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Best of Turkey

General Information


istanbul
Type:
Cultural
Price from:
1040 EUR /person
Phone:
+90 212 4589777
Fax:
+90 212 4589798
Payment Types:
  • No Cash
  • No Credit Card
  • No Cheque
  • No Travellers cheque
  • No Paypal
  • No Wire Transfer
Duration:
14 days
Location Start:
Istanbul
Location Finish:
Istanbul
Start time:
09.30 am
End time:
05.00 pm
We Speak:
Turkish, Japanese, German, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, English, Greek
Toursrequestform

Last updated: 07/14/2008

Turkey is an epic drama, an awesome land with a rich culture that forever charms & delights. Ayala Travel in Turkey offers you an exclusive way to discover the country's treasures.

Photos (click on a photo to view it)

istanbul ephesus

Itinerary

Day 1

Arrival & transfer to hotel. Welcome briefing. Rest of the day free.

Day 2

All day tour to include some of the most famous tourist sites: the Topkapi Palace (excluding harem), the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque, the majestic St. Sophia & the colourful Grand Bazaar. Optional : Dinner with belly dancing entertainment. (B,L)

Day 3

Drive to Gallipoli, through the European lands of Turkey. Visit Anzac Cove & Lone pine cemetery then across the Dardanelles Strait by ferryboat to Canakkale for overnight (B,L)

Day 4

Visit the ancient TROY of Homer, see its legendary walls & the replica of the wooden horse. Tour of Pergamum with the Acropolis, the Steepest Theatre of the ancient world, Temple of Trojan, the library, Asclepion, the ancient medical centre, the oldest known hospital in the world. Continue on to Kusadasi for overnight. (B,L)

Day 5

Leave for Ephesus, cradle of early Christianity (rev:2-1-7). Visit the house where the Virgin Mary spent the last years of her life; see the remains of the Temple of Diana which used to be one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Afternoon Optional : tour of Sardis, capital of ancient Lydia & legendary King Kroesus famous for his tremendous wealth. Visit the Temple of Cybele which later became a church, the famous Synagogue from the third century, the Gymnasium & the new excavation area. See the Golden River Pactalos. Overnight in Kusadasi. (B,L)

Day 6

Drive through fertile valley's to Aphrodisias city of Aphrodite, the beautiful city of the Goddess of Love in bucolic surroundings. Visit the best preserved ancient stadium in the world; the Odeon, the Theatre & the Agora. Continue to Pamukkale (white lime cascades), the noted ancient spa, where pure white travertine forms frozen waterfalls. Visit Hierapolis where you will have a chance to swim on top of ancient Roman ruins. (B,L)

Day 7

Morning depart for Antalya, the capital of the Turkish Riviera bathed in sunshine for 300 days of the year. Arrival at noon, afternoon at leisure or Optional : tour of Archaeology museum & the old harbour. (B,L)

Day 8

Half day tour to the antiquities of the ancient Roman cities of Perge & Aspendos. Perge was originally settled by the Hittites around 1500 B.C. & St. Paul preached some of his first sermons here. Aspendos boasts the world's best preserved ancient theatre still used today, with the seating capacity of 15,000. Nearby stand the remains of a basilica, agora & one of the largest aqueducts of Anatolia. Overnight in Antalya. (B,L)

Day 9

After breakfast depart for Konya former capital of the Seljuks. Visit the Mevlana Mausoleum & Karatay Koran School, then continue to Cappadocia, this miracle of nature with unique mushroom-shaped landscape, fairy chimneys, strawberry coloured hills, cave dwellings & colourful little Byzantine churches & monasteries. Overnight at a Cappadocia hotel. Tonight optional: Whirling Dervishes performance in a 13th century Caravan inn. (B,L)

Day 10

Early morning optional balloon tour. Float through volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys & caves enjoying the beautiful sunrise of Cappadocia. After breakfast visit Goreme natural park, an open-air museum, a complex or rock churches & chapels covered with frescos carved in rock. Visit the handicraft town of Avanos, Pasabagi Red Valley, Derinkuyu underground city with several stories carved into the soft tufa rock & used by the local population during enemy invasions & Christian persecutions. After lunch we continue to visit Devrent Valley, Monk's valley (Pasabagi) where you will find the world known fairy chimneys. Depart for a panoramic view of Esentepe & then on to Uchisar, a natural rock castle. Overnight in Cappadocia. (B,L)

Day 11

Morning departure for Ankara on the way visit the 13th century Agzikarahan caravansary. Afternoon tour of the Ataturk Mausoleum & the fascinating Anatolian Civilizations Museum where you will be introduced to Anatolia's varied & multifaceted ancient history. Overnight Ankara. (B,L)

Day 12

Morning depart for Bursa, a spa town since ancient times & the centre of silk production since the 15th century. We will visit: Green Mosque, one of the finest examples of Ottoman architecture. Overnight at a thermal spa hotel where you will have the chance to swim in the famous thermal waters & to try a Turkish bath in the hotel's outstanding facilities. (B,L)

Day 13

After breakfast cross the Marmara Sea to Istanbul, afternoon Optional : An interesting half day Bosphorus Cruise along both the European & Asian shores decorated with typical villas, mansions & charming fishing villages, or last minute shopping at the spice market. Tonight we say goodbye by a farewell dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 14

Transfer to the airport, end of services. (B)

Extra Information

Inclusions -
Accommodation, all domestic transport, guide, entrance fees & lunches on tour.

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