Category: Small Group Discoveries

Latin AmericaSmall Group Discoveries

Bolivia: A Wealth of Culture, History and Nature

on February 25, 2019

Its isolated, land-locked locale lends it a cultural richness unparalleled in any other South American nation. It boasts one of the planet’s lowest population densities and most dramatic geographic extremes. The peaks of the Andes soar to some 19,000 feet. Glassy surreal salt flats shimmer under the sun. It is home to the highest navigable lake in the world. And that’s only part of the story.

You might ask why you would explore Bolivia with a Discovery Tours small group. But with its many-layered cultures, remarkable history, and astonishing natural wonders, the real question is, “Why wouldn’t you?”

La Paz: City of Peace

All three of Bolivia’s show-stopping qualities – culture, history, and nature – converge in its bustling capital. Its setting is truly breathtaking: nestled in a vast canyon carved out by the Choqueyapu River and spread at the foot of Mt. Illimani, one of the highest Andean peaks. To get a full view of the city’s splendid urban and mountain vistas, just board one of the Mi Teleférico aerial cable cars, said to be the longest and highest-altitude such system in the world. From its heights, the entire patchwork of La Paz unfurls below, from its red-roofed villages clinging on hillsides to its glittering glass skyscrapers, all encircled by a ring of spectacular mountains.

Where architectural treasures meet. Of course, to experience the city fully, you’ll need to come down from these lofty heights. A central place to begin exploring is the Plaza Murillo. This vast city square was named for national hero Pedro Domingo Murillo who, in 1809, likened the revolution against Spain to a growing flame that no one would be able to extinguish. He was right. A local uprising here in La Paz kickstarted the liberation of all of South America. 

Still, many monuments to Spanish colonialism remain as an important part of Bolivia’s past. On the square, the Presidential Palace (known to locals as the “Burnt Palace” for the number of times it has caught on fire) is home to the nation’s leader. Adjacent, the La Paz Cathedral is a stunning example of neoclassical and baroque ingenuity. The National Congress building, with its stately façade, was a convent and a university before it was transformed into a house of legislature. Nearby, the distinctive San Francisco Cathedral is a stunning blend of baroque and mestizo style—the epitome of indigenous-influenced colonialism. 

Where ancient and modern cultures converge. The cultural gems of La Paz are, in a word, spellbinding – especially at the Witches’ Market in the Cerro Cumbre district. Browsing its stalls, you might think Hogwarts of Harry Potter fame was transplanted right here in the Andes. If you wish, you may visit with the local yatiri, indigenous Aymara witch doctors with their tell-tale black hats. Perhaps you’ll purchase dried frogs, armadillos, or potions and talismans that promise good luck and long life. 

For an outing with a more modern flair, visit the many museums along the city’s famed Jaén Street. This historic neighborhood looks much as it did when the Spanish ruled here. Today, it boasts ten different cultural institutions. To glimpse ancient history, visit a replica of a semi-subterranean temple from the Tiwanaku culture that thrived in Bolivia from around 100 to 800 AD. And to feel the pulse of the city’s heart, head to El Prado, the main avenue where families stroll, merchants sell their wares, and cholitas don traditional bowler hats as they go about their daily errands.

Beyond La Paz, Astonishing Nature and a Long History

North of La Paz, the highest navigable lake in the world straddles the border with Peru. Lake Titicaca sits at 12,500 feet above sea level and has witnessed some of the region’s most stirring and pivotal history. On the Isla del Sol, or Island of the Sun—a short boat ride from the mainland town of Copacabana—Inca ruins date to the 1400s. The island is said to be the birthplace of Inca civilization; more than this, they believed it was also the birthplace of their sun god. Ample evidence of the Inca can be found among the island’s terraced gardens, ancient temples, and even a reputed fountain of youth. Much of the island’s pre-Columbian past is chronicled at the Inti Wata Cultural Complex. Here, you can witness a Kallawaya ceremony and the ancient craft of weaving the lake’s tortora reeds into water-tight boats. Today, the island’s rocky and hilly terrain hosts just 800 families who live off the land, the lake, and tourism. 

