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Higlights
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Istanbul; St Sophia, Bosporus Cruise, Blue Mosque, Kariye (St Chora), Suleymaniye Mosque, Hippodrome, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar. Antalya, Perge, Aspendos, Pamukkale/Denizli; Aphrodisias, Pamukkale, Izmir Sardis, Ephesus, House of Virgin Mary. Canakkale, Pergamum, Troy, Gallipoli. |
11 Days - 9 Nights from Antalya |
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1. Day
Departure
2. Day Arrival in Antalya
Upon your arrival in Antalya, you are met with a friendly ""merhaba"" (hello)
and escorted to your hotel. You have the day free to relax at your leisure.
Learn more about the cultural adventure ahead of you at an orientation meeting
at 7pm. get acquainted with the other members of your group during the welcoming
dinner.
3. Day Perge/Aspendos/Antalya
Begin your Greco-Roman quest today by visiting Perge where a mere scrape of
the shoe will reveal mosaic walkways through the ancient agora. Its extensive
ruins include a stadium that once echoed to the roar of 15, 000 spectators.
Continue to Aspendos, which has one of the best-preserved theaters in the world.
Its acoustics are so well tuned that a coin dropped on stage can be heard in the
last row.
4. Day Antalya/Aphrodisias/Pamukkale
Explore the remains of Aphrodisias, the city dedicated to the goddess of
love and home to a school of sculpture that was known throughout the ancient
world. Sculptural relief’s still adorn many of the buildings. Explore its many
Greco-Roman remains including a stadium, which once sat 30, 000 people and the
Temple of Aphrodite, which was later converted into a Christian basilica.
Continue to Pamukkale, a spa known throughout the ancient world.
5. Day Pamukkale/Sardis/Izmir
Enjoy the beauty of Pamukkale's immense tiers of white limestone as they
cascade down a barren hillside. Visit the nearby Roman theater and necropolis.
Continue to Izmir, where you will explore the remains of Sardis where King
Croesseus of Lydia resided. Also visit the Temple of Artemis, gymnasium and the
synagogue.
6. Day Ephesus
Today you will discover Ephesus, which is a highlight of every trip to
Turkey. Do make sure to walk the streets of the most complete city of antiquity
in the world. Sit in the same theater where Paul preached and Roman dramas were
performed. Every summer, during the International Izmir Festival, the theater is
alive with the words, music and drama of contemporary performers in this ancient
setting. Stroll past the Library of Celsius, the baths and the Temple of Hadrian.
You'll also visit the house where the Virgin Mary spent her last days and a
photo stop FOR the Temple of Artemis with the last remaining column indicating
where one of the Seven Wonders of the World was
7. Day Pergamum/Troy/Canakkale
Drive along the mythic coastline of the ""wine-dark"" Aegean Sea to ancient
Pergamum, home to the famous physician, Galen. Stroll through the remains of the
Asclepion, one of the foremost medical centers of ancient times, the library
which once held 240, 000 scrolls, the Acropolis and the Trojaneum. Next visit
the site of one of the most famous wars of ancient times, the legendary city of
Troy, immortalized in Homer's Iliad and 'Discovered' in 1871 by Heinrich
Schliemann. Continue on to Canakkale.
8. Day Canakkale/Gallipolis/Istanbul
Ferry across the Dardanelle for a somber stop at the very real memorial at
Gallipolis, commemorating one of the most famous battles in modern history. The
beauty of the green hills, sandy beaches and blue waters provides an honored
resting place for the soldiers who bravely fought and died in this historic
battle. After lunch, you return to Istanbul, rising from the shores of the Black
Sea and the Sea of Marmara.
9. Day Istanbul
Discover the classical highlights of Istanbul: the Roman Hippodrome, Blue
Mosque famed for its Iznik tiled interior and six minarets and Mosque of
Suliymaniye the Magnificent. You will also visit the jeweled interior of the
Topkapi Palace, home to the Spoon maker’s Diamond. In the afternoon, you are
free to explore the labyrinth tunnels of the Grand Bazaar that houses more than
4, 000 shops. The names recall the days when each trade had its own quarter: the
goldsmiths' street, the carpet sellers' street, and the street of the skullcap
makers. Still the commercial center of the old city, the bazaar is the original
shopping mall with something to suit every taste and budget.
10. Day Istanbul
In the morning, glide past minarets and palaces, stone fortresses and wooden
Ottoman mansions during a cruise on the Bosporus. In the afternoon discover the
Saint Sophia and the church of Saint Savior in Chora. The Basilica or St. Sophia,
now called the Ayasofya Museum is unquestionably one of the finest buildings of
all time. Built by Constantine the Great and reconstructed by Justinian in the
6th century, its immense dome rises 55 meters above the ground and its diameter
spans 31 meters. You should remain here for some time to absorb the building's
majestic serenity and to admire the fine Byzantine mosaics.
11. Day Departure
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home. |