IONIAN CITIES AND IONIAN COST LINE TOUR FROM ANTALYA-ISTANBUL (8 Days-7 Nights)
DAY 1 –Flight to Izmir-Izmir Half Day Tour
Pick up from the hotel and transfer to Antalya domestic airport for your flight to Izmir. Meet with your guide at Izmir airport then join Half Day Izmir Sightseeing Tour.Izmir is Turkey’s third largest city and its major port on the Aegean Sea. According to ancient documents, it was Ionian Smyrna which was the birthplace of Homer, the author of the epic of Troy Clock tower, symbol of the city, this picturesque clock tower in Konak Meydan was built in 1901 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Emperor Abdulhamit II''s accession to the throne. The clock itself was a gift of Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany.Konak Camii, the small but ornate 18th century mosque Kemeralti, Izmir’s historical bazaar district, a maze of narrow streets .Archeology museum with an extensive collection of artifacts from the Izmir region.Kadifekale (Mount Pagus): the fortifications built by the Byzantines and extended by the Ottomans at the summit of this small mount. This 4th century BC castle commands a bird''s eye view of Izmir and is the perfect place to watch the sun set over the city.Overnight Izmir.
DAY 2-Ephesus Tour
You will be picked up from your Hotel then drive to Selcuk Town for Full day tour of Ephesus & The House of Virgin Mary. First you will visit The Temple of Artemis, which once was one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Then you will visit the world famous ancient Greco-Roman City of Ephesus, the most well preserved example in the world. After visiting this impressive site, you will have a lunch break. After lunch, you will visit The House of Virgin Mary, where it is believed she spent her last days. This is a holy place for both Christians and Muslims.End of the tour transfer
DAY 3 – Pergamon Tour
Pick up from the hotel early in the morning and drive Pergamon. Visit the Acropolis, Temple of Athena, the famous library and royal palaces, the Temple of Trajan, the 3rd century Theater of Pergamon (one of the steepest theaters in the world), the Temple of Dionysos, remains of the Altar of Zeus (Seat of Satan), and a view of the Red Basilica (St. John''s Church). Lunch included in town. Visit the ruins of Asclepion, a medical center of the ancient world. In the afternoon, we will proceed to Assos and Overnight.
DAY 4 – Assos and Troy Tours
After breakfast visting to Assos Ancient city and acropolis, The Mysian city of Assos was founded in the 8th c B.C. by colonists from Lesvos, who later built the impressive Athena Temple, which crowns the hill. The famous philosopher Aristotle lived there in the 4th c B.C. and founded a school. St. Paul also visited Assos on his way through Asia Minor.The setting is breathtaking with a small village of stone houses that clusters on a spire of rock. From the top, you have a view of the Greek Island of Lesvos After Assos we will drive to Troy.For most of the last 3000 years, people assumed that Homer''s Iliad was fiction, and that Troy never existed. From seeing Troy''s ancient walls, climbing around the ruins,and gazing across the Troad (the plains of Troy) towards the waters of the Dardanelles and the hills of Gallipoli beyond. Troy is impressive for its great age (the oldest ruins date from 3000 BC) and beautiful situation. The hokey wooden horse is just for fun ( especially for kids).Overnight Canakkale.
DAY 5 – Canakkale to Istanbul
After breakfast drive to Istanbul and C-In your Hotel,free time at leisure in Istanbul.Overnight Istanbul.
DAY 6 -Istanbul Seightseeing Tour
Pick up at your hotel for the full day tour of old Istanbul city.Visit to St.Sophia Museum, This ancient basilica, built by Constantine
the Great in the 4th century and reconstructed by Justinian in the 6th century, is one of the architectural marvels of all time.
Topkapi Palace, The great palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of cyrstal, silver, and Chinese porcelain, robes worn by the sultans and their families, the famous jewels of the Imperial Treasury, miniatures, the Holy Mantle; enshrining relics of the Prophet Mohammed.Sultan Ahmet Imperial Mosque Across from St. Sophia built in the 16th century by the architect Mehmet, is known as the Blue Mosque because of its magnificent interior decoration of
blue Iznik tiles.Ancient Hippodrome, the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine Column and the Column of Constantine.Then we take you to the Grand Bazaar, In this labyrinth of streets and passages are more then 4,000 shops with each trade having its own area: the goldsmiths'' street,the carpet sellers, Turkish arts and crafts, such as handpainted ceramic plates, hand-honed copperware, brassware and trays, water ewers, onyx-ware and meerschaum pipes.After your tour, transfer back to your hotel.Overnight in Istanbul.
DAY 7 - Istanbul Bosphorus Tour
Pick up at your hotel and depart for a magical Istanbul Bosphorus Cruise and Shopping Tour.Visit the Spice Bazaar (Egyptian Bazaar) The air here is filled with the enticing aromas of cinnamon, caraway, saffron, mint, thyme and every other conceivable herb and spice.Bosphorus Tour By Boat a traditional excursion by boat along the waterway separating Europe and Asia.The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will see the magnificent sights of the following attractions from your boat. See Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavilions of Yildiz Palace.On the coastal edge of this park, is Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of its marble facade faces the shore. At Ortakoy a great variety of artists gather every Sunday to display their work along the street. Ortakoy is a symbol of tolerance with a church, a mosque and a synagogue existing side by side for centuries.Rumeli Fortress Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul was completed in only four months to control and protect the infamous Bosphorus passage.It is one of the most beautiful works of military architecture anywhere in the world.Beylerbeyi Palace The summer residence of Ottoman sultans exists in its original renovated glory featuring original antique furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian side of Istanbul.Bosphorus Bridge enjoy a unique chance to step from one continent (Asia) to another (Europe) Camlica Hill the highest point in Istanbul. At the top of it you can rest and admire the magnificent panorama of Istanbul and the Bosporus from the beautiful gardens, landscaped in traditional Turkish Ottoman style.
Shopping Tour (after cruise) Experience the traditional silk weaving skills of Turkish women at the carpet weaving courses provided by The Ministry of National Education.You will get the opportunity to see jewellery, handcrafts centre and a modern leatherwear show.After the tour transfer to your hotel.Overnight Istanbul.
DAY 8 – Flight to Antalya or Flight to Sweet Home
After breakfast transfer to Ataturk airport and Flight back to sweet home or flight back to Antalya.
PS:If you wish you may extension your Tour in Istanbul.You may book other seightseeing Tours in Istanbul |
