Hotel Information
| Istanbul, Cappadocia & Classical Turkey |
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| Tour Info |
Day 1
Upon arrival in Istanbul, we meet our guide who will accompany us on our daily excursions. We transfer to our hotel and check in.An orientation tour of the great imperial city and the cultural capital of modern Turkey follows suit.
Day 2
In the morning, we start the day with a guided tour of the Old City. Our historical stops include the Blue Mosque, a 17th century masterpiece of Ottoman religious architecture and an outstanding feature of the Istanbul skyline, the Topkapı Palace, the Palace of Ibrahim Pasha – an example of 16th century Ottoman civilian architecture which today hosts the Turkish and Islamic Arts museum. Our guide then accompanies us to the Grand Bazaar of Istanbul, the oldest and largest in the world. With 60 alleys and 3,000 shops in the heart of the city, why not bargain for a good deal on souvenirs for home?
Day 3
We enjoy a morning cruise on the Bosphorus. After free time for lunch, we return to the Old City to visit the magnificent Haghia Sophia, the largest cathedral of the Christian world for 1000 years and historically the focal point of Eastern Christianity. Our last stop for the day is the Spice Market.
Day 4
We fly to Ankara to visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, displaying treasures of many Anatolian civilizations including the Hittite Empire – the empire that rivalled the Egypt of Ramses and undersigned the first known international agreement in history with them. We check in to our hotel in Ankara.
Day 5
Our quest with the Hittites continues at Boğazkale, the former capital of the powerful empire where numerous cuneiform tablets have been discovered. We then visit Yazılıkaya, a sanctuary for the Hittites with its rock-cut reliefs depicting the Hittite divinities. We continue to our hotel in Cappadocia.
Day 6
We visit the Göreme Open Air Museum where the world’s most important Byzantine cave churches can be found. Carved between the 7th and 13th centuries, the churches are decorated with frescoes that provide a record of early Christianity. We then visit the attractive valley of Paşabağı which is famous for its three-headed fairy chimneys. The final visit of the day is to Uçhisar, an ancient village perched at a height of 1,300 metres, which was used as a citadel during Roman, Byzantine and Seljuk times.
Day 7
We visit the underground city of Özkonak discovered in 1972 – one of the underground cities that served as a safe haven for early Christians and gave them the opportunity to hide from their enemies for months at a time. We visit the valley of Soğanlı where churches carved in rocks are a particular feature.
Day 8
After Cappadocia, we move to another cultural capital in Central Anatolia: Konya. Konya is the city of the mystic and poet Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi and the Sufi Order of the Whirling Dervishes. We have a guide tour around the city and visit the museum of Mawlana. We head to Antalya for the overnight stay and check in our hotel.
Day 9
Our first stop in Antalya is Perge, an ancient city which was once the capital of the Pamphylia region with its acropolis dating back to the Bronze Age. We then continue to Aspendos, another ancient city dating back to the 5th century BC, which is renowned for its ancient amphitheatre.
Day 10
The ancient city of Aphrodisias, named after the Greek goddess of love Aphrodite, is our first destination in the morning. After Aphrodisias, we continue to Pamukkale, a unique site which derives its Turkish name (meaning “Cotton Castle”) from its dazzling white cascades of mineral-covered limestone. We visit the natural beauties of Pamukkale and the ancient Roman spa Hieropolis where we will see one of the largest necropolises of the ancient world. In the evening, we check into our hotel in Pamukkale.
Day 11
We visit the legendary Ephesus, one of the most fascinatingly complete cities of antiquity in the entire world. Visit the Amphitheatre and walk along the Arcadian Way to view the splendid façade of the Library of Celsus. After the ancient city, visit the House of the Virgin Mary, situated above the ruins. We then continue to Ayvalık and check in to our hotel.
Day 12
We visit Pergamon, one of the most prominent health centers of the ancient world and the capital of the Attalid dynasty. Highlights include the Acropolis with the ruins of the agora, temples, palace, the podium on which the Altar of Zeus stood, and the Asclepion, a sanctuary and healing centre dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius.
Day 13
We start our day with a visit to the legendary city of Troy, the history of which encompasses a period of 3,400 years. A reconstruction of the infamous Trojan Wooden Horse stands at the entrance to the site. We cross the Strait of the Dardanelles by ferry and visit the Gallipoli Peninsula where the War of Dardanelles took place during WWI. We visit the battlefields, trenches and memorials that commemorate the soldiers who tragically lost their lives. We continue to our hotel in Istanbul.
Day 14
We transfer to the airport for our return flights.
All tours can be tailored according to the needs of our guests. Beynar Tourism also reserves the right to make modifications to programs according to the availability of aforementioned touristic and other places.
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| Included Services |
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| Not Included |
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| Tour Date | 08.05.- 17.05.2009 ve 19.05.- 28.05.2009 |
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