|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Itinerary |
|
Day 1 Wed Depart USA Evening departure. Meal and refreshments served onboard. Day 2 Thu Arrival to Istanbul Upon arrival into Istanbul airport, you'll be met and transferred to your hotel. Relax and enjoy a short walk before our welcome briefing in the hotel. Day 3 Fri Istanbul Today enjoy a tour of this fascinating city. Highlights include the Topkapi Palace, the glorious St. Sophia Basilica, the magnificent Blue Mosque, the Byzantine Hippodrome and finish the tour by spending some time at the world's largest shopping mall, the Grand Bazaar. Return to your Istanbul hotel for overnight. Optional: Dinner with Belly dancing entertainment. (B) Day 4 Sat Istanbul/Gallipoli/Dardanelles/Canakkale Early morning departure from Istanbul, as your tour takes you to the northern Aegean city of Canakkale, along the sea of Marmara and across the Dardanelles. Visit the battle fields of WWI at Gallipoli: Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery, Chunuk Bair and Gabatepe War Museum. Then, cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale, where we will check in to the hotel for dinner and overnight. (B,D) Day 5 Sun Canakkale/Troy/Pergamum/Kusadasi This morning visit the legendary city of Troy, immortalized by Homer in his epic poem, the Iliad. Also see a wooden replica of the Trojan horse, which, according to Homer, caused the fall of Troy. Next, we proceed to visit the ancient kingdom of Pergamum, where we visit the ancient Asclepion Medical Center, Acropolis, the Temple of Athena and the famous library. We continue on to our hotel in Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. (B,D) Day 6 Mon Kusadasi (Ephesus/Virgin Mary's House) This morning we set off for the ancient city of Ephesus. Our walking tour includes the Great Roman Theatre, Gymnasium of Vedus, the magnificent Library of Celsus and the Temple of Hadrian. Continue to the House of Virgin Mary where she is believed to have spent the last years of her life under the care of St. John the Theologian. During this tour also visit a regional rug center and return to hotel in Kusadasi. Optional: afternoon tour of Sardis or Sirince. Dinner at hotel in Kusadasi and overnight. (B,D) Day 7 Tue Kusadasi/Pamukkale (Hierapolis) After breakfast we will drive to Pamukkale, famous for its chalk-white array of fantastically shaped limestone. On arrival, we visit the ancient ruins of Hierapolis, which is one of the world's oldest healing centers and then the rest of the day is yours to further explore the ruins. Dinner at the hotel in Pamukkale and overnight. (B,D) Day 8 Wed Pamukkale/Antalya (Perge) Today, our next destination is Antalya. In the area, we will visit the ancient city of Perge, where one of the oldest Christian communities in Asia Minor existed. The city prospered during the rule of Alexander the Great and later the Romans. The substantial ruins are well worth a visit. Continue to our hotel in Antalya for a relaxing afternoon by the Mediterranean coast. Dinner at the hotel and overnight. (B,D) Day 9 Thu Antalya Today is a full day at leisure. Optional: there will be a choice of a tour of Phaselis, a coastal ancient city, or a yacht cruise along the turquoise coast of the Aegean Sea. Dinner at the hotel and overnight. (B,D) Day 10 Fri Antalya/Aspendos/Konya On our way to Konya, we pay a visit to Aspendos, famous for its ancient theater. The theater seats 15,000 spectators and is still in a great state of preservation. Today's driving will be especially enjoyable while crossing the Taurus mountains with the spectacular landscape of fir and cedar forests. At the biblical city of Konya, we will visit the museum and mausoleum of the founder of the mystic cult of Whirling Dervishes. Dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,D) Day 11 Sat Konya/Cappadocia Early departure to Cappadocia, the land of oddly shaped, fairy chimneys. En route, we will visit a seven hundred years old Caravanserai (medieval hotel). Upon arrival in Cappadocia, we will visit the famous underground city of Serhatli. Before we check into our hotel, we will have dinner in a local restaurant featuring regional specialties. You may also wish to enjoy an optional performance by Whirling Dervishes. Overnight in Cappadocia. (B,D) Day 12 Sun Cappadocia Very early in the morning, an optional hot air balloon ride is available. After breakfast begin your discovery of Cappadocia with Goreme's "Caves of God", a Unesco World Heritage site. Monasteries and churches hewn into volcanic rock, were established in this area between the 7th and 13th centuries A.D. We will also visit Red valley of Dervent and we will have a chance to get a brief orientation in one of the regional pottery workshops. Dinner and overnight in your hotel in Cappadocia. (B,D) Day 13 Mon Cappadocia/Ankara Early morning drive to Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. We will arrive in the afternoon and visit the mausoleum of the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Later, we will have a detailed visit to the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations with exhibits dating to the Paleolithic age. These exhibits include wonderfully preserved wooden furniture from the tomb of Phrygian King Midas. Dinner and overnight in Ankara Hotel. (B,D) Day 14 Tue Ankara/Istanbul Today, we have a scenic drive from Ankara to Istanbul. Afternoon is free to relax on your own or join an optional Bosphorus Cruise, which also at the Spice Market. Tonight we have a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. (B,D) Day 15 Wed Istanbul to USA (or extend your stay) Morning transfer to Istanbul Airport for your return flight home. Meals and refreshments served aloft. (B) NOTE: If taking a Saturday US departure, since St. Sophia is closed on Mondays, it will be visited the following day before leaving for Canakkale |
Rates
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hotels
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
Information/Restrictions
Special Airfares are available for this selected packages.
