1. Day Departure to Turkey

2. Day Arrival at Izmir airport
Upon your arrival in Izmir, you are met with a friendly 'merhaba' (hello) and escorted to your hotel. You have the day free begin exploring Izmir or to relax at your leisure. Learn more about the cultural adventure ahead of you at an orientation meeting at 7pm. During your welcoming dinner get acquainted with the other members of your group.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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. (Open every day except Monday)

8. Day Departure
Transfer to the airport for your return flight home.