We typically ask everyone to meet on this evening when the guide can meet everyone. Whilst no evening meal is included we generally dine together in a local restaurant. The restaurant serves a wonderful array of meze and mouth-watering grills. Many of the herbs and vegetables used in preparation come directly from the restaurateur’s garden.

The magnificently situated Bodrum Castle was built by the Knights of St John in 1406. It now houses Turkey’s Museum of Underwater Archaeology including exquisite 4th C BCE jewellery from the tomb of Princess Ada uncovered in the 1990’s.

In the afternoon we visit villagers who produce silk, traditionally for their wedding garments. In a neighbouring village we find carpets woven in the most traditional manner. The wool is hand-spun on traditional kirman. Dyeing is carried out using traditional local vegetable dyes and each house has a loom where mothers and daughters or sisters weave together. Explanations of each full process, and demonstrations can be given.

Moving north along the Aegean we reach Selçuk our base for 2 nights. Selçuk is a good base from which to explore this area: it is home to the remains of the Temple of Artemis, the Basilica of St John, the mosque of Isa Bey and the Museum of Ephesus. All of these sites are within easy strolling distance of our hotel. When we arrive we visit the main site of Ephesus and a beautifully restored once-Greek village which specializes in making it’s own wine and selling hand-made products such as olive oil and olive oil soap.

We head inland, to a village where we can see craftsmen continue the practice of glass bead production. These beads form a part of Turkey’s culture, their purpose is to protect one from the evil eye. Traditional production is now limited to just 2 villages in Turkey. In the afternoon we visit a number of tiny local workshops and witness first hand the skills of saddlemakers, feltmakers and many others. The artisans can demonstrate their craft and explain how the decorations are developed and how the tradition has been handed down through the family.

We head inland today to the central Anatolian plateau. On our way we will visit a town famous for its locally-made cloth. Here we will see the craftspeople weave the fabric and we can learn from them the history of the craft and the special techniques employed.

We travel on across the plateau to our base for the night – a hotel on the edge of the beautiful Lake Eğirdir, the heart of the Turkish Lake District. Roses are cultivated on a grand scale locally; expect to find rose oil, rose jam and rose-scented soaps and eau de toilette.

We continue toward Cappadocia passing en route Lake Beyşehir and its famous mosque – dating from the 13th century it is made entirely of wood. The local ladies add a bit of colour selling us hand-knitted socks - very noisily! In Konya we visit the Mevlana complex (tomb and museum of Celladin Rumi) the founder of the Whirling Dervishes. We can also have a wander around the bazaar area (lots of interesting sights, sounds and smells).

We continue on our road to Cappadocia across a section of the ancient Silk Road. En route we visit a caravanserai; once the motels and safe havens of the caravans that came this way. In Cappadocia we view the mind-boggling moonscapes on our way to visit Mumtaz the potter. Mumtaz learned his craft from his father and he from his father and so on. To see his skill and power at the wheel is a joy. Mumtaz concentrates on ancient & traditional styles. Turkey’s longest river, the Kizilirmak, runs through the region, it’s famous red mud has been used to produce pots for millennia.

We visit a gentleman who has a tremendous interest in, and collection of, nomadic tribal woven pieces. He can give us demonstrations and explanations of Anatolian carpet and kilim production including the different rug types that exist in Turkey and that are traditionally woven in the various regions. Weaving and knotting techniques as well as the techniques of wool dyeing and the different vegetable and mineral dyes used in the process can also be seen. In the afternoon we visit the Göreme Open Air Museum a preserved site containing several hundred rock-carved churches. In the evening we fly to Istanbul.

We visit the Aya Sofia, Blue Mosque and the Basilica Cisterns absorbing the atmosphere of old Istanbul. In the afternoon we take a short walk through the laneways of Sultanahmet to visit a master of the Islamic art of calligraphy. Fuat Hoca, like the great artists once employed in the palaces of the Ottoman sultans, believes his work is carried out in the service of God. Fuat is considered a master of his craft. We can hear him explain the secrets of his craft, the importance of the correct materials, the history of the work, its place in contemporary Turkey, where he learned his craft and see fascinating demonstrations of the work.

After a morning visit to the incomparable home of the Ottoman sultans - Topkapi Palace we visit the workshop of a craftsperson, a master in the art of ebru (marbling). Here we will hear explanations of the history of ebru, its development as an art form, the various schools of it present today and see demonstrations of the craft. We can also view fine examples of illuminated work here. As we should be going our separate ways next day we would hope to round off this rich and rewarding journey with a final meal together.