DAILY ITINERARY
Day 1 Sat Arrive Ankara
Upon arrival in Ankara, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel.
Welcome dinner.
D Radisson SAS Hotel Ankara
Day 2 Sun Ankara
Ankara, the ancient Ankuwash or Angora, has been the capital of the
Turkish Republic since 1923. In the morning we will visit the Museum of
Ancient Anatolian Civilizations, the best museum in Turkey for
pre-classic exhibits. In the afternoon, we will travel to Gordion, the
city of legendary King Midas. Gordion was also the capital of the
Phrygian Empire, and the site where Alexander the Great cut the
“Gordion Knot”.
B/L/D Radisson SAS Hotel Ankara
Day 3 Mon Ankara/Cappadocia
Today we will travel south to the fascinating region of Cappadocia,
stopping en route at the Hittite capital of Hattusas, which dates from
3,000 BC. Highlights include the Great Temple, Lion’s Gate, and the
Citadel. At the famous Shrine of Yazilikaya you will see reliefs of 63
gods and goddesses carved on the rock walls. Continue on to Cappadocia,
whose unique landscape was created eons ago by volcanic eruptions.
B/L/D Alfina CaveHotel Cappadocia
Day 4 Tue Cappadocia
The unique and fascinating landscape of this area was created thousands
of years ago by the effects of weather on the soft “tufa” rock from
volcanic eruptions. The composition of the rock allowed the carvings of
entire underground cities; we will visit one of these underground
cities as well as the Byzantine cave churches here. We will also visit
Pasabagi, whose landscape is dotted with the odd-shaped rocks called
“fairy chimneys”. According to legend, these stones were inhabited by
magical fairies capable of casting spells. We will climb the Uchisar
Fortress for a breathtaking view of the Goreme Valley, and explore the
Anatolian cities of Urgup, which is known for its kilims and local
wine, and Avanos, famous for its pottery.
B/L/D Alfina Cave Hotel Cappadocia | |
Day 5 Wed Cappadocia/Konya
On the way to Konya we will stop at one of the Selcuk’s Kervansaray
(camel palace) to explore Selcuk architecture. We will also visit the
world’s first city of Catal Huyuk, which is under excavation now.
Continue on to Konya, the city where Mevlana founded the Mevlevi Order
of Whirling Dervishes. Our tour of Konya will include a visit to the
Museum of Mevlana, perhaps the most important Islamic shrine in Turkey,
as well as the Karatay Medresesi with its beautiful display of Selcuk
tiles, and the wood and stone Selcuk carvings of Ince Minare Medresesi.
B/L/D Dedeman hotel Konya
 | Day 6 Thu Konya/Pamukkale
Today we will travel to Antioch in Pisidia to explore the ruins here.
This was an ancient city with a diversity of religious backgrounds,
chosen by Emperor Augustus to be the second capital in Anatolia. St.
Paul also chose it as his centre for proclaiming Christianity to the
Anatolians, and we will visit the Church of St. Paul and the Temple of
Augustus. We will stop for lunch at lovely Lake Egirdir before heading
to Pamukkale.
B/L/D Colossea Hotel |
Day 7 Fri Pamukkale
This morning we will explore Pamukkale, ancient Hierapolis, and enjoy
the afternoon at leisure at the thermal baths or the outdoor pool. The
cliffs of Pamukkale are covered by brilliant white calcium deposits
with pools of clear warm water fed by thermal springs, creating a
unique and beautiful natural wonder. This site was a famous health spa
in Roman times and is still in use today. You can soak in the pools and
view the beautiful marble columns, toppled by earthquakes, that lie at
the bottom; then explore the ruins of ancient Hierapolis with its
theatre, Temple of Apollo, colonnaded street, bath and its extensive
necropolis.
B/L/D Colossea Hotel
Day 8 Sat Pamukkale/Antalya
One of the most scenic drives we will take is the route through the
beautiful Toros Mountains to the harbour city of Antalya on the
Mediterranean, one of the few cities which enjoys an appealing mixture
of ancient and modern worlds. En route to Antalya we will visit
Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty.
This interesting site has very impressive ruins and beautiful marble
statuary.
