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Resort town and yacht marina of Kusadasi, near Ephesus on the Turkish Aegean coast. |
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ISTANBUL AND WESTERN TURKEY (8 days/7 nights, by Orion Tour)
Istanbul, Troy, Pergamon, Izmir, Kusadasi, Ephesus
ORION TOUR has designed this tour for the visitor who wishes to immerse him or herself in the rich and fascinating history of Istanbul, the majestic capital that has been host to three great empires. The tour is completed with a leisurely trip throughout Western Turkey and the fabulous antique cities that sit proudly along the shores and mountaintops of the Aegean coast.
Day
1 - Istanbul
Arrival at Istanbul airport, you will be met
and transferred to your hotel.
Day 2 – Istanbul
Following breakfast, we drive to the 'Old City'
where we will visit the Hippodrome, the Blue Mosque,
famous for its delicate blue ceramic tiles and
Saint Sophia. This church - turned mosque - turned
museum takes the breath away with the sheer architectural
size of its interior and magnificent dome and next
we will visit the spectacular Topkapi Palace. Built
on one of the seven hills of Istanbul, this huge
complex commands views of the Sea of Marmara, the
Bosphorus and the Golden Horn. It was the seat
of government for the Ottoman Empire for many centuries
(1453-1852) and we will see the extravagant Treasury,
the priceless Chinese porcelain. (BL)
Day 3 – Istanbul
Our morning starts with a visit to the aromatic
Spice Bazaar, where the smells of cinnamon, cloves
and thyme, rise from hundreds of colorful muslin
bags at every storefront. We then board our ferryboat
for a relaxing cruise along the shores of the legendary
Bosphorus, the natural gateway that divides Asia
and Europe. As you sit back and enjoy Turkish coffee
or well-brewed tea from traditional small cups,
numerous summer palaces and palatial homes will
pass by on either side. Disembarking at the northern
end of the Strait, we proceed to a restaurant for
a tasty meal of local fish. Following lunch we
will travel by coach to the Suleymaniye Mosque
built by master architect Sinan during the reign
of Sultan Suleyman the Magnificent, the Lawgiver.
The last stop will be Grand Bazaar which is amongst
attractive shopping center and the biggest "souk" in
the world with nearly 4000 shops of antiques, jewelry,
gold, carpets and leatherwear. (BL)
Day 4- Çanakkale
- Troy
After an early breakfast, we will begin our scenic
drive down to Gallipoli, historically famous for
being the site of many battles during WW1. Following
a lunch break, we will cross the second strategic
waterway, the Dardanelles, and land in Asia and
proceed to Troy. Referred to in Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey",
Troy has in fact nine cities superimposed one upon
another. Troy Vl pertains to the famous Trojan
War of Homer where the legendary heroes included
Agamemnon, Achilles, Ulysses and Nestor on the
Greek side and, Priam, Hector and Paris on the
Trojan side. We will check-in our hotel in Çanakkale
for the evening. (BD)
Day 5 – Izmir or Kusadasi
On our journey to Izmir we will stop by the hauntingly
beautiful Pergamon. Among the impressive structures
of this city, dating from 399 BC, we will see the
Altar of Zeus, Temples of Dionysus and Trajan and
the 200,000 volume library which was surpassed
only by that found in Alexandria at the time. The
Asclepieum of Pergamon was a famous health center
where methods of treatment included blood transfusions,
music therapy and meditation. Leaving Pergamon
behind us we settle at our hotel in Izmir. (BD)
Day 6 – Kusadasi
Following an early breakfast we will proceed further
south and arrive at the ancient city of Ephesus.
Ephesus was undoubtedly one of the most important
cultural centers of the ancient world. Impressive
structures we will see include the Library of Celsus,
Temple of Hadrian, Theatre and Odeon. We will also
stop by at the Temple of Artemis that was one of
the Seven Wonders of the antiquity. Close by is
the House of the Virgin Mary where she is believed
to have spent her last years. On August 18, 1961,
Pope John XXll proclaimed the House of Virgin Mary
at Ephesus to be sacred. You will have a chance
to take some of Holy Water from the Sacred Spring.
(BD)
Day 7 - Kusadasi / Istanbul
Free time until it's time to transfer to the airport
for our flight to Istanbul.
Optional tour:
If you'd rather take an organized excursion, we
will leave early and journey to Priene which is
an example
of a
truly
ancient
city,
whose
history
dates back to the 10th century BC. Highlights include
the Temple of Athena Polias, the Ecclesiasterium
and the Agora. We next visit Miletus where the
Philosopher Thales was born. He coined the phrase "Know
Thyself". We will inspect the Delphinion,
Baths of Faustina and the Council Chamber. Our
last visit is to Didyma, which served as a religious
sanctuary to the god Apollo. The oracular inscriptions
date as far back as 600 BC. Among the highlights
are the Temple of Apollo and the Stadium. We then
return to Izmir to catch our flight to Istanbul.
(B)
Day 8 - Transfer to Airport
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
(B)
(Tour Code: ORNDTW6)
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