South of La Paz, a surreal landscape unfolds in the Valle de la Luna, the Valley of the Moon. The land here is composed of clay, not rock, which has left it prone to dramatic erosion. Tall, craggy spires and countless canyons have been carved by strong winds and rains over millennia. Its mesmerizing palette of colors is explained by the varying minerals of the earth here.

The town of Colchani is our gateway to the magnificent Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. Stretching some 4,000 square miles, the salar is covered with several feet of salt which covers a pool of brine below. Over the entire surface, its elevation only varies by a few feet; this means that rainfall leaves a thin layer of calm water, creating the world’s largest mirror. During your visit, head out to an “island” in the flat to see its thousands of giant cacti standing as high as 26 feet and stop to explore the remarkable Chiquini Cave, formed underwater before the lake that covers the salt flat dried up.

From the history and culture of La Paz to the beguiling beauty of the planet’s largest salt flat, we can’t think of a reason not to visit Bolivia with Discovery Tours. And you can, when you join our new Natural Wonders of Bolivia & Chile small group tour! Join us!

Latin AmericaSmall Group Discoveries

Chile’s Jewel of the Pacific: Valparaiso

on February 21, 2019

Perhaps no other city in Chile casts a spell as mesmerizing as salty Valparaiso. Certainly, it strikes a dramatic pose, nestled on a thin strip of land between the Pacific Ocean and 43 steep, rolling hills. You might think it’s a wonder that settlers built a city on this terrain at all! But as you stroll its narrow, labyrinthine streets—among mansions that cling to their once-grandiose days, stunning ocean views, and hard-working porteños taking a break over cafecitos (small black coffees) in cafés—you will be very glad they did.

Indeed, Valparaiso—or Valpo to those in the know—is nothing if not authentic and romantic. Chilean native and Nobel prize winning poet Pablo Neruda regaled the city in his works Canto General and I Confess that I Have Lived. In return, proud locals honored him on his 100th birthday by “composing” the world’s largest poem, an epic collection of contributions from Chileans that scrolled 65 feet long and three feet wide. Other artists have been similarly inspired: the city’s rich street art—huge colorful and beautifully wrought paintings that cover the sides of buildings—appears at every turn. And a host of world-class museums dot the cityscape.

Founded in 1536 by a Spanish conquistador, Valparaiso is a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its improvised urban design of late 19th century hillside structures and seaport architecture. The most glorious buildings were constructed during its heyday, when it was a major stopover for ships sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific. Immigrants from Britain, Germany, and Italy poured into the city during this boom, each bringing its distinctive culture and architectural styles into its own hillside neighborhood. When the Panama Canal opened in 1914, the ships and the people stopped coming, but the city remains Chile’s second most important port and today is affectionately known as “Little San Francisco” for its many hills.

Its historic center is a maze of winding cobbled streets, all of it overlooked by towering cliffs crowned with richly textured suburbs. These hilltop residences are linked to the barrios below by steep stairways or by ascensores, or funiculars. No matter how you decide to ascend, you’ll marvel at spectacular vistas, but riding the funicular is rightly heralded as Valparaiso’s most distinctive and thrilling experiences.

Though they are traditionally called elevators, only one of the city’s renowned funiculars runs in a true vertical direction. The rest carry visitors and locals alike up angled tracks. The original ascensores, introduced in the 1880s, ran on steam. As many as 28 have operated since and about a dozen still operate. Fifteen have been declared National Historical Monuments as local organizations work to ensure that they continue to play an active role in the city’s rich heritage.

You’ll fall under the spell of Valparaiso during our new Natural Wonders of Bolivia & Chile small group tour. Join us!

Latin AmericaSmall Group Discoveries

The Mysteries of the Atacama

on February 11, 2019

Chile’s Atacama Desert is one of the driest places on earth. Yet it is teeming with beauty and plenty of surprises. Our Discovery Tours small group takes you to its fascinating heart, where you’ll gain remarkable insight into its wildness, its history, and its culture. Here’s what we find most fascinating about this mysterious place. We look forward to sharing it with you during our new Natural Wonders of Bolivia & Chile small group tour.

