Turkish Arts and Crafts

Welcome to Istanbul!

Arrive in Istanbul and meet your assistant at the airport. Privately transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Istanbul - Explore the hidden gems of the city

In the morning, visit the Hippodrome Square, where ancient chariot races were held during the Byzantium period. The Blue Mosque is unique with its six minarets and famous for its over 20.000 pieces of blue Iznik tiles on interior walls. The St. Sophia Church, built in the 6th century by Justinian, once was this masterpiece the largest Christian church globally.
In the afternoon, visit the Topkapi Palace, the Imperial Home of Ottoman Sultans, which displays priceless world-class collections of artifacts, jewelry, and rare porcelain brought to Turkey through the Silk Road. We will also visit its Treasury Section. Then visit the famous Grand Bazaar complex, including 4,000 tiny shops, and see the famous Egyptian (Spice) Market.

Istanbul - Visit the Turkish Islamic Art Museum

Visit the Turkish Islamic Art Museum, whose collection includes notable examples of Islamic calligraphy, tiles, rugs, and ethnographic displays of various cultures in Turkey, particularly nomad groups. This museum houses a rich collection of old Turkish rugs from all over the country. Hence we will invite a famous expert, Aydin Eroglu, on rug history to share and narrate his precious knowledge during our visit to this museum. After lunch, we will make our way to Cafer Aga Medresesi, built-in 1559 by Sinan, on the order of one of the eunuchs to the harem. This medrese hardly ever makes the guidebooks. It's one of those rare living historical places," offering art and music exhibitions, workshops, and courses on various traditional Ottoman art forms. There, we will have a choice opportunity to join either Ebru or Calligraphy workshop for 1.5 hours.

The Art of Ebru / Marbling:
Subsequently, this art moved towards Anatolia and was named after EBRU in the Turkish language at the end of XVI. century merchants, diplomats, and travelers coming to Turkey brought this art to Europe and called it "Turkish Paper. " It is broadly used in Italy, Germany, France, and England.

Bursa - Admire the worldwide famous Iznik Tiles

We will leave Istanbul behind this morning and head towards the Southeast to Iznik (Nicea). This worldwide famous Iznik Tile reached its zenith in the 16th 17th century during the Ottoman period. Still, due to some unfortunate reasons, the production and the related know-how disappeared in the 18th century. Throughout many years of research and experiments, Iznik Foundation rediscovered the production process and the recipe for materials. It started to produce, using the traditional way of creating these extraordinary tiles. In the religious buildings of Istanbul and Iznik, we will see some of the most beautiful examples of Iznik tiles like; ” Tulips Tulips in a windy field, 16th-century design, Dates Tree (contemporary) Miniature Style, Chintamani Style (modern design of old patterns).

Then, drive to Bursa, once the capital of the Ottoman Empire. A visit includes the Silk Bazaar, Green Mosque, and the Green Mausoleum. Dinner and overnight at the hotel in Bursa.

Ankara & cont. to Eskisehir - The land of Meerschaum.

Eskisehir is one of the oldest settlements (3500 BC.) in this region. It was founded in the 1st millennium BC by the Phrygians. This small town was also a significant settlement during the Ottoman Empire time. Visit the Ottoman House Museum, an excellent example of 19th-century domestic architecture with local ethnographical items. Meerschaum is a soft white mineral sometimes found floating on the Black Sea and suggestive of seafoam (German). Also, the French name for the same substance, écume de Mer Meerschaum, is opaque and of white, grey, or cream color, breaking with or fine earthy fracture, and occasionally fibrous in texture.

Meerschaum is a hydrous magnesium silicate . Most of the meerschaum of commerce is obtained from Asia Minor, chiefly from the plain of Eskisehir in Turkey, between Istanbul and Ankara. The specific gravity varies from 0.988 to 1.279, but the porosity of the mineral may lead to error. Have free time in the hearth of the Meerschaum production centers to see Meerschaum's fantastic sculptures and pipes. Finally, we will set out for our final destination Ankara.

