GLIMPSE OF TURKEY

11 days
Highlights: Visits to the archeological sites of Cappadocia, Ankara, Konya, Aspendos, Perge, Ephesus, Aphrodisias and a tour of Istanbul’s historic Sultanahmet District.

Day 1 ARRIVE ISTANBUL, WELCOME DINNER
Arrive to Istanbul and self transfer to our hotel. Night at the hotel.

DAY 2 ISTANBUL
Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul- its three names span more than 2600 years, nearly 1600 of them as the capital of two of the greatest empires the world has known, Byzantine and Ottoman. We visit Haghia Sophia, dedicated in AD.537 by Justinian-the architectural wonder of its time.Behind Haghia Sophia is the Topkapi Palace, which was the main nerve center of the Ottoman empire. After visiting the different sections of the Palace including Harem, we will give a break for lunch, at the oldest restaurant of Istanbul located in 4th courtyard of the Palace overlooking to the Sea of Marmara and the Bosphorus. The Blue Mosque is not far from the Palace and we stop at the most famous mosque in old Istanbul built in the early 1600’s for Sultan Ahmet. In front of the mosque is the Hippodrome, where chariot races and the Byzantine riots took place. Night at the hotel.B

DAY 3  ANKARA
Leaving Istanbul in the morning, we will start to drive towards to the lands of Hittites and  we will proceed to Turkey’s capital, Ankara. The name is derived from the angora wool of the goats, which were sold here, was an ancient trading town before the Romans arrived. In 1919, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, in order to break with the discredited Ottoman Empire, moved the capital from Istanbul to Ankara. In the afternoon we will visit the fascinating Anatolian Civilizations Museum, where art pieces from 8000 to 2000 B.C. are on display. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 4 CAPPADOCIA
After breakfast we will leave our hotel and drive along the ageless caravan trails and before we arrive to Cappadocia. In Cappadocia, perhaps the most fascinating region of Turkey, we explore the natural citadel of Uchisar, at the center of a magnificent lunar landscape and start to have a walk in one of the valleys of Cappadocia.  Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 5 CAPPADOCIA
This morning those who wishes to have a hot-air ballooning experience this is the perfect way to explore the formations of Cappadocia with your own expense. Our morning begins with the visit of the underground city of Derinkuyu. During the 8th and 9th centuries, thousand people were lodged here and defended their refuge from eastern invaders by rolling immense boulders to block the entrance. We also explore the Open air Museum to see the hidden churches and the monasteries, which have beautiful haunting frescoes. In the afternoon we visit Avanos, which is famous with its pottery and wine.Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 6 KONYA
Following breakfast, we visit a rug-weaving cooperative. Here you can learn about all aspects of this traditional Turkish art and craft. Later we take a magnificent drive along the old Silk Route towards to  Konya, and visit the well-preserved Sultanhani Caravanserai. When silk was produced solely in China, great silk caravans would travel from the Far East to Istanbul The caravans were made up of upward of 40 camels and 25 traders. Caravanserai, were built about every 25 miles along the route, as this was the distance a caravan could cover each day. In Konya, home of the famous whirling dervishes, we will visit the Mevlana Tekke, a dervish convent that has been converted into a museum. It contains the tomb of Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi, the mystic philosopher and theologian who founded the Mevlevi order, known as the whirling dervishes. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 7 ANTALYA
Following brakfast we begin our journey and across the Anatolian plains and later driving through the Taurus Mountains we will proceed to the plain of Pamphilya. We will stop  to see the finest theater in all of Turkey- Aspendos. Built by the Romans,maintained by the Selçuks, it was restored by the order of Atatürk. Later we will arrive to Antalya and check in to our hotel. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 8 ANTALYA
This morning, we drive to Perge. Greek settlers journeyed to Perge following the Trojan War. Substantial signs remain of a great theater,stadium, enormous Hellenistic and Roman gates and a colonnaded street. We return back to Antalya and following the visit of the  museum, we will have some time to explore this bustling city. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 9 APHRODISIAS - KUSADASI
We drive to Aphrodisias which is one of the most exciting recent discoveries in Turkey. Within this ancient city, dedicated to the goddess of love, monuments and statues of great beauty have been found, many of Aphrodite herself. We continue to drive for 3 hours to Kusadasi, very close to the world famous ruins of Ephesus. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 10 EPHESUS - KUSADASI
We rise up early and spend the morning at the marvelous Greco-Roman ruins of Ephesus, the fabulously preserved city where St. Paul and St.John lived. Ephesus allowed freedom for its inhabitants during its history, which included those who followed the Jewish, Anatolian,Roman or Egyptian faith, as well as the first traces of Christianity. The result was a wonderful mixture of cultures. Ephesus was once ancient Ionia, a center for the cult of Cybele, the Anatolian fertility goddess. Under the influence of the Ionians Cybele became Artemis and a fabulous temple was built to honor her. One of the seven wonders of the ancient world; the Temple of Artemis.After lunch, we visit the House of Virgin Mary, built in the first century which was believed to be her last dwelling place. Also visit the Basilica of St. John where the disciple spoke. Night at the hotel.B,D

DAY 11 TRANSFER TO IZMIR AIRPORT AND THE TOUR ENDS B