  • This vast desertscape stretches for some 49,000 square miles between the Andes and the Pacific Ocean.
  • Scientists believe the Atacama saw no significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971. Further, they call it the oldest desert on earth—at least three million years old!
  • The landscape has been compared to that found on Mars, so much so that movie crews have used it to stand in for the Red Planet and NASA has tested out some of their Mars rovers on its terrain.
  • The metallic-blue lakes of Miñiques and Miscanti were once one large lake, until lava flow from an eruption of the Miñiques volcano separated the two. Today, they occupy a starkly beautiful landscape that is home to flora and fauna found nowhere else.
  • Remarkably, about a million people call the Atacama Desert home. The vast majority of them live along the coast. But inland, people still eke out a living in tiny villages such as Socaire, Machuca, and Toconao. The latter boasts a welcoming market of textiles made from alpaca and other handicrafts, as well as a striking bell tower that is pure Atacama in its architectural style. 
  • With its clear skies, high elevation, and freedom from light pollution, the Atacama is one of the world’s best spots for stargazing. As conditions permit, you’ll visit an observatory and turn your gaze skyward with an astronomer.
  • At the desert’s edge, a 12th-century pre-Inca fortress provides remarkable insight into an ancient civilization while the site of Tulor, with its circular dwellings, lets you imagine life here as long as 2,000 years ago.
  • Geysers, hot springs, mud pools, and fumaroles steam and bubble and burst forth from the earth at the Atacama’s El Tatio geyser field, the largest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and the third largest in the world.
  • Wind and time have sculpted the jagged contours of Moon Valley and Death Valley, a pair of geological wonders rich in vast breathtaking landscapes and colors.
EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Gaudi & Dali: Spain’s Modern Masters

on January 23, 2019

Among the many pleasures of visiting Spain, art lovers especially revel in the ability to witness a millennium’s worth of the world’s greatest masterpieces. Two masters stand out—famed modernista Antoni Gaudi and surrealist Salvador Dali. The former was an architect and the latter a painter, and their work seems dissimilar at a glance. But Gaudi’s influence on Dali, and the fact that both created work that shattered conventional ideas of what art could be, link them in art history as Spain’s rebellious artists.

Gaudi: The Singular Saint

Gaudi was part of the modernistas, Catalan modernists who believed art played two roles: to defy bourgeois conformity and to create change in society. Gaudi created works that elevated the influence of nature in the man-made, reflected his faith, and resist rules of symmetry and restraint that had previously defined “good taste.”

Born in 1852, he studied architecture but never managed to impress his teachers. He had the last laugh, as he designed the otherworldly Sagrada Familia Cathedral (a work still in progress!), the vividly tiled Parc Guell, countless mansions, and even the ornate signature streetlamps of Barcelona. Seven of his creations are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Unfortunately, his face was not as easily recognized as his buildings. In 1926, after he was struck by a streetcar, he was mistaken for a beggar and couldn’t convince a taxi to take him to the hospital. When a policeman finally removed him from the scene, he was left at the pauper’s ward, and his friends couldn’t find him until the next day. But as a display of solidarity with the poor, he refused to be moved to better conditions. 

He died there a few days later, and the outpouring of grief was profound: it was reported that half of Barcelona’s citizenry donned black and took to the streets on the day of his funeral.

Dali: The Surreal View

Salvador Dali was born a half century after Gaudi, and by the time he was studying art, the influence of the modernistas was waning. Expelled from art school, he threw himself into experimenting with cubism and dadaism, and met kindred spirits in Miro and Picasso. It was in Surrealism, a movement which revived and reframed the values of the modernistas, that he found his visual language. 

