Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Hometown – Istanbul. Arrive to Istanbul, transfer to your hotel. Includes: (D);
Day 2: Istanbul. Depart from the hotel in the morning to visit St. Sophia that was built by Constantine the Great. It is also known as the church of the Divine Wisdom designed to impress the strength and wealth of the Roman Emperors. Next stop is Hippodrome that is the arena with the scenes of chariot races and also cultural focus of the Byzantine (Roman) Empire. The square, with its surrounding, is like an open-air museum. After that visit Underground Cistern, which was built in the fourth Century. This one of the underground cistern that riddles the foundation of the city. After lunch at the way visit Topkapi Palace Museum, which is the symbol of the Ottoman Empire. Overlooking Bosphorus and the Marmara Sea, stands this amazing building that was the great palace of the Ottoman Sultans. The palace is collecting buildings arrange around a series of courtyards and his incredulous collections of jewels, china, prices of Ottoman and Islamic artwork. The last stop is Sultanahmet Mosque. Overnight in Istanbul. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 3: Ankara - Cappadocia (170 Miles). Early in the morning, fly to Ankara by Turkish Airlines. Drive to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations with an outstanding Hittite gallery. Continue to the Atatürk Mausoleum. The Mausoleum's main chamber soars skyward from its Hittite column supports. Drive to Cappadocia, visit to the 13th century Agzikarahan Caravan-inn on the way and citadel of Uchisar. Dinner and overnight at your hotel. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 4: Cappadocia - Konya (139 Miles). Depart from the hotel in the morning, to visit the Anatolian countryside to Biblical Cappadocia; visit the underground city of Kaymakli where thousands of early Christians lived concealed from their persecutors. Then visit Goreme with its rock chapels decorated with frescoes dating from the 6th to the 12th Century, the cliff-side Byzantine Monastic Complex of Zelve and village of Avanos. Drive to Konya, dinner and overnight. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 5: Konya - Pamukkale (267 Miles). Early departure from the hotel for exploring its beautiful Seljuk Turkish Architecture, including the Mevlana Museum, a 13th Century whirling Dervish monastery. Celaleddin Rumi, mystic poet and founder of the Dervish order, is buried here amid great pomp. Then visit Karatay Medrese (Academy). Drive to Pamukkale, site of a magnificent natural phenomenon, unique in the world with its fantastic formation of stalactites, cataracts and basins. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 6: Pamukkale - Kusadasi (120 Miles). Departure from the hotel and visit Pamukkale with its brilliant white calcium rock formations. You step into a glacial fairyland of petrified waterfalls and dazzling white basins lay the ruins of Hierapolis, founded by Eumenes II, King of Pergamon in 190 BC, and also the vast ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis. After that visit to Cotton Castle, that is appearance of the spectacular white line cascades formed by hot mineral springs. Drive to the ruins of Aphrodisias, the famous city dedicated to the Goddess of love. Than visit the regnant ruins of the two theaters. After visiting the Archaeological Museum of Aphrodisias, continue to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 7: Kusadasi - Izmir (59 Miles). Drive to Ephesus upon arrival to embark on another significant historical town once having 250,000 inhabitants. Full day visiting the great Byzantine and Roman ruins still magnificently in place and picturesque. Ephesus has been an important city of Asia Minor in many aspects. Firstly, it was a place of pilgrimage for the worshippers of Goddess of Fertility. Artemis or Diana was the supreme cult in the region and Ephesians erected a spectacular temple for her, considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Overnight in Izmir. Includes: (B), (L), (D);
Day 8: Izmir – Hometown. After breakfast fly to Istanbul and connection to your international flight. Includes: (B);
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price may vary depending on tour season and accomodation category.
Also see tour packages in:
Middle East
Turkey
Archeology/History
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
| Check out these similar vacation offers: |
|
|
