İSTANBUL • ANCYRA (Ankara) • CAPPADOCIA • ICONIUM (Konya) HIERAPOLIS (Pamukkale) • LAODICEA (Denizle) • APHRODISIAS (Geyre / Aydın) EPHESOS & HOUSE OF VIRGIN MARY (Kuşadası) • SMYRNA (İzmir) • İSTANBUL
Day 1
Meeting at İstanbul Airport and transfer to hotel
Day 2
Full day city tour, lunch included.
Morning BYZANTINE & OTTOMAN RELICS : Hagia Sophia • Underground Cisterns • Mosaic Museum • St. Irene Basilica. Lunch at a famous Turkish Cuisine Restaurant.
Afternoon Golden Horn: Orthodox Patriarchate of Fener Virgin Mary’s Church • City Walls • St. Savior in Chora (Kariye) .
Day 3
Early morning flight to Ankara. Panoramic tour of the city and visit to the Anatolian Civilizations (Hittite) Museum. Drive to Cappadocia after lunch via Salt Lake and the 13th century Seldjoukian Ağzıkarahan Caravanserai. Visit the Underground Cities used by the early Christians hiding from Roman and Byzantian persecution. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 4
Full day tour of Cappadocia, including lunch. Göreme Valley, the Open Air Museum with “Fairy Chimneys”, Zelve with painted churches, “Petrified Valley” of Uçhisar, Paşabağ (Monk’s Valley), the villages of Çavuşin and Avanos. Dinner and overnight in Cappadocia.
Day 5
Departure for Konya (Iconium), city of the “Whirling Dervishes”. Visit to Museum and the Tomb of Mevlana, world famous poet and theolog. Lunch of regional tastes. Continue to Hierapolis (Pamukkale), visit the ruins of the biggest Necropolis Graveyard of the ancient world, famous with its thermal springs and unique formation of petrified calcium cliffs & stalactites, visit to Philip’s Tomb who was martryred in Hierapolis. A short visit to Colossae Antique City. Dinner and overnight in Pamukkale.
Day 6
Departure after breakfast. Drive to Laodicea (Alaşehir), one of the seven churches and Colossae Antique City. Continue to Aphrodisias (Geyre /Aydın), well preserved Greco-Roman settlement, dedicated to “Aphrodite”, Goddess of Love and visit the site. Dinner and overnight at Kuşadası.
Day 7
Day 7
Visit to the ancient Ionian city of Ephesos, House of Virgin Mary, St. John Basilica, Temple of Artemis (Diana), one of the “Seven Wonders of The World”, and the Selçuk Museum.
Lunch and drive to İzmir, a short panoramic tour of the city, visiting St. Polycarp Church and viewing İzmir Agora. Transfer for evening flight to İstanbul. Meeting at İstanbul Airport and transfer to hotel.
Day 8
Free day in İstanbul.
Day 9
Transfer to İstanbul Airport for return flight.
Lunch and drive to İzmir, a short panoramic tour of the city, visiting St. Polycarp Church and viewing İzmir Agora. Transfer for evening flight to İstanbul. Meeting at İstanbul Airport and transfer to hotel.
Day 8
Free day in İstanbul.
Day 9
Transfer to İstanbul Airport for return flight.
