Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival to Istanbul
Pass By: Travel Tips Turkey, Hocapaşa Mah, Ebussuud Cd. 4/305, 34110 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Upon our arrival at Istanbul International Airport. Meet, assist and transfer to hotel. Its original name is Byzantium then Constantinople.
It is a most fascinating city, which actually crosses two continents Europe and Asia.
You'll spend the night in Istanbul.
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Istanbul
Day 2: Istanbul
Stop At: Hagia Sophia Mosque, Sultan Ahmet, Ayasofya MeydanI No:1, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Discover the Byzantine and Ottoman treasures of Istanbul. We visit St. Sofia, the (church of the sacred wisdom), converted to a mosque from a Christian basilica after the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Hippodrome, Binbirdirek, Sultan Ahmet ParkI No:2, Istanbul Turkiye
We see the Hippodrome and the Obelisk brought from Egypt.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Blue Mosque, Sultanahmet Mah At Meydani Cad No 7, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Then our next visit is the Blue Mosque with its six minarets.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Basilica Cistern, Alemdar Mahallesi, Yerebatan Caddesi, No:1/3, Istanbul 34410 Turkiye
Before lunch we will visit the Underground Cistern.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Grand Bazaar, Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
Continue with the Grand Bazaar.
Duration: 1 hour
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Istanbul
Day 3: Istanbul
Stop At: Bosphorus Strait, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Morning Bosphorus Cruise in Istanbul.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Misir Carsisi (Spice Market), Rustem Pasa Mahallesi, Erzak Ambari Sok. No:92 Eminonu - Fatih, Istanbul 34116 Turkiye
After free time in Spice Market lunch near Spice Market.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Topkapi Palace, Cankurtaran Mahallesi Gulhane Park, Near Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul 34122 Turkiye
Afternoon we will visit the Topkapi Palace which was the residence of the Ottoman sultans, with its fabulous treasure chambers.
You'll spend the night in Istanbul.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Istanbul
Day 4: Troy
Stop At: Troy (Truva), Tevfikiye Koyu, Intepe, Canakkale Turkiye
After breakfast, we will depart for Gallipoli, through the European lands of Turkey. We'll cross the Dardanelles Strait by ferry-boat. Lunch en route.
Visit ancient Troy, see the legendary walls and the replica of the wooden horse.
Drive to Canakkale, that lends its name to the Straits of the Dardanelles (in antiquity it was called Hellespont). This narrow passage connects the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the Aegean Sea, the Sea of Marmara, and further north opens into the Black Sea, on the southern shores of the former USSR. Check in at the hotel followed by dinner and overnight.
Duration: 2 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Canakkale
Day 5: Pergamon – Thyatira – Izmir
Stop At: Pergamon Ancient City, Akropol Cd. No:6 Hamzalisuleymaniye, Bergama 35700 Turkiye
After breakfast at our hotel in Canakkale, we drive to Pergamum, actually called Bergama. It is one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:12]. Here we explore the impressive Acropolis, the steepest theatre in the world, the Asklepion, famous medical center of classical times, see the Altar of Zeus which is mentioned as the «Throne of Satan» in the book of Revelation, the marble columns of the Temple of Trajan and the Library which was foremost in the world and was long a rival of the equally famous Library of Alexandria in Egypt. Its wealth of volumes was estimated at over 200,000. It inspired the invention of parchment.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Akhisar, Akhisar, Manisa Province
Buffet lunch is provided at a local restaurant. Then we continue our visit to Thyatira, now called Akhisar, another one of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 2:18-24; Acts 16:14]. It was a city famous for purple dyes. We visit the remains of a basilica and some architectural fragments from the Roman period. Lydia, the seller of purple in Philippi, was from Thyatira.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Old Smyrna, Ord. Prof. Dr. Ekrem Akurgal Cad. No: 95, Izmir Turkiye