With the melting clocks of his most famous work, “The Persistence of Memory,” he put surrealism on the global map, joining the pantheon of Spanish masters. He was exhibited in Paris and New York and beyond, and held a special affinity for the US: The artist lived in the states during World War II, worked on a scene for Albert Hitchcock, and even appeared in a US film commercial.

His time away from his native Spain allowed him to escape controversy at home. Dali was a staunch supporter of fascist leader General Francisco Franco, who he said brought “clarity, truth and order” to Spain. Despite the limited success of his paintings in the final decades of his life, he was indeed seen as one of the most important artists of the century.

A few years before he died, Dali was asked to write the foreword to a biography of Gaudi. In doing so, he paid tribute not only to his predecessor but to his own work, and he wasn’t a bit modest in his assessment. He wrote, “Gaudi is a genius; so am I.” 

Learn more about these fascinating artists during our new France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip.

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

Bordeaux to Catalonia: A Feast of Farm-Fresh Cuisine and Stellar Wines

on January 23, 2019

The Pyrenees Mountains, their snow-capped peaks soaring to the heavens, divide France and Spain like a colossal wall torn from larger-than-life mythologies. Historically and culturally, this natural border has allowed the two nations to evolve quite distinctly. It is remarkable how life is steeped in France’s typical joie de vivre on one side of the mountains and how particularly robust and rustic everything feels on the Spanish side. 

But one thing the French and Spanish share is their love of their unique cuisines and wines. Are they different? Absolutely … and deliciously so! But each is rooted in an agricultural tradition that spans centuries, from generations-old farms to prolific vineyards that date back to ancient Rome. Here’s our survey of some of our favorite culinary pleasures, from the rolling, rocky hills of the Dordogne Valley to the tapas bars of Barcelona.

FROM FARM TO PLATE

Dordogne: Duck, Duck, Goose

It’s not safe to be a waterfowl in France’s Dordogne region, where life on the wing often ends on the plate. One of the region’s signature dishes is magret de canard. The fattier (and more intensely flavorful) French Moulard duck breast is pan seared and then served with a sauce of wine enriched with rendered fat. Found on the vast majority of local restaurant menus, it’s a true comfort food. Confit de canard—which uses the legs instead of the breasts—is even more indulgent. Slow cooked so that they render fat, the legs are softened and then fried, often with potatoes. The result is melt-in-your-mouth meat. But the ultimate indulgence is Foie gras, the rich liver of a goose or duck. Sliced into tender slivers, pressed into a paté, or wrapped in puff pastry, it is a delicacy known worldwide. 

Bordeaux & Beyond: Classic Local Dishes

Bordeaux may be close to the sea, but the city’s most in-demand dish is entrecôte marchand de vin, a rib steak seared with a red-wine gravy which purists prepare with butter, shallots, herbs, and bone marrow. This style of preparation—known as à la bordelaise—is practiced all over the city and in surrounding areas and might also be used to create the perfect lamb dish. 

A visit—or a meal!—in southern France is not complete without sampling mouthwatering desserts. When in St. Emilion, you won’t have to go far to discover a rainbow sampling of cute and colorful macaroons, the snappy sandwich cookie filled with delicious cream. They do, after all, originate from here. The native-born dessert in Bordeaux is decidedly less dainty: a rum-soaked confection created by nuns from the Annonciades convent in the city. The cakes—called canalés, named for the fluted copper mold in which they are made—are filled with custard and have a crispy sweet glaze.

Northern Spain: Where Fresh Cuisine Is a Social Event

One of the great pleasures of visiting Spain is participating in its lively food culture. Throughout the Basque region and Catalonia, vast farmlands raise livestock and grow produce that makes its way into the restaurant kitchens of Bilbao, Madrid and Barcelona. Then the chefs get to work creating the artful small plates for which Spain is known.

In Barcelona, tapas bars draw huge crowds of foodies every evening. These sophisticated small plates can be hot or cold – from simply presented olives and cheeses to more complex, richly flavored dishes that may be battered and fried or swimming in olive oil or delicious sauce. In the most authentic tapas bars, dishes may be on display in a glass case. Salted cod loin, meatballs, pickled vegetables, battered squid, sausages, croquettes and dozens of other items might grace a menu – reflecting the endless bounty of Northern Spain.

