(NOTE: This program is available on ANY day of the week. Just ask!)
Let us know if you need any assistance with transfers from your own Istanbul hotel (arrival or departure).
Program:
Day 1: Istanbul - Ephesus - Pamukkale - (L/D)
Early in the morning, we will transfer you to the domestic airport and put you on a 1 hour flight to Izmir; after arrival, we will transfer to you Ephesus for a full-day tour.
Sites you’ll see today:
* Ephesus is the best-preserved classical cities from ancient times, and was inhabited by Greeks, Macedonians, Romans and Turks. St. Paul lived here circa 60 AD, when it was at its most populated at 250,000. During your visit, you’ll walk its stony boulevards, stand in the grand theatre, marvel at the beauty of the Celsus Library, the agora, as well as the baths, giving you the unique chance to get up-close-and-personal with history by literally being able to walk into it.
* The House of The Virgin Mary, (Turkish: Meryemana Evi), high on a hill overlooking the town of Selcuk, is where it is believed that St. Mary came to live with St. John the Baptist in the later years of her life. Masses are held here on Sundays.
Overnight in Pamukkale
Day 2 - Pamukkale to Antalya - (B/L)
After breakfast, we will depart Kusadasi for our scenic 3-hour drive to Pamukkale, where you will have a guided tour of Pamukkale and Hierapolis.
* Pamukkale ("cotton castle" in Turkish) is the result of limestone formations created over thousands of years. Warm, calcium-rich mineral water from nearby thermal hot springs flowed over these cliffs and, as these waters cooled, they deposited the calcium that we see today.
* Hierapolis is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was founded as an ancient healing care center in 190 BC, taking advantage of the mineral waters. It was one of the most important intellectual, artistic, religious and commercial centers of the Roman Empire. Over time, the city hosted large numbers of both Jewish and Christian residents.
Following the tour of Pamukkale, we will put you on a comfortable bus ride south to Antalya. After arrival in Antalya, we will transfer you to your hotel. Overnight in Antalya
Day 3 - Antalya - (B/L)
After breakfast, we will continue with a full-day guided tour of the classical sites of Side, Perge, and Aspendos.
* Perge is a magnificent example of how an ancient classical city looked. Records date it to roughly the 4th century BC. It was settled by the Greeks following the Trojan War, then visited by St. Paul and his disciples when it was a leading city of Pamphylia. It then fell under the leadership of Alexander the Great and eventually to the Byzantines. It was during the reign of Constantine that Perge became an important center of Christianity.
* Side was the site of Pamphyilia's largest port and was probably first colonized in the 7th BC. Coming from Cyprus, St. Paul would have very likely visited en route to Perge (another site you'll see today). The great ruins are among the most notable in Asia Minor. They cover a large promontory where a wall and a moat separate it from the mainland. During medieval times, the wall and moat were repaired, and the promontory housed a wealth of structures.
* Manavgat Waterfalls is where we'll have a cool rest, right next to the falls. Local vendors offer beverages and ice cream.
* Aspendos and Aspendos Theatre is another beautiful example of a well-preserved classical city that is most famous for its theatre, which dates to 160-180 AD. Depending on performance dates, we may be lucky enough to see a summer evening opera or ballet performance in a theatre that's widely-considered to be the most intact classical theatre in existence.
After the tour, we will return you to your hotel, where you will have a free evening to relax and explore Antalya on your own. Overnight in Antalya
Day 4 - Antalya - (B/L)
After breakfast we will take you on a full day tour of the following sites:
* Myra : In the shadow of the Church of Saint Nicolas, the ruins of Myra, its ancient city walls, and myriad rock tombs sit dramatically on a steep mountain slope.
* Kekova ("The Sunken City"): Kekova has a surface area of 5.7sq km and while the majority of its ruins are submerged underwater, they are visible.
* St. Nicholas Island: According to ancient sources, St. Nicolas, known the world over as Santa Claus, was born at the end of the 3rd century near the town of Patara ,(60 km west of Demre), to a wealthy family, was educated and devoted himself to the betterment of mankind.
*Simena: The village of Kale, (known in ancient times as Simena) is a very charming historical site, with its underwater ruins and well-preserved fortification walls dating back to the Middle Ages. Most of the structures have two floors.
After the tour we will return you to your hotel.
Overnight in Antalya
Day 5: Antalya to Istanbul - (B)
After breakfast, we will transfer you to the Antalya airport for a 1-hour, 15-minute flight back to Istanbul. Arriving in Istanbul will be the end of this program.
Prices are starting from 585 Euros per person in a double, contact us to get a price quote for your dates
Price includes:
* All transportation in comfortable vehicles
* All hotels
* 4 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners
* Domestic flight tickets (Istanbul - Izmir & Antalya - Istanbul)
* Professional, English-speaking guides
* Entrance fees to ancient sites
* All service charges and local taxes
Excludes:
* Drinks with meals
(NOTE: This is a fully-customizable program and is available all year round. If you are interested in obtaining more information about early booking, cash-paying discounts, hotel names (and web sites), or daily departure times, simply send back to us your e-mail inquiry, letting us know the dates you wish to travel, and we'll get back with you very soon.
You may also choose to extend your stay by adding-on such destinations Cappadocia, Ephesus, Pamukkale, etc., or a Blue Cruise Charter boat trip, in order to fit your time and travel interests.)
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