Turkey Tour Package

Day  01: Saturday Istanbul
Upon arrival in the legendary city of Istanbul, you are met by our representative with a friendly "Merhaba" (hello) and escorted to your hotel. Relax, unwind and prepare for the cultural adventure through time ahead. This evening, enjoy a leisurely dinner on your own.

Day 02: Sunday Istanbul - Çanakkale  (B,L,D)
In the morning, explore Topkapi Palace, the oppulent residence of the Ottoman sultans overlooking the Bosphorus between the end of the 15th and the first half of the 19th centuries. You will discover why it is renowned for its treasures. After lunch, drive through Thrace, the European part of Turkey. Cross the Strait of the Dardanelles by ferry to reach Çanakkale located on the Asian side of the strait. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 03:  Monday Canakkale - Troy - Pergamum - Kusadasi  (BLD)
Explore the ancient city of Troy whose history covers a period of about 3,400 years with nine layers of settlements (Troy I to IX). King Priam's glorious city, which was immortalized in Homer's epic poem, the Iliad brought to life the stories of Helen, Menelas, Pâris, Agamemnon, Achilles and Hector. A reconstruction of the infamous Trojan Wooden Horse stands at the entrance of the site. Next proceed to Pergamum, the capital of the Attalid dynasty. After lunch, visit this ancient city where parchment was invented. Highlights include the Acropolis with the ruins of the agoras, temples, palaces, the library which contained 200,000 volumes, the podium on which stood the Zeus Altar which was sent to Berlin, and the impressive theatre built into the steep hillside which provides a wonderful panorama of the surroundings. In the lower part of the ancient city, visit the Asclepion, a sanctuary and a healing center dedicated to the god of healing, Asclepius. Continue to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 04: Tuesday Kusadasi - Ephesus - Kusadasi  (BLD)
In the morning, depart for the imposing city of Ephesus, one of the most fascinatingly complete cities of antiquity in the entire world. Travel back in time as you stroll down the Marble Street, past the Agora, the Odeon, the Nympheaum of Trajan, the Temple of Hadrian, the Celsius Library, the Theatre and the remains of the Temple of Artemis which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Also visit the House of the Virgin Mary which has been designated by the Vatican as a place of pilgrimage and which is located in a remote setting in the heights of Ephesus. Lunch during sightseeing. Return to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 05: Wednesday Kusadasi - Pamukkale - Kusadasi (BLD)
In the morning, drive through the plain of the Meander River to reach Pamukkale, a unique natural site. Visit this " Cotton Castle " where the hot waters, leaving their limestone deposits, have created a surreal landscape with petrified waterfalls and basins cascading down the hillside in the midst of a dry, barren landscape. Continue to nearby Hierapolis, an ancient Roman health spa whose well preserved necropolis is one of the largest in the ancient world. Lunch during sightseeing. Return to Kusadasi. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 06: Thursday Kusadasi - Bursa - Istanbul (BLD)
In the morning, depart for the lovely city of Bursa, the first capital of the Ottomans between 1326-1364 located at the foot of old Mount Olympus (Uludag). After you arrive, enjoy lunch then visit the Green Mosque, renowned for its interior tile decorations in brilliant shades of turquoise, green and blue, the Green Mausoleum of Sultan Mehmet I and the Tombs of the Sultans founders of the Ottoman dynasty, Osman and his son Orhan. The Great Ulu Camii Mosque with its twenty domes remains the religious and social center of Bursa. Barter at the Silk Bazaar. Continue to Istanbul. Upon arrival in the city, cross the Bosphorus that separates Europe and Asia. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Day 07: Friday Istanbul (BL)
A full day tour to explore Istanbul which, under the name Byzantium and Constantinople was the capital of the Roman and Byzantine Empires, and in 1453, became the third and last Capital of the Ottomans. Visit the Blue Mosque, renowned for its six minarets. Built between 1609 and 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I, it is the beautiful 21,043 Iznik tiles dominant shade of blue that give the mosque its name. Next discover the Hippodrome where political, cultural, and sports activities took place during Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman times. Visit magnificent Haghia Sophia, originally the largest church in the Christian world, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Mehmet II and under Atatürk, it became a museum and is a living testament to the beauty of Christianity and Islam that adorn the interior. After lunch, continue to Eyüp, a place of pilgrimage for the Moslems with its mosque and interesting old Ottoman cemeteries, to contemplate the Golden Horn immortalized by the famous French writer Pierre Loti. Late afternoon, explore the Grand Bazaar, wandering through the labryinth tunnels of one of the oldest covered market places in the world. Barter for colorful kilim, jewelry and leather products in over 3,000 shops. Dinner is free to try one of Istanbul's many fine restaurants on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Day 08: Saturday Istanbul (B) Departure 
All too soon it is time to bid this magical land "gule gule" (goodbye) as you are transferred to the airport for your return flights home.