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TOUR ITINERARY:
July 6 Sat
Arrive Istanbul
Welcome to Istanbul, one of the most beautiful cities of the
world lies on 2 continents. Our representative will meet you
after the customs and baggage claim with a sign YOUR NAME on
it, then transfer to your hotel. Dinner and
overnight in Istanbul (D)
July 7 Sun Istanbul
Visit the Kariye Museum (St. Chora Church) famous for its
Byzantine mosaics and frescoes, the Topkapi Palace, home of
the Ottoman rulers for 400 years. It is now a museum housing
a world renowned collection of jewelry and porcelain. Then
visit the 6th century St. Sophia‘s (Hagia Sophia) built by
the emperor Justinian, to be the grandest church of
Christianity, it is now a museum. (B,D)
July 8 Mon Istanbul - Ankara
Morning visit to the Mosaic Museum with its exquisite scenes
of rural life, then the Hippodrome Square and the famous
Covered Bazaar. Afternoon flight to Ankara for dinner and
overnight. (B,D)
July 9 Tue Ankara - Bogazkale - Yazilikaya -
Ankara
Morning departure for the center of the Hittite era. Visit
Bogazkale (Hattusas) which is known as the city of temples.
See the Kings Gate, the Lions Gate, the tunnel, great
citadel, grand temple and the museum. Also see the ancient
site of Yazilikaya (inscribed rock), close to Bogazkale.
This is the most famous of the Hittite rock monuments. Here
there is also an open air pantheon. Reliefs of Hittite gods
and goddesses adorn the walls. These are carved into the
native rock and date back to the 13th century BC. Return to
Ankara for overnight (B,D).
July 10 Wed Ankara – Gordion – Catalhoyuk – Konya
Drive to Polatli village to visit Gordion, the capital
of the Phrygian kingdom in the first millennium B.C. Then
drive to Catalhoyuk, the Neolithic Anatolian Hoyuk.
Since 1993 an international team of
archaeologists, led by Professor Ian Hodder, has been
carrying out new research at Çatalhöyük. Then drive to
Konya, ancient Iconium for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
July 11 Thu Konya – Side
– Perga – Aspendos - Antalya
Drive to Antalya. A full day is devoted to the striking
Greco-Roman Archaeological sites along the Turkish Riviera.
Stop first at Perge, a wealthy and culturally well-developed
city in ancient times. A few miles away is Aspendos, where
the prosperity this city experienced in the second and third
centuries AD is still visible. Enormous blocks of marble
were transported from as far as the Marmara Island for the
construction and ornamentation of its imposing buildings.
After lunch continue to Side, an ancient Turkish harbor that
has made a graceful transition into a lovely resort village.
Its present popularity is due not only to its new resort
atmosphere, but also to the many archaeological ruins that
permeate this ancient settlement. (B,L,D)
July 12 Fri Antalya - Termessos – Antalya
Visit the award winning Archaeological Museum of Antalya
in the morning. Then drive up to Taurus mountains to visit
the Roman city of Termessos. You need comfortable shoes to
walk up the hill. See the theater of Termessos and then
return to Antalya for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
July 13 Sat Laodicea –
Hiearpolis - Pamukkale
Drive to Pamukkale. First visit Laodicea and the newly
excavated area. Then visit Hierapolis, its theater, the
Necropolis and the Archaeological Museum. Dinner and
overnight at the hotel. Swimming is available at the hot
spring pool of your hotel. (B,D)
July 14 Sun Pamukkale - Aphrodisias – Nysa -
Kusadasi
Drive to Aphrodisias, the recently excavated Roman city
dedicated to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite. The site is
being excavated by the New York University. The excavations
are still going on as in many other ancient sites. See the
Hadrian Baths, the well preserved Stadium, the Theater, the
Agora and the beautiful Archaeological Museum containing the
best Aphrodite Statues in Anatolia. Continue to the ancient
city of Nysa to see the ruins from Hellenistic and Roman
periods. Proceed to Kusadasi for dinner and overnight. (B,D)
July 15
Mon Miletus – Didyma – Priene – Kusadasi
Drive to Miletus to visit the Theater and the remains
of the city. Continue to Didyma to see the Temple of Apollo
which was the Oracle center of Asia Minor. Then visit the
Greco-Roman city of Priene. Return to Kusadasi for dinner
and overnight. (B,D)
July 16 Tue Ephesus - Izmir (Smyrna)
Leave for Ephesus. Visit the Shrine of the Virgin Mary where
she supposedly spent her later days. Proceed to Ephesus and
see the spectacular ruins from the period of St. Paul, some
of which are only recently excavated. See the Odeon, the
Bouleterion, the Fountains, the Temples, the Brothel, the
Library, the Agoras, the Great Theater, the Roman Baths, the
Gymnasiums, the Archaeological Museum, St. John’s Basilica
and his tomb and the Temple of Artemis (one of the Seven
Wonders of the ancient world). Continue to Izmir for dinner
and overnight. (B,D)
July 17 Wed Sardes – Smyrna – Izmir
Drive East to Sardis, the capital of the Lydian Empire
where the coin is first invented. See the 3rd century
Synagogue, the great Gymnasium, the golden river Pactalos,
the Royal Road and the Temple of Artemis. Return to Izmir
and visit the Roman Agora and the new Archaeology Museum in
Fuar area. Dinner and overnight in Izmir. (B,D)
July 18 Thu Pergamon -
Assos
Drive to Pergamon Acropolis to see the steepest Theater of
the ancient world, the Temple of Trajan, then visit the
Asklepion, the ancient hospital. Proceed to Assos to see the
Temple of Athena overlooking the Aegean Sea. Dinner and
overnight in Assos. (B,D)
July 19
Fri Troy - Gallipoli - Istanbul
Drive to Homer’s legendary Troy, famous for its wooden
horse. Archaeological digs have proved that there had been
nine separate periods of settlement in Troy. Cross the
Dardanelles by car-ferry, drive to Istanbul for dinner and
overnight. (B,D)
July 20 Sat Istanbul
Visit the Archaeological Museum containing the greatest
treasures of Greek and Roman antiquities discovered in
Turkey, the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Camii), everyone’s
favorite with its six minarets and blue Iznik tiles, and the
Underground Cistern. We take an afternoon boat tour which
take us along both the European and Asiatic shores of the
Bosphorus. Tonight a farewell dinner at an outdoor seafood
restaurant. (B,D)
July 21
Sun Istanbul - End
Transfer to Istanbul airport. Fly back to Denver. End of our
services. (B)
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