A wonderful adventure!
ISTANBUL & CAPPADOCIA, including the Aegean coastal sites of Ephesus and Troy
September 1-12, 2008

Discover sites important to the heritage of Western Civilization on this great adventure to Istanbul and the fascinating caves at Cappadocia. We will also visit the two greatest Greek sites on the Aegean coast, Ephesus and Troy. Led by an excellent local guide.

Itinerary

Day 01. Arrival to Istanbul
Upon arrival meet with Tour Guide at the airport and transfer to the hotel. In the evening enjoy with your Welcome Dinner in a traditional local restaurant. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 02. Istanbul
We devote the entire day to sightseeing in Istanbul. First of all, we stop at outstanding Topkapi Palace once home to the great Sultans; it is filled with treasures and antiquities including twelve thousand pieces of fine Chinese porcelain. Then we visit Blue Mosque built in 1609 by Sultan Ahmet. The interior walls are covered with twenty thousand blue Iznik tiles. Our sightseeing continues with Archaeology Museum, having an importance and specialty being one of the museum buildings that are constructed as a Museum in the World. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 03. Istanbul
Spend morning with Hippodrome and Basilica of St. Sophia, which has inspired architects and religious leaders for over fifteen hundred years. Constructed in 326 by Constantine the Great, it has been a cathedral, a mosque, and now a museum. Then visit Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts, considered one of the finest collections of Islamic art in the world.

Day 04. Istanbul – Cappadocia
Today we take the short flight to Kayseri near to Cappadocia. After transferring to Cappadocia area, enjoy a tour of one of the Underground City, built by the Christian inhabitants of this region tunnelling into the soft volcanic rock of large hill. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 05. Cappadocia
Our sightseeing begins with a visit to the fascinating Goreme Valley. The lunar like landscape of this region is eerie, yet beautiful. Over thousand of years, the rain has eroded this landscape to give rise to strange rock formations known as “Fairy Chimneys”. Many of these have homes and churches carved into them. Some of the grottos are magnificently decorated with colorful frescoes depicting biblical scenes. Then visit local municipality carpet cooperation, sort of a carpet farm where you will get the chance to explore the district from a cultural perspective. Overnight in Cappadocia.

Day 06. Cappadocia - Kusadasi
Spend the morning with Zelve that became one of the most important settlements and religious centers for the Christian community between the ninth and thirteenth centuries and the hidden, monastic valley of Pasabagi, which has a large number of carved rock houses and churches. Then we will visit a typical Turkish village, Avanos to see the techniques of ceramic art dating from 12th B.C. to 3rd B.C. periods. We admire seeing the villagers’ making potteries with an enjoyable show. Then transfer to Kayseri Airport to have a direct flight of Sun Express Airlines at 19:25 pm to Izmir. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 07. Kusadasi
Wake up to a morning with the excellent overview of the Kusadasi bay. Today’s excursion includes Ephesus, the largest ancient city ever uncovered, also a port city linking Sardis to Susa. As we walk down the marble covered streets, we see Temple of Artemis (Diana). It was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In the afternoon visit House of Virgin Mary, where she is believed to have been in her last days. Overnight in Kusadasi.

Day 08. Kusadasi – Pergamum – Assos
Our road takes us to an ancient city Pergamum. Upon the death of Alexander the Great, his empire was left to the general Lysimachos. Take a deep-look at the magnificent Acropolis, the temple was surrounded with galleries. The lower galleries were Doric order, and the upper Ionian. Then marvellous Asclepion, a winding road takes one to the sacred centre of Asklepios. Mud and hot baths were used as a therapy. Drive to Assos to spend the night in a charming stone hotel dating from Greek time and was used as a caravanserai.

Day 09. Assos – Istanbul
Today’s included excursions are Assos, home of the 6th BC Doric Temple of Athena that has Ionic influences and is the only surviving example of Doric architecture in Anatolia and Troy; one of the oldest discovered sights in Asia Minor with its 9 different settlements and related 30 cities, including symbolic wooden Trojan horse commemorating the legendary war. Then transfer to Fast Ferry to cross Marmara Sea to Istanbul. Overnight in Istanbul.

Day 10. Departure Istanbul
After a farewell breakfast transfer to Ataturk Airport to have a flight to home.

$2,795 + air.