Please fill out the Application below to join this trip.
Priestesses Yeshe Meryemana Matthews Robles and Flora Lunaria are bringing a small group of historians and Goddess devotees for a 16-day journey through Western Türkiye in Spring 2025. We will explore and make ceremonial connections at ancient sites related to Cybele, Artemis, Hekate and Aphrodite. We will enjoy an urban sanctuary at Ephesus, the seaside enchantment of Datça, the pastoral beauty of Lagina and Aphrodisias, delicious, healthy food, and a profound connection with the Goddess and her energies in the magical landscape.
Do you hear the call?
Arrive in Istanbul
April 18: When you arrive at the Istanbul Airport, you'll be picked up and brought to our comfortable hotel to rest after your long flight. You can settle in, have a snack, or take a nap before dinner. Over our evening meal, we will debrief about the next 2 weeks, ending our night with offerings for the spirits and ancestors of the land. Please bring coins, herbs, or crystals to make offerings wherever we go.
Explore Istanbul
April 19: After breakfast, we will head to the Archaeological Museum to see the treasures gathered there and to get a broader sense of the region's history. Afterward, we will walk over to the Basilica Cistern, an impressive historic water reservoir built in the 6th century that exemplifies Byzantine construction and Medusa motifs. Later that day, we will do some shopping at the Grand Bazaar.
Çanakkale
April 20-21: We will go to Süleymaniye Mosque in the morning to pay tribute to Roxelana Hurrem Sultan at her mausoleum, then drive to Çanakkale to visit the Archaeological Museum there. This museum is home to numerous artifacts related to goddess worship in Ancient Anatolia, including the famous serpent-wrapped statue of Aphrodite found in a necropolis on the slopes of Mount Ida. On the 21st, we will see Mount Ida, an important site of Cybele, on the way to our guest house in Ephesus.
Ephesus
April 22-23: On April 22 we will wake up early and visit a chapel believed to be the last known home of the Virgin Mary. Afterward, we will tour Ephesus Ancient City and see the remarkably preserved ruins. On April 23, we will walk to the Temple of Artemis. Once a wonder of the Ancient World, a single powerful column remains today. We will make offerings and prayers for women's sovereignty, then visit the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus before driving to Bodrum and catching the Ferry to the Datça peninsula.
Datça
April 24-25: For two days we will luxuriate in the beauty of the Datça Peninsula, a magical place home to the Ancient and historically significant Temple of Aphrodite Euploia, she of the fair voyage. On April 24 we will make the trek to the edge of the peninsula and up the mountain to honor Aphrodite and pay homage to her beautiful temple with its serpent-wrapped columns. On April 25 we will have time to relax and rest after the active first leg of our journey.
Hekate at Lagina
April 26-28: We will take the ferry back to Bodrum on the 26th and drive to our hotel in a rural area near Lagina and Stratonikeia, sacred to Hekate. Beginning in the morning on the 27th we will visit the unique village of Stratonikeia, where locals still live and work among the ruins, and consecrate magical items for our time with Hekate. Then, we will spend the rest of the day at her Lagina Temple site. We will hold a ceremony, make offerings, perform divinations, and have a picnic lunch among the stones.
Aphrodisias
April 28-May 1: The magic of Aphrodite awaits us at the antique site of Aphrodisias. This is a life-changing place. Steeping in the energy here is a balm for the soul. Our sojourn in Aphrodisias will include visits to the Temple site and Museum, with one day being focused on exploring the site, and one day(Beltane!) being focused on ritual and ceremony. There will also be time for lounging by the pool, enjoying the gardens, and sitting in the open-air restaurant drinking raki.
Çavdarhisar
May 1-2: We will bid farewell to the land of Aphrodite and drive north to Çavdarhisar, to see Aizanoi Ancient Phrygian City. This site features one of the best-preserved Temples in the world, still 70% intact. This Temple to Zeus also features shrines for numerous other deities, and we will explore the grounds and search for the famous oracular cave at the site.
Ankara
May 2-4: Our final leg of the journey will take us to Ankara and an incredible, comfortable luxury hotel near the Anatolian Civilizations Museum. This museum focuses solely on the history of the pre-Greco-Roman peoples of ancient Türkiye. It houses the iconic statue of the seated woman of Çatal Höyük, statues of Cybele, Hittite civilization relics, and so much more. This will be an incredible closing chapter of our trip!
Fly Away Home
May 4: Everyone will be taken to Ankara Airport to fly back to Istanbul and then onward home, or onward to new adventures!
PLEASE NOTE: Our overland journey means you will book a round trip flight to and from Istanbul, plus a one-way flight from Ankara back to Istanbul on May 4. Booking assistance will be offered once you have completed your application and scheduled your deposit meeting.
Lodgings
Prices for this trip are based on double occupancy, with a maximum of 8 travellers including co-leaders Yeshe and Flora. Sleeping arrangements feature a bed for everyone.
Meals
Your trip fee includes breakfast daily. Every day, breakfast options will be provided including incredible Turkish fare featuring local specialties. It is typically easy for a vegan or vegetarian to find food in Turkey, as well as omnivores.
Lunch will typically occur while we are out sightseeing, and is your responsibility.
For dinners, we will eat at our hotel or eat out at a restaurant. Dinners on the first and last nights of the trip will be covered in your trip fee. Additional meals will be your responsibility.
*Aphrodisias: All meals in Aphrodisias are included in your trip fee.
Price Details
The price for this trip is $3400 per person based on double occupancy. If you'd like to book, please see below.
Inclusions
pick-up at Istanbul Airport on April 18, and drop-off at Ankara Airport on May 4
breakfast each day
lodging in a shared room
ground transportation across Türkiye and ferry transport to and from Datça
entrance to all museums and sites
meals in Aphrodisias
rituals and ceremonies
goodie bag with items to spiritually support your sacred journey
pre-trip planning assistance
Exclusions
flights to, from, and within Türkiye
lunch and dinner expenses (estimate $10-30 per day)
spending money
Personal expenses- laundry, toiletries, offerings at sacred sites.
If you are interested in booking a space on this journey, an application and a $1000 non-refundable deposit are required. Please visit our Pilgrimage Application page using the button below to apply for this trip and schedule your deposit meeting with Priestess Yeshe.