DAY 1.Arrival to Izmir
Arrival at Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir.Your Izmir guide will meet you at the port or at your hotel in Izmir.Your Izmir guide will be holding up a sign
with your name on it,your guide will provide you with a complimentary map of Izmir,Ephesus and Pergamon,depending on the city you are staying,and on the
reverse side a map of the historical attraction of the city of Ephesus so when you are walking around the ancient sites you can have a better understanding
of where you are placed and whats coming next. Brief orientation followed by a free day to enjoy at your own leisure. Overnight in Izmir.
DAY 2:Full Day Ephesus Tour:Ephesus Ancient City-The House of Virgin Mary-Temple of Diana
Early pick you up from hotel and transfer to airport,Flight to Izmir at 07:00 am,Arrival to Izmir and Meeting with your guide & join to Ephesus Tours.Visit
The House of Virginm Mary,According to predominant Christian tradition,Mary was brought to Ephesus by the Apostle John after the Resurrection of Christ and
lived out her days there.This is based mainly on the traditional belief that John came to Ephesus combined with the biblical statement that Jesus consigned
her to John''s care.The next stop is The Temple of Diana,built in honor of the Greek Goddess of hunting,wild nature and fertility,Deemed as one of the Seven
wonders of the ancient world.It was used to be the largest marble temple in the ancient Greek world since it was four times as the big as the Parthenon in Athens.
After the lunch visit the Ephesus Ancient City, a walking tour will take you throught one of the most magnificent excavations in the world.See
the Odeon,the temple of Hadrian and impressive library of Ephesus.The Grand Theater,where St.Paul preached,is the largest theater is antiquity with capacity of
24,000 seats.Overnight in Izmir.
DAY 3:Full Day Pergamon Tour:Pergamon Acropolis&Asclepion (Old Medical Center)
After pick up we will drive to Bergama City.It is a 1 hour 30 minute drive from Izmir to Pergamon.Visit The Pergamon 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),Also The Parchment Paper,They stand as the most brilliant works of art of the 4th and 3th century B.C.in Anatolia.The
Parchment Library housed the most famous collection of books of that time,written on a type of processed lamb and goat skins.This was a process invented in
Pergamum,when the rulers of Ptolemean Egypt embargoed the export of Egyptian papyrus sheets to Pergamon.After that visit the Red Basilica(Temp-le of Serapis)
This huge brick edifice was built in the 2nd century as a Roman temple to the god Serapis and later converted into a Byzantine church.After the traditional
Turkish lunch,we will visit the Asklepion Pergamons 2nd-century Asklepion was a famed temple and medical center dedicated to Asklepius, the god of healing.
Some treatments used a sacred water source that was later discovered to have radioactive properties.Afterwards, you drive back to Izmir Harbour or at your
hotel in Izmir for Overnight
DAY 4:Aphrodisias and Pamukkale Tour (Cotton Castle)
Aphrodisias is in the east of Izmir and is around a 3 hour drive.Half way we will stop to have a break for any needs. Aphrodisias is really somewhere to sit
down,look from side to side exploring your surroundings,and then let your jaw drop.Aphrodisias was named after Aphrodite,the Greek goddess of Love,who here
had her unique cult image,the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias.The city was built near a marble quarry that was extensively exploited in the Hellenistic and Roman
periods,and sculptors in marble from Aphrodisias became famous in the Roman world.Aphrodisias was one of the foremost cities of the age,surrounded by fertile
fields producing every type of food stuff.It also possessed a flourishing wool and cotton industry,highly developed commercial,political,religious and cultural
institutions,very fine tradition of arts and crafts,world-famous schools of philosophy and sculpture and a large and energetic body of citizens.The museum of
Aphrodisias,is one of the most outstanding museums of western Anatolia.The monuments of unsurpassed value which have been found at the excavations are displayed
here.After that we will have a lunch famouse Turkish restourant, Afterwards we drive about 50 minutes more to Pamukkale & Hierapolis.We will arrive at the North
Gate of Pamukkale (Hierapolis) . You will see the Necropolis (cemetery) of Hierapolis which is one of the biggest ancient cemeteries in Anatolia with 1,200 graves, Roman Bath,
Domitian Gate,the Main Street,Byzantian Gate.Then,you walk to the natural warm water terraces which were formed by running warm water that contains calcium.A swim in the
effervescent waters of the Sacred Pool should be at the top of the list on any travel itinerary.Scattered about at the bottom of the crystal-clear pool like so much detritus is an amazing
collection of striated columns and capitals,a striking reminder of the pools pedigree .Afterwards, you drive back to Izmir for Overnight
DAY 5:Transfer to Airport
Transfer to Izmir airport. Fly to Home.Transfer to your hotel. |