In Bilbao and throughout the Basque region, tapas go by a different name: pintxos or pinchos. Dry cured ham (or jamon serrano), anchovies, stuffed peppers and other often elaborate preparations are served on small slices of bread. These mouthwatering appetizers are named for the toothpick that secures the topping to the bread (a “pincho”).

Of course, to fully appreciate the incredible cuisine of France and Spain, it is best to pair your dish with one of the region’s wines. In France, vintners have been perfecting the art of wine-making for some 2,000 years, creating the largest wine economy in the world. Spain may have a younger viticulture, but it boasts the highest percentage of land dedicated solely to vineyards of any nation on earth. And both countries are passionate about the wines they make.

PERFECTION IN A GLASS

French Bordeaux & St. Emilion

As Bordeaux, known as “Little Paris” for the grandeur of its architecture, became a major port city, merchants here ferried France’s finest wines to the Netherlands and Great Britain, creating a global demand. Still the epicenter of the wine industry to this day, Bordeaux’s 13,000 grape growers and 10,000 châteaux together produce nearly a billion bottles of wine every year.

The wines of Bordeaux vary by color, though the region is best known for its array of deep, rich reds. Bordeaux reds blend two wines—Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot—and each vineyard determines the proportions. Vineyards on the left bank of the Gironde River are Cabernet heavy, while those across the water favor the Merlot. Both yield earthy reds, good with lamb, beef, truffles, and tomatoes. The whites here, drier than the reds, are excellent with seafood, including the sweeter varieties, which also shine with cheese.

Older than Bordeaux and further north, St. Emilion is one of the most romantic cities in France. Soon after its founding, it was making wines commercially, expanding private vineyards that were planted a good 700 years before. When the Santiago de Compostela through France became a major pilgrimage route in the 11th century, a robust wine industry tempted visitors to stop here. Today, it is known for its reds, which most often blend Merlot and Cabernet Franc; a few wineries adding Cabernet Sauvignon to the mix. Reaching maturity—and your table—faster than Bordeaux vintages, St. Emilion wines stand up well to game birds, salmon, and nutty cheeses like tomme de savoie or reblochon.

Spanish Rioja

Since at least the 9th century, when monks began tending vines, winemaking has been part of the local culture here, but it wasn’t until 1902 that Rioja was formally recognized as a wine variety, and not till the end of the 20th century that it was both awarded a certificate of origin (which guarantees its provenance) and given the highest classification Spain allows.

Though best known for its red wines, white and rosé Riojas are also produced here. Experts describe classic Rioja wines as bold and complex, with unmistakable cherry and vanilla notes. What makes a Rioja so full-bodied is the use of oak barrel-aging techniques inspired by the wineries of Bordeaux. Some Riojas are aged up to five years in barrel and bottle before their release. The result is a wine hardy enough to stand up to meat and strong cheeses, and, if you ask a Spaniard, to challenge any wine France can produce.

In a Discovery Tours small group, you’ll have time to indulge in every morsel on your plate and linger over every glass, whether during included meals and tastings or during time on your own. We do hope you’ll join us to savor the culinary pleasures of these remarkable countries.

Learn more about our delicious France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of Carcassonne

on January 21, 2019

It is impossible not to be completely enchanted by France’s medieval fortress town of Carcassonne. It is the perfect storybook castle. Built upon a rocky hillock, it is encircled by nearly two miles of remarkably preserved walls and some 50 watchtowers. But it’s a wonder that it is standing today at all: In the mid-1800s, it was almost completely demolished by the French government, a loss that is impossible to imagine.

Celtic tribes were among the early inhabitants of this region of Gaul, as it was known during the Iron Age. It was the Romans who erected the first walls here in the fourth century, recognizing this location on the River Aude as an ideal crossroads for trade routes between the Mediterranean and Atlantic and between the Pyrenees and France’s Massif Central mountains. Visigoths rebuilt the fortifications in the fifth and sixth centuries and more walls were added in the 13th and, under King Philip IV, in the 14th. 

