| Day 1 - As we say in Turkey, HOS GELDINIZ! Welcome to Turkey. We will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After a short briefing about your tour you will have the afternoon free to rest and explore Istanbul on your own. |
| Day 2 - Day 2 . . . . . . This will be a full day of exploring the historical sites of Istanbul.
Sites you’ll see today Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Hipodrom, Topkapi Palace, Suleymaniye Mosque, Overnight stay in Istanbul |
| Day 3 - Day 3
In the early morning we will drive west, heading towards the Aegean Sea.
Sites you’ll see today
*Gallipoli and The Dardanelles --after our lunch we will stop to visit Gallipoli, a place of fierce WWI fighting between Allied forces and the Turks. At ANZAC Cove thousands lost their lives in one fateful dawn morning. We will also see other famous battle sites of World War 1 in this area, such as Lone Pine and Chunuk Bair. From here we go to a ferry and cross the Dardanelles.
*Canakkale will be our final destination for today and where we will spend the evening. After dinner, you might want to stroll the harbor walk and experience the local culture.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 4 - We continue our scenic drive along the Aegean, stopping for photo opportunities and perhaps to indulge the taste buds at one of the many farmer road side stands that sell olives, figs, seasonal fruit and pistachios. We then will head east towards our first site of the day.
Sites you’ll see today
*Troy --is the ancient site written about by Homer in the Iliad. It dates back as far as 3000 BC and has been the site of nine different cities through the thousands of years it has existed. As you enter the site a large wooden Trojan horse dominates your view. You will definitely want to climb up and get your picture taken!
*Pergamum was known to have the second largest library of books in the ancient world. Egyptian librarians, worried that they would be outdone, stopped allowing Pergamum to use it’s papyrus for books and scrolls. Therefore, ever competitive, the Pergamum kingdom came up with the solution of inventing it’s own source...animal hides, known as parchment. Pergamum was rivaled only by Ephesus in its wealth, temples, and beauty.You will reach your hotel in Kusadasi located on the Aegean Sea in the late afternoon. You will have the rest of the day to rest, swim, or sunbathe beside the crystal blue Aegean.
>Breakfast /Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 5 - We will visit Turkey’s most impressive Roman and Biblical site today, in what may well be one of your most memorable days in Turkey. We will also visit other significant sites of the area.
Sites you’ll see today
*Ephesus is one of the best preserved cities from Roman times. At the time St. Paul lived in Ephesus in the 60’s AD, it was at it’s Roman heyday with a population around 250,000.
*The House of The Virgin Mary where it is believed St. Mary came to live with St. John in the last years of her life.
*The Church of St. John was erected by Emperor Justinian in memorial to St. John whose tomb is within it’s walls. St. John came here towards the end of his life with the Virgin Mary whom he cared for. He wrote the gospel of St. John and his other letters during the last years of his life here. >Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 6 - We will visit three ancient cities today while driving through beautiful Turkish farmland and countryside.
Sites you'll see today
*Priene is found in a dramatic setting high up in the mountains, overlooking the farmland way below. It dates back to 300 BC when it was one of the League of Ionian Cities. It’s ancient population was 5,000 and had a well planned grid system design for its streets.
*Miletus was an important commercial and governmental center from 700 BC until 700 AD. Although today this ancient city is surrounded by farm land, when it was at it’s peak the Aegean Sea rose to it’s city walls.
*Didyma was not an ancient city, but rather a sacred place of pagan worship.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided< overnight in KUSADASI |
| Day 7 - A cotton castle, a hillside of tombs, and an ancient sculpture school....there is never a day in Turkey that you are short of eclectic sites to see!
Sites you'll see today
*Pammukale which means cotton castle, is the result of limestone formations built over thousands of years. Warm calcium rich mineral water flowed over the cliffs and as it cooled it deposited the calcium into the formations that are seen today. Pammukale is now a world heritage site.
