Highlights:
-Join Full-Day Guided tour to the heart of Istanbul
-Explore Gallipoli, home to one of the most dramatic battles in history
-Pergamum; Where John wrote his letter
-Walk on the ancient roads of the Greco-roman city of Ephesus and see the Holy Mary house.
-Tasty delicious foods from Turkish Cuisine
-Experience the life of locals and enjoy the shopping in local bazaars
Overview:
Explore western Turkey with 5 Days customized package with a local tour guide in a small group tour. Visit highlights of Istanbul such as Hagia Sophia, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Grand Bazaar, Spice Bazaar, Explore Gallipoli, home to one of the most dramatic battles in history and home of the Trojan Horse. Visit Pergamum; Where John wrote his letter, Pergamum had been a capital city for almost four hundred years. Walk on the ancient roads of best-preserved greko-city with House of Holy Mary nearby.
Day 1 Arrival Istanbul (Sunday)
Upon arrival Istanbul / SAW Airport, greeted by your driver and drives to your hotel. Check-in. Overnight in Istanbul.
(No Meal)
Day 2 Treasures of Istanbul (Monday)
(09:00 - 16:00)
According your group tour pick up time meet with your guide at the lobby of your hotel and depart for your fullday day tour to heart of Sultanahmet. Visit Blue Mosque, also known as Mosque of Sultan Ahmet which boats a unique feature of 6 minarets. View its glorious interiors and distinctive blue tiles and proceed to the only remains of Hippodrome of Constantinople, which consist 3 monumental columns and fountain. This is where chariot races took place in the past. Visit Topkapi Palace, once the seat of the Ottoman Empire. Presently, its a musium palace with a wide collection of porcelain, antiques, holy relics and other treasures. After lunch in the local restaurant proceed to Hagia Sophia, the church of Divine Wisdom, one of the greatest marvels of architecture, constructed as a basilica in the 2th century by Emperor Justinian. St Sophia was largest cathedral in the world for nearly thousand years;it is considered the masterpiece of Byzantine architecture.After being considered the Patriarchal Basilica of Constantinople, it was converted into a mosque in 1453 by Sultan Mehmet ll. Next: Grand Bazaar, One of the largest covered markets in the world with more than 60 streets and 5000 shops, where you will find in an authentic oriental atmosphere all kind of gifts, leather clothing, rugs,antiques, jewellery, hand-woven fabrics etc. After tour drive you back to your hotel. Overnight in Istanbul
(Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 3 Gallipoli&Troy (Tueday)
(08:30-19:30)
According your pick up time from your hotel, drive to Canakkale. Here we begin our guided tour of ANZAC Battlefields visiting Brighton Beach, ANZAC Cove, Beach Cemetery, Lone Pine Australian Memorial, Turkish and allied tunnels and trenches at Johnston’s Jolly, 57th Regiment Turkish Memorial and Chunuk Bair New Zealand Memorial. Next; Troya Archeological Site where we see the UNESCO recognized ruins of the Ancient kingdom of Troy. We stroll through the site where many worldwide used terms like the Trojan War, Trojan Horse, Helen of Troy, Prince Paris comes from Battle between Archilles and Hector, Walls of Troy II and Megaron House, The Ramp of Troy II, Roman bath, Odeon, The Temple of Athena and Ruins of Athena. Check-in. Overnight in Canakkale
(Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 4 Pergamum&Asklepion (Wednesday)
(08:30-19:00)
Upon breakfast at the hotel check out and Drive to Pergamum; Where John wrote his letter, Pergamum had been a capital city for almost four hundred years. After the mythical times, Pergamum had been the scene of several cultures, ranging from those of the Stone and Bronze Ages until the Archaic and Classical Periods. Among the temples, palaces and agora’s, the Asclepion, which were constructed in the course of one century, belonged the big Zeus Altar and the Parchment Library. Next, visit the ruins of Asklepion; was known under the name of "The Pergamum God of Health". Asklepius the dietary health and medicine served the people for several hundred years; thus making Pergamum a medical centre of very great importance. Famous medical Scholars, like Hippocrates and Galenus, were born in Pergamum and worked there. Along the way, feast your eyes on the beautiful Agean sea view with lush olive trees and some Greek and Turkish Islands. Overnight in Kusadasi.
(Breakfast-Lunch)
Day 5 Ancient Ephesus&House of Virgin Mary (Thursday)
(09:00-16:00)
According to your tour pick-up time meet with your guide and start your full-day tour. Visit The House of Virgin Mary; a church was built from the 6C AD to the top of the foundations of a house from 1C AD and it is declared by the church to be the final house where Mary spent her last days. Continue with the Ancient Ephesus; The best-preserved classical city in Eastern Mediterranean. Ephesus was the second-largest city on the planet after Rome with more than 250,000 citizens. It is also home to one of the Seven wonders of the ancient world, Temple of Artemis. Ephesus is also so well preserved that, walking on the ancient streets among the beautiful monuments such as the third largest library of the ancient world or the largest roman theatre on the Asia continent, gives you the feeling of a time traveler.
Next; Temple of Artemis or Artemision was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its ancient cult dedicated to Artemis was very famous in antiquity and made Ephesus a much-visited pilgrimage place. At the end of the tour drive you to Izmir Airport, Kusadasi (depending to your request). End of our service.
(Breakfast-Lunch)