This is all to say that a walk through Carcassonne is a journey through France’s rich past. If these walls could talk, they would tell of the rise and fall of empires and, eventually, of the fall of Carcassonne itself when the Sun King Louis XIV signed the Treaty of the Pyrenees with Spain in 1659. The treaty gave France the province of Roussillon, thus moving the French border farther south and stripping away Carcassonne’s importance as a military defense.

Those who remained in Carcassonne reinvented their city as a center for woolen textiles. But by 1849, the French government saw no reason to let the now-dilapidated walls continue standing. The medieval city was marked for demolition.

But the 1848 Revolution (which predated the French Revolution by 40 years or so) had emboldened the citizenry of France—and the people of Carcassonne. Led by the mayor Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille and by archaeologist/historian Prosper Mérimée, they campaigned to preserve their beloved city and its history for future generations. The government relented and thus began an epic effort to restore Carcassonne to its original glory, a decades-long endeavor overseen by architect Eugene Viollèt-le-Duc. In 1997, this incredible treasure was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Witness the magnificently preserved walled city of Carcassonne for yourself during our France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

EuropeSmall Group Discoveries

One Culture, Two Countries

on January 18, 2019

Robust, hearty, and proud, the Basque region is said to have a mind of its own. By some accounts, it enjoys more autonomy than any other region in Europe. Officially, it comprises Spain’s undulating farmland and jagged hills that roll from the famed Rioja region north to the Bay of Biscay. Unofficially (that is to say, historically), it is much larger, hopping the French border into the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department.

Our Discovery Tours small group has the privilege of experiencing one Basque culture in two different countries when we cross the border from San Sebastian, Spain, to Biarritz, France.

San Sebastian: A Coastal Retreat Fit for Spanish Royalty

So stunning is the setting of San Sebastian—squeezed between mountains and sea and boasting one of the most beautiful sand crescent beaches in Europe—the Spanish queen-regent Maria Cristina proclaimed it the royal summer home. La Concha Beach, watched over by elegant 19th-century architecture, fronts the city like a horseshoe as misty mountains rise on either side. Throughout San Sebastian’s inviting streets, Belle Epoque resort buildings grace the cityscape.

The city, just 12 miles from the French border, has had a long and turbulent history, some of it owing to its strategic location on the Bay of Biscay. But today the “Pearl of Northern Spain” has emerged as a revered center of Basque culture and cuisine. Locals here embrace their Basque heritage with more verve than their Spanish traditions. Look no further than the city’s street signs, dutifully printed in Euskara, the Basque language. Residents even call their city “Donastia,” its Basque name. You’re sure to fall for its many charms: gorgeous architecture, tree-lined green spaces, and young athletes playing pelota (an early form of jai alai, which was invented in the region) in parks.

Biarritz: French Seaside Glamour

Biarritz has long relied on the sea. From the 12th century, whaling was a major industry. It lasted about 300 years until the whales migrated to coastal Canada. In the 18th century, area doctors claimed the ocean here held curative properties, which lured those seeking good health. Napoleon III caught on to the town’s popularity and built a villa here for his Spanish bride, Empress Eugenie. British and Russian nobles followed, cementing Biarritz’s reputation as a luxury resort. Victor Hugo himself regaled, “I have not met in the world any place more pleasant and perfect than Biarritz.”

Today, Eugenie’s villa is the elegant and massive Hotel du Palais, the glittering centerpiece of Biarritz. Europeans flock here for the casinos as much as they do for sunbathing time on La Grande Plage, the largest beach. Even surfers find the bay’s conditions favorable; in fact, it was here that Europe saw its first surfers. The story goes that the American director of The Sun Also Rises was filming here in 1957 when his California friend visited, surfboard in tow. As he took to the waves, the French had never seen anything like it. 

