Urla Artichoke Festival Tour / 1 Night Hotel Accommodation
Tour Program
Night Journey
Vehicle Departure and Departure Times
22:00 İncirli Metrobus - In front of Dilek Pastry Shop
22.30 Mecidiyeköy IETT Bus Stops
23.00 In front of Kadıköy Marriage Office Parking Lot
23.10 Under Bostancı Bridge (towards Ankara)
23.20 Kartal Bridge (Ankara Direction)
23.30 Under Pendik Bridge (Ankara direction)
23.40 In front of Çayırova McDonald's
23:50 In front of Gebze Center
After picking up our valued guests from the designated points, we begin our overnight journey with itctur.com for the Urla Artichoke Festival Tour.
Çiçekliköy – Barbaros Village – Klazomenai Ancient City – Karantina Island – Urla Festival Area – Urla - İzmir
After our overnight journey, with ITC TUR for the Urla Artichoke Festival Tour, we stop for a spread breakfast in the early morning at Çiçekliköy, which offers a nature-filled atmosphere (extra). After this delicious breakfast prepared with fresh village products, we turn our route toward Barbaros Village, home to Turkey’s first and only Hallow (Scarecrow) Festival.
Barbaros Village has the feel of a fairy-tale village full of art not only during the festival period, but throughout the year. Here, on every street and at every corner, we encounter colorful scarecrows telling different stories. These creative scarecrows, handcrafted by the villagers, have now become an inseparable part of the village. As we wander through the village streets, we are enchanted by this special atmosphere where artistic touches and traditional motifs blend with modern elements.
Then we visit the home of Necati Cumalı, one of the important names of Turkish literature. In this historic house where the famous poet and writer lived, we trace the footsteps of his works and discover many details about his art and literary world. Afterwards, we begin a walk on Urla Art Street, which feels like a journey through time. With its cobblestone paths, charming Greek houses bearing traces of the past, art galleries, and craft stalls, this street is almost like an open-air museum...
After our art-filled excursion, we stop by the Urla Women Producers Market, where local women from Urla offer natural products made with their own labor. Here, we have free time to explore and shop for many different products, from regional delicacies and organic foods to handmade jewelry and souvenirs.
Next, we head to Klazomenai Ancient City, one of the most important ancient cities of the Ionian region. With a history reaching back to 4000 BC, this area was an important trade center especially known for olive oil production. Here, we take a short journey through the dusty pages of history and receive interesting information from our guide about the city’s past.
Our next stop is the house of the Greek-born Nobel Prize-winning poet Yorgo Seferis (now a hotel). After photographing this historic building by the sea and adding it to our memories, we head toward the festival area.
When we arrive at the festival area, we have free time to taste the famous Urla artichoke, herb dishes, and local flavors prepared by the local people. This aesthetic and healing plant, from the daisy family, is among the essentials of Mediterranean cuisine. Rich in potassium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, iron, calcium, and vitamins A, B, and C, the artichoke is also one of the stars of our tables as a low-calorie and highly beneficial food source. While tasting the delicious dishes made with artichokes and local herbs in the festival area, we learn interesting information from our guide about the region’s culinary culture.
After a festival experience full of flavors, we take a panoramic view of Urla Quarantine Island, one of the three registered islands in the world, and then set off toward Izmir. In Izmir, passing through Dario Moreno Street, one of the city’s most special spots, we reach the Historical Elevator. There, we sip our coffee against the unique view of Izmir Bay and the Kordon, and shake off the day’s fatigue.
Finally, we immortalize this beautiful day with a short photo break at Hasan Tahsin First Bullet Monument and the Clock Tower, two of Izmir’s symbols. Then we board our bus and head to our hotel to rest and prepare for new discoveries.
Breakfast: Will be taken in Çiçekliköy. (Extra)
Lunch: Will be taken in Urla as free time. (Extra)
Dinner: Will be taken at the hotel. Included in the tour fee.
Breakfast: Will be taken in Çiçekliköy. (Extra)
Lunch: Will be taken in Urla as free time. (Extra)
Dinner: Will be taken at the hotel. Included in the tour fee.
Germiyan Village – Alaçatı – Çeşme – Seferihisar – Sığacık - Istanbul
On the 3rd day of the ITC TUR Urla Artichoke Festival Tour, after the breakfast we will have at our hotel in the morning, we complete our check-out procedures and begin our enjoyable excursion.
