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Discover Anatolia: Extensive Tour
11 Nights / 12
Days |
Day 1: Arrival in İstanbul
 Upon
arrival in Istanbul Ataturk Airport, you
will be met by a Estamos Travel
representative and transferred to your
hotel. You have the afternoon and evening
free to relax and/or check out the city.
Dinner and overnight stay in the hotel.
Day 2: İstanbul
We will leave hotel in the morning to visit
the spectacular Blue Mosque and Külliye (Süleymaniye
Camii ve Kulliyesi) decorated with beautiful
17th century Iznik tiles. Then stroll around
the historical Hippodrome (Hipodrom) where
chariot races were once held. Continue with
the magnum opus of Byzantine art: the
Hagia
Sophia / St. Sophia and Museum (Aya Sofya
Muzesi).
An early Christian church, later converted
to church under Ottoman rule, this
magnificent temple now serving as a museum
with all the artifacts from the Byzantine
era intact, is especially famous for its
mosaics. In the afternoon, we will visit the
Topkapı Palace and Museum (Topkapı Sarayı
Müzesi), the residence of the legendary
Ottoman Sultans, now converted into a
museum. It consists of several exhibition
halls, such as the Treasury, the porcelain
section, Armory and Holy Relics. We will
complete this historical day with a visit to
the Grand Bazaar (Kapalı Çarşı), and return
to the hotel for overnight.
Day 3: İstanbul
 Today
you will have two options to choose from. If
you are feeling a little tired from all the
activities and things to see, we invite you
to join us for a day of relaxation in the
Princess Islands.* If you are feeling more
adventurous, or have a specific plan in mind
that was not included in the tour plan, this
is the perfect day to execute it. For those
of you who would like to join us, we will
take a morning ferry ride to Buyukada, the
biggest of the Princess Islands which used
to be the summer resort for the wealthy
non-Muslim community. There will be a tour
of the Island by horse drawn carriages, a
wonderful patio lunch and free time to do
shopping, walking around the island (where
there is no motor vehicles traffic). Or, you
may just lie down in the sun and relax. A
ferry ride in the evening will take us back
to the city and our hotel for overnight.
Day 4: İstanbul & Ankara
We will take you to Spice Market (Mısır
Çarşısı), in use as one of the world’s
largest spice bazaars since 1665. Next, we
will board the ferries across the Bosphorus
which will take you to both European and
Asian
 sides
of the city. This beautiful voyage will take
you along the shores of Bosphorus, and you
will see the Rumeli Fortress from the 15th
century as well as the seaside summer
palaces and unique wooden houses of the
area, as well as the natural beauty of the
forests above. The last stop on the cruise
is the fishing village of Sariyer, close to
the Black Sea. From there on we will drive
you by coach via the world’s only
Intercontinental Bridge to take you to
Camlica Hill on the Asian side. Camlica is
the highest tip in Istanbul where you will
enjoy breathtaking views of Istanbul. We
will visit the Beylerbeyi Palace, the summer
residence of the royal Ottoman family with
original furniture and magnificent gardens.
After the tour, you will be transferred for
your flight to Ankara. Upon arrival, you
will be met by a Tulumba Travel
representative and transferred to your hotel
for overnight.
Day 5: Ankara & Cappadocia
 Following
breakfast we will leave our hotel and visit
the Anatolian Civilizations Museum to see
some of the most impressive exhibits of the
Hitite Civilization. After the museum, we
will continue to Ataturk Mausoleum and see
the resting place of the father of the
modern Republic of Turkey. We will drive to
Cappadocia in the afternoon and visit the
13th Century Agzikarahan CaravanSerai en
route. We will arrive in Nevsehir and check
into our hotel for overnight.
Day 6: Cappadocia
Today will be a full-day Cappadocia tour. We
will start off with the Goreme Valley Open
Air Museum with its bizarre and charming
ancient churches and chapels carved into
stone. The red rock Fairy Chimneys, the
Valley of Zelve and Avanos –famous for their
crafts and pottery will be our next
destination. We will, then, drive to the
fantastic underground city of Kaymakli
carved and dug in the 7th century. This city
was used as a refuge by Christians during
Roman persecution. We will return back to
our hotel in the evening for overnight.
 Day
7: Konya & Pamukkale
We will leave Cappadocia early and drive to
Konya. En route, we will visit the 13th
century Seljukian caravanserai Sultanhan.
Upon arrival in Konya we will be seeing the
famous Mevlana Museum and the Teheological
School of Whirling Dervishes. Following
lunch we will continue our drive to
Pamukkale. Overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 8: Pamukkale & Kuşadası
Following breakfast, we will visit the
ancient city of Hierapolis. The ruins of
Hierapolis contains one of the biggest
Necropolis Graveyard of the ancient world.
We will see magnificent examples of Roman
Baths, Basilica and the world famous calcium
cliffs. After lunch, we will visit the
Greco-Roman settlement which is remarkably
well preserved.
 This
ancient city is dedicated to the Goddess of
Love, Aphrodite. We will continue our drive
afterwards to Kusadasi for dinner and
overnight.
Day 9: Kuşadası
Following breakfast we will depart for a
full day tour of Ephesus (Efes). Ephesus is
one of the most extensive and complete
Greco-Roman cities in the world. It contains
one of the Seven Churches or Revelation, as
well as an ancient large port which had a
population of 250,000. Walking through the
marble streets, visitors can not help but
imagine the grandeur of this –once- great
city and its influence in the development of
architecture, religion and economic systems
and arts. It should also be mentioned that
St. Paul lived and preached in this wonder
city. After lunch, in the area, we will
visit the Archeological Museum of Selcuk,
the Basilica of St. Jean / St John (St. John
Bazilikası), and the House of Virgin Mary,
where she is believed to have spent her last
days. We will take you back to Kuşadası for
dinner and overnight.
 Day
10: Kuşadası & Pergamum & Çanakkale
Leaving the Kusadasi area, we will drive to
the Asian Pergamum (Bergama) Ruins, the most
favored of the Seven Churches of Revelation.
Christianity reached the city of Pergamum
very early and this particular church was
praised for its forbearance during hard
times. It was here in Pergamum, that the
first Christians were executed by Romans.
You will see the Acropolis of the
Hellenistic City of Pergamum, located 1,000
feet above town, as well as the Altar of
Zeus, and the Temples of Trojan and
Dionysus. Following lunch, we will go on to
Asklepion –the earliest bath center of Asia
Minor-, and the Red Basilica which was
dedicated to Egyptian Gods: Serapes, Isis
and Harpocrates. Not far is the city of
Troas which will be our next spot. In his
second journey, Paul had a vision in which
he was called to Macedonia in which instance
he made his passing through this ancient
city. Later in his third journey, Paul spent
a week in Troas preaching and resurrected
Eutychus. We will continue our drive north
to Canakkale for dinner and overnight.
Day 11: Çanakkale & İstanbul
 Following
breakfast we will leave our hotel and visit
Troy, the legendary town of the Iliad of
Homer. The first excavations were made by
the German archeologist Heinrich Schliemann
in 1971, and it was revealed
that Troy was a real place –not just a
mythological legend. You will see the
excavations showing several layers of this
civilization and the recreated Wooden Horse
of Troy. We will continue our journey north
to the ferry across the Dardanelles to
Istanbul for overnight.
Day 12:
İstanbul
We will transfer you back to the airport for
your return flight.
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