Cappadocia - Discover the history in the museum of Anatolian civilizations of Ankara

Leave Ankara and drive to Cappadocia. Depart from the hotel to the Galatian’s Ancyra to visit the museum of Anatolian civilizations. This visit will take you to the mysteries as far back as the Paleolithic age. Their exhibit includes miraculously preserved wooden furniture from the tomb of Phrygian kind Midas. Next, walk to the Bakircilar Carsisi (Quarter of the Coppersmiths) with narrow alleys and old-style shops. The merchants are still performing thousands of years old copper art passed from generation to generation. Watch the artisans hammering their copper plates to give them the most beautiful form with intricate motifs ever seen on earth.

Cappadocia - Discover Cappadocia “Caves of God” a Unesco world heritage site

Today we will have a half-day visit to begin your discovery of Cappadocia with Goreme’s “Caves of God,” a Unesco world heritage site. Monasteries and churches hewn into volcanic tufa rock reached their peak between the 7th and 13th centuries. Natural formations from the landscape of Avcilar and the Red Valley of Dervent will offer you an ample palette of colors through the hours of the day. You will see the ongoing erosion on the fairy chimneys of Pasabagi and the natural fortress of Uchisar after your lunch in an authentic restaurant. This afternoon we will have a Turkish rug weaving workshop in a renowned production center of Cappadocia. First, a seminar from an expert on the history, tradition, and importance of rug weaving for the Cappadocians. Next, weave rugs for yourself for 45 minutes, accompanied by one of the professional weavers of the rug production center.

Turkish Rugs:
The international popularity of Turkish rugs began in the 13th century when Marco Polo recorded the beauty and quality of the Seljuk rugs he saw in Anatolia. It is believed that specific weaving techniques were brought to Anatolia via the Seljuk Empire in the 12th century. Turkish rugs began appearing in Western paintings in the 15th and 16th centuries and were often depicted either beneath the feet of the Virgin Mary or as table coverings.
Traditionally, hand mate rugs reflect ancient patterns and the weaver's style or wishes. Once memorizing the traditional motifs, the weaver can combine them in a way that tells a story to one who understands the symbols used. Cappadocia is one of the few places where this tradition of weaving rugs still practices old techniques and motifs today. Unfortunately, many are woven into redesigned patterns in other commercialized areas and are no longer a direct expression of the weaver's creativity.

Cappadocia - Visit underground city and discover the history of pottery in Turkey

A half-day visit to Cappadocia's underground city, moonlike land surface, and photographic breaks at the most spectacular points of the area. After our lunch break this time, there is the chance to learn about one of the oldest arts of the World that humanity practiced: Pottery and Tile making in the lovely town of Avanos.

The history of pottery in Turkey is a long one that began during the Stone Age. Excavations at Catalhoyuk have provided us with examples of glazed ceramic vases and plates containing unique Hittite artwork that reflects insight into their ancient culture. The Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Selcuk Turks, and Ottoman Turks continued the production of ceramic pottery, benefiting from the raw materials kaolin, clay, and calcite plentiful throughout much of Anatolia, especially Cappadocia.

The artisans have recently ventured to create new looks in their tiles and pottery by doing plates in the Iznik, Family, and Silk designs with the outer border of the plates decorated with a unique art style. That makes the artworks look like it has needlework woven into the dish. The tile maker in Avanos also paints the “family” or "Aile" design on their vases and plates. This is done by the artisan using a tube similar to a cake icing tube to raise intricate various techniques. Avanos tiles and pottery is not unique compared to other pottery in the world, but it is also unique in Turkey! The potters pride themselves on their creativity and skill.

Visit a long-time family-owned tile production center where we will have a seminar given by the experts and see all phases of tile production, from picking up the clay from the banks of the Kizilirmak river to designing glazing baking the tiles in the furnace. Will allow trying to produce pottery or a plate through 4000 years will give old methods to those interested in doing so.

Kayseri (Departure)

Transfer to Kayseri Airport and fly back home.