Before we check in at the hotel in Izmir, we enjoy a panoramic ride of Smyrna, the third largest city in Turkey and one of the sites of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 2:12-17]. Smyrna is a city scarred with a bloody history of trade and warfare. We ascend to Mount Pagus where we visit the Citadel of Lysimachus, commander of Alexander the Great, erected in the 4th century BC. We will also see the Clock Tower. Check in at the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Duration: 3 hours
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Izmir
Day 6: Izmir – Sardis – Philadelphia – Laodicea – Hierapolis
Stop At: Sardis (Sardes), Belediye Cd. No:124 Sart, Salihli 45300 Turkiye
Today we depart early in the morning to one of the most picturesque areas of any of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:1-4], Sardis, presently Sart. This was the capital of the ancient Lydian kingdom of the 6th century BC, portrayed as a dying church.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: The Temple of Artemis, Ataturk, Park Ici Yolu No:12, Selcuk Turkiye
We visit the great Temple of Artemis and restored gymnasium and reconstructed Synagogue. We also see the last several meters of the royal Persian Road from Susa to Sardis built by Cyrus the Great and the «golden» river Pactolus.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: St. Jean Kilisesi, Alasehir Turkiye
Then we continue our journey to Philadelphia, nowadays called Alasehir, another church of the Seven Churches of Asia [Rev. 1:11; 3:7], and the only church not censured. There we see the remains of a Byzantine basilica built of brick, with a bit of high arch and some 11th century frescoes.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Laodikeia Antik Kenti, Pamukkale Bulvari, Oren Caddesi Goncali Mahallesi, Denizli Turkiye
Continue to visit to Laodicia. The city established in the C3 BCE by the Seleucid Antiochus II, the city was named after his wife Laodicea. Built on the Lycus Tributary of the Meander River, it was surnamed Laodicea on Lycus, to distinguish it from other similarly named cities. Laodicia is the last of the seven churches. As a crossroad of two important roads, this city had an important commercial and logistical position.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Hierapolis Arkeoloji Muzesi, Orenyeri Kasabasi Pamukkale, Denizli Merkez, Denizli Turkiye
We drive to the healing city of Hierapolis, actually Pamukkale, the white «cotton fortress» where hot mineral water bursts from the earth and cascades over steep cliffs forming pools, channels and stalactites. The therapeutic waters were known to the founders of Hierapolis and of Laodicea in 190 BC. In Hierapolis [Col. 4:13] we visit the Martyrium of the Apostle Philip where he was martyred during the persecutions ordered by Domitian. Check in at hotel for dinner and overnight in a Thermal Hotel.
Duration: 2 minutes
Meals included:
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Accommodation included: Overnight at a 4-star hotel in Pamukkale
Day 7: Ephesus – Kusadasi
Stop At: The Basilica of Saint John, Isa Bey Mahallesi, 2013. Sk. No:1, Selcuk 35920 Turkiye
Drive to Ephesus visit to the ancient city of Ephesus including the Basilica of St. John. The Apostle Paul preached to the Ephesians and lived here for three years. This church also received an epistle from him.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Ancient City of Ephesus, Selcuk 35920 Turkiye
We tour the spectacular ruins where excavations still continue in this once great and important city, which was founded in the 10th century BC.
Duration: 2 hours
Stop At: Bibliotheque de Celsus, Efes Selcuk Merkez, Selcuk, Selcuk Turkiye
Walk through history along marble streets lined with wonderful public buildings, among them the Baths of Scholastica, the Library of Celsus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Theatre.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Meryemana (The Virgin Mary's House), Sultaniye Mahallesi, Selcuk 35100 Turkiye
Visit to The House of Virgin Mary.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Temple of Hadrian, Curetes St., Selcuk Turkiye
Visit to Temple of Hadrian.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Baths of Varius, Selcuk Turkiye
Visit to Baths of Scholastica.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: The Temple of Artemis, Ataturk, Park Ici Yolu No:12, Selcuk Turkiye
Visit to The Temple of Diana (Artemis) of the Ephesians, another of the seven wonders of the ancient world, was built in this city.
We will drive to Kusadasi in the end.
Duration: 30 minutes
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.
Day 8: Izmir – Istanbul
Pass By: Izmir, Izmir, Izmir Province, Turkish Aegean Coast
Pick up from hotel and transfer to Izmir Airport for a flight to Istanbul.
Meals included:
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No accommodation included on this day.