Istanbul guide

My companion and I visited western Turkey on the 14-day/13-night “Glories of Turkey” tour from Neon Tours (Istanbul, Turkey; phone +90 [212] 274 90 00), a subsidiary of Key Tours (Fairfax, VA; 800/576-1784), in October-November ’09.

The land cost was $1,499 per person. The hotels were excellent, mostly five-star, alternating two-night stops with one-nighters.

Our guide for the tour, Yusuf Burak Ozdur (phone +90 532 231 1415 or e-mail bozdur@yahoo.com), was really a cut above the ordinary. Yusuf has a PhD in Archaeology and has participated in digs in Turkey. His knowledge of the history and cultures of the historic sites is encyclopedic, but what made him such a delight was the authentic enthusiasm he had for his subject. No “dry bones” presentations from him! He can make ancient actions come alive.

Yusuf’s choices of places to stop for lunch and of shopping spots, major and minor, were excellent, very tasteful. We could not have asked for better. A tour director for 18 years, he handled all the necessary details with precision, grace and no fuss.

He works for tour companies in season but is available for private tours of Istanbul.

MARJORIE MAGUIRE

MOLLOY, San Diego, CA