Raves about Turkey & Greece
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| "Visiting the silversmith's workshop at the Grand Bazaar was fantastic..." |
Rick Steves' four Turkey and Greece tour itineraries generate lots of 'wow' moments, from the bustling bazaars of Istanbul to the tucked-away beaches of the Peloponnese. Here are just a few raves from tour members' 2009 post-tour surveys...
"Seeing the beautiful art at the Chora Church, enjoying tea at the serene cafe nearby, followed by our walk along the city walls...wow. It was great fun walking through the non-touristy neighborhood, locals watching our little group from their windows, kids playing in the streets and posing for photos. Visiting the silversmith's workshop at the Grand Bazaar was fantastic; watching him work in his tiny shop then relaxing with some tea away from the chaos of the bazaar was sublime."
— Brandy in Corvallis, OR — Best of Istanbul in 7 Days
"Being at the Temple of Athena at sunset was awesome. So was sailing in the Aegean. A memorable moment happened when a little village girl was so happy to be blowing kisses to us as we departed her village by bus."
— Joan in Pleasanton, CA — Village Turkey in 10 Days
"Among my favorites on the tour were the interviews set up by Tan, our exceptional tour guide. The first was a once in a lifetime experience, a long interview with an imam from a small town mosque, with Tan doing the interpreting for both sides. The second was at the house of a school teacher, who along with her sister and mother, made a delicious lunch for our tour group. A third experience featured Tan inviting anyone who wanted to accompany him to the barber shop after we arrived in the early evening at a small, non-touristy town. Not the least of our unexpected treats was watching grapes being crushed by foot off the back of a fully loaded truck during grape harvest. We were presented with a large bottle of 'just stomped' juice."
— Frank in Portland, OR — Best of Turkey in 13 Days
"In Nafplio an elderly woman in her demure one piece swimsuit was beating two octopi on a large rock in the water. She was tenderizing their meat. She had captured them in a large plastic wash pan and she wore tattered river shoes. I asked if I could take her picture, holding up my camera and smiling. She did the classic 'what me?' grin and indicated yes. Compared to Puget Sound, the water was like a bath. I swam and just bopped in the water. And this lady just smiled at me while beating her octopus. The Parthenon, Delphi, Monemvasia, swimming, more swimming, and my Greek tan. Oh, and the dog Ileny, who adopted me on Hydra. I'd have brought her home in a heartbeat, what a sweetie."
— Derric in Algona, WA — Athens & the Heart of Greece in 14 Days