HIGHLIGHTS OF TURKEY - 16DAYS

Today we will arrive in the Istanbul airport, after basic procedures like baggage claim and passport check our tour guide will welcome us. We will drive to our hotel in Istanbul and stay the night there.

After having breakfast at the hotel, we will see the Old City. Istanbul is a city full of famous iconic sites that today, we will get to experience for ourselves. We will visit the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia who are famous in Turkey with their breathtaking silhouettes that make the skyline so unique. Then we will move on to the Topkapi Palace, a beautiful Ottoman palace once home to the Ottoman Sultans and the first president of Turkey. Next, we will spend some time visiting where the gladiators of ancient Roman Constantinople, entertained the crowds at the site of the Hippodrome. Today we will see the Obelisks that have stood the test of time and are adorned with beautiful markings, taking us back in time. Along with that, we will have time to see The German Fountain which is situated at the northern end of the Hippodrome, across from the mausoleum of Sultan Ahmed I and was built to commemorate the visit of German Emperor Wilhelm II. It was manufactured in Germany and transported piece by piece to Istanbul, where it was assembled at its current location. Then, we will go back to our hotel.

After having breakfast at the hotel, we will be picked up from the hotel by our tour guide. We will visit the Basilica Cister, the largest of several hundred ancient cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. Then we will visit the Galata Tower which is one of the most exquisite land marks of Istanbul. Our next destination will be the 17th century Spice Bazaar, an extraordinary, colorful and fantastic place to see where you can buy various gifts for your loved ones. Then we will proceed to the marvelous bridge, Bosphorus which is known as a cradle linking Europe and Asia. We will also see Rumeli Fortress, a fortification built to control entry to the Bosporus Strait and protect Istanbul. At the end of the Bosphorus tour, we will continue to the Taksim and Istiklal streets of Istanbul which are popular for the action during the evening. We will end the day by returning to our hotel.

Today we will leave Istanbul to visit the city of Bursa which is known for being the first capital of the Ottoman Empire. On our way there, we will visit the other Hagia Sophia at Nicaea, located in modern-day Iznik, Turkey, is a historical part of Byzantine-era history. The church holds a special place in history as it was the site of the Second Council of Nicaea in 787 where the first period of Byzantine Iconoclasm can to an end and frescos and icons were once again allowed in holy places of worship. In the city of Bursa, we will first visit the Green Mosque & Tomb which are known to be the two iconic buildings of Bursa, a city recognized as a UNESCO Heritage Site. We will stay the night at a hotel in Bursa.

In the morning we will head off to the city of Çanakkale where we will visit the Çanakkale Martyrs Memorial. The Memorial was made to honor the 253,000 that died in the Battle of Gallipoli during World War I. The memorial is not just an important place for Turkish people, it is also an important place for many Australians and New Zealanders as it is where their family relatives rest as well. From the memorial, we will move on to the ancient city of Troy. Troy, with its history of over 4,000 years, is home to the remains of the Trojan War. After visiting one of the most important ancient, UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world, we will move to our hotel in Çanakkale and stay the night there.

Today we will be going to the town of Ayvalik in Balikesir. On the way there, our first stop will be Behramkale, widely known as Assos. Assos is an ancient Greek city founded in the 7th century (B.C.). This ancient city is crowned by the magical temple dedicated to the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena. After our visit to Assos we will arrive in Ayvalik. The first thing we do when we get there is visit the Seytan Sofrasi (Devil's Dinner Table). From this place, you can see the mesmerizing view of the Aegean Sea and islands. We will stay in Ayvalik for the night.

A week into our Highlights of Turkey tour, we will make our way down to Bergama, Izmir. Here we will visit the Bergama Acropolis. The Bergama Acropolis is definitely a place to see in Izmir as it holds many ancient ruins from upper and lower cities. Many of these ruins remind us of the Greek Gods. Our next stop is the Asklepion which used to be the healing center of the Roman world. It is not as dramatic as Acropolis but is way more extraordinary. Our last stop today will be the Red Basilica. The Red Basailica is a ruined temple that remains from the Roman Empire in the ancient city of Pergamon. We will then return to our hotel.

Today we will visit the famous and one of the most important ancient cities in the world, Ephesus. Ephesus was a port city from the classical Greek to the Roman times. It is also the largest archaeological park of Turkey. In Ephesus, we will also get to see the Temple of Artemis, the Goddess of wild animals and birth. Ephesus has a very important history behind it. Parts of its history are St. Mary and St. John. Virgin Mary's house, which is our next stop, is fairly close to Ephesus. This house is where St. Mary spent her last days. Near the house, there is the St. John church. St. John was an individual that had a huge role in spreading Christianity and is a very significant part of Ephesus's history. From Ephesus, we will drive to Kusadasi and stay the night there.

On the 9th day of our tour, we will visit Aphrodisas which is an ancient city named after the Goddess of Love Aphrodite. From there, we will go to the Pamukkale travertines which are mineral rich thermal waters that formed as a result of an earthquake. From there we will go to Hierapolis, another ancient ruin where the Tomb of Philip the Apostle and hot springs that have been in use since the second century BC is. We will spend the night in Pamukkale.

On the 10th day we will make our way down to Antalya, a very popular city for tourism with its mesmerizing views of the Mediterranean Sea. Here we will first visit the old town of Kaleici which has structures dating back to the time of the Roman, Byzantine, Seljuk, and Ottoman empire. After we explore Kaleici, we will go on a very relaxing boat tour along the entire coast of Antalya. Then we will have time to see and buy fabulous Turkish leather goods. After this, we will go to our hotel for the night.

In the morning, we will go to the Aspendos Ancient Theatre. Aspendos was a Greco-Roman port city and was one of the most important locations back when it was active. After visiting Aspendos, we will drive to Konya to visit the Mevlana/Rumi Museum. In the museum, Rumi's tomb can be found. Our last stop will be the Karatay Madrases which is home to tiles from the Seljuk Empire. We will stay the night in Konya.

In the morning, we will visit Çatalhöyük, which is famous all across the world for being the first city in the world. After exploring the place where villages first formed a living space together, we will visit the Ihlara Valley, where we can see one of the most magical views. After passing the valley, we will arrive at Derinkuyu. Under Derinkuyu lies an underground city built to protect the people from invading forces. The city is 18 stories underground. We will then move on to Cappadocia and stay the night.

Cappadocia is widely known for its fairy chimneys. If you wish to go on a hot air balloon tour to get an even better view of the cone shaped rocks, then you can in the morning for an extra cost. After that, as a whole group, we will visit the Goreme Open-Air Museum, Zelve & Pasabag valleys, and the Love Valley to get even better views of the fairy chimneys, churches, and etc. Then we will return to our hotel. If you are looking for something fun to do overnight, you are welcome to watch the Sufi Whirling Dervish show at the cost of 25$ per person.

On the last day of our tour, we will visit the carpet and ceramic workshops and then move on to the Devrent Valley where we can get a different perspective of the magical fairy chimneys. Afterwards we will stop at the 3 famous fairy chimneys known as the Three Beauties and take a break for photos. Tonight, you may attend a Turkish Night at the cost of 45$ per person before returning to the hotel.

Today we will leave the city of Kayseri in the morning and fly to Istanbul. Today we will have free time in Istanbul. Our guide may suggest us an extra tour. Stay in your comfortable hotel.

Fly to our homes with mesmerizing views and great memories we will remember forever. Goodbye Turkey!