ROUND TRIP TO LEGENDARY LANDS (8 Days-7 Nights)
Day - 1: Arrival to Izmir
Arrival at Adnan Menderes Airport in Izmir. Your Izmir guide will meet you at the airport, 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, depending on the city you are staying and on the reverse side a map of the historical attraction of the city so when you are walking around the ancient sites you can have a better understanding of where you are placed and whats coming next. Airport transfer to your hotel.
Brief orientation followed by a free day to enjoy for your own leisure. Overnight in Izmir.
Day - 2: Full Day Ephesus Tour
Early pick you up from hotel, meet with your Ephesus guide & join the Ephesus Tour. Visit The House of Virgin 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 Johns care. The next stop is The Temple of Diana, built in honour 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 lunch visit the Ephesus Ancient City, a walking tour will take you throughout 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. After that we will drive back to Izmir for overnight in Izmir. (B,L,D)
Day - 3: 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 lunch in a famous Turkish restaurant, 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, drive back to Kusadasi. Overnight and dinner in the hotel in Kusadasi. (B,L,D)
Day - 4: Full Day Pergamon Tour
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 3rd 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 (Temple 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 to Assos For Overnight stay. (B,L,D)
Day - 5: Assos and Troy (Wooden Horse) Tour
In the morning, after the breakfast you will visit the Assos ancient city, The city was established by migrants from the town of Methymna on the island of Lesbos. Over the centuries, the city was ruled as part of Lydia, by the Persians, as a member of the Athenian League in the 5th century B.C. and incorporated into the kingdom of Pergamon. One of the rulers during the pre-Pergamon era was the freed slave and student of Plato, Hermias. From 348 to 345 B.C. Hermiass schoolmate and friend, Aristotle, joined him at Assos to philosophize and lecture; tradition has it that it was here that Aristotle further developed Platos thinking on government as expounded in The Republic. The ancient site comprises an acropolis, gymnasium, theater, bouleuterion necropolis, all for the most part bound by a 3.2 km-long (2-mile) defensive wall, and according to leading Turkish archaeologists, the most complete fortification in the Greek world. The Temple  of Athena was the first and only archaic temple built in Anatolia of the Doric style. The rubble (much of the good stuff was carried off to the Boston Museum, the Louvre, and the Istanbul Archaeology Museum) is spread out over a wide and arid area, unless your a master orienteer your visit will may be confined to the upper reaches of the acropolis. Still, the cliff-top setting of the ancient city, which produces an awe-inspiring sunset image from the temple remains over the bay. Afterwards, you drive to Canakkale on the way we will have lunch near Troy. After lunch visit the legendary city of Troy, the Trojan Horse and Helen of Troy, as well as explaining the history and discoveries of the archeological diggings from its discovery by Heinrich Schliemann in the 1870s to the present day and on going. It was the stratagem that allowed the Greeks finally to enter the city of Troy and end the conflict. In one version, after a fruitless 10-year siege, the Greeks constructed a huge wooden horse, and hid a select force of 30 men inside. The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory
trophy. That night the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of night. The Greek army entered and destroyed the city of Troy, decisively ending the war. Nine cities have been discovered built one on top of the other dating back to 3000 B.C. Who was Helen of Troy and was she the real cause of the Trojan wars or was it economy? Did the wooden horse really exist? What is happening with the current excavations? You will learn the answers to these and many other questions. For most of the last 3000 years, people assumed that Homers Iliad was fiction, and that Troy never existed. From seeing Troys 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 B.C.) and beautiful situation. The Movie, with Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger, was released in May 2004. After the visit of Troy, we will drive to Canakkale for Overnight stay. (B,L,D)
Day - 6: Drive to Istanbul and Sightseeing in Istanbul
Early departure from hotel and crossing to the European side by ferry. Then drive to Istanbul lunch on the way. Arrival to istanbul late afternoon. Visit the St.Sophia Museum,it is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture.Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time,and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1,000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville in Spain.Across from St.Sophia is the Blue Mosque, recognizable from its
6 minarets, built 1616 for Sultan Ahmet I and inside with 21,043 tiles from Iznik in a dominant blue colour; because of its magnificent interior decoration of blue Iznik tiles. Hippodrome,the scene of chariot races, with the three monuments; the Obelisk of Theodosius, the bronze Serpentine After that we will drive to hotel. Overnight in Istanbul. (B,L)
Day - 7: Bosphorus and Topkapi Palace Tour
After breakfast, we continue to Topkapi Palace, The Great Palace of the Ottoman sultans from the 15th to the 19th centuries housing an exquisite collection of crystal, 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. After lunch we will drive to Kabatas for bosphorus tour. A traditional excursion by boat along the waterway seperating Europe and Asia. The shore is lined with old wooden villas, palaces of marble, fortresses, and small fishing villages. During the excursion you will pass the magnificent Dolmabahce Palace, and further along, the parks and imperial pavillions of Yildiz Palace. Ciragan Palace, 300 meters of is marble facade faces the shore.Rumeli Fortres, Built by Mehmet the Conqueror in 1452 prior to the conquest of Istanbul, was completed in only four months to control and protect Bosphorus.Beylerbeyi Palace,the summer residence of ottoman sultans with its orginal furniture and magnificent gardens with the Harem on the Asian.Bosphorus Bridge,unique change by stepping 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 bosphours from the beautiful gardens,landscaped in traditional style.Conclude your day with a short drive to the exotic Grand Bazaar,which is one of the most colourful institutions of Istanbul.Drive back hotel for Overnight. (B,L)
Day - 8: Transfer to Airport
Transfer to airport. Fly to Home sweet Home. (B)