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DAY 1 (SUN)
ARRIVAL
Arrival at Istanbul airport. Please look for your
name after clearing customs. Meet your Insight
travel representative and transfer to
your hotel. Free time and overnight in hotel
category of your choice.
DAY 2 (MON)
ISTANBUL - UNDERGROUND CISTERN - TOPKAPI - BLUE
MOSQUE - GRAND BAAZAR
8.45 Departure. Visit the Underground Basilica
Cistern, with its interesting “weeping column”
and Medusa head reliefs. Continue to the Topkapi
Palace, which was used by the Ottoman Sultans
from the 15th to 19th centuries and houses an
impressive collection of priceless jewels, crystal,
silver and porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and
relics of the prophet Mohammed. (Harem is extra and
optional). After lunch we will see the Blue
Mosque, built for Sultan Ahmet I, which is a
unique piece of architecture with its six minarets
and features 20,000 beautiful Iznik tiles. Visit the
ancient Hippodrome with Obelisk of
Theodosius, Snake Pillar and German
Fountain of Wilhelm II. Walk through the back
streets of Old Istanbul to the Grand Covered
Bazaar. Overnight in Istanbul.
B.L.
DAY 3 (TUE)
ISTANBUL - ST SOPHIA - GALLIPOLI - CANAKKALE
We will visit the St. (Haghia) Sophia, which
was built by the Emperor Justinian. It was the
largest building in the world for over 1000 years.
See its intricate mosaics and huge central dome. We
begin our drive to Gallipoli, stopping for
lunch in Tekirdag, which is a pleasant port
town famous for its meatballs, then passing through
farm area with fields of sunflowers arriving in the
late afternoon. We drive the windswept hills of this
famous WWI battle site, which heralded the birth of
the Turkish Nation, and also resulted in a great
loss of life. See Kabatepe Museum,
Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Johnston’s
Jolly (Allied and Turkish trenches and tunnels)
The Nek and Chunuk Bair(visits
according to passengers wishes and dependent upon
time). We cross the famous Dardanelles Straight
by ferry pulling away from Kilitbahir Fortress.
You are on your own after dinner and may want to
walk along the port area and see the Trojan Horse
from the movie “Troy”. Overnight in the friendly
waterside town of Canakkale.
B.L.D.
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DAY 4 (WED)
CANAKKALE - TROY -
ASSOS - AYVALIK |
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Today is an enjoyable odyssey of the North
Aegean Coast past the area known as the “Troad”.
We visit Troy, the legendary city of Homer
and the beautiful Helen, which has nine
principal levels of occupation covering a
period of 3000 years. We will continue to
Behramkale Village and visit the ancient
city of Assos and Temple of Athena,
high upon a hill. You can see the Greek
Island of Lesvos from here. Aristotle
founded his first school of philosophy in
Assos. We will continue to the pleasant
seaside town of |
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Temple of Athena |
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Ayvalik and overnight.
B.L.D. |
DAY 5 (THU)
PERGAMON - SELCUK
We will visit the lofty Pergamon Acropolis,
and the ruins of Zeus Altar. The acropolis is
situated high above the plain and has a unique
panoramic view, with a very narrow and steep theater
that could seat up to 10,000. Parchment paper was
first produced here. See what remains of the
Great Library, which rivaled the one of
Alexandria in Egypt, and Temple of Trajan. We
will pass the Red Hall for a view then continue to
the Asclepion, which was the first known
hospital and therapy center. Overnight in Selcuk.
B.L.D.
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DAY 6 (FRI)
EPHESUS - HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARY- BASILICA OF ST
JOHN - SELCUK |
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Today we will visit the House of Virgin Mary,
which is a major pilgrimage site, then Ephesus,
with the Library of Celsius, Temple of Hadrian,
Agora and fantastic Greco-Roman theater
(Terrace Houses are extra and optional).
Continue to Sirince Village, where you may taste different types of
fruit wine. We will also visit the Basilica of
St. John and remains of the Temple of Artemis
, which was known as one of Seven Wonders
of the ancient world. Overnight in Selcuk.
B.L.D. |
Library of Celsius |
DAY 7 (SAT)
SELCUK - APHRODISIAS - PAMUKKALE
We will drive through the Meander Valley and
see the Meander River, which gave us the word
"Meandering". We spend some time at the Greco-Roman site of Aphrodisias, which is
still being excavated. It features the Temple of
Aphrodite, two agoras, a huge intact
stadium, baths of Hadrian and theater, Aphrodisias
was the site of a famous sculptural school. We continue to
Pamukkale with its impressive calcium
terraces and see the ancient site of Hierapolis
with the Temple of Apollo and extensive
Necropolis. Overnight in Pamukkale.
B.L.D.