*Hierapolis was founded as a healing care centre in 190 BC, taking advantage of the mineral waters in the area. It was one of the most important intellectual, artistic, religious and commercial centres of the Roman Empire.
*In the afternoon you will have free time at your hotel to relax in it’s natural and thermal spring waters that are used in it’s pools....or perhaps you will treat yourself to a mud bath, massage or manicure!
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 8 - Today we will head south towards the Mediterranean town of Antalya.
Sites you'll see today
*Termessos is a ruined city high up in the rugged Antalya mountain range. The city was built by the warlike Termessians who built their fortress to greatly withstand enemy attack. Both Alexander The Great and the Romans could not conquer it. Because of it’s rugged locale, it is argued that this ancient city is the most stunning of all Turkey s sites. The theatre backdrop of rugged mountains is a magnificent setting.
*In the evening you can stroll on your own through Kaleci, the old part of Antalya.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 9 - We travel inland today with our destination of Konya, home of the whirling dervishes. Konya is also known as one of the most conservative Islamic towns in Turkey and a pilgrimage site for devout Muslims.
Sites you'll see today
*Upon reaching Konya we will visit the Mevlana Museum which is a holy site for Muslims. It is the former lodging place for the whirling dervishes. The architecture and turquoise tiles are a beautiful site for all. Then we will visit the Karatay Medrese which houses an outstanding collection of ceramics and tiles. The eight- hundred year old building was once a Selcuk Islamic theological seminary.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 10 - Today will be spent walking through an underground city where ancient people once fled for their lives escaping the Arab invaders, wandering through Ilhara Gorge and spending time in an Anatolian village.
Sites you'll see today
*Ihlara Gorge will seem like an oasis in the middle of the Anatolian plain. Delve into the gorge and see the beautiful greenery as you follow the river.
*Traditional Anatolian villages--The head-scarved women out at work in the fields from sun up until sun-down, and the mustached, vest-wearing men hard at work playing cards in the coffee shops. You will get time to stroll in such a village and see the average Turkish villager at work...or play.
*Underground City of Derinkuyu--You will gradually stroll your way down into the depths of the earth in this ancient underground city that has 18-20 floors as deep as 40 meters below the ground. Don’t worry, you will only go down to the 8th floor.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 11 - Sites you'll see today
*The World Heritage Site of Goreme Open-Air Museum--This is a cluster of rock cut Byzantine churches, chapels and monasteries which include some wonderful 11th and 12th century frescoes on the cave walls.
*Zelve Open Air Museum--Three natural valleys surrounded by steep rocks form a dramatic site as you can wander around looking at the thousands of rock houses, churches and tunnels carved into the cliffs here.
*Fairy Chimneys-these geological phenomenon have been shaped over millions of years. They were formed during volcanic eruptions in the region. Reaching at times 40 meters in height, they are conical in shape and have a "hat" top to them.
*Devrent Valley--This valley is know as "the pink valley" because of the color of it’s soil. This is a lovely place to wander around and look at the magical rock formations indicative to Cappadocia, including the Fairy Chimneys.
*Uchisar Castle--Also called a fortress, this is actually a formation of two gigantic rocks surrounded by smaller rocks that together form a natural fortress with towers. These formations were inhabited during both the Byzantine and Ottoman times.
*We will also get the chance to visit local craftspeople and learn how they make dolls and create traditional pottery.
In the evening we will take a flight back to Istanbul.
>Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner provided |
| Day 12 - After breakfast we will depart from Cappadocia to Ankara, We will visit the Moseleum of Ataturk and the Anatolian civilization Museum --- Overnight stay in Ankara ( Breakfast lunch and Dinner provided ) |
| Day 13 - After breakfast we will depart from Ankara to istanbul --- Arrival in Istanbul --- Check in the hotel --- Free day to explore Istanbul on your own --- Overnight stay in Istanbul |
| Day 14 - Gule, Gule! It is time to go home. We will transfer you to the airport and wish you well, asking that you keep Turkey in your hearts and prayers, and hoping that our paths cross again in this life. |
