Classical Turkey 2
| Resort: | Classical Turkey |
| Operator: | Cox and Kings |
| Destination: | Turkey |
| Price From: | £1695.00 |
OverviewTurkey has played a major role in the history of the Mediterranean world. Due to its strategic location straddling two continents, it has been a crucial crossroads and staging post on the trade routes between east and west. This tour combines the country’s many natural wonders and man-made marvels, including the striking architecture of Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul, the remarkable classical sites of Troy, Aphrodisias and Ephesus, and the ancient hot springs of Pamukkale. ItineraryDay 1: Fly to IstanbulFly from London (regional connections available) to Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. Transfer to the Levni Hotel for 3 nights. Meeting and welcome drink. (N) Day 2: IstanbulMorning tour of Istanbul including Hagia Sofia, built as a church by Emperor Justinian in the sixth century; the Blue Mosque, with its exquisite blue tiles; and the remains of the Hippodrome, which at its height could accommodate 100,000 spectators. Afternoon visit to the Basilica Cistern, a marvel of Byzantine engineering located underneath the city, and finish at the Egyptian Bazaar. (B) Day 3: IstanbulMorning tour of Topkapi Palace, formerly the imperial residence of the Ottoman sultans. Tour the Grand Bazaar, Istanbuls legendary covered market, and enjoy a traditional Turkish coffee. Afternoon at leisure. (B) Day 4: CanakkaleMorning drive to Canakkale. Tour of the Gallipoli battlefield, scene of the aborted Allied invasion of 1915. Visit Cape Helles, Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove. Stay at the Kolin Hotel for 1 night. (B, D) Day 5: Troy Pergamon IzmirDrive from Canakkale to Izmir, stopping en route to visit the Unesco world heritage site of Troy. Continue to Pergamon for a tour of the historic town, including visits to the Acropolis, the Asclepion and the Red Basilica. Transfer to the Key Hotel for 1 night. (B) Day 6: Hierapolis Pamukkale LaodiceaMorning drive to the ruins of Hierapolis and the travertine terraces, and the hot springs at Pamukkale. Continue to Laodicea, where the ruins of one of the seven biblical churches of Asia remain. Stay overnight at the Doga Thermal Hotel in Pamukkale. (B, D) Day 7: Aphrodisias KusadasiDrive to Aphrodisias, one of the most beautiful classical sites in Turkey. Visit the Temple of Aphrodite and the most complete amphitheatre to have survived from the ancient world. Drive on to Sirince, a Greek village until the official exchange of citizens between Greece and Turkey in 1924. The village boasts its authentic Greco-Mediterranean architecture of narrow cobbled streets and whitewashed houses, enjoy wine tasting at a local vineyard nearby. Continue to Kusadasi and stay 2 nights at La Vista Boutique Hotel Kusadasi. (B) Day 8: EphesusMorning tour of Ephesus, once the capital of Roman Asia Minor. See the remains of the Temple of Artemis, one of the original Seven Wonders of the World, as well as the main site with its fabled Library of Celsus. Continue to the house of the Virgin Mary. Afternoon at leisure or optional visit to the hillside town of Priene and the ancient Ionian ports of the Menderes valley. (B) Day 9: Fly to LondonMorning at leisure. Afternoon transfer to the airport and fly to London, via Istanbul. (B) |
