THE VERY BEST OF TURKEY

For VIP Groups between April – November
11 Nights - 12 Days Cultural Exploration
Izmir - Pergamon - Ephesus - Kusadasi - Bodrum - Aphrodisias - Pamukkale - Konya - Cappadocia - Istanbul

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE TRIP

• THE MOST POPULAR HISTORICAL SITES OF TURKEY ; IZMIR ( SMYRNA ), PERGAMON, EPHESUS , KUSADASI, BODRUM, APHRODISIAS, PAMUKKALE, KONYA , CAPPADOCIA & ISTANBUL .
• LOCAL OPEN AIR MARKET VISIT IN BERGAMA
• COMPANY OF MUSEUM MANAGERS IN PERGAMON AND EPHESUS
• SEE NEW FINDINGS WHICH ARE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC YET
• AUTHENTIC STEAM TRAIN EXPERIENCE
• TURKISH FASHION SHOW
• WINE TASTING AT BODRUM CASTLE WHERE CRUSADERS USED TO DRINK SIX CENTURIES AGO
• WHIRLING DERVISHES SHOW
• HOT AIR BALLOON TRIP IN CAPPADOCIA
• BOAT TRIP IN ISTANBUL
• MEET LOCAL PEOPLE AS OUR GUEST AT SOME OF OUR DINNERS

DAY 1 SUNDAY ARRIVE IZMIR AIRPORT

Meet and transfer to Izmir Hilton Hotel. Afternoon, sightseeing in Izmir . Visit the Old Elevator and Dareo Moreno Street . Then walk on Kordon Street along the seaside; a relaxed atmosphere overlooking the Bay of Izmir . Tonight, we will have dinner at an outdoor local restaurant called Altinkapi ( Golden Gate ) famous for its Doner Kebab. A seafood option is also available upon request. Return to Izmir Hilton Hotel for overnight. (D)

DAY 2 MONDAY PERGAMON - IZMIR

Leave for Pergamon to the north of Izmir . First, visit the Asclepion. Learn its ancient healing techniques. Then visit the Acropolis with the steepest theater of the ancient world and the Temple of Trajan . Before lunch, visit the weekly open air Bergama Market. Discover the products of this small Turkish village. At lunch, you will taste different Turkish dishes with fresh seasonal vegetables. After lunch, visit the Ethnographical and Archaeological Museums . The Museum Manager will be with us during our visit. Our final visit in Bergama is to the Red Basilica which was an Egyptian Temple , later converted to a church in the 1st century. It is also considered one of the Seven Churches of the Revelation. Return to Izmir Hilton Hotel. Late in the afternoon, we will proceed to Cesmealti where we have been invited to the house of Mrs. Zuhal Yorgancioglu, the most renowned name in Turkish fashion, for a cocktail and open buffet garden dinner. We will watch the sunset, and enjoy a Turkish fashion show, privately organized for us. The Izmir Director of the Ministry of Culture will be our guest during this cocktail and dinner. Return to Izmir Hilton Hotel for overnight. (B,L,D)

DAY 3 TUESDAY EPHESUS - KUSADASI

After breakfast, we leave for Izmir Railway Station to take an authentic, private steam train to Selcuk, a town near Ephesus . Enjoy this one hour train trip and the beautiful countryside between Izmir-Selcuk. (The steam train may not operate in June, July & August when the weather is too hot; in that case we will drive to Selcuk) We will visit the House of the Virgin Mary on Mount Pion , and light a candle. Then visit Ephesus , the most famous ancient Roman city in Turkey , maybe in the world. See the Odeon, the Temple of Hadrian , the Celsus Library, the Marble Street , the Great Theater and the Harbour Road . Lunch at a local restaurant in the early afternoon. After lunch, visit the Archaeological Museum of Ephesus. The Museum Manager will be with us during our visit, and he will show us new findings which are not yet open to the public. Tonight, we will have dinner at our hotel in Kusadasi, overlooking the Aegean Sea . (B,L,D)


DAY 4 WEDNESDAY PRIENE - MILETOS - DIDYMA - BODRUM

Depart for Bodrum. Visit Priene, which is a well preserved ancient Greek city. Then see Miletos which has a beautiful Greco-roman theater where St. Paul gave a speech to spread Christianity in the 1st century. Proceed to Didyma to see the Temple of Apollo , famous for its oracle. Lunch at a local fish restaurant in Didyma, then continue to Bodrum for dinner and overnight at the deluxe Marmara Hotel overlooking Bodrum Castle and the Marina . Bodrum is famous for its night-life. Many shops, bars, cafes, and restaurants are open until the small hours of the morning. After dinner, we will have a short walk in the city. Overnight in Bodrum. (B,L,D)