And you will never see anything like San Sebastian and Biarritz. Join us on our France & Spain: History, Culture & Wine trip!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Black Sea Treasures of an Ottoman Past

on December 19, 2018

When you journey along Turkey’s Black Sea coast, you are tracing the routes of ancient traders. The Silk Road wound its way through this scenic region, linking the West and the East. Merchants stopped along the way to exchange goods such as spices, amber, leather and metal trinkets forged in fire. Some passed through on camel or horseback with their sights set on long treks over vast lands. Others headed to Black Sea shores to embark northbound ships to Crimea, Russia, and beyond. Today, this history-rich area reveals numerous secrets of its past, while boasting extreme natural beauty.

Our small group can explore this intoxicating region on an intimate scale. Our base is the small city of Safranbolu, named after the coveted saffron spice that is grown here still. Its Old Town, also known as Çarşi, is a treasure trove of remarkably preserved, red-roofed Ottoman-period houses. Their authenticity has earned the city its prestigious status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Browsing the timber-framed facades here and strolling its cobbled streets transports you back to an enchanting time. For an up-close look at daily life, we stop at the Kaymakamlar Museum House. The former home of a lieutenant-colonel, it is a showcase of typical Safranbolu living adorned with pretty ceiling decoration.

You’ll get a sample of Safranbolu’s days as a stop on the Silk Road during a visit to its thriving bazaar. Ironsmiths, shoemakers, weavers, carpetmakers, wood carvers, and countless other vendors have set up shop here for centuries. To help both ancient and modern visitors find their way, many streets are named for the merchants that line them. The indoor Cinci Han Caravanserai, too, is steeped in the city’s market history. Today, this imposing structure is a hotel boasting vaulted ceilings and a fine courtyard. But it was originally built as a stopover where traveling merchants showed off their goods and rested from long journeys.

We witness another facet of local life during a visit to a Yörük Village, a living museum of residential structures originally inhabited by the nomadic Yörük people. This fascinating collection of houses—many of them quite grand—stand two or three stories tall. Upper floors were used as living quarters while the lower floors feature the kitchen, storage, stables, and the hayat, an open area where domestic tasks were performed.

Nearby, the region’s natural beauty is on display at the Incekaya Aqueduct. The canyon’s latest attraction is not for faint-hearted—a glass Crystal Terrace fans out over a cliff face some 260 feet above the canyon floor. A considerably older structure—the magnificent Incekaya Aqueduct, also seems to defy gravity as it spans the equally beautiful Tokatli Canyon. Built in the 1790s at the command of the grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire, this towering bridge once supplied water to Safranbolu.

Turkey’s Black Sea region is a feast for the senses, a fascinating corner steeped in Ottoman culture, tradition, and history. We hope you will join us during our Turkish Odyssey adventure so you can experience it for yourself!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

Cruise the Magnificent Turkish Riviera

on December 17, 2018

Stunning hills of rock plunge into sweeping bays whose colors shift from emerald and jade to turquoise and deep blue. Sunlight glitters on the yacht-dotted water like diamonds. And a soothing Aegean warmth embraces you.

Kissed by breathtaking waters and ringed by jagged mountains, the coastal city of Fethiye is one of Turkey’s true gems. During its 12th-century heyday, when it was known as Makri, it was a producer of perfumes and a major commercial center with an active port of cargo ships coming and going. Even farther back, the ancient city of Telmessos was here. Suffice to say that Fethiye’s monuments to its rich past span the ages. Echoes of its history whisper in the city’s pretty marina and in the aromatic bazaars overflowing with lokum (Turkish delight), dates, and spices. 

But it’s Fethiye’s coastal splendor that keeps visitors coming back. Little wonder: Sailors, fishermen, and traders have been basking in in its intense beauty for millennia.

In our Discovery Tours small group, we can explore these spectacular shores to full advantage as we embark a traditional wooden Turkish yacht, or gület—privately chartered just for us! Our full-day cruise on this beautiful sailing vessel sets out into the Gulf of Fethiye, sailing among an archipelago of 12 scenic islands as the soaring peaks of the mainland watch your progress.