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DAY 8 (SUN)
PAMUKKALE - KONYA
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We drive across central Anatolia to Konya,
known as Iconium in Roman times, which was the
capital of the Seljuk Turks. Mevlana (Celaleddin
Rumi) founded a Sufi order known as the Whirling
Dervishes here. Visit the Museum of Mevlana
and the great Seljuk monuments such as the
Karatay Medrese and the Ince Minareli Medrese.
Overnight in Konya.
B.L.D. |
Whirling Dervishes |
DAY 9 (MON)
KONYA - SILK ROAD - CAPPADOCIA
We will continue from Konya on the Old Silk Road
trade route and visit Caravanserais and a hidden Crater lake before
arriving in Cappadocia. Visit Selime, a
village of rock cones below a mesa. It is possible
to see the two-story colonnaded church and
monastery, kitchens, "pekmez house" and camel tunnel
all carved into the rock. We will have lunch in
Belisirma village on the Melendez River then
visit Ihlara Valley. Descend into this incredible
gorge, then walk in the most scenic
part of this canyon flanked by sheer rock walls. We
will descend even deeper into the earth through the
passages and tunnels of Kaymakli Underground City. See
the ingenious "millstone"
defense doors, wineries and rooms carved from the
living rock. Our last stop is Pigeon Valley
where we will see the ancient dovecotes from across
the ravine. Overnight in Cappadocia.
B.L.D.
DAY 10 (TUE)
CAPPADOCIA - CAVE CHURCHES AND GOREME VALLEY -
WHIRLING DERVISHES
In the morning you will experience the feeling of living in
an Anatolian village, where houses are built in
caves, and life goes on as it has for centuries. You
may see villagers baking bread, drying fruit on
their rooftops or riding on donkeys to their fields.
We will begin our visit to the "fairy
chimneys" (conical and unusual rock formations)
in Devrent Valley. We continue to the
Goreme Open Air Museum, which was once a
Byzantine monastery. See the finest examples of
religious frescoes in rock-cut churches from the
10th to the 13th centuries. Enjoy Pasabagi Valley,
while walking through vineyards among strange
multiple "mushroom-capped" volcanic rock formations.
We then
continue to Avanos, center of terra cotta
work since 3000 BC. After dinner we will enjoy a
performance of the Whirling Dervishes. Overnight in
Cappadocia.
B.L.D.
DAY 11 (WED)
CAPPADOCIA -
ISTANBUL
Transfer to the airport for morning flight to
Istanbul and upon arrival transfer to the hotel.
Today is at leisure and overnight in Istanbul.
B.
DAY 12 (THU)
DEPARTURE
Pick up from your hotel and transfer to the airport
approximately 3 hours prior to your flight departure.
B.
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TOUR PRICE: (IN EUROS) |
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HIGHLIGHTS OF
TURKEY: (TOUR CODE: RA12) |
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PER PERSON IN DOUBLE OR TRIPLE ROOM |
FLIGHT: KAYSERI-ISTANBUL |
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT |
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4*/BOUTIQUE
HOTEL IN ISTANBUL |
1595 EURO |
+100 EURO* |
275 EURO |
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SUPERIOR BOUTIQUE HOTEL IN ISTANBUL |
1695 EURO |
+100 EURO* |
325 EURO |
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*Prices are not valid during holiday or special events periods
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INCLUDED:
All airport transfers
Accommodation in hotels as mentioned
Meals as indicated (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch,
D=Dinner)
Water during meals
Museum entry fees
Transportation in non-smoking minibus with
English speaking guide and driver
Whirling Dervish performance
Domestic flight Kayseri-Istanbul. **Domestic
flight price, listed separately is approximate.
NOT INCLUDED:
International flights, visas, drinks, mini-bar,
tips to guide and driver and items of a personal
nature.
OPTIONAL:
We
can arrange for pre- or post-tours or hotel
for those of you who want to see
more of Turkey.
Hotels Featured in this tour:
Istanbul:
4*/boutique:
Askoc Hotel,
Historia Hotel,
Megara Hotel,
Megara Palace Hotel,
Metropol Hotel,
Mina Hotel
Superior boutique:
Daphne Hotel,
Emine Sultan Hotel,
Garden House Hotel,
Arden Hotel,
Orsep Royal Hotel
Canakkale:
Artur Hotel
or
Canak Hotel
Ayvalik:
Halic Park Hotel
or
Ayvalik Beach Hotel
Kusadasi or Selcuk:
Akay Hotel,
Atinc Hotel
or
Grand Onder Hotel
or
Tatlises Hotel
Pamukkale:
4* Lycus River Thermal Hotel
or
Pamuksu Hotel
or
Richmond Pamukkale Thermal
Konya:
Bera Hotel
or
Bera
Mevlana Hotel
or
Rumi Hotel
Cappadocia:
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
or
Elkep Evi Hotel
or
Kismet Cave House
or
Village Cave Hotel
*Hotel information is available on our website
at
Turkey Hotels.
Similar hotels may be
used if the featured hotels are not available at
the time of booking. |
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