Round Trips 8: Grand Turkey Tour 23 Days-22 Nights

After breakfast departure for a full day sight-seeing tour visiting the Hippodrome, Blue Mosque, St. Sophia Museum, Topkapi Palace (Treasury and Harem Sections not included !) and Grand Bazaar. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel. After a short visit to the famous Egyptian Spice Market Bazaar embark on a Cruise along the Bosphorus. Disembark at Sariyer and have lunch then drive to the Asian Part of Istanbul. Visit to Yeditepe Hill for a panoramic view of the city. Also visit to Beylerbeyi Palace the summer resident of the Ottoman Sultans. Dinner and overnight will be at hotel.

After early breakfast at hotel transfer to the airport for an early flight to Ankara. Upon arrival a brief sight-seeing tour in Ankara. Visit the Museum for Anatolian Civilizations. Proceed to Samsun. Enroute visits to the Hititian Capital City “Hattusas” and “Yazilikaya”. Dinner and overnight.

Early breakfast and departure to Trabzon. The coach will follow the coast of the Black Sea on a winding road with a breath-taking view of the sea with its combination of blue and green colours. Upon arrival in Trabzon, the tour visits to the St. Sophia Church, the City Walls and Old City. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at hotel departure to visit the Sumela Monastery, built on a step and rocky slope in 6th century. The various chapels and rooms are mere shells but with a good deal of fine fresco paintings. Proceed to Erzurum through the Zigana Pass. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast and departure for the Cifte Minareli Medrese, left from the Seljukians and the Tombs, the Old Silk Road Trade Center. Proceed via Sarikamis (one of the ski resorts of Turkey ) to Kars. Dinner and overnight.

After early breakfast departure for the Armenian Antic City “Ani” left from the 16th century and located near the Armenian Border. Proceed to Dogubeyazit via Igdir with a panaromic view of Mount Ararat. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel and visit to an 18th century Ottoman artist’s master-piece, the Ishakpasa Palace with its brilliantly carved relief’s. Depart to Van. Upon arrival visits to the Museum Of Van and Citadel of Van (old Tushba), left from Urartiers time, located near Lake Van. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast departure for the tour of the Akdamar Island and visit to the Armenian Church, which is famous in the world with its beautiful frescoes. In the afternoon visit to the Hosap Castle and Cavustepe. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel and departure to Diyarbakir via Bitlis. Upon arrival, visit to the Ulu Mosque, the City Walls, Tigris River and the Ancient Roman Bridge built over it. Dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast, departure to Sanliurfa and visit to the Old City of Harran, the ruins of the Harran University (One of the first universities on the world !), and the citadel. After visiting Sacred Pool proceed to Abraham’s Cave and various mosques in the city. Dinner and overnight.

Midnight departure for Mount Nemrut to watch the breathtaking sunrise over the statues of Zeus of Antiochus, Herakles (Hercules) and other mythological figures on the eastern terrace of Tumulus of Antiochus. Return to hotel for rest and breakfast. Depart to Gaziantep. Upon arrival a short visit to the city. Dinner and overnight.

After an early breakfast, departure to Antakya. The tour visits to Grotto of St. Peter and the Mosaic Museum (Second biggest mosaic museum on the world!). Proceed to Adana via Iskenderun (ancient Alexandria) with picture taking stops at the Castles built by Crusaders. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast and drive to Cappadocia. Cross Taurus Mountains with their wonderful wild scenery and typical villages. The 3200 metres high Hasan Dag heralds our approach to Cappadocia. Visit on the way the Gumusler Monastery, where you will see the cells and tombs of the priests and none’s lived here. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at hotel full day Cappadocia tour featuring, Urgüp, Göreme and Uchisar with their troglodyte dwellings. Remains of early churches can be seen. Complicated rooms hollowed out of the cures of volcanic ash. Several hundred churches are in this area some of which are decorated with frescoes depicting scenes from the Bible or the Apocrypha. Continue to Underground City of Kaymakli or Ozkonak, was used by Christians of the 7th century as places of retreat in order to escape persecution. Dinner at hotel.

Breakfast at hotel and drive to Konya, visit to the Caravanserai of Sultanhan which remains 13 th century and then visits to Whirling Dervishes Museum (Museum of Mevlana) and continue to Antalya. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast visits to the historic city of Perge where the Apostle Paul preached his first sermon and the Ancient Theatre of Aspendos and then the Archaeology Museum of Antalya. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast and drive to Pamukkale and enjoy the warm mineral waters of its limestone springs and visit to the next located antic city Hierapolis. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast at hotel drive to Ephesus, one of the highlights of any visit to Turkey. Among the ruins are Basilica of St. John, House of Virgin Mary, Artemision, Agora, Kuretes Street, Temple of Domitian, Fountain of Trojan, Temple of Hadrian, Library of Celsius, The Theatre and Arcadian Way. Continue to Izmir. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at hotel and drive to Bergama and visit to the Acropolis, once a great center of culture. Visit, Asclepion which was a sanctuary dedicated to the God of Health Asclepios, remains of the Celebrated Library, the monumental Altar of Zeus. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast visit of the Homer’s Troy, where we see the ruins of nine cities built on top of each other. Then pass the Dardanelles by ferry boat and visit to the Gallipoli Peninsula. Early afternoon continue to Istanbul for dinner and overnight.

Transfer to airport for onward flight.

END OF TOUR WITH THE SWEET MEMORIES OF TURKEY!!!