B/L/D Sheraton Hotel Antalya Day 9 Sun Antalya
In the morning we will visit the ancient sites of Perge and Aspendos,
the latter of which has one of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the
world. In the afternoon we will tour the Antalya Archaeology Museum,
one of the finest museums in Turkey, containing exhibits ranging from
the Stone Age to a 6th Century relief of the Angel Gabriel. There will
still be time to explore Antalya’s old city quarter where many fine
examples of Ottoman architecture are being carefully restored, and walk
along the ancient harbour.
B/L/D Sheraton Hotel Antalya |
 | Day 10 Mon Antalya/Kas
Today we will visit the Lycian rock-cut tombs in Myra and the nearby
Church of St. Nicholas, where the legend of Santa Claus began. In the
afternoon we will take a boat to see the ancient city of Simene and the
mysterious sunken city in Kekova Bay. You will see interesting
sarcophagi and steps covered by water that once led into homes and
ancient buildings. Later drive to Kas for our overnight stay.
B/L/D Habesos Hotel Day 11 Tue Kas/Fethiye
Continuing along the Mediterranean coast today we will visit Xanthos,
once the capital and grandest city of Lycia, which is beautifully
situated overlooking the Xanthos River. Our next stop will be Pinara,
another important Lycian League city built on top of an impressive red
cliff, followed by the ancient city of Tlos. This rather remote site
has interesting ruins and a splendid view of the entire Xanthos River
Valley.
B/L/D Ecesaray Hotel |
Day 12 Wed Fethiye/Bodrum
En route to Bodrum, we will stop en route in Dalyan to view the ancient
city of Caunos (the last city of Lycia along the Mediterranean) and the
Lycian Temple tombs carved dramatically out of the cliff above the
Dalyan River. We will then drive to the seaside town of Bodrum. Known
as ancient Halicarnassus, we will stroll the lively harbour on our way
to visit the Museum of Underwater Archaeology, which is housed in the
Castle of St. Peter. The museum contains many fascinating artefacts and
restored shipwrecks that were retrieved from the dangerous waters along
the peninsula. We will also visit the Museum of Halicarnassus, one of
the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
B/L/D The Marmara Hotel Bodrum
Day 13 Thu Bodrum/Kusadasi
Heading towards Kusadasi we will stop at Euromos to see one of the most
beautiful temples of Zeus in existence. After passing by Lake Bafa, we
will visit three famous ancient cities, which were once part of the
Ionian League: Miletus, the business and cultural centre, Priene, the
political centre and Didyma, the religious centre.
B/L/D Korumar Hotel
Day 14 Fri Kusadasi/Istanbul
This morning we will experience one of the great highlights of our
Turkish adventure: an exploration of the many intriguing ruins of the
once great city of Ephesus, including the beautiful theatre and the
Celsus Library. In nearby Selcuk we will tour the Museum of Ephesus
where two well-known statues of Artemis are on display. These statues
are from the Temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient
World. This exciting day ends with a drive to Izmir airport for the
short domestic flight to Istanbul.
B/L/D Sultanahmet Palace Hotel |  |
Day 15 Sat Istanbul
Our hotel in the Sultanahmet district is within walking distance of
many wonderful sites. This morning we will walk to the Hippodrome, an
arena used for political, cultural, and sports activities during Roman,
Byzantine, and Ottoman times. We will visit the Blue Mosque, famous for
its Iznik blue tiles, and St. Sophia, which has been the largest
Christian church in the world for over 1,000 years. Nearby is the
Basilica Cistern, or Underground Palace, with its ancient columns
surrounded by water. Finally we will visit the legendary Topkapi
Palace, home to the Ottoman sultans for over 400 years.
B/L/D Sultanahmet Palace Hotel
Day 16 Sun Istanbul
This morning we will follow the ancient city walls of Istanbul to the
Chora Museum, which has the most beautiful mosaics in Turkey. Afterward
we will have a Bosphorus ferry cruise between continents, seeing the
fabulous palaces and villas that hug the shoreline, followed by a tour
of the old and new city, including the Galata region with its
impressive tower, and the Pera region with Pera Palace, where the
Orient Express ended its famous journey.
B/L/D Sultanahmet Palace Hotel
Con
Day 17 Mon Depart Istanbul
Depart Istanbul today on your return journey home.
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