Settle in, relax, and drink in the splendid vistas from the uncrowded deck, a warm breeze in your hair. Because our gület is small, we can duck into small coves lined with sandy beaches and dive into the warm waters for a swim or a snorkel—as we may do off of Yassicalar (Flat Island) or in Akvaryum Koyu (Aquarium Bay). Drop anchor at Tersane Adasi (Shipyard Island) to explore some fascinating ancient ruins. Indulge in the mud baths of Kizilada (Red Island). And savor a delicious lunch of local delicacies as you explore. It’s the most relaxed and unhurried way to take in one of the world’s most picturesque coastlines.

For your comfort and convenience, all snorkeling equipment and towels are provided by the crew and you can choose a deck seat in a sun-lounger or enjoy the shade under a canopy. 

Join us for a coastal adventure unlike any other! We invite you to explore the stunning Turkish Riviera during our Turkish Odyssey adventure!

MediterraneanSmall Group Discoveries

The Goreme Valley: A Mesmerizing Magical World

on December 14, 2018

In Turkey’s Goreme Valley, remnants of a vanished society lure cultural and religious scholars, art historians, and geologists. It is rare to find such a harmonic convergence of so many facets of human civilization in one place. But the province of Cappadocia is a rare place, where cave dwellers lived in a vast complex of rock-hewn chambers and underground tunnels that still captivate the imagination.

The story of the Goreme Valley’s underground cities began millions of years ago when Mount Erciyes showered ash and lava on the Anatolian plains. The soft rock of this geological region gave easily to erosion from wind and water. Over the intervening millennia, countless totems of soft rock were left behind, forming an otherworldly terrain of hundreds of fairy chimneys. 

Meanwhile, Christianity was on the rise. It was the fourth century AD and the Cappadocian Fathers—Basil the Great among them—were spreading The Word. Central Turkey was a hotbed of early Christian theology; even Paul preached here. The theology gained sway, with Basil preaching its spiritual benefits with the most passion. It didn’t take long until people who had once embraced the more reasoned philosophies of Plato and Aristotle turned their attention to their union with God—and so monasticism took hold. 

In these contemplative monastic cultures, monks secluded themselves from the material world, often by adopting a prayerful life in tiny rooms within churches. In the third century, Anatolian monks carved out their rooms in the soft tufa rock of the fairy chimneys. And so the first Cappadocian cave dwellings were born and they grew larger with each generation. Perhaps because they were carved into the earth rather than quarried from it—thereby maintaining the god-given beauty of the landscape—these monasteries drew followers of Basil, transforming the valley into a monastic center that endured from 300 to 1200 AD. More than 30 of those first monasteries remain.

During that period, living in caves became fairly typical—it was in the people’s blood—and entire subterranean cities were burrowed into the earth, complete with underground churches. The devout sculpted crosses from stone and depicted the life of Christ on walls and domed ceilings in rich and colorful frescoes, paintings that are treasured today as priceless examples of Byzantine art. 

What’s remarkable about these sanctuaries is their sophistication; they are not crude attempts to duplicate above-ground cathedrals. Quite the contrary: Vaulted ceilings, apses, chapels, and crypts were all carved out with great care. The dwellings carried an added benefit: When Arab invaders arrived, residents banded together in their underground tunnels and cities to seek refuge. 

The tunnels of Kaymakli continue to play a part in a vibrant and working community; alcoves and chambers are still used to as storage rooms, stables, and cellars. Other rooms are preserved to evoke what life must have been like for this lost civilization. Perhaps the most interesting observation you’ll make is the huge amount of space that had been reserved to store goods, suggesting that the population in this particular community was quite large. Even above ground, many houses have been built into the tufa caves so they appear to be protruding out of the rock.

If these subterranean walls could talk, they would no doubt provide an astonishing glimpse of life underground, and insight into the earliest days of Christianity.

Our Discovery Tours small group to Turkey lets us explore the vast underground city up close. Join us!

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