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turkey grandeur
with
troy
(Istanbul-Cappadoccia-Konya-Pamukkale-Kusadasi-Troy-Kanakkale)
departure every friday
Day 1 (Friday) Istanbul: Arrival in Istanbul, meet and greet Concept Voyages' representative and transfer to hotel. Byzantium, Constantinople, Istanbul, by any name the city is as glorious. After a short rest departure for Bosphorus Cruise and Egyptian Bazaar tour. Enjoy the Bosphorus Cruise, through the waterway separating the two continents, Europe and Asia, with a possibility to take photographs of marble palaces, ancient wooden villas of Ottoman architecture besides
modern residentials and luxurious apartments. This is a relaxing way to take in some major landmarks including the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, the Bosphorus Suspension Bridge and the imposing waterfront villas of Istanbul. We end the tour with a visit to the Rumeli Fortress. Built by Sultan Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, it is an impressive work of ancient military architecture. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 2 (Saturday) Istanbul: After breakfast, proceed for the full day city tour including Blue Mosque, Hippodrome, Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace and St. Sophia. This guided walking tour of old Istanbul. Stating with Haghia Sophia, the most influential church of Byzantium. Originally built by Emperor Constantine in the 4th century, it still stands today as one of the world's greatest architectural marvels. Next visit the Blue Mosque, another of the world's most important religious buildings. Built in the 16th century the mosque is
unique for it's 6 minarets and it's celestial interior decorated with the famous blue Iznik tiles. We then visit the Hippodrome, scene of chariot races. Although little remains of the great stadium which, in its hey day, is thought to have held 100.000 people, the Obelisk of Theodosius, the Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine are the highlights. Towards the end of your tour visit the Grand Bazaar, a mind-boggling labyrinth of 4000 tiny shops selling jewellery, antiques, carpets, leatherwear and souvenirs. Lunch included in the tour.
Drop back after the hotel after the tour. Overnight stay at hotel.
Day 3 (Sunday) Istanbul-Ankara-Cappadoccia: After breakfast transfer to the airport for early flight to Ankara. The capital of Turkey and one of the fastest growing cities in the world with a history that can be dated back 3000 years.
Meet and greet on arrival by concept voyages representative, visit the Anatolian Civilizations Museum, which also exhibits the remains of Catalhoyuk, the Neolithic village dating back to 6500 BC. Then visit the Mausoleum of Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. After lunch at a local restaurant in Ankara, proceed for the destination, the mysterious
Cappadoccia. Dinner and overnight at hotel in Cappadoccia.
Day 4 (Monday) Cappadoccia: After breakfast proceed for Sightseeing in this unique corner of the world. Visit to Pigeon Valley and the natural citadel of Uchisar, followed by Goreme Open-Air Museum, which is full of pink, rose and white tapering columns. These tall free standing cones of stone curve and twist as if pulled from earth like taffy. Others are tall like fairy chimneys. The caves were settled in the 4th century as monasteries. Visit some caves on the cliffs to see Byzantine frescoes decorating early Christian churches
Kaymakli Underground City; carved out of rock and completely self-contained. More than 200 people lived on each of seven floors with the last one 250 feet underground. It is connected to Derinkuyu Underground city by six miles of tunnel. Lunch at a typical restaurant of the region and visit Avanos Village. Free time for shopping. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 5 (Tuesday) Cappadoccia-Konya-Pamukkale: After breakfast, transfer to Konya. On the way to Konya, visit 13th century Selcuk caravanserai "Sultanhan". Visit the tomb of Mevlana, the great mystic poet and Islamic spiritual leader, who founded the sect of ''Whirling Dervishes''. After lunch continue to Pamukkale, the cotton fortress, which rises above the fertile Menderes Valley. Hot mineral waters burst from the earth and cascade over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic waters here were
known to founders of the cure city of Hierapolis in 190 BC. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 6 (Wednesday) Pamukkale-Kusadasi: After breakfast, stroll through the ruins of ancient Hierapolis, the Roman city, and transfer to Kusadasi. En route lunch at a local restaurant and visit Aphrodisias, the ancient city dedicated to the goddess of love, Aphrodite. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 7 (Thursday) Kusadasi: After breakfast, visit the ruins of Ephesus, which played a major role in the development of architecture, religions, governmental and economic systems and arts. The temple of Artemis was one of the Seven Wonders of ancient world and centre of pagan religion for 15 centuries. Here Marc Anthony and Cleopatra once rode in procession, St. Paul preached in the Great Theatre and in a little house outside the city the Virgin Mary spent her last days. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 8 (Friday) Kusadasi-Canakkale: After breakfast, in the morning visit Bergama (ancient Pergamon). Parchment was invented here. This was the hometown of Galen, renowned doctor and surgeon and site of his temple devoted to healing, the Asclepion. The library once held 200,000 books; all parchment. Lunch at a local restaurant in Bergama and in the afternoon drive to Troy, the immortal city of the legendary Helen of Troy and Trojan Horse, which was destroyed and rebuilt nine times. Dinner and overnight stay at hotel.
Day 9 (Saturday) Canakkale-Istanbul: After breakfast in the morning drive to Istanbul by crossing the Dardanelles Strait. Lunch en route. Arrival to Istanbul and transfer to the airport for departure.
End of Tour!
tour inclusions & pricing
Tour Booking Code: CVITR-01
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