Plus applicable airport taxes and fees.
All prices are based per person on double occupancy.
Supplements & Reductions for 2012 & 2013
Single Supplement: $ 875.00 per person
Reduction for third person sharing twin-bedded room: $ 40.00
Shipping Information
Sightseeing
| Full-day Bosphorus & Asia Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Bosphorus & Asia Departure time:9:00am Schedule:Daily Duration:9 hours Highlights:Asian side driving via transcontinental Bosphorus Bridge. Beylerbeyi Palace and Camlica Hill. (Beylerbeyi Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays). Visit of the historical Spice Market also called the Egyptian Bazaar and cruise along the European and Asiatic shores of Istanbul. (Spice Market is closed on Sundays). Lunch is included |
| Full-day Bursa Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Bursa Departure time:9:00am Schedule:Thursdays and Saturdays only Duration:9 hours Highlights:Green Mosque, Grand Mosque, Green Mausoleum, Bazaar. Lunch is included. |
| Half-day Byzantine Vision Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Byzantine Visions Departuretime:9:00am Schedule:Daily Duration:4 hours Highlights:Hippodrome Square, St. Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. (St. Sophia is closed on Mondays and the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays). |
| Full-day Classical Tour Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Classical Tour Departure time:9:00am Schedule:Daily Duration:9 hours Highlights: Hippodrome Square, St. Sophia Museum, Blue Mosque and Grand Bazaar. (St. Sophia is closed on Mondays and the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays). In the afternoon: Suleymaniye Mosque and Topkapi Palace. (Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays). Lunch is included. |
| Full-day Ephesus Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Ephesus Departure time:9:00am Schedule:Daily Duration:9 hours Highlights:Early flight to Izmir. Drive to Ephesus. Visit the ancient city, the House of Virgin Mary and the Museum of Selcuk. Lunch is included. |
| Istanbul by nigt Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Istanbul by night Departure time:8:00pm Schedule:Daily Duration:3 hours Highlights:Dinner followed by folkloristic show. |
| Half-day Ottoman Visions Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Ottoman Visions Departure time:2:00pm Schedule:Daily Duration:4 hours Highlights:Suleymaniye Mosque and Topkapi Palace. (Topkapi Palace is closed on Tuesdays). |
| Full-day Princess Islands Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Princess Islands Departure time:9:00am Schedule:Daily Duration:9 hours Highlights:Cruise to the Princess Islands. Tour of the Buyuk Ada Island. Lunch is included. |
| Half-day Two Continents Call for Price | |
![]() |
This Tour is Available from: Istanbul Two Continents Departure time:2:00pm Schedule:Daily Duration:4 hours Highlights:Asian side driving via transcontinental Bosphorus Bridge. Beylerbeyi Palace and Camlica Hill. (Beylerbeyi Palace is closed on Mondays and Thursdays). |



















Tour Features 2012 & 2013
Itinerary 2012 & 2013
Rates
Hotels
Sightseeing/Excursions
Information/Restrictions
