DAY 1 THURSDAY
USA - ISTANBUL
Overnight flight to Istanbul.
DAY 2 FRIDAY
ISTANBUL
“Merhaba” (hello) is the cheerful welcome of your Alexander and Troy guide who meets you upon arrival in Istanbul and escorts you to your hotel. The rest of your day is free to relax or explore Istanbul on your own. Meet other tour members during a welcoming reception.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 3 SATURDAY
ISTANBUL
A full day to explore some of Istanbul’s most famous treasures that bridge the past and present, East and West, beginning with the ancient Hippodrome. Next, visit the Blue Mosque, the only mosque in the world with six minarets. Explore the worldly treasures of the Topkapi Palace. After lunch overlooking the Bosphorus, visit St. Sophia a cathedral built in 536 AD, converted to a mosque in 1453 and now a museum where early Christian mosaics and Islamic calligraphy live side-by-side. End your day on a classic note as you stroll through the 6th Century Underground Cistern.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 4 SUNDAY
ISTANBUL - IZMIR
Wander through the labyrinth tunnels of the Grand Bazaar. Built in 1461, it is one of the oldest and largest covered market places in the world. Barter for colorful kilims, leather goods and jewelry before transferring to the airport late in the afternoon for your short flight to Izmir.
Overnight in Izmir.
DAY 5 MONDAY | B L D
IZMIR - EPHESUS - APRHODISIAS - PAMUKKALE
Sit in the same theatre where St. Paul preached and Roman dramas were performed. Stroll the marble streets of Ephesus, one of the most complete cities of antiquity, past the Library of Celsus, the baths and the Gate of Hadrian and Roman terrace houses. Visit nearby St. John’s Basilica and the last home of the Virgin Mary before continuing to Aphrodisias, the city dedicated to the goddess of love and home to a school of sculpture that made its way across the Roman world. Visit the Temple of Aphrodite and one of the finest ancient stadiums ever built. Continue to Pamukkale where the natural wonder of the its tiers of white limestone inspired more man-made wonders such as the Roman baths and theater of ancient Hierapois.
Overnight in Pamukkale.
DAY 6 TUESDAY
PAMUKKALE - ANTALYA
Your odyssey continues through the Turkish countryside, past lovely lakes to the foot of the Taurus mountain. Here you will visit with a nomadic tribe and learn about their daily life which is as interwoven into the cycle of the land as are the colors and textures of the carpets they weave. Continue south to Antalya, arriving in time to explore this enchanting city set on the shores of the Mediterranean before the sun sets.
Overnight in Antalya.
DAY 7 WEDNESDAY
ANTALYA - ASPENDOS - PERGE - ANTALYA
Continue your Greco-Roman quest today by visiting Aspendos which has one of the best preserved theaters in the world. Its acoustics are so fine that a coin dropped on stage can be heard in the last row. You will be rejuvenated during a refreshing stop to enjoy the beauty of the Kursunlu waterfalls. Then on to Perge whose extensive ruins include a stadium that once echoed to the roar of 15,000 spectators.
Overnight in Antalya.
DAY 8 THURSDAY
ANTALYA - KONYA - CAPPADOCIA
Drive through the Taurus Mountains to Central Anatolia to Turkey’s oldest city - Konya, the capital of the Seljuk Empire, but known throughout the world as the home of the Whirling Dervishes. You will visit the Mevlana Museum named for the 13th century founder and the Slender Minaret Medrese Continue to Cappadocia stopping of along the way to visit a typical Seljuk caravansary, to see what life was like for the member of a caravan.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 9 FRIDAY
CAPPADOCIA - GOREME - CAPPADOCIA
Nature’s balancing act of the chimney-like rock formations that abound throughout Cappadocia’s rugged landscape are as fantastic as man’s accomplishments below its surface. Descend 8 stories to the intricate underground city of Kaymakli where early Christians fleeing persecution lived for months at a time undetected. Visit the Byzantine churches of Goreme carved into the cliffs with frescoes dating to the 7th century, the hidden valley of Zelve and Avanos where the distinctive red clay of the Kizilirmak River has kept celebrated potters in business for centuries.
Overnight in Cappadocia.
DAY 10 SATURDAY
CAPPADOCIA - ANKARA - ISTANBUL
Morning drive to Ankara, Turkey’s capital since 1923. After lunch at Kaleici within the walls of a medieval fortress, you’ll visit the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, filled with treasures from the region from the Hittites all the way back to the Paleolithic Age. In the late afternoon you ‘ll be transferred to the airport for your short flight to Istanbul. Enjoy a farewell dinner at the Kervansaray.
Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 11 SUNDAY
ISTANBUL
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay with another Alexander and Troy tour.
LAND TOUR FEATURES
- Accommodations in first class hotels as mentioned or similar.
- Guaranteed departures with minimum 2 people.
- Services of professional , English speaking guide.
- 9 Breakfasts 8 Lunches 7 Dinners
- All sightseeing and admission fees.
Tags: anatolian, ankara, ANTALYA, aprhodisisas, ASPENDOS, avanos, cappadocia, ephesus, goreme, Grand Bazaar, greco-roman, hittities, istanbul, izmir, kaleici, kaymakli, kizilirmak, konya, kursunlu, mevlana, pamukkale, PERGE, taurus, turkey at a glance, zelve