Our first stop is Seferihisar, which received Turkey’s first “Cittaslow” (slow city) title. Seferihisar, which earned this special status in 2009, welcomes us with its peaceful atmosphere, historical texture, and lifestyle intertwined with nature. After exploring Seferihisar’s quiet streets, we move on to Sığacık, which has hosted many TV series and films.
Here, we visit the Ottoman Castle built by Suleiman the Magnificent and the stone houses that preserve the historical texture in the inner castle area. In Sığacık, famous for its historical texture and art-filled streets, we give free time at the producer market set up inside the castle. In this market, you can discover organic products produced by the local people, handmade items, and regional delicacies.
Then, we set off toward Germiyan Village, the first and only village in Turkey to join the Slow Food movement. With its stone walls decorated with floral motifs and its warm village atmosphere, Germiyan offers visitors an art gallery-like experience. In this fairy-tale village, we have free time to explore its streets and take beautiful photos.
Afterwards, we head to Çeşme, one of the most popular holiday resorts in the Aegean. Here, we first take a lunch break to taste kumru, one of the region’s famous flavors. After the meal, we enjoy a pleasant walk through Çeşme bazaar and arrive at Çeşme Castle, one of the most important castles in Western Anatolia. This magnificent castle, where Genoese and Ottoman architectural styles blend together, brings the traces of the past to the present day. After our castle visit, we view the historical Caravanserai, built by Suleiman the Magnificent in 1528, panoramically.
During the free time in Çeşme, you can stroll accompanied by the sea breeze, shop in the bazaar, or taste the region’s special ice creams. Then, we get on our bus and head to our next stop, Alaçatı.
Famous for its narrow cobblestone streets, historical stone houses, and colorful atmosphere, Alaçatı is one of the most enchanting spots in the Aegean. In this special town, where Greek architecture and Ottoman texture blend together, we give free time until the hour determined by our guide. During this time, you can take vibrant photos in front of Alaçatı’s famous stone houses and make your trip unforgettable.
After the free time, we come to the end of our ITC TUR Urla Artichoke Festival Tour and begin our return journey. We drop off our valued guests at the points where we picked them up and say farewell, hoping to meet again on another ITC TUR organization.
What's Included
• 1 night accommodation in hotels
• 1 buffet breakfast at the hotel
• 1 buffet or set menu dinner at the hotel
• Transportation with luxury vehicles (Vehicles are provided according to the number of people.)
• Sightseeing tours specified in the program
• Professional guiding service
• Bottled water on the vehicle
• ITC TOUR Assurance
• Mandatory Travel Insurance in accordance with Tourism Law No. 1618
Not Included
• Breakfast on the first day specified in the program
• Dinner on the last day specified in the program
• Beverages taken with all meals
• Lunches
• All activities/organizations specified as extra
• Personal expenses
• Museum and archaeological site entrance fees (Valid for municipal and private establishments.)
• Museum Card (Valid for museums affiliated with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.)
General Information
• The tour duration is 2 Nights 3 Days, including the departure and return days, with 1 night of hotel accommodation. 1 night is spent traveling.
• In our tour, guidance, transportation, accommodation, and local excursions are offered as a package and cannot be considered separately. Unused rights to transportation, accommodation, guidance, local excursions, etc. are non-refundable.
• Child discounts applied in tour packages are valid for one child only when accompanied by 2 adults. For children aged 0-6, a separate bed may not be provided in hotel accommodation.
• In hotel accommodations, in 3-person rooms, our 3rd guest usually stays in an extra bed.
• The hotels specified in the program are ITC TUR’s preferred accommodation facilities. Depending on congestion in the area and hotels to be stayed at, changes may be made as long as the hotel standards remain the same. Hotel names will be announced upon request 48 hours before the tour departure, subject to availability.
• The rooms in the hotels to be stayed at are assigned by the hotel. Room selection is not possible.
• Our rest stops may be changed due to force majeure such as congestion, renovation, etc., provided that the location and service standards remain the same.
• In the program timing (either in the order of places to be visited during the day or between days), the guide may make changes if deemed necessary due to weather, road conditions, congestion at the places visited, etc.
