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Turkish Odyssey (Small Group Tour) - 17 Days / 16 Nights
ItineraryDay 1 Sun: IstanbulUpon arrival you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Day 2 Mon: IstanbulEnjoy a full day tour including a visit to Topkapi Palace Museum, residence of the Ottoman Sultans between the years 1453–1852 (excluding harem). Visit the Hippodrome, which was once the center of life where chariot racing and other public events took place. Tour the Blue Mosque built between 1609 and 1616, famous for its blue ceramic tiles. Your last stop will be the famous Grand Bazaar, the world’s largest and oldest covered market with over 60 streets. Join an optional dinner with belly dancing entertainment. Day 3 Tue: Istanbul – Gallipoli – Troy – AssosIn the morning depart for Gallipoli, the site of many battles during WWI. Visit Anzac Cove, Lone Pine Cemetery and Chunuk Bair, then cross the Dardanelles to Canakkale to visit Troy with its famous wooden horse. Continue to Canakkale for overnight at Nazlihan Boutique Hotel or similar. Day 4 Wed: Assos – Pergamum – KusadasiAfter breakfast depart for Pergamum. Before arriving in to Asclepion, enjoy a lunch with locals in a traditional local village. Tour the ancient Medical Center Asclepion in Pergamum and continue to Kusadasi for overnight at Carina Hotel or similar. Day 5 Thu: Ephesus & St.Mary’s House – PamukkaleTour the famous ruins of Ephesus, an important cultural center of the ancient world, and explore 2,000 year-old marble streets, a theater, the Library of Celsius, a gymnasium and Hadrian’s Temple. Take a short drive to see St. Mary’s stone cottage where it is believed Virgin Mary spent her last years Day 6 Fri: Pamukkale – BodrumAfter Breakfast visit ruins of the Roman health spa of Hierapolis and later drive to Bodrum to visit the Castle of St.Peter and the renowned Day 7 Sat: Bodrum – MarmarisAfter breakfast, late morning departure to foundations of the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Afterwards, depart to Marmaris. Rest of the day at leisure. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris Fantasia Hotel or similar (2 nights). Day 8 Sun: MarmarisEnjoy a day at leisure at this lovely town of Marmaris or an optional day tour to Rhodes. Dinner and overnight in Marmaris. Day 9 Mon: Marmaris – Dalyan - KalkanAfter breakfast, depart for Dalyan. Arrive at Dalyan village after a short trip and take a river boat to have a tour to the famous mud baths with sulphur hot springs. View the Ancient Kings’ Tombs of Caunos Day 10 Tue: Kalkan – Myra – AntalyaAfter breakfast depart for Antalya, en route Day 11 Wed: Perge –Aspendos – AntalyaThis morning visit Perge and Aspendos afternoon is free for personal activities. Dinner at local restaurant. Day 12 Thu: Antalya – KonyaEarly morning departure for Konya visit mausoleum of the sufi philosopher Mevlana Dinner and overnight in Konya at Hilton Garden Inn or similar. Day 13 Fri: Konya – CappadociaAfter breakfast departure to Cappadocia on the Day 14 Sat: CappadociaEarly Morning Optional: Hot Air Balloon Tour. Experience floating through volcanic valleys, fairy chimneys and caves at sunrise. After breakfast visit Goreme, a historical region of Turkey, located among the rock formations, which was first settled back in the Roman period. Many rock churches can still be seen today, as Christianity was then the prevailing religion in that region. Continue to the town of Avanos renowned for its high quality earthenware. Also visit Pasabagi, Red Valley and attend a brief regional pottery workshop. Dinner at a special local restaurant. Day 15 Sun: Cappadocia – Ankara – SafranboluEarly morning departure to the Day 16 Mon: Safranbolu – IstanbulAfter breakfast visit the old part of Safranbolu, then continue to Istanbul. In the afternoon, join an optional half-day St. Sophia & Bosphorus cruise enjoying the strait that separates Asia and Europe. Its shores are lined with fine neighborhoods, Ottoman palaces, fortresses, old wooden villas Day 17 Tue: IstanbulTransfer to the airport for your return flight home. Dates & Pricing
Accommodations
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