DAY 5 THURSDAY BODRUM

We start the day with a tasty breakfast at our hotel. Our first visit is to the antique theater

in Bodrum overlooking Bodrum Marina. Then we visit the Mausoleum, the tomb of King Mausoleus, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the famous Bodrum Castle , built by the Crusaders in the 15th century. In Bodrum Castle , we will first visit the Underwater Archaeology Museum which is one of the largest in the world, then we will experience a wine tasting at one of the tower rooms where Crusaders used to drink six centuries ago. We will have a late lunch in a typical small Turkish village, and observe their relaxed lifestyle. We return to our deluxe hotel for dinner and overnight. During dinner, there will be a small lottery, and the winner (one of the tour participants) will receive a real Turkish gold coin. The gold coin in Turkey is a perfect gift for weddings and for other important events, and it is the symbol of love and respect. (B,L,D)


DAY 6 FRIDAY APHRODISIAS - PAMUKKALE

Drive to Aphrodisias, the city of Aphrodite or Venus, the goddess of love. The archaeologists named the city Aphrodisias because they found so many statues of her here. The New York University is leading and supporting the excavations financially. The university representative may be with us during our visit to the ancient city. We will see the Stadium which seated 35,000 people and is the most well-preserved in the world, the Hadrian Baths, the Theater, the Agora and the Archaeological Museum where many Aphrodite statues are on display. Continue to Pamukkale, the Cotton Castle . See the white travertine's; there are underground hot water springs in Pamukkale. This water contains many minerals including calcium. The calcium deposits formed the white Pamukkale hill over thousands of years. The city of Hierapolis in Pamukkale was a spa center during the Roman period. There are still tourists coming to Pamukkale for its hot spring waters. Dinner at the hotel. Swimming is available at the indoor or outdoor hot spring pool of the hotel. It is said that this water is good for the eyes, for the stomach, and has an aphrodisiac effect. (B,L,D)


DAY 7 SATURDAY PAMUKKALE - KONYA

Depart for Konya . Visit Konya Mevlana Museum . Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, see the Karatay Tile Museum and the Medrese which was one of the first universities of the Ottoman Empire . Then visit the local craftsmen such as felt makers and horse carriage decorators. Check-in to our first class (best available) hotel for dinner and overnight. Tonight, we will have the chance to watch a fascinating show; the special dance of the Whirling Dervishes. (B,L,D)


DAY 8 SUNDAY KONYA - CAPPADOCIA

Drive to Cappadocia . Visit the 13th century Sultan Hani Caravanserail en route, enjoy Turkish tea in an authentic atmosphere. Lunch at a local restaurant in Cappadocia . Afternoon sightseeing in Cappadocia . As a result of two explosions, the area was covered with volcanic matter to a height of 100 yards. As it was easy to carve these volcanic stones, local people built underground cities and cave churches in Cappadocia . In the afternoon, we will visit the 10th century underground city of Kaymakli . Dinner at our first class (best available) hotel. Tonight, we will sleep early for an early rise the next day to experience a unique hot air balloon trip over the spectacular volcanic landscape of Cappadocia . (B,L,D)

DAY 9 MONDAY CAPPADOCIA

We will leave the hotel at 6 a.m. without having breakfast for an unforgettable balloon trip over Cappadocia . The balloon trip is only available between April-October, when the weather is calm and only early in the morning, usually before 8 a.m. The trip ends with a champagne breakfast. After breakfast, we will visit Goreme Open Air Museum and the Citadel of Uchisar with lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we will visit Avanos, the town of pottery makers, and watch a demonstration at a workshop. Then, we will visit a carpet manufacturing company, a private handicraft center supported by the government to keep the carpet manufacturing tradition alive in the Cappadocia area. Tonight, we will have our dinner at an outdoor cave restaurant with folk and belly dancing. (B,L,D)


DAY 10 TUESDAY CAPPADOCIA - FLY TO ISTANBUL

Transfer to Kayseri airport in the morning for the flight to Istanbul . Istanbul is the only city in the world spanning two continents. Check-in to the deluxe Istanbul Hilton Hotel. Lunch at a city restaurant. After lunch, take a private boat trip cruising the Asian and European coastlines of Istanbul . Return to the hotel where your time is free until the evening. Tonight, we will have dinner at the Cistern Restaurant near the historical Underground Cistern dating from the Byzantine period. (B,L,D)

DAY 11 WEDNESDAY ISTANBUL

Today, we will have a full day tour of Istanbul , including its most popular sites; the Hippodrome Square , the Blue Mosque, the Hagia Sophia Museum , lunch at Konyali Restaurant in the Topkapi Palace , overlooking the Sea of Marmara, Topkapi Palace , the Archaeology Museum and the Covered Bazaar. Return to the hotel. Tonight, we will have our dinner at an outdoor seafood restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus. During our dinner, we will have a Turkish couple living in Istanbul as our guest. (A government representative or an architect or a doctor or a guest from another field) (B,L,D)

DAY 12 THURSDAY ISTANBUL - DEPARTURE

After breakfast, transfer to Istanbul Airport for departure. (B)