• In our tour, due to force majeure (weather, road, congestion at places visited, etc.) or if guests do not comply with the timings given by our guide during the tour, ITC TUR is not responsible for places that cannot be visited even though they are written in the tour program. In such a case, the guest has no right to claim compensation.
• A progressive pricing system is applied in all our tours. As the number of reservations within the package tour increases and the date approaches, tour prices may also increase progressively. ITC TUR reserves the right to increase prices. In this case, price fixation cannot be made without an advance payment.
• A seat number promise or guarantee cannot absolutely be given at the time of reservation. Notes entered into the reservation are not guaranteed. Special seat selection such as front row or back row is not available.
• The seating arrangement inside the vehicle is arranged by the ITC TUR Operations Department taking into account the reservation order. In case of objections regarding seat placement, a refund is not possible. All seats in our vehicles are of the same standard.
• Extra tours, such as night tours included in the tour program, are carried out depending on the number of participants and the conditions of the available staff. Extra tours to be made en route will be carried out even if all guests do not participate. Guests who do not join extra tours will be directed by our guide to rest areas or city centers. Guests who do not participate in extra tours have joined the tour by agreeing to wait at the rest stop.
• If an extra tour does not take place for any reason, the guest has no right to claim compensation. ITC TUR has no responsibility in such a case.
• Extra tour prices may vary by period. In such a case, the date the tour departs, not the date the guest purchased the tour, will be taken into account. The extra tour price valid for the period of travel will apply. The guest has purchased the tour accepting this.
• ITC TUR is not responsible for material damages that may be caused by the guest in all services provided by the transportation vehicle, hotel, food and beverage areas, and suppliers. Businesses have the right to claim material damages caused by the guest.
• In cases where minors under 18 who are not considered adults do not join the tour with one or both of their parents, the consent form required for participation in the tour must be kept with the person during travel.
•Guests joining the tour are required to carry reports regarding their health problems, pregnancy status, and medications they use regularly.
• Delays may occur at the designated departure points due to traffic, accidents, etc.
• Information regarding the arrival times at the end of the tour is approximate, and ITC TUR is not responsible for delays caused by force majeure.
• Our guests will be dropped off at the opposite side of the stops where we picked them up at the end of the tour. Please do not insist on getting off at a different point to the vehicle staff.
• As required by traffic law, all guests in the vehicle are obliged to wear seat belts throughout the journey; otherwise, ITC TUR is not responsible.
• Responsibility for all personal belongings inside the vehicle belongs to the guest at rest stops, etc.
• Since sightseeing on the first day starts before checking into the hotel, please prepare separately the items you need to have with you.
• During the tour, due to the intensity of the program, it is not always possible to find ATMs, currency exchange offices, etc., so it is advisable to be prepared.
• Long distances may be covered within the planned program. Necessary information will be provided by the tour guide inside the vehicle.
• Lunches are arranged as economical local menus. For lunch and dinner, tables separated into groups are used depending on the crowd in the region.
• The starting and ending route of our tours is determined according to the crowd in the region. Before our tour starts, our guests can learn the finalized route start and end points by contacting us 2 days in advance if they wish.
• In cases where the tour does not reach the sufficient number by the agency, the guest will be informed, and depending on the guest’s request, the tour may be postponed to the next date or canceled. Or, by issuing a ticket to the nearest departure point, the guest may be enabled to join the tour. In such a case, the agency is obliged to inform its guest 3 (three) days in advance via call, SMS, or e-mail. In such a case, the guest has no right to claim compensation.
• For cancellations and changes made by the guest without stating a reason up to 30 days before the service start date, the amount paid will be refunded to the guest. For cancellations and changes made between 29 and 15 days before the tour date, 30% of the reservation fee; for cancellations and changes made between 15 and 7 days, 50% of the reservation fee; for cancellations and changes made 7 days or less before the tour date, 100% of the reservation fee will be deducted.
• Our guests who purchase the Cancellation, Refund, and Assurance Package may cancel the package tour they purchased without deduction up to 72 hours before the tour start date without stating a reason. The Cancellation, Refund, and Assurance Package does not cover plane tickets.
• Museum Card and museum/archaeological site entrance fees are not included in the tour fee. All museum entrance fees are paid by the guests.