy which is more in tune with the way most people in Istanbul cook and eat. Indulge yourself in the huge variety of seasonal fruits and vegetables, with plenty to discover for the "foodie." Feel the real bazaar shopping experience with the fishmongers, bakers, butchers and grocers singing out to attract you to their stall. Take your time and explore the many pastry shops, Turkish delight and deli stores and the aromatic spice stands. There is plenty to see and buy, with information and recommendations available. Feeling hungry after all that walking? Want to try some of the things you have seen? One of Istanbul's best restaurants, is just around the corner. Enjoy an ethnic countryside style dish in a traditional atmosphere . A ferry ride back to the European side ends our delicious walking tour in Istanbul.(B,L) DAY 4 Departure day Our representative will be ready at your hotel three hours prior to your flight departure time for your transfer service to the airport.(B)
My husband and I booked a food tour for our port stop in Istanbul on our recent cruise. It was a wonderful day that began at the Spice Market, where Selin met us and proceeded to introduce us to a huge variety of Turkish foods. We had cheese, meats, spices, pistachios, tea, tongue, and so much more. We had the opportunity to buy things along the way and I was thrilled to buy saffron, tea and pistachios as well as several other special items. From the Spice Market, we took a ferry to the Asian side of Istanbul. It was wonderful to see the market on that side--so clean and beautiful! Selin took us to a wonderful candy store, a special store that had all types of towels and linens and eventually we made our way to an authentic Turkish restaurant. We were treated to the most wonderful food--so many different flavors and presentations! We had so much delicious food that I could not finish the last few items that were presented. When Selin says not to have a big breakfast, take that seriously--we did and still, we could not finish everything. Selin was so kind to offer to email me her booklet (32 pages!) of recipes and I can't wait to start trying them out. At the end of the day, Selin very kindly made sure we got on the correct ferry to get back to our ship. I only wish I could have had another day to spend with her in her home to learn some of her cooking techniques. I am grateful for the recipes that she has sent, and I'm sure she would be happy to share her wisdom if I have any questions while I try out my new Turkish recipes. If you are in Istanbul, be sure to book this tour. Oh, and Selin was so gracious about the booking--I was unable to pay ahead of time due to some firewall issues, but she trusted me and accepted our money after the tour started. Thank you for a very memorable day in Istanbul, Selin!!!
For details please contact us selin@turkishflavours.com
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