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DAY 1 - ISTANBUL Thursday
Welcome to Istanbul. After clearing customs and immigration, our representative meets you at the airport and helps you transfer to your hotel. After check-in to the hotel, afternoon is at leisure. You can rest in your room or you can take a walk around the hotel. Before dinner, gather for an Orientation Briefing. Your tour guide will go over the details of your upcoming trip.
DAY 2 - ISTANBUL Friday
Today we will drive to the Old City to visit Topkapi Palace, the main residence of the Ottoman Sultans, with its jewel encrusted treasury and elegant four courts. Next visit the famous Hagia Sophia Museum, once the largest church in the world for 1000 years. After lunch, visit the Blue Mosque, designed with 6 delicate minarets and a striking blue Iznik tiled interior. Nearby, take a stroll through the site of the ancient Hippodrome, once the sporting ground of chariots and political riots, and see the Egyptian Obelisk, Serpentine Column and Fountain of Wilhelm II. Finally, visit the Grand Bazaar, where you can shop or haggle with local merchants over unusual antiques, colorful spices, beautiful jewelry and richly textured fabrics. (B)
DAY 3 - ISTANBUL Saturday
This morning we will explore the bustling Egyptian Spice Market of 17th century origin - a colorful bazaar heaped with spices, Turkish sweets, dried foods and much more. Then we take a Bosphorus Cruise Sightseeing Boat Trip * (2 hr boat ride) up Istanbul's winding straits for a chance to relax and admire the shoreline of beautiful mosques, lavish palaces and decadent villas - you'll see Dolmabahce and Beylerbeyi Palaces, Ottoman summer mansions and Ortakoy mosque, the defensive Rumeli Fortress and Bosphorus Bridge - one of the world's largest suspension bridges, all alongside passing fishing boats, yachts, huge cargo ships and tankers. After lunch we will drive across the Bosphorus Bridge to reach the highest point of Istanbul called Camlica Hill. There you can enjoy an absolutely magnificent view of the whole city. Then walk around Uskudar which was anciently known as Chrysopolis meaning The City of Gold. (B)
DAY 4 - ISTANBUL / GALLIPOLI / CANAKKALE Sunday
Today discover the Gallipoli Peninsula. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Australian Memorial and Cemetery, the original tunnels and trenches at Johnston Jolly, The Nek Cemetery, Chunuk-Bair New Zealand Memorial and Kabatepe War Museum. After Gallipoli cross the Dardanalles and overnight in Canakkale. (B,D)
DAY 5 - CANAKKALE/ TROY / PERGAMUM / KUSADASI Monday
After breakfast drive to Homer's Troy, and the site of King Priam's Treasures. Probably the most famous city of classical times - who doesn't know the story of the Trojan Horse. After Troy, you will enjoy a scenic drive through Thrace to visit the hauntingly beautiful the ancient city of Pergamon. You will visit the Altar of Zeus, Temple of Dionysus and the 200,000 volume library, and The Asclepieum of Pergamon. Enjoy dinner at our hotel on the beach in Kusadasi. (B,D)
DAY 6 - KUSADASI / EPHESUS / KUSADASI Tuesday
After breakfast we drive to the ancient city of Ephesus and first visit the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was undoubtedly one of the most important cultural centers of the ancient world. Impressive structures we will see include the Library of Celsus, Temple of Hadrian, Theatre and Odeon. We also visit the House of the Virgin Mary. We stay overnight at our resort hotel in Kusadasi. (B,D)
DAY 7 - KUSADASI / PAMUKKALE Wednesday
After breakfast depart Pamukkale, or white castle in Turkish, is a geothermal feature of terraced hot springs in southwest Turkey. The ancient city of Hierapolis was constructed atop the springs and many ruins remain. Overnight at a thermal hotel in Pamukkale. (B,D)
DAY 8 - PAMUKKALE / APHRODISIAS / ANTALYA Thursday
This morning drive north through Taurus Mountains towards Antalya. On the way we will stop at Aphrodisias, the Ancient City which was dedicated to Aphrodite the Goddess of Love. The Temple's theater and stadium are excellently preserved. Then drive to Antalya. Overnight at our hotel on the beach in Antalya.(B,D)
DAY 9 - ANTALYA / PERGE / ASPENDOS Friday
Antalya, first a Pamphylian, and later a Roman city. This morning visit the Antalya Regional Archaeological Museum and an orientation tour of the city. Delve further into history in the ancient city ruins of Perge, built in 1,000 B.C. by Greeks from Northern Anatolia, a region of Turkey also known as Asia Minor. The city thrived under Roman rule during the second-century B.C., from which most of the ruins date. The theater at Aspendos has a capacity of 15,000 people and is the best preserved in the Mediterranean Basin. Overnight in Antalya. (B,D)
DAY 10 - ANTALYA / ISTANBUL
After breakfast you will be transferred to Antalya Airport for your flight back to Istanbul. Enjoy a free afternoon in Istanbul at your leisure. (B)
Day 11 - ISTANBUL
Departure transfers by our representative to Istanbul Airport for your flight to the next destination. (B)
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Turkey
