Istanbul Travel Guide

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800/654-6559; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Several big online travel agencies -- Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.com -- also do a brisk business in packages.

Escorted Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.

Despite the fact that escorted tours require big deposits and predetermine hotels, restaurants, and itineraries, many people derive security and peace of mind from the structure they offer. Escorted tours let travelers sit back (or stand up and walk) and enjoy the trip without having to drive or worry about details. They take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle. They're particularly convenient for people with limited mobility and they can be a great way to make new friends.

On the downside, you'll have little opportunity for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jampacked with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure -- plus they often focus on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on many a lesser-known gem.

Cultural Tours

Istanbul's Old City is, essentially, one big open-air museum, and it would be difficult not to have a learning experience while traveling in such a historically rich area. For their Turkey trips, Intrepid Travel (in the U.S. tel. 877/847-8192; www.intrepidtravel.com) manages to effectively combine authentic experiences with an optimal cultural overview.

If you're planning to drag along unwilling offspring, try booking through Thomson Family Adventures (tel. 800/262-6255 or 617/864-4803; fax 617/497-3911; www.familyadventures.com) for kid-friendly trips without adult compromise. Thomson takes an added interest in your children, establishing departure dates according to the school calendar, and they provide fun educational activities prior to departure.

Depending on your commitment to the educational aspect of your vacation, you may want to connect with one of the outfitters geared specifically toward this type of travel. IST Cultural Tours (tel. 800/833-2111), organizes painstakingly researched tours for the traveler who's looking for a more in-depth cultural experience, and a partnership with the History Channel ensures a high level of quality. Far Horizons (tel. 800/552-4575; www.farhorizon.com) offers eight archaeological tours for small groups, including a 10-day voyage by sea. Tours hook up with local professionals such as archaeologists, scientists, and experts as guides.

Using a local travel agent can make anybody a bit skittish, but an expert in the region is the English-proficient Credo Tours (tel. 0212/254-8175 in Istanbul; fax 0212/237-9670; www.credo.com.tr), specializing in creating theme tours on special request. A recent program organized visits to select fine arts galleries and exhibitions during the 2007 Biennale. Faxes and e-mails are answered within 24 hours, and there is no request that is too unusual.